Michael Shanks was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 9 July 2024. He was elected as the MP for Rutherglen in October 2023. Education Michael graduated from the University of Glasgow with a degree in history and politics. He then studied for a PGDE at Glasgow. Political career Michael served as the Shadow Minister of State for Scotland from October 2023 to May 2024. Career outside politics Michael was a secondary school teacher and previously worked in the third sector on reducing offending. He ran a charity for disabled children for 15 years and is a trustee of 3 other charitable organisations.