Briefing note:
Prime Minister Theresa May’s Cabinet
and Department restructure
August 2016
Contents
Overview
Cabinet Profiles
Prime Minister - Theresa May
The Cabinet at a glance
Chancellor - Philip Hammond
Secretary of State for Transport - Chris Grayling
Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy - Greg Clark
Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government - Sajid Javid
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs - Andrea Leadsom
Home Secretary - Amber Rudd
Foreign Secretary - Boris Johnson
Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union - David Davis
Secretary of State for International Trade - Liam Fox
Secretary of State for Defence - Michael Fallon
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions - Damien Green
Secretary of State for International Development - Priti Patel
Secretary of State for Education and Equalities - Justine Greening
Secretary of State for Health - Jeremy Hunt
Secretary of State for Justice - Liz Truss
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport - Karen Bradley
Secretary of State for Scotland - David Mundell
Secretary of State for Wales - Alun Cairns
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland - James Brokenshire
Chief Whip - Gavin Williamson
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster / Conservative Party Chair – Patrick McLoughlin
Leader of the Lords - Natalie Evans
Key Government Departments
Department for Transport
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
Department for Communities and Local Government
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Page 1 of 26
Overview
Theresa May was officially appointed Prime Minister on 13 July 2016. Having assumed the role shortly
before the Parliamentary summer recess, Mrs May’s first few weeks as Prime Minister came at a time
which traditionally sees little in the way of Parliamentary business or policy announcements.
On this occasion, the economic and political developments that followed Britain’s vote to leave the
European Union continue to create unprecedented circumstances for the Government to navigate.
Meanwhile, Mrs May has also been faced with the difficult task of appointing a unified Cabinet that
balances the ‘Leave’ and ‘Remain’ factions following that vote.
In advance of the return of Parliament from the summer recess, this briefing note explains the new
Government’s appointments, following the restructure of key departments.
Page 2 of 26
Cabinet Profiles
Prime Minister
Theresa May
Predecessor: David Cameron
EU stance: Remain
Constituency: Maidenhead
Majority: 29,059
Theresa May became the Prime
Minister after having spent six years as
Home Secretary from 2010 to 2016. She
was the second-longest holder of the
post of Home Secretary in British
history.
Observers have been able to establish
Mrs May’s intentions for her
Government both through her new
Cabinet appointments and through her first month of Government work. During this period, she has
clarified that any decision regarding the expansion of south east England’s airport capacity will be put to
the Cabinet for a collective decision. In doing so, she noted that the Government approach towards this
decision ‘has not changed’ since before she took office.
Speaking on the day she became the Prime Minister-in-waiting, Mrs May also laid out plans for Treasurybacked bonds to support infrastructure projects. Announcing her plans, she said that ‘as we take
infrastructure decisions – like with new housing, roads, or exploration for oil and gas – the benefits should
be shared not just with local authorities but with local people themselves.’ This language echoes her
earlier pledge to build ‘a Britain that works for everybody’.
This language is also echoed in Mrs May’s presentation of the amendments she made to the Shale Wealth
Fund, which was a policy proposal of the previous Government that sought to reform the way in which
shale gas extraction is taxed. In explaining a new mechanism that could allow direct payments to residents
local to extraction sites, Mrs May said that:
“As I said on my first night as Prime Minister: when we take the big calls, we’ll think not of the powerful
but of you. This announcement is an example of putting those principles into action. It’s about making sure
people personally benefit from economic decisions that are taken – not just councils – and putting them
back in control over their lives. We’ll be looking at applying this approach to other Government
programmes in the future too, as we press on with the work of building a country that works for
everyone.”
She has stated a commitment to housebuilding along similar lines, explaining her view that ‘unless we
deal with the housing deficit, we will see house prices keep on rising. Young people will find it even harder
to afford their own home’. Mrs May has also called for ‘a plan to help not one or even two of our great
regional cities but every single one of them’, during her leadership campaign. This emphasis on a wider
swathe of regional growth has been carried into Government, with her Transport Secretary Chris Grayling
presenting infrastructure investment in similar language.
The question over the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station became a significant discussion in Mrs May’s
first month as Prime Minister. Her decision to halt the finalising of the project detail prior to
commencement was greeted with surprise in some quarters, and the timeframe for making a decision on
the project remains unclear.
Page 3 of 26
Cabinet Profiles
Her previous Shadow front-bench roles have included 11 years in the Shadow Cabinet prior to 2010,
which featured:

