Home Secretary

The secretary of state for the Home Department, more commonly known as the home secretary, is a senior minister of the Crown in the Government of the United Kingdom and the head of the Home Office. The position is a Great Office of State, making the home secretary one of the most senior and influential ministers in the government. The incumbent is a statutory member of the British Cabinet and National Security Council (United Kingdom), National Security Council.

The position, which may be known as interior minister in other nations, was created in 1782, though its responsibilities have Home Office#History, changed many times. Past office holders have included the prime ministers Lord North, Robert Peel, the Duke of Wellington, Lord Palmerston, Winston Churchill, James Callaghan and Theresa May. The longest-serving home secretary is Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth, who held the post continuously for 9 years, 221 days. The shortest-serving home secretary is Grant Shapps, who served in the position for the final six days of the premiership of Liz Truss. In 2007, Jacqui Smith became the first female home secretary. The incumbent home secretary is Yvette Cooper.

The office holder works alongside the other Home Office#Home Office ministers, Home Office ministers and the permanent under-secretary of state of the Home Office. The corresponding shadow minister is the shadow home secretary, and the performance of the home secretary is also scrutinized by the Home Affairs Select Committee in the House of Commons and the Justice and Home Affairs Committee in the House of Lords.

Historically, the role has a reputation for being a graveyard for aspiring politicians, owing to the large number of potential issues and controversies that can arise.

Responsibilities

Corresponding to what is generally known as an interior minister in many other countries, the home secretary's remit includes:
* Law enforcement in the United Kingdom, Law enforcement in England and Wales
* Matters of national security
* Issues concerning Modern immigration to the United Kingdom, immigration
* Oversight of the Security Service (MI5).

Formerly, the home secretary was the minister responsible for prisons and probation in England and Wales; however in 2007 those responsibilities were transferred to the Ministry of Justice (United Kingdom), Ministry of Justice under the lord chancellor.

History

The title Secretary of State (England), Secretary of State in the government of England dates back to the early 17th century. The position of Secretary of State for the Home Department was created in the Constitution of 1782, British governmental reorganisation of 1782, in which the responsibilities of the Secretary of State for the Northern Department, Northern and Secretary of State for the Southern Department, Southern Departments were reformed into the Foreign Office and Home Office.

In 2007, the new Ministry of Justice took on the criminal justice functions of the Home Office and its agencies.

List of home secretaries

(1815–1895)
, 9 December 1868
, 9 August 1873
, , Liberal Party (UK), Liberal
, rowspan=2 , First Gladstone ministry, Gladstone I

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, Robert Lowe

, 9 August 1873
, 20 February 1874
, , Liberal Party (UK), Liberal

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, R. A. Cross, 1st Viscount Cross, R. A. Cross

, 21 February 1874
, 23 April 1880
, , Conservative Party (UK), Conservative
, , Second Disraeli ministry, Disraeli II

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, William Harcourt (politician), William Harcourt

, 28 April 1880
, 23 June 1885
, , Liberal Party (UK), Liberal
, , Second Gladstone ministry, Gladstone II

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, R. A. Cross, 1st Viscount Cross, R. A. Cross

, 24 June 1885
, 1 February 1886
, , Conservative Party (UK), Conservative
, , First Salisbury ministry, Salisbury I

, - style="height:1em"
, style="background-color:" ,
,
, Hugh Childers

, 6 February 1886
, 25 July 1886
, , Liberal Party (UK), Liberal
, , Third Gladstone ministry, Gladstone III

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, Henry Matthews, 1st Viscount Llandaff, Henry Matthews

, 3 August 1886
, 15 August 1892
, , Conservative Party (UK), Conservative
, , Second Salisbury ministry, Salisbury II

, - style="height:1em"
! rowspan=2 style="background-color: " ,
, rowspan=2 ,
, rowspan=2 , H. H. Asquith

, rowspan=2 , 18 August 1892
, rowspan=2 , 25 June 1895
, rowspan=2 , Liberal Party (UK), Liberal
, , Liberal government, 1892–1895, Gladstone IV
, - style="height:1em"
, , Liberal government, 1892–1895, Rosebery

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, Matthew White Ridley, 1st Viscount Ridley, Matthew White Ridley

, 29 June 1895
, 12 November 1900
, , Conservative Party (UK), Conservative
, rowspan=3 , Unionist government, 1895–1905, Salisbury

, - style="height:1em"
! height=20 style="background-color: ; border-bottom:none" ,
, rowspan=3 ,
, rowspan=3 , Charles Ritchie, 1st Baron Ritchie of Dundee, Charles Ritchie

