Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union

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Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union
Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (HM Government).svg
Royal Arms of Her Majesty's Government
Official portrait of Rt Hon David Davis MP crop 2.jpg
Longest serving
David Davis
13 July 2016 – 8 July 2018
Department for Exiting the European Union
Style Brexit Secretary
(informal)
The Right Honourable
(within the UK and the Commonwealth)
Member of Cabinet
Reports to Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Seat Westminster, London
AppointerThe Monarch
on advice of the Prime Minister
Term length At Her Majesty's pleasure
Formation13 July 2016
First holder David Davis
Final holder Steve Barclay
Abolished31 January 2020

The Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union or, informally, Brexit Secretary, [1] was a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, responsible for the business of the Department for Exiting the European Union, as well as for the UK's withdrawal from the European Union (EU), informally referred to as "Brexit". The secretary of state oversaw Brexit negotiations following a 2016 referendum, in which a majority of those who voted were in favour of exiting the EU. [2] [3] The officeholder was a member of the Cabinet.

The position was created on 13 July 2016, at the outset of the premiership of Theresa May. [4] The office was abolished on 31 January 2020, during the premiership of Boris Johnson, as the United Kingdom left the European Union. [5] A new cabinet position of Minister of State for Brexit Opportunities and Government Efficiency was later created. [6]

The Minister of State for Exiting the European Union deputised for the secretary of state. The corresponding shadow minister was the Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union. The secretary of state was also scrutinised by the Exiting the European Union Select Committee. [7]

This page also includes the portfolios of the Chief Negotiator for Exiting the European Union and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union.

History

May reportedly ordered civil servants to find a building to house a new Department for Exiting the European Union, to be headed by the secretary of state. [8] The headquarters of the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) at Whitehall Place, which was to be vacated once the DECC was merged into the newly created Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, was viewed as a potential site for the department. [3] The department later occupied 9 Downing Street.

The inaugural holder was David Davis MP, [4] a longtime Eurosceptic who campaigned for the UK to leave the EU. [9] Davis is a former chairman of the Conservative Party who served in the government of John Major as Minister of State for Europe (1994–97) and in the Shadow Cabinet of David Cameron as shadow home secretary. [10]

Davis resigned on 8 July 2018 shortly before midnight; Dominic Raab was appointed on 9 July as his replacement and resigned on 15 November 2018. [11] Steve Barclay, who had been serving as Minister of State for Health, was selected as Raab's successor on 16 November 2018. [12]

List of secretaries of state for exiting the European Union (Brexit secretaries)

Colour key (for political parties):
   Conservative

PortraitNameTerm of officeLength of termPartyPrime MinisterRef.
Official portrait of Rt Hon David Davis MP crop 2.jpg David Davis
MP for Haltemprice and Howden 		13 July 2016 8 July 2018 1 year, 11 months and 25 days Conservative Theresa May [13]
Official portrait of Rt Hon Dominic Raab MP crop 2.jpg Dominic Raab
MP for Esher and Walton 		9 July 2018 15 November 2018 4 months and 6 days [14]
Official portrait of Rt Hon Steve Barclay MP crop 2.jpg Steve Barclay
MP for North East Cambridgeshire 		16 November 2018 31 January 20201 year, 2 months and 15 days [12]
Boris Johnson

List of chief negotiators for exiting the European Union

Colour key (for political parties):
   Conservative

PortraitNameTerm of officeLength of termPartyPrime Minister
Official portrait of Rt Hon David Davis MP crop 2.jpg David Davis
MP for Haltemprice and Howden 		13 July 201618 September 20171 year, 2 months and 5 days Conservative Theresa May
Olly Robbins.jpg Olly Robbins
Prime Minister's Europe Adviser 		18 September 201724 July 20191 year, 10 months and 6 daysCivil service
David Frost, Baron Frost.jpg David Frost
Prime Minister's Europe Adviser 		29 July 201931 January 20206 months and 2 days Boris Johnson

List of ministers of state for exiting the European Union

Colour key (for political parties):

