An MP and former member of the RAF has been appointed as the new Minister for Veterans and People.
Calvin Bailey, MP for Leyton and Wanstead, took up the post on June 12, following a ministerial reshuffle.
He replaces Louise Sandher-Jones, who was promoted to Armed Forces Minister, and will now serve under Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis. MP Bailey has been described as a credible voice on defence issues and spent more than 24 years in the RAF before entering Parliament.
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MP Bailey said: "I am honoured to return to the Ministry of Defence as Minister for Veterans and People. The armed forces have shaped my life.
"A sixth-form scholarship gave me my start, enabled me to support my family, and set me on a path that led to 24 years of service in the RAF and, ultimately, to becoming a Member of Parliament."
He has served on the Defence Committee since 2024 and previously worked as the UK’s Trade Envoy to Southern Africa.
MP Bailey said he will focus on making the armed forces open to all talent, regardless of background, and ensuring everyone can succeed based on ability. He was elected in 2024 after leaving the RAF.
