First Secretary of State

United Kingdom
First Secretary of State of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Royal Arms of His Majesty's Government
Incumbent
Louise Haigh
since 20 July 2026
Government of the United Kingdom
StyleThe Right Honourable (formal)
Her Excellency (diplomatic)
Member of
Reports toPrime Minister
ResidenceNone, may use grace and favour residences
NominatorPrime Minister
AppointerThe King (on the advice of the prime minister)
Term lengthAt His Majesty's pleasure
Inaugural holderRab Butler
Formation13 July 1962; 64 years ago (1962-07-13)
Salary£153,022 per annum
(including £81,932 MP salary) (2019)

First Secretary of State is an office that is sometimes held by a minister of the Crown in the Government of the United Kingdom. The office is one of the most senior roles in government, including over all other secretaries of state. The office is not always in use.

List of First Secretaries of State

First Secretary of State Term of office Other ministerial offices Party Ministry
R. A. Butler
MP for Saffron Walden		 13 July
1962		 18 October
1963		 Conservative Macmillan II
George Brown
MP for Belper		 16 October
1964		 11 August
1966		 Labour Wilson
(I & II)
Michael Stewart
MP for Fulham		 11 August
1966		 6 April
1968		 Labour
Barbara Castle
MP for Blackburn		 6 April
1968		 19 June
1970		 Labour
Michael Heseltine
MP for Henley		 20 July
1995		 2 May
1997		 Conservative Major II
John Prescott
MP for Kingston upon Hull East		 8 June
2001		 27 June
2007		 Labour Blair II
Blair III
Peter Mandelson, Baron Mandelson 5 June
2009		 11 May
2010		 Labour Brown
William Hague
MP for Richmond (Yorks)		 12 May
2010		 8 May
2015		 Conservative Cameron–Clegg
(Con.–L.D.)
George Osborne
MP for Tatton		 8 May
2015		 13 July
2016		 Conservative Cameron II
Damian Green
MP for Ashford		 11 June
2017		 20 December
2017		 Conservative May II
Dominic Raab
MP for Esher and Walton		 24 July
2019		 15 September
2021		 Conservative Johnson
(I & II)
Louise Haigh
MP for Sheffield Heeley		 20 July
2026		 Incumbent Labour Burnham

Notes

  1. ↑ Served as Secretary of State for Economic Affairs until August 1967
  2. ↑ Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs from March 1968
  3. ↑ from May 1997
  4. ↑ between 29 May 2002 and 5 May 2006
  5. ↑ Served as Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs until July 2014
  6. ↑ Served as Leader of the House of Commons from July 2014
  7. ↑ Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs until September 2020
  8. ↑ Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs from September 2020

References

  1. ↑ "Salaries of Members of Her Majesty's Government from 1st April 2019" (PDF). 1 April 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 July 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  2. ↑ Watt, Nicholas (8 May 2015). "George Osborne made first secretary of state in cabinet reshuffle". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  3. ↑ "The Cabinet Manual" (PDF). gov.uk. 2010. 3.12. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  4. ↑ Howard, Anthony (February 7, 2013). RAB: The Life of R.A. Butler. A&C Black. ISBN 9781448210824.
  5. 1 2 3 4 David Butler and Gareth Butler, British Political Facts 1900–1994 (7th edn, Macmillan 1994) 62.
  6. ↑ "Lord Heseltine". UK Parliament. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  7. ↑ "Lord Prescott". UK Parliament. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  8. ↑ "Lord Hague of Richmond". UK Parliament. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  9. ↑ "Rt Hon George Osborne". UK Parliament. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  10. ↑ "Rt Hon Damian Green MP". UK Parliament. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  11. ↑ "Dominic Raab". Parliament of the United Kingdom. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  12. ↑ "Parliamentary career for Louise Haigh". UK Parliament. Retrieved 20 July 2026.