   Conservative

PortraitNameTerm of officeLength of termPartyPrime Minister
Official portrait of Rt Hon David Jones MP crop 2.jpg David Jones [15]
MP for Clwyd West 		17 July 201612 June 201710 months and 26 days Conservative Theresa May
Official portrait of Baroness Anelay of St Johns, 2020.jpg The Baroness Anelay of St Johns [16] 12 June 201727 October 20174 months and 15 days
Official portrait of Lord Callanan crop 2.jpg The Lord Callanan [17] 27 October 201731 January 20202 years, 3 months and 4 days
Boris Johnson

List of parliamentary under-secretaries of state for exiting the European Union

Colour key (for political parties):
   Conservative

PortraitNameTerm of officeLength of termPartyPrime Minister
Official portrait of Lord Bridges of Headley crop 2.jpg The Lord Bridges of Headley 13 July 201612 June 201710 months and 30 days Conservative Theresa May
Official portrait of Mr Steve Baker MP crop 2.jpg Steve Baker
MP for Wycombe 		13 June 20179 July 20181 year and 26 days
Official portrait of Chris Heaton-Harris MP crop 2.jpg Chris Heaton-Harris
MP for Daventry 		9 July 20183 April 20198 months and 25 days
Official portrait of Rt Hon James Cleverly MP crop 2.jpg James Cleverly
MP for Braintree 		4 April 201924 July 20193 months and 20 days
Official portrait of Suella Braverman MP crop 2.jpg Suella Braverman
MP for Fareham 		9 January 201815 November 20184 months and 6 days
Official portrait of Kwasi Kwarteng crop 2.jpg Kwasi Kwarteng
MP for Spelthorne 		16 November 201824 July 20198 months and 8 days
Official portrait of Mr Robin Walker MP crop 2.jpg Robin Walker
MP for Worcester 		17 July 201626 July 20193 years and 9 days
Official portrait of James Duddridge MP crop 2.jpg James Duddridge
MP for Rochford and Southend East 		27 July 201931 January 20206 months and 4 days Boris Johnson

See also

References

  1. ↑ Cecil, Nicholas (14 July 2016). "Brexit Secretary David Davis says UK 'will quit the EU in December 2018'". Evening Standard . Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  2. ↑ James, William; Holden, Michael (13 July 2016). "'Charming Bastard' David Davis to lead Brexit talks". Reuters . Archived from the original on 14 July 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2018..
  3. 1 2 Foster, Matt (14 July 2016). "New Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy swallows up DECC and BIS — full details and reaction". Civil Service World. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  4. 1 2 "New ministerial appointment July 2016: Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union" (Press release). Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street. 13 July 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  5. ↑ "Department for Exiting the European Union". 3 February 2019.
  6. ↑ "Minister of State (Minister for Brexit Opportunities and Government Efficiency)". Cabinet Office, UK Government. Archived from the original on 21 November 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  7. ↑ "David Davis MP questioned on Brexit". parliament.uk. 14 March 2017. Retrieved 20 September 2021. The Exiting the European Union Committee hears from David Davis MP, Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union.
  8. ↑ Taylor, Adam (14 July 2016). "David Davis: The man in charge of getting Britain out of the E.U." Washington Post . Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  9. ↑ Crace, John (4 February 2016). "David Davis spells out his EU strategy: be more like Canada". The Guardian . Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  10. ↑ "Theresa May's cabinet: Who's in and who's out?". BBC News . 13 July 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  11. ↑ "Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab resigns over EU agreement". BBC News . 15 November 2018. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  12. 1 2 "Steve Barclay named new Brexit Secretary". BBC News . 16 November 2018. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  13. ↑ "Rt Hon David Davis MP". UK Parliament. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
  14. ↑ "Rt Hon Dominic Raab MP". UK Parliament. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  15. ↑ "Rt Hon David Jones MP". UK Parliament. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  16. ↑ "Baroness Anelay of St Johns". UK Parliament. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  17. ↑ "Lord Callanan". UK Parliament. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
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