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Olivia Bailey Exits Government: What Now?

Olivia Bailey, Labour MP for Reading West and Mid Berkshire, is out of government and will return to the backbenches.

She is no longer a minister in Andy Burnham's government. It is unclear if she jumped or was pushed in the Burnham purge of Sir Keir Starmer's top team.

Bailey was Sir Keir's senior policy aide from 2020 to 2023. Elected to the newly formed parliamentary seat in 2024, she was quickly promoted to minister for early years education and also served as equalities minister.

In a written statement she said it had been a 'priviledge' to hold office and stressed the importance of early years work, citing family support in communities and her role in introducing trans-inclusive legislation to ban conversion practices as highlights.

She added it had been a tough year caring for her mum in her last months and supporting her wife through serious illness, and said she looked forward to more time with her children and her constituency.

Niki Hinman, Local Democracy Reporter

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