Shadow Secretary of State for:
o Education and Employment 1999-2001
o Transport, Local Government and the Regions 2001-02
o Transport 2002
o Environment and Transport 2003-04
o Work and Pensions 2009-10
She also spent two years as the Chair of the Conservative Party, during which time she made her now
infamous comments that many viewed the Conservatives as the ‘nasty party’. She spent two years on the
Commons’ Education and Employment Committee. Much of her career prior to entering Parliament was
spent working for the Bank of England.
Page 4 of 26
Cabinet Profiles
The Cabinet at a glance
Role
Name
Constituency
Majority
Prime Minister
Theresa May
Maidenhead
29,059
Chancellor
Philip Hammond
Runnymede and Weybridge
22,134
Transport
Chris Grayling
Epsom and Ewell
24,443
Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
Greg Clark
Tunbridge Wells
22,874
Communities and Local Government
Sajid Javid
Bromsgrove
16,529
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Andrea Leadsom
South Northamptonshire
26,416
Home Secretary
Amber Rudd
Hastings and Rye
4,796
Foreign Secretary
Boris Johnson
Uxbridge and South Ruislip
10,695
Secretary of State for Exiting the
European Union
David Davis
Haltemprice and Howden
16,195
International Trade
Liam Fox
North Somerset
23,099
Defence
Michael Fallon
Sevenoaks
19,561
Work and Pensions
Damien Green
Ashford
19,296
International Development
Priti Patel
Witham
19,554
Education and Equalities
Justine Greening
Putney
10,180
Health
Jeremy Hunt
South West Surrey
28,556
Justice
Liz Truss
South West Norfolk
13,861
Culture, Media and Sport
Karen Bradley
Staffordshire Moorlands
10,174
Scotland
David Mundell
Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale
and Tweeddale
798
Wales
Alun Cairns
Vale of Glamorgan
6,880
Northern Ireland
James Brokenshire
Old Bexley and Sidcup
15,803
Chief Whip
Gavin Williamson
South Staffordshire
20,371
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster /
Conservative Party Chairman
Patrick McLoughlin
Derbyshire Dales
14,044
Leader of the Lords
Natalie Evans
n/a
n/a
Page 5 of 26
Cabinet Profiles
Chancellor
Philip Hammond
Appointed by Prime Minster May in
her first Cabinet, Mr Hammond
brings a much greater wealth of
Cabinet experience to the role than
his predecessor, George Osborne.
Predecessor: George Osborne
Both Prime Minister May and Mr
EU stance: Remain
Hammond
have stated that the
Constituency: Runnymede and Weybridge
elimination
of the structural deficit
Majority: 22,134
by the end of the Parliament is no
longer a primary political objective.
The Chancellor will have the opportunity to outline his agenda in office at the Autumn Statement, having
opted not to deliver a so-called ‘emergency budget’ following the vote to leave the European Union (EU).
The Chancellor will be reviewing the case for the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station alongside the
Prime Minister and the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Secretary, following the halting of the
decision-making process in August. When viewed alongside the Government’s decision not to pursue a
budget surplus by the end of this Parliament, the pause of Hinkley C represents another instance in which
the ‘direction of travel’ under the previous administration is being visibly reassessed by Mr Hammond and
others.
Before the 2010 election, Philip Hammond held a number of relevant roles including:





Member of the Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Select (and Sub) Committee 1998
Opposition Spokesperson for Trade and Industry 2001-02
Shadow Minister for Local and Devolved Government Affairs 2002-05
Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 2005-07
Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury 2007-10.
Following the 2010 election, Mr Hammond served as Secretary of State for:



Transport 2010-11
Defence 2011-14
Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 2014-16.
In his time as Transport Secretary, Mr Hammond pledged to end what he described as ‘Labour’s war on
motorists’. He scrapped plans for a bus lane on the M4 motorway, as well as plans to increase the speed
limit to 80 mph.
He attracted controversy when he opted to award a contract for the Thameslink franchise to a German
engineering firm, as opposed to a British firm, which announced job losses shortly after. This
demonstrates a degree of managerial pragmatism, and a lack of sentimentality towards UK plc. It should
also be noted that his support for High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) has brought him into conflict with many of his
Conservative colleagues in the Commons, whose constituencies will be heavily affected by the project.
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Cabinet Profiles
Secretary of State for Transport
Chris Grayling
Predecessor: Patrick McLoughlin
EU stance: Leave
Constituency: Epsom and Ewell
Majority: 24,443
Chris Grayling MP is the
new Transport Secretary
under Prime Minister
Theresa May. Since
taking on the role, his
statements have
generally signalled a
continuity of transport
policy.
For example, he pledged his support for HS2 within his first few days in the role, noting that he had ‘no
plans to back away from’ the project. In offering his support for the project, he has stressed the need for
capacity increases as well as speed, in light of recent increases in all types of rail use. In fact, he has
described the 75% growth in rail freight traffic since the railways became privately-owned as a ‘good
thing’, indicating his further support for this freight method.
He has elaborated upon his approach toward transport provision:
“I have a simple test for any transport network. Does it enable people to get to where they need to go,
safely, quickly, cleanly and affordably? If so, it is working, and we are succeeding. But if journeys are beset
by congestion, crowding, needless cost or preventable pollution, then we are not succeeding and we need
to take action to change things.”
Like the Prime Minister, Mr Grayling has expressed a desire for a rapid decision on the expansion of south
east England’s airports capacity, whilst re-iterating the opinion that such a decision will be a matter for
the full Cabinet to take. Again, this approach towards the decision-making process represents continuity
from the previous Government, even though the decision will be politically problematic for the new
Cabinet. A number of senior Ministers have constituencies that lie within 15km of the prime candidate for
expansion, Heathrow Airport, including the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary, the Chancellor and Mr
Grayling himself.
At the end of July, a £350m expansion of London City Airport was announced, which will not address
runway length but will expand the passenger facilities and taxiway. This upgrade may therefore deliver
modest capacity gains that may be viewed as something of an interim upgrade to the regional capacity.
However, the overall question of the south east’s capacity is likely to remain one of the more significant
infrastructure decisions facing Mrs May’s Government.
Since assuming the role, Mr Grayling has also issued funds to four local authorities across England to
prepare the business case for upgrades of the strategic road network in their area. On a recent visit to the
A6 Manchester Relief Road site, he also discussed the infrastructure aims of the new Government:
“This is part of our plan to invest in the north, and make an economy that works for everyone – not just the
privileged few – by ensuring economic prosperity is spread throughout the country. Better infrastructure is
likely to boost productivity.”
In his first month in the role, Mr Grayling has also appointed a new contractor for the East Anglia rail
franchise. He and his colleagues at the Department have also sustained criticism from some quarters for
the Department for Transport’s perceived inactivity during the difficulties being experienced by the
Page 7 of 26
Cabinet Profiles
Southern Rail franchise, under Govia Thameslink Railway. The former Rail Minister Claire Perry MP
resigned over the issue shortly after Mr Grayling was appointed, and she was replaced by Paul Maynard
MP (see below).
Shortly before the EU referendum in June 2016, Mr Grayling warned that Britain would be forced to build
extensive amounts of new houses and infrastructure to cope with rising levels of immigration if it stayed
within the EU. He was a senior member of the Vote Leave campaign, alongside the Foreign Secretary,
Boris Johnson, and the former Justice Secretary, Michael Gove.
He has held a considerable number of shadow policy roles during the Conservative period of opposition
prior to 2010. Those relevant roles include:



