Keir Starmer has appointed Greg Jackson, the outspoken founder of Octopus Energy, as a non-executive member of the Cabinet Office board. Jackson will serve a three-year term, with a remit to challenge government thinking and push for modernisation.
The appointment comes weeks after ministers rejected his proposal to split the national energy market into regional zones, which would have led to varying electricity prices across the country. Jackson responded to the decision by saying he would 'respectfully disagree'.
Jackson argued that zonal pricing would encourage heavy energy users to relocate to areas with more renewable generation, such as Scotland, and incentivise developers to build closer to demand. However, critics noted it would raise prices in the south-east of England.
Despite this setback, Jackson is expected to play an influential role in shaping policy implementation. The tech entrepreneur, who founded Octopus in 2015 and built it to a £9bn valuation, has longstanding ties to Labour, having previously led the pressure group Labour List.
Official records show he met the new Labour government ten times in the 12 weeks after the election. Jackson said: 'Having been brought up with a sense of civic duty, I’m really proud to have the chance to contribute to public service. Finding ways to improve services without spending more is key... if through business I’ve learned lessons on technology, delivery and organisation that can be useful to government, it’s an honour to share those.'