, rowspan=3 , 12 November 1900
, rowspan=3 , 11 August 1902
, rowspan=3 , Conservative Party (UK), Conservative
, - style="height:1em"
! height=20 style="background-color: ; border:none" ,
! scope=row style="text-align:center" rowspan=6 , Edward VII


, - style="height:1em"
! height=20 style="background-color: ; border-top:none" ,
, rowspan=2 , Unionist government, 1895–1905, Balfour

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, Aretas Akers-Douglas, 1st Viscount Chilston, Aretas Akers-Douglas

, 11 August 1902
, 5 December 1905
, , Conservative Party (UK), Conservative

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: ; border:none" ,
, rowspan=2 ,
, rowspan=2 , Herbert Gladstone

, rowspan=2 , 11 December 1905
, rowspan=2 , 19 February 1910
, rowspan=2 , Liberal Party (UK), Liberal
, , Liberal government, 1905–1915, Campbell-Bannerman
, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: ; border:none" ,
, rowspan=4 , Liberal government, 1905–1915, Asquith

, - style="height:1em"
! height=50 style="background-color: ; border-bottom:none" ,
, rowspan=2 ,
, rowspan=2 , Winston Churchill

, rowspan=2 , 19 February 1910
, rowspan=2 , 24 October 1911
, rowspan=2 , Liberal Party (UK), Liberal
, - style="height:1em"
! height=50 style="background-color: ; border-top:none" ,
! scope=row style="text-align:center" rowspan=15 , George V

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, Reginald McKenna

, 24 October 1911
, 27 May 1915
, , Liberal Party (UK), Liberal

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, John Simon, 1st Viscount Simon, John Simon

, 27 May 1915
, 12 January 1916
, , Liberal Party (UK), Liberal
, rowspan=2 , Asquith coalition ministry, Asquith Coalition

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, Herbert Samuel

, 12 January 1916
, 7 December 1916
, , Liberal Party (UK), Liberal

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, George Cave, 1st Viscount Cave, George Cave
1st Viscount Cave

, 11 December 1916
, 14 January 1919
, , Conservative Party (UK), Conservative
, rowspan=2 , Lloyd George ministry, Lloyd George

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, Edward Shortt

, 14 January 1919
, 23 October 1922
, , Liberal Party (UK), Liberal

, - style="height:1em"
! rowspan=2 style="background-color: " ,
, rowspan=2 ,
, rowspan=2 , William Bridgeman, 1st Viscount Bridgeman, William Bridgeman

, rowspan=2 , 25 October 1922
, rowspan=2 , 22 January 1924
, rowspan=2 , Conservative Party (UK), Conservative
, , Conservative government, 1922–1924, Law
, - style="height:1em"
, , Conservative government, 1922–1924, Baldwin I

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, Arthur Henderson

, 23 January 1924
, 4 November 1924
, , Labour Party (UK), Labour
, , First MacDonald ministry, MacDonald I

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, William Joynson-Hicks, 1st Viscount Brentford, William Joynson-Hicks

, 7 November 1924
, 5 June 1929
, , Conservative Party (UK), Conservative
, , Second Baldwin ministry, Baldwin II

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, John Robert Clynes

, 8 June 1929
, 26 August 1931
, , Labour Party (UK), Labour
, , Second MacDonald ministry, MacDonald II

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: ; border:none" ,
, rowspan=2 ,
, rowspan=2 , Herbert Samuel

, rowspan=2 , 26 August 1931
, rowspan=2 , 1 October 1932
, rowspan=2 , Liberal Party (UK), Liberal
, , National Government (1931), National I

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: ; border:none" ,
, rowspan=2 , National Government (1931–1935), National II

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, Sir John Gilmour, 2nd Baronet, John Gilmour

, 1 October 1932
, 7 June 1935
, , Unionist Party (Scotland), Unionist

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: ; border:none" ,
, rowspan=3 ,
, rowspan=3 , John Simon, 1st Viscount Simon, John Simon

, rowspan=3 , 7 June 1935
, rowspan=3 , 28 May 1937
, rowspan=3 , National Liberal Party (UK, 1931), Liberal National
, rowspan=3 , National Government (1935–1937), National III

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: ; border:none" ,
! scope=row style="text-align:center" , Edward VIII


, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: ; border:none" ,
! scope=row style="text-align:center" rowspan=8 , George VI

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, Samuel Hoare, 1st Viscount Templewood, Samuel Hoare

, 28 May 1937
, 3 September 1939
, , Conservative Party (UK), Conservative
, , National Government (1937–1939), National IV

