The Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union or, informally, Brexit Secretary, was a
secretary of state in the
Government of the United Kingdom
His Majesty's Government, abbreviated to HM Government or otherwise UK Government, is the central government, central executive authority of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. , responsible for the business of the
Department for Exiting the European Union, as well as for the UK's withdrawal from the
European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...
(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.
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.
The office was abolished on 31 January 2020, during the
premiership of Boris Johnson, as the United Kingdom left the European Union. A new cabinet position of
Minister of State for Brexit Opportunities and Government Efficiency was later created.
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.
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. 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.
The department later occupied
9 Downing Street.
The inaugural holder was
David Davis MP,
a longtime
Eurosceptic who campaigned for the UK to leave the EU. 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.
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.
, who had been serving as
Minister of State for Health, was selected as Raab's successor on 16 November 2018.
List of secretaries of state for exiting the European Union (Brexit secretaries)
Colour key (for political parties):
List of chief negotiators for exiting the European Union
Colour key (for political parties):
List of ministers of state for exiting the European Union
List of parliamentary under-secretaries of state for exiting the European Union
Colour key (for political parties):
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
External links
Davis' resignation letter and May's reply in full, ''BBC News'', 9 July 2018Department for Exiting the European Union
{{DEFAULTSORT:Secretary Of State For Exiting The European Union
2016 establishments in the United Kingdom
2020 disestablishments in the United Kingdom
Brexit
Consequences of the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum
Lists of government ministers of the United Kingdom
Ministerial offices in the United Kingdom
Ministers and ministries responsible for European affairs
*
United Kingdom and the European Union
Defunct ministerial offices in the United Kingdom