Norman Lamb appointed Britain’s postal affairs minister

Britain has a new postal affairs minister in place from today, who will oversee the privatisation of Royal Mail. Norman Lamb, the Liberal Democrat MP for North Norfolk, was appointed today as Prime Minister David Cameron reshuffled his Cabinet after the resignation of energy secretary Chris Huhne.

Ed Davey, the minister who pushed the Postal Services Act through Parliament last year, was promoted to head up the Department of Energy and Climate Change as secretary of state.

Lamb has already had a major role in shaping UK postal policy, as principal author of his Party’s postal policy while it was in opposition.

His new boss Vincent Cable, the Business Secretary, gave him credit today for pioneering the policy to privatise Royal Mail and introduce employee share ownership for the Post Office network, which is now in the process of being implemented following last summer’s passing of the Postal Services Act.

Cable said this evening that it was “fitting” that Lamb would be the minister responsible for implementing the policy.

“I am delighted to welcome Norman Lamb to the Department,” said Cable. “Norman’s professional background as an employment lawyer and experience as the Liberal Democrats’ Trade and Industry spokesman make him an ideal replacement,” said the Business Secretary.

Lawyer

Lamb, who has been an MP since 2001, was a partner at law firm Steele and Co before entering Parliament, heading up the firm’s Employment Unit. Now a married father of two, the University of Leicester graduate was a city councillor in Norwich during the late 1980s and early 1990s, entering Parliament at the third attempt.

During his time in Parliament, he has been his Party’s spokesman for international development and for the Treasury, shadow trade and industry secretary, shadow health secretary and chief of staff for Party leader Sir Menzies Campbell.

In May 2010 Lamb became a top advisor to his Party leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.

Commenting on his appointment, Lamb paid tribute to his predecessor as an “immensely impressive minister”, adding that he looked forward to picking up where Davey had left off.

Lamb said: “In particular, I’m pleased to be implementing the Royal Mail reforms I pioneered in opposition and giving employees a stake in the company.”