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: ; border:none" ,
, rowspan=2 ,
, rowspan=2 , John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley, John Anderson

, rowspan=2 , 4 September 1939
, rowspan=2 , 4 October 1940
, rowspan=2 , Independent (politician), Independent

, , Chamberlain war ministry, Chamberlain War
, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: ; border:none" ,
, rowspan=2 , Churchill war ministry, Churchill War

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, Herbert Morrison

, 4 October 1940
, 23 May 1945
, , Labour Party (UK), Labour

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, Donald Somervell

, 25 May 1945
, 26 July 1945
, , Conservative Party (UK), Conservative
, , Churchill caretaker ministry, Churchill Caretaker

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, James Chuter Ede

, 3 August 1945
, 26 October 1951
, , Labour Party (UK), Labour
, , Attlee ministry, Attlee

, - style="height:1em"
! height=50 style="background-color: ; border-bottom:none" ,
, rowspan=2 ,
, rowspan=2 , David Maxwell Fyfe

, rowspan=2 , 27 October 1951
, rowspan=2 , 19 October 1954
, rowspan=2 , Conservative Party (UK), Conservative
, rowspan=3 , Third Churchill ministry, Churchill III
, - style="height:1em"
! height=50 style="background-color: ; border-top:none" ,
! rowspan=37 scope="row" style="text-align:center; border-style: solid solid none solid;" , Elizabeth II

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: ; border:none" ,
, rowspan=2 ,
, rowspan=2 , Gwilym Lloyd George

, rowspan=2 , 19 October 1954
, rowspan=2 , 14 January 1957
, rowspan=2 , National Liberal and Conservative, National Liberal
&
Conservative
, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: ; border:none" ,
, , Eden ministry, Eden

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, Rab Butler

, 14 January 1957
, 13 July 1962
, , Conservative Party (UK), Conservative
, rowspan=2 , Conservative government, 1957–1964, Macmillan

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: ; border:none" ,
, rowspan=2 ,
, rowspan=2 , Henry Brooke, Baron Brooke of Cumnor, Henry Brooke

, rowspan=2 , 14 July 1962
, rowspan=2 , 16 October 1964
, rowspan=2 , Conservative Party (UK), Conservative
, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: ; border:none" ,
, , Conservative government, 1957–1964, Douglas-Home

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, Frank Soskice

, 18 October 1964
, 23 December 1965
, , Labour Party (UK), Labour
, rowspan=3 , Labour government, 1964–1970, Wilson

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, Roy Jenkins

, 23 December 1965
, 30 November 1967
, , Labour Party (UK), Labour

, - style="height:1em"
, style="background-color:" ,
,
, James Callaghan

, 30 November 1967
, 19 June 1970
, , Labour Party (UK), Labour

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, Reginald Maudling

, 20 June 1970
, 18 July 1972
, , Conservative Party (UK), Conservative
, rowspan=2 , Heath ministry, Heath

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, Robert Carr

, 18 July 1972
, 4 March 1974
, , Conservative Party (UK), Conservative

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: ; border:none" ,
, rowspan=2 ,
, rowspan=2 , Roy Jenkins

, rowspan=2 , 5 March 1974
, rowspan=2 , 10 September 1976
, rowspan=2 , Labour Party (UK), Labour
, , Labour government, 1974–1979, Wilson

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: ; border:none" ,
, rowspan=2 , Labour government, 1974–1979, Callaghan

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, Merlyn Rees

, 10 September 1976
, 4 May 1979
, , Labour Party (UK), Labour

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, William Whitelaw

, 4 May 1979
, 11 June 1983
, , Conservative Party (UK), Conservative
, , First Thatcher ministry, Thatcher I

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, Leon Brittan

, 11 June 1983
, 2 September 1985
, , Conservative Party (UK), Conservative
, rowspan=2 , Second Thatcher ministry, Thatcher II

, - style="height:1em"
! rowspan=2 style="background-color: " ,
, rowspan=2 ,
, rowspan=2 , Douglas Hurd

, rowspan=2 , 2 September 1985
, rowspan=2 , 26 October 1989
, rowspan=2 , Conservative Party (UK), Conservative
, - style="height:1em"
, rowspan=2 , Third Thatcher ministry, Thatcher III

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, David Waddington

, 26 October 1989
, 28 November 1990
, , Conservative Party (UK), Conservative

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, Kenneth Baker, Baron Baker of Dorking, Kenneth Baker

, 28 November 1990
, 10 April 1992
, , Conservative Party (UK), Conservative
, , First Major ministry, Major I

