Who is Matt Hancock? Meet David Cameron’s new business minister
David Cameron’s new business minister Matt Hancock must be breathing a sigh of relief that the Prime Minister hasn’t held a PR gaff he made last week against him.
The former minister for skills and enterprise was pictured in front of graffiti that read “sack Cameron” but there appears to be no lasting damage from the incident considering his latest promotion.
Widely tipped to be favoured in the latest reshuffle, the MP for West Suffolk replaces Michael Fallon in a cross-department role at the Department for Business and Department for Energy.
Hancock was first made a minister in 2012 after sitting on the Public Accounts Committee and the Committee on Standards and Privileges.
Since then, Hancock has worked his way up the ministerial ladder.
Initially as parliamentary undersecretary for education and skills, another cross-department post between business and education, he was then bumped up to minister of state for skills and enterprise in 2013.
Before being elected to parliament in 2010, the PPE graduate spent five years as an economist at the Bank of England and then became George Osborne’s chief of staff when in opposition.
The Telegraph reports that in the role he used to prep Cameron before PMQs.
The 36-year-old is certainly well placed now, positioned as the number two in the department behind Vince Cable and in Cameron's inner circle now he will also be attending Cabinet meetings.
The big issues on Hancock's plate will be the review of how the government handled the sell off of Royal Mail and within the energy remit, the UKs shale gas reserves.
When it comes to voting records, the MP has favoured pension auto-enrollment and a crackdown on tax avoidance, but has voted strongly against a tax on mansions and bank bonuses.
Here's how the new business minister voted on matters concerning the economy, tax and business, according to theyworkforyou.com.