Shadow Minister for Public Services, Health and Education 2003-04
Shadow Secretary of State for Transport 2005-07
Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 2007-09.
He has also served as a member of various incarnations of the Transport, Local Government and the
Regions Committee in the Commons during this opposition period. Before that, he was a Member of
Merton Council from 1998 to 2002.
Secretary of State for
Business, Energy and
Industrial Strategy
Greg Clark
Predecessor: Newly created role
EU stance: Remain
Constituency: Tunbridge Wells
Majority: 22,874
As a former Secretary of State for
Communities and Local Government,
and the occupier of the new role of
Secretary of State for Business, Energy
and Industrial Strategy, Greg Clark MP
remains a vital Government figure for
the development, planning and energy
sectors.
The newly-created Department of
Business, Energy and Industrial
Strategy (DBEIS) will encompass a
complex range of political responsibilities. Mr Clark will also be required to work with civil servants from
two former Departments – the Department for Energy and Climate Change and the Department for
Business, Innovation and Skills. The complex nature of merging these areas can be seen in the fact that
DBEIS did not fully confirm the policy responsibilities of its ministers until several weeks after its
establishment. However, as someone who has already shared civil servants from across so many
Departments in previous roles, Mr Clark is particularly well-placed to lead this Department.
This re-structuring will also mean that energy policy will no longer have ‘its own seat’ at the Cabinet table.
However, energy policy now exists within a much more holistic – and potentially relevant – setting, with
business and industry explicitly brought into the internal discussion around energy provision.
For example, the transferring by Mr Clark of the Oil and Gas Authority into independent management in
August can be viewed as part of this new, integrated focus of energy policy and industrial development.
The new role will allow Authority representatives direct access to energy operator meetings, to solve
industrial disputes and to hand down industry sanctions. The attention paid to the oil and gas sectors, as
non-renewable components in the UK’s energy supply mix, also reflects the revised priorities for DBEIS, in
Page 8 of 26
Cabinet Profiles
terms of balancing the task of securing a diverse UK energy supply alongside climate change reduction and
economic growth.
As a Cabinet Office briefing note on DBEIS explains, the ‘merger [of energy and business policy] will enable
a whole economy approach to delivering our climate change ambitions, effectively balancing the priorities
of growth and carbon reduction.’
It has been reported that, along with a number of other Cabinet colleagues, Mr Clark and his team will
review the terms of the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station following the halting of its preparation in
August.
Greg Clark’s previous front-bench roles include:







Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 2008-10
Minister of State for Decentralisation 2010-11
Minister of State for Cities (role shared between the Departments for Communities and Local
Government and Business, Innovation and Skills) 2011
Minister of State for Decentralisation and Cities (role shared between the Departments for
Communities and Local Government and Business, Innovation and Skills) 2011-12
Minister of State for Cities and the Constitution at the Cabinet Office 2013-14
Minister of State for Universities, Science and Cities (role shared between the Department for
Business, Innovation and Skills and the Cabinet Office) 2014-15
Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 2015-16.
Throughout all of these roles, he has been a key figure in pushing forward the Localism agenda that
sought to empower local government to take a greater role in their local decision-making, chiefly in the
realm of plan formulation and housebuilding strategy. He has also been the architect of the current
national planning framework within the Town and Country Planning Act regime.
Since the roll-out of the localism agenda, delivered by Greg Clark through the Localism Act 2011, there has
been widespread use of the new planning regime to encourage local authorities to permit development.
However, the real question is how his previous focus on devolution, Localism and empowering cities and
regions will blend with his ideas for the future energy market.
Secretary of State for
Communities and Local
Government
Sajid Javid
Predecessor: Greg Clark
EU stance: Remain
Constituency: Bromsgrove
Majority: 16,529
Sajid Javid was made the Secretary of
State for Communities and Local
Government (DCLG) in July 2016. Mr
Javid recently called for a ‘Growing
Britain Fund’ in the form of cheaplyborrowed funding for UK
infrastructure, as well as for private
capital to be released for a large-scale
housebuilding drive. One of his first
statements in his new role has been to
reassure the House of Commons of his
view that the Green Belt is ‘special’. He
has also called for a third runway at
Heathrow as a solution to South East
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Cabinet Profiles
England’s airport capacity issues.
His three priorities as Secretary of State are: to build more homes, to ‘push economic growth to every part
of the country’, and to ‘strengthen the bonds’ of local communities in light of the vote to leave the
European Union.
Mr Javid was elected as Member of Parliament for Bromsgrove in 2010. He then rose remarkably quickly
through the ranks of the Conservative Party, and is currently serving as Secretary of State for a third time.
In his first role at the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, he also took on the role of Minister for
Equalities. At the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, he repeatedly warned of the economic
shocks that would accompany leaving the EU, despite his earlier Euroscepticism.
He supported Stephen Crabb for the Leadership after the resignation of David Cameron; many predicted
he would take the role of Chancellor if Crabb won the contest. However, he switched his loyalty to
Theresa May after Crabb’s withdrawal from the race.
Secretary of State for
Environment, Food and
Rural Affairs
Andrea Leadsom
Predecessor: Elizabeth Truss
EU stance: Leave
Constituency: South Northamptonshire
Majority: 26,416
Andrea Leadsom has been the
Member of Parliament for South
Northamptonshire since 2010. She
has been a keen critic of HS2, given
that it intersects much of her
constituency. As an MP, she has
also promoted legislative measures
such as the creation of the offence
of ‘death by dangerous cycling’. Her
other notable interventions include
her support of the so-called
‘Bedroom Tax’ as a means of freeing
up housing stock and overcrowding.
Mrs Leadsom was previously Minister of State at the Department for Energy and Climate Change. She had
expressed scepticism over the existence of climate change prior to occupying the role. In this role, she
professed to have been ‘persuaded’ over the questions of whether fracking was safe and whether climate
change was real. She was also instrumental in the process of removing subsidies for onshore wind farms,
claiming that their energy was ‘costly’ and ‘unreliable’.
She was a key ‘Brexiteer’ and ran against Theresa May for the Conservative Leadership following the EU
referendum. However, her withdrawal from the race allowed Mrs May to assume the Premiership unopposed. In doing this, she was given the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs brief. Many have
commented that this may be a double-edged sword, given that she will now have to liaise with UK farmers
who lose their agricultural subsidy due to the vote to leave the EU that she campaigned for.
Page 10 of 26
Cabinet Profiles
Home Secretary
Amber Rudd
Predecessor: Theresa May
EU stance: Remain
Constituency: Hastings and Rye
Majority: 4,796
Amber Rudd, the new Home Secretary,
campaigned for the ‘Remain’ side, with
the argument that ‘unknown
consequences’ may be that UK energy
bills increase following the potential
loss of British influence in European
energy markets. Shortly after the vote,
she also declared that Britain will ‘not
step back’ from its obligations’
regarding climate change.
Ms Rudd, who was elected in 2010, has occupied a number of mid-level Ministerial and Committee roles.
These include:





Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee 2010-12
Parliamentary Private Secretary to George Osborne 2012
Assistant Whip 2013
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Climate Change in 2014
Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 2015 - 16.
Her appointment was praised by climate change and green groups due to her perceived receptiveness to
climate change action. Much of her constituency campaigning in Hastings and Rye since her election in
2010 has focused around opposing the reduction in government spending on new transport links for the
area. She established a passenger’s interest lobby group for local railway customers: St Leonards and
Hastings Rail Improvement Programme or SHRIMP.
Foreign Secretary
Boris Johnson
Predecessor: Philip Hammond
EU stance: Leave
Constituency: Uxbridge and South Ruislip
Majority: 10,695
Unlike most of the other senior
members of the new Cabinet, Boris
Johnson MP has held little in the
way of relevant shadow front bench
roles, junior ministerships or
Commons Committee
appointments.
However, his eight years as Mayor
of London provides him with
considerable experience in local Government, investment and transport provision. He began his tenure by
fighting the extension to the Congestion Charge brought in by his Labour predecessor, Ken Livingstone. He
also removed bendy-busses from London’s streets, chiefly due to their poor safety record for cyclists. One
of his most notable transport policies as Mayor was to deliver the Barclays Bike scheme, better known as
‘Boris Bikes’.
Mr Johnson supported Crossrail through the construction phase, as well as supporting Crossrail 2. The
latter project has involved Mr Johnson’s sourcing of considerable investment in London from the
Government. He has also been a long-time advocate of a brand new airport for London in the Thames
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Cabinet Profiles
Estuary, known as ‘Boris Island’ as an alternative to the expansion of any other airport, including
Heathrow. This option has been discounted by the Government’s Airports Commission, which noted that
the option ‘had substantial disadvantages that collectively outweighed its potential benefits’. A decision
on airport expansion is expected to be taken by the Cabinet in the coming months.
Mr Johnson has previously claimed that he will ‘lie down in front of the bulldozers’ if a third runway is
progressed.
David Davis MP was defeated
by David Cameron in the 2005
Conservative Party leadership
contest, which was the second
leadership campaign that Mr
Davis had fought. He is
Predecessor: Newly created role
regarded as on the right wing
EU stance: Leave
of the Conservative Party.
Constituency: Haltemprice and Howden
Prior to 2016, he spent many
Majority: 16,195
years on the back benches,
having campaigned for lower
taxes, against Government spending and for a blend of individual liberties (in respect of Government
power) and socially conservative morals.
Secretary of State for
Exiting the European Union
David Davis
He has little ministerial or scrutiny experience in development, environment, infrastructure or transport
provision. He has campaigned for greater Government action to improve local transport links for his
constituency (which is located on the River Humber in Yorkshire) and has also lamented the Government’s
decision not to include any flood defences for his constituency. David Davis has campaigned against HS2
and has taken sceptical stances towards larger-scale infrastructure spending.
He has been appointed as the first Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union.
Secretary of State for
International Trade
Liam Fox
Predecessor: Newly created role
EU stance: Leave
Constituency: North Somerset
Majority: 23,099
Liam Fox MP is on the Eurosceptic right of
the Conservative Party. He ran for the
leadership of the Party in 2005 and 2015,
claiming to represent his wing of the
party on both occasions.
He served as the Parliamentary Private
Secretary to the Home Secretary from
1996 to 1997, occupying various shadow
roles thereafter.
He was the Secretary of State for Defence from 2010 to 2011, before resigning over his professional
involvement with lobbyist Adam Werrity. Since then, a large proportion of his statements and
interventions from the back benches have been in regard to defence policy, as well as the cause of low-tax
Conservatism. He has also been active in his constituency, fighting the extensive un-planned residential
Page 12 of 26
Cabinet Profiles
development that has resulted from the absence of a sound Local Development Framework. He was also
an active participant in the National Grid’s Hinkley Point C Connection Project consultation.
Like David Davis, Dr Fox (who was a General Practitioner before entering politics) now occupies a brand
new Cabinet role under Prime Minister Theresa May.
Michael Fallon was first
elected as a Member of
Parliament in 1987, and
spent one year as
Parliamentary Private
Secretary to the Secretary
Predecessor: Philip Hammond
of State for Energy, Cecil
(no move following re-shuffle)
Parkinson. He later served
EU stance: Remain
as Parliamentary UnderConstituency: Sevenoaks
Secretary of State in the
Majority: 19,561
Department of Education
and Science during the early years of the Major administration, where he advocated the privatisation of
schools and hospitals. He lost his seat in 1992.
Secretary of State for Defence
Michael Fallon
Mr Fallon returned to the Commons in 1997, briefly serving as the Conservative spokesperson for Trade
and Industry. He achieved a notable intervention in planning policy with his proposed amendment to the
Planning Bill in 2008, with the proposal to allow local planning authorities to set their own energy
generation and efficiency targets. This amendment was passed and made law in the 2008 Act.
During the Coalition Government, Mr Fallon was appointed to mid-level ministerial roles in the
Department of Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department for Energy and Climate Change.
In the latter role, he expressed support for fracking, envisaging a large area of England that could be
viable, if deemed to be safe. His thinking regarding the energy market was commented at the time to
closely mirror that of the then-Prime Minister, David Cameron. One notable comment made by Mr Fallon
to an energy conference described his priorities as: “Security of supply, affordability, and playing our part
in combating climate change. And that for me is the order”.
Elaborating further, he added:
“Decarbonisation must not mean deindustrialization…Signing up to yet more targets irrespective of the
impact on consumers and business is deeply irresponsible. By contrast, being cost-effective green is caring
- caring for the worst off, careful about our industry.”
Before being made Defence Secretary in 2014, he briefly served as Minister for Portsmouth, a newlycreated role designed to soften the impacts of the relocation of the Royal Navy’s shipbuilding operations
to Scotland.
Page 13 of 26
Cabinet Profiles
Secretary of State for
Work and Pensions
Damien Green
Predecessor: Stephen Crabb
EU stance: Remain
Constituency: Ashford
Majority: 19,296
Majority: 19,561
Secretary of State
for International
Development
Priti Patel
Predecessor: Justine Greening
EU stance: Leave
Constituency: Witham
Majority: 19,554
Majority: 19,561
Damien Green is the Secretary of State for
Work and Pensions. He has been the
Member of Parliament for Ashford since
1997. During the Conservative years in
opposition, he held a number of relevant
shadow front bench roles, including:



