Nesil Caliskan, the Labour MP for Barking has been appointed as the new Faith Minister. She succeeds Miatta Fahnbulleh, who resigned on Monday after calling for Sir Keir Starmer to stand down as Prime Minister.

Caliskan has been appointed as Minister for Housing, Communities, and Local Government which includes the faith brief, along with "resettlement, communities, community relations and Lords commitments".

In a post on social media, the 37-year-old said it was “an honour” and promised to "work tirelessly” to deliver the government’s agenda, as well as representing her constituents in Barking and Dagenham.

Prior to her election as an MP in July 2024, Caliskan worked in the NHS before becoming leader of Enfield Council in 2018. At 29, she was the youngest woman elected to the role. 

At Westminster she served as Comptroller HM Household, one of the senior government whips before taking on her new role.

Caliskan, who was born in London to a Turkish Cypriot family, is the ninth person to hold the Faith Minister role in the past decade.