Cabinet Of The United Kingdom

The Cabinet of the United Kingdom is a body consisting of the most senior ministers in the government of the United Kingdom, headed by the Prime Minister. Formally a committee of the Privy Council, it is the main executive body of the British Government. Traditionally, the Cabinet meets weekly on a Thursday morning. All members of the Cabinet are drawn from either the House of Commons or the House of Lords.

In recent years, some ex-ministers (notably Clare Short) have alleged that under the government of current prime minister Tony Blair, Cabinet meetings have lost their decision-making role; according to a former senior civil servant, Lord Butler, the Blair cabinet "took one decision in eight months", with other decisions being made by the Prime Minister and his close advisers.^[1]

Members of the Cabinet[edit]

December 2007[edit]

This was the composition of the Cabinet following the selection of Gordon Brown as the Prime Minister of Great Britan on December 7, 2007:^[2]

• Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service: Gordon Brown
• Chancellor of the Exchequer: Alistair Darling
• Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs: David Miliband
• Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor: Jack Straw
• Secretary of State for the Home Department: Jacqui Smith
• Secretary of State for Defence; and, Secretary of State for Scotland: Des Browne
• Secretary of State for Health: Alan Johnson
• Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Hilary Benn
• Secretary of State for International Development: Douglas Alexander
• Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform: John Hutton
• Leader of the House of Commons (and Lord Privy Seal); Minister for Women; and Labour Party Chair: Harriet Harman
• Secretary of State for Work and Pensions; and Secretary of State for Wales: Peter Hain
• Secretary of State for Transport: Ruth Kelly
• Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government: Hazel Blears
• Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury and Chief Whip: Geoff Hoon
• Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families: Ed Balls
• Minister for the Cabinet Office; and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster: Ed Miliband
• Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport: James Purnell
• Secretary of State for Northern Ireland: Shaun Woodward
• Leader of the House of Lords (and Lord President of the Council): Baroness Ashton of Upholland
• Chief Secretary to the Treasury: Andy Burnham
• Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills: John Denham

May 2010[edit]

• Prime Minister: David Cameron
• Chancellor of the Exchequer: George Osborne
• Home Secretary: Theresa May
• Foreign Secretary: William Hague

under construction

May 2015[edit]

• Prime Minister: David Cameron
• Chancellor of the Exchequer: George Osborne
• Home Secretary: Theresa May
• Foreign Secretary: Philip Hammond

under construction

July 2016[edit]

• Prime Minister: Theresa May
• Chancellor of the Exchequer: Philip Hammond
• Home Secretary: Amber Rudd
• Foreign Secretary: Boris Johnson

under construction

The Shadow Cabinet[edit]

The Shadow Cabinet is the group of senior politicians in the official opposition party (currently the Labour Party) who mirror the roles of Cabinet members. If the opposition party secures a majority in the House of Commons and is invited to form a government, the members of the Shadow Cabinet typically form the new Cabinet.

References[edit]

1. ↑ Blair cabinet 'took one decision in eight months', Guardian Unlimited, 29 May 2007
2. ↑ Her Majesty's Government at the 10 Downing Street official website

See also[edit]

• Cabinet of the United States
• Prime Minister