Andrew Pakes MP confirmed as government's first Co‑operatives and Mutuals Champion

Andrew Pakes MP has been confirmed as the UK Government's first ever Co‑operatives and Mutuals Champion. The Labour and Co‑operative MP for Peterborough takes on the role under the UK's first Labour and Co‑operative Prime Minister, Andy Burnham. The appointment was first revealed at Co‑op Congress 2026 and confirmed as part of the Government's autumn budget announced today (28 October). 

Co‑operatives UK has worked with Andrew Pakes for a number of years across co‑operative policy, and says the new role gives government's commitment to double the co‑operative and mutual economy a clear point of leadership. 

Andrew Pakes MP said: "The co-operative and mutual sector is a key player in helping to build a country where growth reaches into every community and postcode."

“That’s why I am delighted to be helping the government to deliver on its ambitions to double the size of the co-operative and mutual economy. This is my mission in public life."

“I am really looking forward to working with the sector and being a bridge between government and the movement as seek to meet the ambition of doubling the size of the mutual and co-operative economy."

Rose Marley, CEO, Co‑operatives UK, said: "The first Co‑operatives and Mutuals Champion in government will drive the agenda across Westminster, and Andrew Pakes has demonstrated his commitment and passion to this agenda. Andrew knows our movement and he gets what co‑operatives can do."

"But the number of co-ops grew by just 0.41% last year. That isn't a lack of demand – it's a business environment that wasn't built with co-operatives in mind."

The appointment comes a month after Co-operatives UK's Co-operative and Mutual Economy 2026 report showed that co-operatives deliver good growth. Co-operatives are more than twice as likely to survive their first five years as businesses generally, have a greater propensity to grow and more than four times as likely to be Living Wage employers. But the number of co-operatives grew by just 0.41% last year – a rate at which doubling the number would take more than 150 years. 

Co‑operatives UK has called for an expansion in co‑operative business support, which government’s brilliant new £10m Co-operative Development Programme is set to deliver in England. It is also calling for better access to capital, including  through action by the British Business Bank to unlock the right kinds of private finance, and a Bill to modernise co‑operative law in the next King's Speech, following the Law Commission's review due in February 2027. 

Sarah McCarthy‑Fry, Chair of the Mutual and Co‑operative Sector Business Council, said: “On behalf of the thousands of co‑operative, mutual and employee‑owned businesses the Council brings together, I congratulate Andrew Pakes on his appointment. We look forward to working with him to establish the conditions needed to accelerate growth, and to realise government’s ambition to double the size of the co‑operative and mutual sector.”  

Rose Marley continued: "Doubling the co-operative economy needs more tailored business support, better access to capital and modern co-operative law. We look forward to working with Andrew to make all three happen."