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, Kenneth Clarke

, 10 April 1992
, 27 May 1993
, , Conservative Party (UK), Conservative
, rowspan=2 , Second Major ministry, Major II

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, Michael Howard

, 27 May 1993
, 2 May 1997
, , Conservative Party (UK), Conservative

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, Jack Straw

, 2 May 1997
, 8 June 2001
, , Labour Party (UK), Labour
, , First Blair ministry, Blair I

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, David Blunkett

, 8 June 2001
, 15 December 2004
, , Labour Party (UK), Labour
, rowspan=2 , Second Blair ministry, Blair II

, - style="height:1em"
! rowspan=2 style="background-color: " ,
, rowspan=2 ,
, rowspan=2 , Charles Clarke

, rowspan=2 , 15 December 2004
, rowspan=2 , 2006 British cabinet reshuffle, 5 May 2006
, rowspan=2 , Labour Party (UK), Labour
, - style="height:1em"
, rowspan=2 , Third Blair ministry, Blair III

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, John Reid, Baron Reid of Cardowan, John Reid

, 2006 British cabinet reshuffle, 5 May 2006
, 27 June 2007
, , Labour Party (UK), Labour

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, Jacqui Smith

, 28 June 2007
, 5 June 2009
, , Labour Party (UK), Labour
, rowspan=2 , Brown ministry, Brown

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, Alan Johnson

, 5 June 2009
, 11 May 2010
, , Labour Party (UK), Labour

, - style="height:1em"
! rowspan=2 style="background-color: " ,
, rowspan=2 ,
, rowspan=2 , Theresa May

, rowspan=2 , 12 May 2010
, rowspan=2 , 13 July 2016
, rowspan=2 , Conservative Party (UK), Conservative
, , Cameron–Clegg coalition, Cameron–Clegg

, - style="height:1em"
, , Second Cameron ministry, Cameron II

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: ; border:none" ,
, rowspan=2 ,
, rowspan=2 , Amber Rudd

, rowspan=2 , 13 July 2016
, rowspan=2 , Second May ministry#Changes 2, 29 April 2018
, rowspan=2 , Conservative Party (UK), Conservative
, , First May ministry, May I
, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: ; border:none" ,
, rowspan=2 , Second May ministry, May II

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, Sajid Javid

, Second May ministry#Changes 2, 30 April 2018
, 24 July 2019
, , Conservative Party (UK), Conservative

, - style="height:1em"
! rowspan=2 style="background-color: " ,
, rowspan=2 ,
, rowspan=2 , Priti Patel

, rowspan=2 , 24 July 2019
, rowspan=2 , 6 September 2022
, rowspan=2 , Conservative Party (UK), Conservative
, , First Johnson ministry, Johnson I
, - style="height:1em"
, , Second Johnson ministry, Johnson II

, - style="height:1em"
! rowspan=2 style="background-color: " ,
, rowspan=2 ,
, rowspan=2 , Suella Braverman

, rowspan=2 , 6 September 2022
, rowspan=2 , 19 October 2022
, rowspan=2 , Conservative Party (UK), Conservative
, rowspan=3 , Truss ministry, Truss
, - style="height:1em"
! rowspan=5 scope="row" style="text-align:center", Charles III

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, Grant Shapps

, 19 October 2022
, 25 October 2022
, , Conservative Party (UK), Conservative

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, Suella Braverman

, 25 October 2022
, November 2023 British cabinet reshuffle, 13 November 2023
, , Conservative Party (UK), Conservative
, rowspan=2 , Sunak ministry, Sunak

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, James Cleverly

, November 2023 British cabinet reshuffle, 13 November 2023
, 5 July 2024
, , Conservative Party (UK), Conservative

, - style="height:1em"
! style="background-color: " ,
,
, Yvette Cooper

, 5 July 2024
, ''Incumbent''
, , Labour Party (UK), Labour
, , Starmer ministry, Starmer

Timeline

See also

* British government departments
* Cabinet (government)
* Great Offices of State
* Interior minister
* List of British governments
* List of current interior ministers
* List of permanent under secretaries of state of the Home Office
* Ministry of Justice (United Kingdom), Ministry of Justice
* Shadow Home Secretary
* Home Office under Theresa May
* Under Secretary of State for the Home Department

Notes

References

Citations

Sources

*

External links

Home Office website

{{Cabinet positions in the United Kingdom

Lists of government ministers of the United Kingdom, Home Department, Secretary of State
Secretaries of State for the Home Department,
Ministerial offices in the United Kingdom
1782 establishments in Great Britain
Internal affairs ministers by country, United Kingdom