Minister for the Union
In the United Kingdom, Minister for the Union is a position created by the then prime minister Boris Johnson during his first ministry,[1][2][3] to be held concurrently with the duties of prime minister.[a] Johnson proposed the position during the 2019 Conservative Party leadership campaign.[6] He was the first prime minister to adopt the title,[7] and the post was retained by Johnson in his second ministry,[4][5] and under the premierships of Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak.
| United Kingdom Minister for the Union | |
|---|---|
| Seat | Westminster, London |
| Appointer | Monarch |
| Term length | At His Majesty's pleasure |
| Inaugural holder | Boris Johnson |
| Formation | 26 July 2019 |
| Deputy | Minister for Intergovernmental Relations |
On 4 September 2019, the Government announced £10 million in funding to support the Prime Minister's work as Minister for the Union.[8]
Responsibilities edit
Since September 2020, the responsibilities of the position have been: "As Minister for the Union, the Prime Minister works to ensure that all of government is acting on behalf of the entire United Kingdom: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales."[9] Before that point, the government website did not show any responsibilities associated with the position.[9][10]
List of ministers edit
| # | Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Term length | Party | Cabinet | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boris Johnson | 26 July 2019 | 6 September 2022 | 3 years and 43 days | Conservative | Johnson I | [3][7] | ||
| Johnson II | |||||||||
| 2 | Liz Truss | 6 September 2022 | 25 October 2022 | 50 days | Conservative | Truss | [11] | ||
| 3 | Rishi Sunak | 25 October 2022 | Incumbent | 1 year and 112 days | Conservative | Sunak | |||
Reception edit
A spokesperson for Johnson stated that the office was intended to emphasise his commitment to strengthening the bond between the countries of the United Kingdom.[3] In July 2019, the title was described as a "cynical rebranding" by Kirsty Blackman, deputy leader of the Scottish National Party in the House of Commons from 2017 to 2020, who advocates Scottish independence.[7] During the COVID-19 pandemic in July 2020, Mark Drakeford, the First Minister of Wales and leader of Welsh Labour, drew attention to Johnson's lack of contact with the Welsh Government, saying: "If you are minister for the union, speaking to the component parts of the union seems to me a sensible way of discharging those responsibilities."[12]
Related proposals edit
Robert Hazell has suggested merging the offices of Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales into one Secretary of State for the Union,[13] in a department into which Rodney Brazier has suggested adding a Minister of State for England with responsibility for English local government.[14]
Notes edit
- ^ Minister for the Union is distinct from the office of PM; it is listed separately from Prime Minister and its ex officio titles of First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service.[1][4][5]
References edit
- ^ a b "Full list of new ministerial and government appointments: July 2019". gov.uk. 30 July 2019. from the original on 4 August 2019. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
- ^ Sparrow, Andrew (26 July 2019). "Boris Johnson tells Merkel EU must abandon backstop if it wants Brexit deal - live news". The Guardian. from the original on 27 July 2019. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
- ^ a b c "Boris Johnson 'absolutely' rules out pre-Brexit election". BBC News. 26 July 2019. from the original on 27 July 2019. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
- ^ a b "Ministerial appointments: February 2020". gov.uk. 13 February 2020. from the original on 14 February 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
- ^ a b @e_casalicchio (13 February 2020). "Confirmed facts amid #reshuffle chaos: 🚩Full Cabinet list below from Number 10" (Tweet). Retrieved 20 February 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ Yeomans, Emma (1 July 2019). "Boris Johnson wants extra role as 'minister for the Union'". The Times. from the original on 12 July 2019. Retrieved 26 July 2019.
- ^ a b c Woodcock, Andrew (26 July 2019). "Boris Johnson accused of 'cynical rebranding' after appointing himself 'Minister for the Union'". The Independent. from the original on 27 July 2019. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
- ^ "Spending Round 2019: Departmental Settlements". gov.uk. 4 September 2019. from the original on 5 September 2019. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
- ^ a b "Ministerial role: Minister for the Union". gov.uk. from the original on 19 July 2020. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
- ^ English, Otto (24 July 2020). "Hell of a Year: Britain Under Johnson's Rule". Byline Times. from the original on 26 July 2020. Retrieved 25 July 2020.; Webster, Laura (25 August 2020). "Boris Johnson has no responsibilities as Minister for the Union, UK Gov says". The National. from the original on 7 September 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
- ^ "New PM hopeful pledges: Truss - 'I'll be your minister for the Union'. Sunak - 'I'll make Britain energy secure'".
- ^ Morris, Steven (6 July 2020). "Wales further eases lockdown as first minister criticises Boris Johnson". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
- ^ "Times letters: Mark Sedwill's call for a cull of the cabinet". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ UKCLA (7 September 2020). "Rodney Brazier: Why is Her Majesty's Government so big?". UK Constitutional Law Association. Retrieved 30 November 2020.