Education and Employment 1998-99
Environment 1999-2001
Shadow Secretary of State
Transport 2003-04.
Priti Patel MP, former lobbyist and press
officer, is regarded as on the free-market
right of the Conservative Party. Although
she has been appointed as the Secretary of
State for International Development by the
new Prime Minister Theresa May, Ms Patel
has previously stated her support for the
abolition of the Department she now heads.
She has spoken of the need for a diverse
energy supply that meets energy needs, as
opposed to one that meets renewable
energy targets. She has been critical of
aspects of the existing energy framework, including the ability of foreign energy providers to generate
profit from selling energy supplies to the UK network on days of poor domestic renewable generation.
However, she has acknowledged that climate change is a factor in the flooding that her constituency has
seen.
Secretary of State for
Education and Equalities
Justine Greening
Predecessor: Nicky Morgan
EU stance: Remain
Constituency: Putney
Majority: 10,180
Majority: 19,561
Justine Greening MP has been
appointed to the (newly enlarged)
role of Secretary of State for
Education and Equalities. Ms
Greening was the Secretary of
State for Transport from 2011 to
12, before serving as the Secretary
of State for International
Development from 2012 to 2016.
She has been the Member of
Parliament for Putney since 2005. As a London resident herself, she made much of the experience of
ordinary commuters and transport service users in the course of her campaigning, including pushing for
Page 14 of 26
Cabinet Profiles
better services on the District Line, which runs through her constituency. Upon entering the Commons,
she asked a number of questions on noise and of pollution from Heathrow Airport. Before she entered
Government, her previous roles included the Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local
Government (from 2009 to 10).
As Transport Secretary, Ms Greening took the controversial decision to re-locate much of the HS2 line
underground, increasing project costs but protecting the Chiltern Hills.
While as Transport Secretary she acknowledged that there was a problem with London and the South
East’s airport capacity. She remained staunchly opposed to the expansion of Heathrow due to the
location of her own constituency; to approve of the expansion would mean certain defeat for her at the
next election. She threatened resignation if the decision to expand Heathrow was taken.
Perhaps in reaction to the conflicted position she was in, she was moved sideways to become the
Secretary of State for International Development; a post she held until her most recent move in Theresa
May’s first Cabinet.
Secretary of State for Health
Jeremy Hunt
Predecessor: Andrew Lansley
(no move following re-shuffle)
EU stance: Remain
Constituency: South West Surrey
Majority: 28,556
Majority: 19,561
Jeremy Hunt MP has attracted
considerable attention as the
Secretary of State for Health,
having continued Andrew
Lansley’s controversial reorganisation of the National
Health Service. However, in his
three years in the role, he has
become a controversial figure,
arguably most notably around
the junior doctors’ dispute.
He has noted that Health Secretary is likely to be ‘his last major job in politics’, although he apparently
considered running for the Conservative Leadership in 2016. He did not run and instead supported
Theresa May.
Secretary of State for Justice
Liz Truss
Liz Truss has held a handful of
senior roles before becoming
the Secretary of State for
Justice in July 2016. She was
briefly the Parliamentary
Predecessor: Michael Gove
Under-Secretary
of State in the
EU stance: Remain
Department
for
Education,
Constituency: South West Norfolk
before becoming the Secretary
Majority: 13,861
of
State for Environment, Food
Majority: 28,556
and
Rural Affairs. In this role
Majority: 19,561
she sought to extend links to farming communities across the UK; her own constituency is the agricultural
area of South West Norfolk.
Page 15 of 26
Cabinet Profiles
She is now the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice under Theresa May. Before winning her
seat in 2010, she was a director of a pro-market think tank, a commercial analyst at energy company Shell
International and a Member of Greenwich Council.
Secretary of State for
Culture, Media and Sport
Karen Bradley
Predecessor: John Whittingdale
EU stance: Remain
Constituency: Staffordshire Moorlands
Majority: 10,174
Majority: 28,556
Majority: 19,561
Secretary of State for Scotland
David Mundell
Karen Bradley was elected as
the Member of Parliament
for Staffordshire Moorlands
in 2010. Her professional
background is management
consultancy, having worked
for auditors KPMG and
Deloitte for some years.
She supported Theresa May
for the Conservative
Leadership.
Given the current political
upheaval underway in
Europe, the UK and
Scotland, the post of Scottish
Secretary will require
considerable skills of
negotiation. David Mundell
is the only Conservative
Member of Parliament in
Scotland.
Predecessor: Alistair Carmichael
EU stance: Remain
Constituency: Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale
and Tweeddale
Majority: 798
Majority: 28,556
Majority: 19,561
In this role, he will have responsibility for devolution arrangements, diplomacy and other points of
interaction between the Government and Scotland. He is also likely to mediate in any fraught negotiations
regarding Scotland’s role with the EU following the referendum.
He was both a Member of the Scottish Parliament and a local councillor before becoming an MP. He also
came out as gay in 2016, making him the first openly gay Conservative Cabinet Minister. Since his election
to Parliament in 2010 (and following his appointment as Chair of the Scottish Conservatives) he
campaigned strongly for both better housing and highways standards, as well as against wind farms. He is
also an advocate of nuclear power, having requested a new plant in his constituency to replace the ailing
existing installation.
Following the 2015 election, he has a majority of just 798.
Page 16 of 26
Cabinet Profiles
Secretary of State for Wales
Alun Cairns
Before he won the
Parliamentary seat of the Vale
of Glamorgan in 2010, Alun
Cairns served as a Welsh
Assembly Minister from 1999.
Predecessor: Stephen Crabb
He remained as an Assembly
EU stance: Remain
Minister until 2011. As a
Constituency: Vale of Glamorgan
Member of Parliament he has
Majority: 6,880
often spoken in the Commons
on local issues, including the
need for local people to be
involved in public consultation for development proposals. The devolution agenda has been another such
issue.
He was made Welsh Secretary in March 2016 and not long after declared his support for remaining in the
EU. He supported Stephen Crabb to be Conservative Leader following the referendum result.
Secretary of State for
Northern Ireland
James Brokenshire
Predecessor: Teresa Villiers
EU stance: Remain
Constituency: Old Bexley and Sidcup
Majority: 15,803
Majority: 19,561
James Brokenshire has been the
Member of Parliament for Bexley
and Old Sidcup since 2005, during
which time he has occupied a
number of shadow policy briefs
regarding crime and home affairs.
He lists his policy interests as
including regeneration, housing
and London development issues.
He campaigned to stay in the EU and supported his old boss, Theresa May, to be the next Leader of the
Conservative Party in July 2016.
Chief Whip
Gavin Williamson
Predecessor: Mark Harper
EU stance: Remain
Constituency: South Staffordshire
Majority: 20,371
Gavin Williamson, the Member of
Parliament for South Staffordshire,
was a strong supporter of Theresa
May for the role of Conservative
Leader. This partially explains his rapid
promotion to the role of Chief Whip;
this role will be essential for the new
Prime Minister, as she seeks to guide
any upcoming legislation through the
Commons with a majority of just 12.
Page 17 of 26
Cabinet Profiles
Chancellor of the
Duchy of Lancaster /
Conservative Party
Chair
Patrick McLoughlin
Predecessor: Oliver Letwin
EU stance: Remain
Constituency: Derbyshire Dales
Majority: 14,044
He was a Parliamentary Private
Secretary to Patrick McLoughlin MP
(the Secretary of State for Transport)
and David Cameron MP (then Prime
Minister). In debates, he has spoken
about Green Belt issues, as well as
business interests.
He served as a Member of North
Yorkshire County Council and owned
a pottery business before becoming a
Member of Parliament.
The role of the Chancellor of the
Duchy of Lancaster is officially to look
after the estate of the Duchy. However, it has long functioned as a way of assigning a Cabinet role to
someone of use to the Prime Minister (in another era, Mr McLoughlin would probably be a Minister
Without Portfolio). Prior to this appointment, he served as Secretary of State for Transport 2012 to 2016.
In this role, he oversaw much of the development of HS2, and the still-unresolved question over new
airport capacity in southern England. In addition, he presented the first Road Investment Strategy for the
United Kingdom. This outlined a number of measures including adding lanes to some of Britain’s more
congested road routes, as well as providing increased road capacity to complement the proposed path of
HS2 itself.
He was in the Conservative Whip’s Office for 15 years. Before his tenure at the Whip’s Office, Mr
McLaughlin held transport-related roles under Thatcher and Major.
Leader of the Lords
Natalie Evans
Predecessor: Tina Stowell, Baroness
Stowell of Beeston
EU stance: Leave
Constituency: Not applicable
Majority: Not applicable
Baroness Evans has been
appointed as the primary
representative of the
Government in the House of
Lords. This requires her to
promote the legislative agenda
that is provided, manage the
fragmented Conservative
factions within the Lords, and
report back to the Cabinet on
the mood and feeling amongst
her colleagues.
Page 18 of 26
Key Government Departments
Key Government Departments
1. Department for Transport (Chris Grayling)
2. Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Greg Clark)
3. Department for Communities and Local Government (Sajid Javid)
Page 19 of 26
Key Government Departments
Department for Transport
Minister of State – John Hayes MP
In 2016, John Hayes MP was made Minister of State for Transport, with a responsibility for:








