General Election 2024 | Timpson CEO appointed as new Prisons Minister - here's why

James Timpson OBE, CEO of the Timpson Group, has been appointed as the UK's Minister for Prisons, Parole, and Probation by Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Timpson, one of the UK’s most renowned business leaders, is in charge of a plethora of high street staples across over 2,000 stores, including the eponymous key-cutting & shoe repair brand Timpson, Max Spielmann, Johnsons Cleaners, Snappy Snaps, Jeeves of Belgravia, The Watch Lab and Flock Inns.

Despite not being a Member of Parliament, The King has agreed for Timpson to be given a peerage in the House of Lords, thus allowing him to take up the ministerial role. The same situation occurred in 2023 when ex-Prime Minister David Cameron became Lord Cameron, so that he could become Foreign Secretary in Rishi Sunak’s cabinet.

Timpson is among a handful of non-MPs to join the new Government in this manner - alongside Sir Patrick Vallance who becomes the new Minister for Science, Richard Hermer KC who is the new Attorney General, and Jacqui Smith as the new Department for Education chief.