Secretary of State for Justice

United Kingdom
Secretary of State for Justice

Incumbent
Elizabeth Truss
since 14 July 2016
Ministry of Justice
Style The Right Honourable
(Formal prefix)
Justice Secretary
Appointer Elizabeth II
Inaugural holder Charles Falconer
Formation 9 May 2007
Deputy Minister of State for Justice
Website www.justice.gov.uk/

Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Justice is a senior position in the cabinet of the United Kingdom, held in conjunction with the office of Lord Chancellor since it was created in 2007, replacing the former post of Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs. On 9 May 2007, the Department for Constitutional Affairs was abolished, and a Ministry of Justice was created in its place. The Ministry of Justice is also responsible for certain functions transferred from the Home Office.

The then Lord Chancellor, Charles Falconer, was appointed to the post of Secretary of State for Justice on the abolition of his position as Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs. The Home Secretary, John Reid, told Parliament that future Secretaries of State for Justice would be MPs rather than peers. Jack Straw took over this department on 28 June 2007, following the selection of Gordon Brown as leader of the Labour Party and Prime Minister and left office on the resignation of Gordon Brown after the General Election of 11 May 2010. He was replaced by Conservative MP Kenneth Clarke. In the Cabinet reshuffle of August 2012 Chris Grayling MP was promoted to Lord Chancellor and, by convention, Secretary of State for Justice. After the 2015 UK General election, the position was given to former Government Chief Whip Michael Gove MP. Michael Gove was sacked after Theresa May became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on 14 July 2016 and succeeded by Elizabeth Truss.

List of Secretaries of State

Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs

and Lord Chancellor

Name Portrait Term of office Political party Prime Minister
Lord Falconer
of Thoroton		 12 June 2003 8 May 2007 Labour Tony Blair

Secretary of State for Justice

and Lord Chancellor

Name Portrait Term of office Political party Prime Minister
Lord Falconer
of Thoroton		 9 May 2007 27 June 2007 Labour Tony Blair
Jack Straw[1] 28 June 2007 11 May 2010 Labour Gordon Brown
Kenneth Clarke 12 May 2010 4 September 2012 Conservative David Cameron
(I)
Chris Grayling 4 September 2012 9 May 2015 Conservative
Michael Gove 9 May 2015 14 July 2016 Conservative David Cameron
(II)
Elizabeth Truss 14 July 2016 Incumbent Conservative Theresa May

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ First non-peer to serve as Lord Chancellor since Sir Robert Henley as Lord Keeper of the Seal in 1760.

External links

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