Highways England
Modern Transport Bill
Maritime, including Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Maritime security
Freight and logistics
Environment and technology
Skills and innovation
Built environment.
This wide range of relevant policy areas makes Mr Hayes a key figure for the transport and infrastructure
industry. The Modern Transport Bill aims to lay out the correct regulatory environment for the potential
high-growth area of driverless cars, including establishing an insurance framework that will allow
adequate research to take place in the UK. Others policy areas are also examined, including the emerging
uses (both private and commercial) of drone technology, and potential for the UK’s first spaceport.
Mr Hayes’ previous tenure at the Department for Transport also saw the passing of what was then the
Highways Agency from a QUANGO into a commercial company in its own right, as well as the delivery of
the UK’s first Road Investment Strategy under the then-Secretary of State for Transport, Patrick
MacLoughlin (see below). In his latest role, Mr Hayes has now begun to commit individual funding
portions from the £15bn Road Investment Strategy that he helped to deliver under the previous Secretary
of State, Patrick MacLoughlin.
For example, £8.6M of the Growth and Housing Fund, as one component of the Road Investment
Strategy, has been pledged to help deliver improvements to the M181 in Lincolnshire, which it is hoped
will unlock a wider package of local housing development and economic growth. Meanwhile, the
preparation of the second Road Investment Strategy is underway, with a number of feasibility studies
being undertaken on the large-scale projects that this could address. These studies include an
examination of potential route options for a Trans-Pennine tunnel between Manchester and Sheffield.
Mr Hayes’ first relevant role as part of the Coalition Government was at the former Department of Energy
and Climate Change in 2012. However, he was stripped of his responsibility for renewable energy after
only six months, when he claimed that “we can no longer have wind farms imposed on communities …
enough is enough”. His comments were made specifically in relation to onshore wind farms.
In opposition, John Hayes served as:


