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Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union

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United Kingdom
Secretary of State for
Exiting the European Union
Incumbent
David Davis
since 13 July 2016
Department for Exiting the European Union
StyleThe Right Honourable
(Formal prefix)
Brexit Secretary
Member ofBritish Cabinet
Reports toThe Prime Minister
SeatWestminster, London
AppointerThe British Monarch
on advice of the Prime Minister
Term lengthAt Her Majesty's pleasure
Inaugural holderDavid Davis
Formation13 July 2016

Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, or informally Brexit Secretary,[1] is the Secretary of State responsible for the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union, informally referred to as "Brexit". The secretary will oversee withdrawal negotiations following a nationwide referendum on 23 June 2016, in which a majority voted in favour of exiting the EU.[2][3] The office-holder is a member of the Cabinet.

The position was created at the outset of the premiership of Theresa May, who became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on 13 July 2016.[4] May reportedly ordered civil servants to find a building to house a new Department for Exiting the European Union, to be headed by the Secretary of State.[5] The headquarters of the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) at Whitehall Place, which is to be vacated once the DECC is merged into the newly created Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, is viewed as a potential site for the department.[3]

The inaugural holder is David Davis MP,[4] a longtime Eurosceptic who campaigned for the UK to leave the EU.[6] Davis is a former chairman of the Conservative Party who served in the government of John Major as Minister of State for Europe (1994–97) and in the Shadow Cabinet of David Cameron as Shadow Home Secretary.[7]

Office-holders

Colour key (for political parties):
  Conservative

Name Portrait Term of Office Political party Prime Minister
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | David Davis 13 July 2016 Incumbent Conservative style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Theresa May

See also

References

  1. ^ Cecil, Nicholas (14 July 2016). "Brexit Secretary David Davis says UK 'will quit the EU in December 2018'". Evening Standard. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  2. ^ David Davis appointed to lead Britain's Brexit negotiations, Reuters (13 July 2016).
  3. ^ a b Matt Foster, New Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy swallows up DECC and BIS — full details and reaction, Civil Service World (14 July 2016).
  4. ^ a b "New ministerial appointment July 2016: Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union" (Press release). Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street. 13 July 2016.
  5. ^ Adam Taylor, David Davis: The man in charge of getting Britain out of the E.U., Washington Post (14 July 2016).
  6. ^ John Crace, David Davis spells out his EU strategy: be more like Canada, The Guardian (4 February 2016).
  7. ^ Theresa May's cabinet: Who's in and who's out?, BBC News (13 July 2016).