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.
| Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union | |
|---|---|
_(St_Edwards_Crown).svg) | |
| 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 |
| Appointer | The Monarch on advice of the Prime Minister |
| Term length | At Her Majesty's pleasure |
| Formation | 13 July 2016 |
| First holder | David Davis |
| Final holder | Steve Barclay |
| Abolished | 31 January 2020 |
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
editMay 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)
editColour key (for political parties):
Conservative
| Portrait | Name | Term of office | Length of term | Party | Prime Minister | Ref. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | David Davis MP for Haltemprice and Howden | 13 July 2016 | 8 July 2018 | 1 year, 11 months and 25 days | Conservative | Theresa May | [13] | ||
 | Dominic Raab MP for Esher and Walton | 9 July 2018 | 15 November 2018 | 4 months and 6 days | [14] | ||||
 | Steve Barclay MP for North East Cambridgeshire | 16 November 2018 | 31 January 2020 | 1 year, 2 months and 15 days | [12] | ||||
| Boris Johnson | |||||||||
List of chief negotiators for exiting the European Union
editColour key (for political parties):
Conservative
| Portrait | Name | Term of office | Length of term | Party | Prime Minister | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | David Davis MP for Haltemprice and Howden | 13 July 2016 | 18 September 2017 | 1 year, 2 months and 5 days | Conservative | Theresa May | ||
 | Olly Robbins Prime Minister's Europe Adviser | 18 September 2017 | 24 July 2019 | 1 year, 10 months and 6 days | Civil service | |||
 | David Frost Prime Minister's Europe Adviser | 29 July 2019 | 31 January 2020 | 6 months and 2 days | Boris Johnson | |||
List of ministers of state for exiting the European Union
editColour key (for political parties):
| Portrait | Name | Term of office | Length of term | Party | Prime Minister | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | David Jones[15] MP for Clwyd West | 17 July 2016 | 12 June 2017 | 10 months and 26 days | Conservative | Theresa May | ||
 | The Baroness Anelay of St Johns[16] | 12 June 2017 | 27 October 2017 | 4 months and 15 days | ||||
 | The Lord Callanan[17] | 27 October 2017 | 31 January 2020 | 2 years, 3 months and 4 days | ||||
| Boris Johnson | ||||||||
List of parliamentary under-secretaries of state for exiting the European Union
editColour key (for political parties):
Conservative
| Portrait | Name | Term of office | Length of term | Party | Prime Minister | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | The Lord Bridges of Headley | 13 July 2016 | 12 June 2017 | 10 months and 30 days | Conservative | Theresa May | ||
 | Steve Baker MP for Wycombe | 13 June 2017 | 9 July 2018 | 1 year and 26 days | ||||
 | Chris Heaton-Harris MP for Daventry | 9 July 2018 | 3 April 2019 | 8 months and 25 days | ||||
 | James Cleverly MP for Braintree | 4 April 2019 | 24 July 2019 | 3 months and 20 days | ||||
 | Suella Braverman MP for Fareham | 9 January 2018 | 15 November 2018 | 4 months and 6 days | ||||
 | Kwasi Kwarteng MP for Spelthorne | 16 November 2018 | 24 July 2019 | 8 months and 8 days | ||||
 | Robin Walker MP for Worcester | 17 July 2016 | 26 July 2019 | 3 years and 9 days | ||||
 | James Duddridge MP for Rochford and Southend East | 27 July 2019 | 31 January 2020 | 6 months and 4 days | Boris Johnson | |||
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Cecil, Nicholas (14 July 2016). "Brexit Secretary David Davis says UK 'will quit the EU in December 2018'". Evening Standard. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
- ^ James, William; Holden, Michael (13 July 2016). "'Charming Bastard' David Davis to lead Brexit talks". Reuters. Retrieved 9 July 2018..
- ^ a b 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.
- ^ a b "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.
- ^ "Department for Exiting the European Union".
- ^ "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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Crace, John (4 February 2016). "David Davis spells out his EU strategy: be more like Canada". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
- ^ "Theresa May's cabinet: Who's in and who's out?". BBC News. 13 July 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
- ^ "Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab resigns over EU agreement". BBC News. 15 November 2018. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
- ^ a b "Steve Barclay named new Brexit Secretary". BBC News. 16 November 2018. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
- ^ "Rt Hon David Davis MP". UK Parliament. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
- ^ "Rt Hon Dominic Raab MP". UK Parliament. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
- ^ "Rt Hon David Jones MP". UK Parliament. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
- ^ "Baroness Anelay of St Johns". UK Parliament. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
- ^ "Lord Callanan". UK Parliament. Retrieved 24 September 2021.