Shadow Minister for Local and Devolved Government (Housing and Planning) 2003-05
Shadow Minister for Transport 2005.
During this period, he also authored various Conservative Party publications exploring policy areas,
featuring titles such as ‘The Right to Own: Conservative Action on Housing’ (2004) and ‘The Right Homes
in the Right Places’ (2005).
Page 20 of 26
Key Government Departments
Before entering Parliament in 1997, he was a Member of Nottinghamshire County Council from 1985 to
1998. He is also a member of the Countryside Alliance and the National Farmers Union, indicating a strong
sympathy for rural interests that is echoed by his actions in opposing onshore wind farms.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State – Paul Maynard MP
Paul Maynard was elected as the Member of Parliament for Blackpool North and Cleveleys in 2010, and
appointed as Rail Minister in 2016. Mr Maynard’s policy responsibilities include:



Rail, including housing development
Rail security
Light rail.
In his first month in the role, Mr Maynard has spent much of his time managing the DfT’s approach toward
Southern Rail, which has been forced to operate reduced services as a result of industrial action and other
factors. Mr Maynard has resisted calls to strip the franchise owner, Govia Thameslink Railways of its tender and
find another operator.
Mr Maynard served as the Parliamentary Private Secretary to Amber Rudd as Secretary of State for Energy and
Climate Change 2015-16, and served on the Transport Select Committee from 2010 to 2012. He has in the past
praised the progress that has been made in improving disability access for railway users.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State – Andrew Jones MP
Andrew Jones has been the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport since 2015. His relevant
responsibilities in this role include:








High Speed Rail (HS2)
Devolution, including Northern Powerhouse
Motoring agencies
Local transport; road and vehicle safety and standards
Buses and taxis
Traffic management
Sustainable accessible travel, including walking and cycling
Smart ticketing.
He was elected as the Member of Parliament for Harrogate in 2010 and served as the Parliamentary Private
Secretary to the Secretary of State for Transport, Justine Greening MP from 2011 to 2012. In this role, he
helped in the promotion of the northern rail electrification taskforce. This represents a continuation of Mr
Jones’ original stated agenda for his time in the Commons, when he called for better rail links to his
constituency in order to boost the local economy during his maiden speech.
He was a Member of Harrogate Borough Council from 2003 to 2011, where he served in the Cabinet.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State – Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Lord Ahmad, who was made a Peer in 2011, has a policy responsibility for the relevant transport areas of:







Aviation
International relations and trade
Aviation security
Cyber and transport security
London, including Crossrail and Crossrail 2
Corporate and better regulation
All transport parliamentary business in the House of Lords.
Page 21 of 26
Key Government Departments
Alongside his colleagues in the Department, Lord Ahmad has been involved in formulating the
Government’s approach towards the use of drones in UK airspace, as well as drafting security measures
on the transport network. Before joining the Department for Transport, he also served as the
Conservative spokesperson in the Lords for Communities and Local Government from 2012 to 2015.
Lord Ahmad entered Parliament after a long tenure at Merton Council. This includes serving as:




Member 2002-12
Opposition Spokesperson on Environment and Regeneration 2002-06
Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport 2006-08
Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Engagement 2008-09.
He was also Deputy Chairman of the London Councils Transport and Environment Committee from 2006
to 2008.
Although not an elected politician, Lord Ahmad’s past political links and notional ties to Wimbledon may
prove to be valuable to the Government if a decision to expand Heathrow Airport is taken.
Parliamentary Private Secretary to Secretary of State – Mike Freer MP
Mike Freer followed Mr Grayling from his previous role as Leader of the Commons, serving as his
Parliamentary Private Secretary in both cases. He also served as the Parliamentary Private Secretary to the
wider Department for Communities and Local Government team from 2013 to 2014, and sat on the
Communities and Local Government Select Committee from 2010 to 2011.
Mr Freer was a Member of Barnet Council from 1990 to 1994, and again from 2001 to 2010. He led the
Council from 2006 to 2009, when he implemented significant budget and procurement reforms.
He has also served at the:


London Development Agency (Non-executive director) 2008-10
Local Government Association (Vice-President) 2011
Page 22 of 26
Key Government Departments
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
Minister of State, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy – Nick Hurd MP
One of Nick Hurd’s key ministerial responsibilities will be climate change, which is a policy area he has
spent much of his time on in previous years. For example, Mr Hurd was a sponsor of the Sustainable
Communities Bill 2007, which was drafted with the close co-operation of community and environmental
groups. The eventual Act helped equip local communities with greater spending and decision-making
powers.
He also sat on several relevant committees and bodies including the:




