Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union

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
Royal Arms of Her Majesty's Government
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
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

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

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

Colour 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

Main article: Minister of State for Exiting the European Union

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

Colour key (for political parties):

  Conservative

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

Colour 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

• Minister of State for Europe
• Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union
• Cabinet Secretary for Government Business and Constitutional Relations

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. 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. "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".
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. "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.

External links

• Davis' resignation letter and May's reply in full, BBC News, 9 July 2018
• Department for Exiting the European Union