Nigel Adams becomes new UK sports minister
Mims Davies becomes latest MP to move following Boris Johnson’s government reshuffle
MP Nigel Adams has replaced Sports Minister Mims Davies following the UK cabinet reshuffle, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has confirmed.
Adams, who has been MP for Selby and Ainsty in North Yorkshire since 2010, becomes the third person to occupy the sports minister role in less than 12 months, following the resignation of Tracey Crouch in November 2018.
He previously served as lord commissioner to the treasury for 11 months in 2018, before replacing Mims Davies as Parliamentary under-secretary of state for Wales when she succeeded Crouch in November 2018.
In six separate votes on gambling related issues in Parliament, Adams has voted against greater regulation of gambling in the UK on every occasion, most notably voting against extending the horserace betting levy to overseas bookmakers.
In addition, Adams also voted against giving councils more power to regulate FOBTs back in 2014.
👏BIG CONGRATULATIONS @nadams on your appointment to a fantastic Minister of State role @DCMS for Sport-it was dream come true for me to cover sport & I know is absolutely yours too. Very pleased for you & you will shine! Enjoy truly the best job in Government 🏆🚴♂️🏂🏏🏓🎾🏐🏉🏊♂️
— Mims Davies (@mimsdavies) July 25, 2019
Adams joins the DCMS in a more senior role than his predecessor Davies, becoming Minister of State for Digital and Sport.
It is the second new appointment in the DCMS in the space of a week following the appointment of former education secretary Nicky Morgan as a replacement for DCMS head Jeremy Wright last Thursday.
Gambling industry stakeholders however suggested the new appointments would bring no relief to the industry and the way it was regulated and legislated.