Commons Environmental Audit Committee 2005-10
Commons Joint Committee on the Draft Climate Change Bill 2007
Climate Change Group, Conservative Party ‘Quality of Life’ policy review (Chair) 2006 - 08
All Party Parliamentary Environment Group (Chair).
Mr Hurd has also spoken critically of plans for a third runway at Heathrow airport, and has been a firm
critic of HS2 and the expected emissions cost, as well as the emissions policies of the then Mayor of
London, Boris Johnson.
Minister for Energy – (Baroness) Lucy Neville-Rolfe
Baroness Neville-Rolfe was made a life peer in 2013 and became a Minister of State at DBEIS after Theresa
May became Prime Minister. One of Baroness Neville-Rolfe’s first statements at this new department was
to address questions regarding the new status of climate change:
“Climate change has not been downgraded as a threat; it remains one of the most serious long-term risks.
The title of a Department matters far less than its DNA and what it does…Energy and climate change will
be at the heart of the new Department.”
One potentially significant policy initiative that has developed since she became Energy Minister is
proposals for the Shale Wealth Fund. Under the proposals that were presented for consultation in August
2016, a proportion of the tax revenue from shale gas extraction could be transferred directly to residents
in the immediate vicinity of an extraction point.
Although the plans were first announced in the Autumn Statement of 2015, the proposals for the Shale
Wealth Fund were amended in order to include the mechanism for local direct payments by the new
administration. As such, this policy area could represent a considerable change in the relationship
stakeholders have with local energy projects, should it become law.
The appointment of Baroness Neville-Rolfe comes following her numerous civil service and business
appointments, including tenure at Tesco during which she sought to reduce company carbon emissions.
She has also sat on various industry committees including the:


Carbon Trust (Non-executive director) 2008-13
Corporate Leaders Group on Climate Change 2005-13.
Page 23 of 26
Key Government Departments
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State – Jesse Norman MP
Mr Norman has been closely aligned to the Conservative modernisation project under David Cameron’s
former leadership. He helped Oliver Letwin MP defend his seat at the 2005 election, was an adviser to
George Osborne during his period as Shadow Chancellor, and worked on Boris Johnson’s first Mayoral
campaign. However, he defied the Government whip on numerous occasions since the 2010. In this
context, the appointment of Mr Norman to a Ministerial brief may prove to be a shrewd appointment on
the part of the new Prime Minister, who will be managing a slim Parliamentary majority of 12.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State – Margot James MP
Margot James MP, who was elected to represent Stourbridge in 2010, helped formulate the Green Deal
policy agenda whilst a backbencher. The Green Deal was a 2012 Government initiative designed to
increase home energy efficiency for consumers.
Ms James spent two years as a Member of Kensington and Chelsea Borough Council.
Parliamentary Private Secretary to Secretary of State – Conor Burns MP
As the Member of Parliament for Bournemouth West, Conor Burns’ local activity has included
campaigning against large-scale housing development, as well as proposals for a large offshore wind farm
near his constituency, which was eventually refused permission.
Page 24 of 26
Key Government Departments
Department for Communities and Local Government
Minister for Housing and Planning, Minister for London – Gavin Barwell MP
As the Member of Parliament for Croydon, Gavin Barwell has a wafer-thin majority of 165 votes.
Nonetheless, he was given two important Ministerial roles in 2016. Those relevant responsibilities include:




Housing
Planning policy
Neighbourhood planning
Lead minister on the Housing Bill.
Shortly after taking on this role, Mr Barwell repeated the Government’s stated commitment to build 1
million new homes by 2020, whilst also re-iterating that the Green Belt should be protected wherever
possible.
Prior to this appointment, he also served as the Parliamentary Private Secretary for Greg Clark as Minister
of State for Decentralisation and Cities from 2011 to 2012. During this period, Mr Barwell campaigned
unsuccessfully for the granting of City Status to Croydon. This suggests that Mr Clark’s own policy
programme has influenced Mr Barwell’s political interests, and may provide an indicator of the political
themes he hopes to take forward in this dual ministerial role.
Mr Barwell also spent 12 years as a Member of Croydon Council, holding a number of Cabinet roles.
Minister for the Northern Powerhouse – Andrew Percy MP
Andrew Percy, the Member of Parliament for Brigg and Goole in Yorkshire, joined the DCLG in 2016. Prior
to this appointment, he has spoken little on planning and development, and has rebelled against the
Government on a large number of occasions. He is also a member of the Countryside Alliance, signalling
his sympathy for rural and agricultural concerns.
Minister for Local Government – Marcus Jones MP
Mr Jones has been kept on in his role as Minister for Local Government. This policy brief includes
responsibility for various areas, including:





Local Government policy
Local Government finance
Community rights, including community pubs
High streets, town centres and markets
Supporting minister on the Housing Bill.
He was a Member of Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council from 2005 to 2010 and served as Leader
of the Council from 2008 to 2009. He is currently Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Town
Centres.
Page 25 of 26
Key Government Departments
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State – Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
In a joint role with the Wales Office, Lord Bourne has a responsibility for various areas including:





Faith and integration
Community cohesion
Domestic refuges
Travellers policy
Migration and communities, including the Controlling Migration Fund and the Syrian Refugees
Programme.
Lord Bourne was a Government Spokesperson in the Lords for Energy and Climate and Communities and
Local Government between 2015 and 2016. He also served as a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at
the former Department of Energy and Climate Change in 2016. In this role, he stressed the importance of
continued research and innovation in clean technology, nuclear power and offshore wind power.
Prior to entering the Lords in 2013, Lord Bourne was a Member of the Welsh Assembly and served as
the Leader of the Group from 1999 to 2011.
Parliamentary Private Secretary to Secretary of State – Rebecca Harris MP
Prior to entering Parliament in 2010, Ms Harris helped formulate transport policy at the Conservative
Research Department, and was a Member of Chichester District Council from 1999 to 2003.
Page 26 of 26
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