Meet Miatta Fahnbulleh: Andy Burnham’s New Energy Secretary

Newly appointed Prime Minister Andy Burnham has selected Peckham MP Miatta Fahnbulleh as the UK’s next Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero. Fahnbulleh enters the role at a pivotal time for UK energy policy, with the government seeking to accelerate clean power deployment, strengthen energy security and expand investment in low-carbon technologies.

From Liberia to the Cabinet Table

Fahnbulleh’s story is distinctive even among a reshuffled front bench. Born in Liberia in 1979, she came to the UK as a child after her family fled the country’s civil war, later building a career spanning academia, public policy and government.

She studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) at Oxford before completing a PhD in economic development at the London School of Economics. She later held roles across government, think tanks and policy organisations focused on economics, communities and public policy.

After completing her doctorate, Fahnbulleh joined the Cabinet Office policy unit as head of cities, working on urban and regional policy. She later moved to the Institute for Public Policy Research, where she served as director of policy and research.

In 2017, Fahnbulleh became chief executive of the New Economics Foundation, remaining in the role until 2023. During her tenure, the organisation focused on issues including economic inequality, climate policy and the future of the economy.

Her transition into frontline politics came in 2024, when she served as a senior economic adviser to Angela Rayner and Ed Miliband during Labour’s general election campaign. She was elected MP for Peckham later that year, entering Parliament for the first time.

Fahnbulleh joined government shortly afterwards, taking her first position as a junior minister at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, before moving to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, where she served as a junior minister for devolution, faith and communities.

She resigned from government in May 2026 alongside other left-wing colleagues calling for then Prime Minister Keir Starmer to step down. Weeks later, new Prime Minister Andy Burnham appointed Fahnbulleh Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.

A Voting Record Aligned with the Net Zero Agenda

At a time when the UK’s energy system faces the challenge of modernising infrastructure, accelerating decarbonisation and supporting economic growth, Fahnbulleh’s appointment provides an early indication that the government intends to continue its existing approach to energy policy.

Parliamentary voting data compiled by TheyWorkForYou suggests that Fahnbulleh’s record has broadly aligned with Labour’s position on climate action, clean energy expansion and the wider net zero agenda.

In fact, her voting record shows she has never voted against Starmer’s government across more than 306 parliamentary votes, including:

• Accelerating planning and approval processes for large-scale energy infrastructure

• Establishing Great British Energy

• Tackling climate change through legislation and policy measures

• Increasing windfall taxes on oil and gas companies

• Encouraging electric vehicle adoption

• Providing financial incentives for low-carbon power generation

Voting records do not determine how a minister will approach every future decision, but they provide some indication of the policy framework Fahnbulleh enters office with - one that places clean energy investment and the wider economic case for transition at its centre.

Fahnbullehism in Practice

Fahnbulleh’s appointment as Energy Secretary represents more than a continuation of Labour’s Net Zero agenda. It signals a critical test of whether the UK can transform climate ambition into an economically credible industrial strategy.

While some may view her appointment as an extension of Ed Miliband’s existing approach, Fahnbulleh brings a distinctive combination of academic expertise, policy experience and a strong belief that local empowerment, economic renewal and climate action are deeply interconnected.

It is an approach that some commentators have called ‘Fahnbullehism’ - a philosophy of economic and social policy that argues prosperity is best achieved by giving communities greater power, ownership and influence over the assets and decisions that shape their futures.

Her challenge will be translating that philosophy into practice. She inherits an energy sector facing competing pressures: households and businesses seeking lower costs, while the country reduces reliance on volatile global fossil fuel markets and strengthens energy security.

The debate is often presented as a choice between affordability and Net Zero. However, the central challenge is how to build an energy system that is both resilient and cost-effective over decades, rather than simply responding to short-term market pressures.

Expanding domestic oil and gas production may offer short-term relief, but it does little to address the UK’s exposure to volatile global markets and externally driven energy price shocks that remain beyond domestic control.

The greater opportunity lies in accelerating investment in renewables, infrastructure and clean technologies - sectors capable of driving innovation, resilience and long-term industrial growth across the wider UK economy while supporting future competitiveness.

However, ambition requires resources and patience. Fiscal constraints will determine whether Fahnbulleh’s vision becomes reality. Sustaining investor, industry and public confidence while the infrastructure for a new energy system is developed will be difficult.

Ultimately, Fahnbulleh’s appointment reflects a wider question: can the UK use the energy transition as the foundation of a new industrial revolution? Success will depend on making the choices needed to turn ambition into economic reality.

Final Thoughts

Fahnbulleh’s success will ultimately be determined by whether she can move the energy debate beyond the traditional divide between climate ambition and economic pragmatism. The opportunity is to build a broader consensus around the role of energy in national renewal.

The challenge is that delivering this vision requires difficult choices, sustained investment and political patience. The transition will not be defined by announcements, but by whether it creates lasting confidence in the UK’s energy future.

About Big Energy Group

Big Energy Group is a privately held, British-owned energy brokerage with an established track record of helping clients successfully navigate the energy market. The company has offices in Harrogate and the Tees Valley and serves more than 500 businesses across the UK. For more information, please visit bigenergygroup.co.uk.

Image Attribution: By ©House of Commons / Roger Harris, CC BY 3.0, available here.