Minister for the Union
Ministerial position in the Government of the United Kingdom From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Minister for the Union is a position in the United Kingdom which is held concurrently with the post of Prime Minister.
| United Kingdom Minister for the Union | |
|---|---|
.svg) | |
| Seat | Westminster, London |
| Appointer | Monarch |
| Term length | At His Majesty's pleasure |
| Inaugural holder | Boris Johnson |
| Formation | 26 July 2019 |
| Deputy | Minister for Intergovernmental Relations |
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History
The position was created by Boris Johnson during his first ministry,[1][2][3] to be held concurrently with the duties of prime minister.[a] Johnson proposed the position during the 2019 Conservative Party leadership campaign.[6] He was the first prime minister to adopt the title,[7] and the post was retained by Johnson in his second ministry,[4][5] and subsequent prime ministers.
On 4 September 2019, the Government announced £10 million in funding to support the Prime Minister's work as Minister for the Union.[8]
Responsibilities
Since September 2020, the stated responsibilities of the position have been: "As Minister for the Union, the Prime Minister works to ensure that all of government is acting on behalf of the entire United Kingdom: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales."[9] Before that point, the government website did not show any responsibilities associated with the position.[9][10]
List of ministers
| # | Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Term length | Party | Cabinet | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | .jpg) |
Boris Johnson | 26 July 2019 | 6 September 2022 | 3 years and 43 days | Conservative | Johnson I | [3][7] | |
| Johnson II | |||||||||
| 2 | 2.jpg) |
Liz Truss | 6 September 2022 | 25 October 2022 | 50 days | Conservative | Truss | [11] | |
| 3 | .jpg) |
Rishi Sunak | 25 October 2022 | 5 July 2024 | 1 year and 255 days | Conservative | Sunak | ||
| 4 | .jpg) |
Keir Starmer | 5 July 2024 | Incumbent | 295 days | Labour | Starmer | ||
Reception
A spokesperson for Johnson stated that the office was intended to emphasise his commitment to strengthening the bond between the countries of the United Kingdom.[3] In July 2019, the title was described as a "cynical rebranding" by Kirsty Blackman, deputy leader of the Scottish National Party in the House of Commons from 2017 to 2020, who advocates Scottish independence.[7] During the COVID-19 pandemic in July 2020, Mark Drakeford, the First Minister of Wales and leader of Welsh Labour, drew attention to Johnson's lack of contact with the Welsh Government, saying: "If you are minister for the union, speaking to the component parts of the union seems to me a sensible way of discharging those responsibilities."[12]
Related proposals
Robert Hazell has suggested merging the offices of Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales into one Secretary of State for the Union,[13] in a department into which Rodney Brazier has suggested adding a Minister of State for England with responsibility for English local government.[14]
Notes
- Minister for the Union is distinct from the office of PM; it is listed separately from Prime Minister and its ex officio titles of First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service.[1][4][5]
References
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