Skip to content

Science minister George Freeman resigns amid cabinet reshuffle

George Freeman resigns
Image credit: Rory Arnold / No 10 Downing Street

George Freeman has resigned as the minister for science, research and innovation amid Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s cabinet reshuffle.

Freeman, who was reappointed as science minister by Sunak in October 2022, said he was stepping down to focus on “health, family wellbeing and life beyond the front bench”.

The MP for Mid Norfolk was first elected in 2010 and has held five ministerial roles under four prime ministers, including minister of state for transport and minister for life sciences, digital health and agritech.

As science minister, Freeman was part of the establishment of the UK’s first Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and oversaw high-profile government investments into sectors such as quantum and space tech.

“I deeply believe that supporting and harnessing innovation is the only way to the more productive, sustainable, prosperous and resilient economy and country we so urgently need,” Freeman wrote in his letter of resignation, shared on X, formerly Twitter.

Freeman’s resignation follows a cabinet reshuffle from Sunak in which Home Secretary Suella Braverman was sacked after receiving intense criticism for an unauthorised opinion piece that was heavily critical of the Metropolitan Police’s handling of protests.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly was reassigned as the head of the Home Office, replaced in the Foreign Office by former prime minister David Cameron, who returned to government seven years after his resignation. It was also announced that Cameron would be made a peer in the House of Lords.

Topics

Register for Free

Get daily updates and enjoy an ad-reduced experience.

Already have an account? Log in