From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Fifty-six women have been appointed to positions in the
Cabinet of the United Kingdom , with three female Prime Ministers serving in cabinet. Since, by convention, members of the cabinet must be a member of either the
House of Commons or
House of Lords ,
[1] the
Prime Minister could not appoint women to the cabinet until the
Parliament (Qualification of Women) Act 1918 allowed women to stand for
MP , and could not appoint peeresses to it until the
Life Peerages Act 1958 .
Female prime ministers
Three women have led the cabinet as
prime minister .
denotes the first female minister of that particular department.
Female cabinet members
denotes the first female minister of that particular department.
Image
Member
Party
Constituency
Position
Year Appointed
Ministry
Ref
Margaret Bondfield
Labour
Wallsend
Minister of Labour
1929
MacDonald II
[3]
Ellen Wilkinson
Labour
Jarrow
Minister of Education
1945
Attlee I
[4]
Florence Horsbrugh
Conservative
Manchester Moss Side
Minister of Education
1951
Churchill II
[5]
Barbara Castle
Labour
Blackburn
Minister of Overseas Development
1964
Wilson I
[6]
Minister of Transport
1965
[6]
Wilson II
[6]
Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity
1968
[6]
First Secretary of State
1968
[6]
Secretary of State for Health and Social Services
1974
Wilson III
[6]
Wilson IV
[6]
Judith Hart
Labour
Clydesdale
Paymaster General
1968
Wilson II
[7]
Margaret Thatcher
Conservative
Finchley
Secretary of State for Education and Science
1970
Heath
[8]
Shirley Williams
Labour
Hertford and Stevenage
Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection
1974
Wilson III
[9]
Wilson IV
[9]
Callaghan
[9]
Secretary of State for Education and Science
1976
[9]
Baroness Young
Conservative
N/A (peeress)
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
1981
Thatcher I
[10]
Lord Privy Seal
1982
[11]
Virginia Bottomley
Conservative
South West Surrey
Secretary of State for Health
1992
Major II
[12]
Secretary of State for National Heritage
1995
[12]
Gillian Shephard
Conservative
South West Norfolk
Secretary of State for Employment
1992
Major II
[13]
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
1993
[13]
Secretary of State for Education
1994
[13]
Secretary of State for Education and
Employment
1995
[13]
Margaret Beckett
Labour
Derby South
Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
1997
Blair I
[14]
Lord President of the Council
1998
[14]
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
2001
Blair II
[14]
Blair III
[14]
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
2006
[14]
Harriet Harman
Labour
Camberwell and Peckham
Secretary of State for Social Security
1997
Blair I
[15]
Lord Privy Seal
2007
Brown
[15]
Mo Mowlam
Labour
Redcar
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
1997
Blair I
[16]
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
1999
[16]
Baroness Jay
Labour
N/A (peeress)
Leader of the House of Lords
1998
Blair I
[17]
Lord Privy Seal
1998
[18]
Clare Short
Labour
Birmingham Ladywood
Secretary of State for International Development
1997
Blair I
[19]
Blair II
[19]
Ann Taylor
Labour
Dewsbury
Lord President of the Council
1997
Blair I
[20]
Helen Liddell
Labour
Airdrie and Shotts
Secretary of State for Scotland
2001
Blair I
[21]
Blair II
[21]
Estelle Morris
Labour
Birmingham Yardley
Secretary of State for Education and Skills
2001
Blair II
[22]
Patricia Hewitt
Labour
Leicester West
Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
2001
Blair II
[23]
Secretary of State for Health
2005
Blair III
[23]
Tessa Jowell
Labour
Dulwich and West Norwood
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
2001
Blair II
[24]
Blair III
[24]
Baroness Amos
Labour
N/A (peeress)
Secretary of State for International Development
2003
Blair II
[25]
Lord President of the Council
2003
Blair II
[25]
Blair III
[25]
Ruth Kelly
Labour
Bolton West
Secretary of State for Education and Skills
2004
Blair II
[26]
Blair III
[26]
Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
2006
[26]
Secretary of State for Transport
2007
Brown
[26]
Hilary Armstrong
Labour
North West Durham
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
2006
Blair III
[27]
Hazel Blears
Labour
Salford and Eccles
Minister without portfolio
2006
Blair III
[28]
Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
2007
Brown
[28]
Baroness Ashton of Upholland
Labour
N/A (peeress)
Lord President of the Council
2007
Brown
[29]
Jacqui Smith
Labour
Redditch
Secretary of State for the Home Department
2007
Brown
[30]
Yvette Cooper
Labour
Pontefract and Castleford
Chief Secretary to the Treasury
2008
Brown
[31]
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
2009
[31]
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon
Labour
N/A (peeress)
Lord President of the Council
2008
Brown
[32]
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
2009
[32]
Cheryl Gillan
Conservative
Chesham and Amersham
Secretary of State for Wales
2010
Cameron–Clegg
[33]
Theresa May
Conservative
Maidenhead
Secretary of State for the Home Department
2010
Cameron–Clegg
[34]
Cameron II
[34]
Caroline Spelman
Conservative
Meriden
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
2010
Cameron–Clegg
[35]
Baroness Warsi
Conservative
N/A (peeress)
Minister without portfolio
2010
Cameron–Clegg
[36]
Justine Greening
Conservative
Putney
Secretary of State for Transport
2011
Cameron–Clegg
[37]
Secretary of State for International Development
2012
[37]
Cameron II
[37]
Secretary of State for Education
2016
May I
[37]
May II
[37]
Maria Miller
Conservative
Basingstoke
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
2012
Cameron–Clegg
[38]
Theresa Villiers
Conservative
Chipping Barnet
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
2012
Cameron–Clegg
[39]
Cameron II
[39]
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
2019
Johnson I
[39]
Johnson II
[39]
Nicky Morgan
Conservative
Loughborough
Secretary of State for Education
2014
Cameron–Clegg
[40]
Cameron II
[40]
Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
2019
Johnson I
[40]
N/A (peeress)
Johnson II
[40]
Baroness Stowell of Beeston
Conservative
N/A (peeress)
Lord Privy Seal
2014
Cameron–Clegg
[41]
Cameron II
[41]
Liz Truss
Conservative
South West Norfolk
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
2014
Cameron–Clegg
[42]
Cameron II
[42]
Secretary of State for Justice
2016
May I
[42]
Secretary of State for International Trade
2019
Johnson I
[42]
Johnson II
[42]
Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs
2021
[42]
Amber Rudd
Conservative
Hastings and Rye
Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change
2015
Cameron II
[43]
Secretary of State for the Home Department
2016
May I
[43]
May II
[43]
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
2018
[43]
Johnson I
[43]
Karen Bradley
Conservative
Staffordshire Moorlands
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
2016
May I
[44]
May II
[44]
Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
2017
[44]
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
2018
[44]
Baroness Evans of Bowes Park
Conservative
N/A (peeress)
Lord Privy Seal
2016
May I
[45]
May II
[45]
Johnson I
[45]
Johnson II
[45]
Andrea Leadsom
Conservative
South Northamptonshire
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
2016
May I
[46]
Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
2019
Johnson I
[46]
Johnson II
[46]
Priti Patel
Conservative
Witham
Secretary of State for International Development
2016
May I
[47]
May II
[47]
Secretary of State for the Home Department
2019
Johnson I
[47]
Johnson II
[47]
Penny Mordaunt
Conservative
Portsmouth North
Secretary of State for International Development
2017
May II
[48]
Secretary of State for Defence
2019
[48]
Lord President of the Council
2022
Truss
[48]
Sunak
[48]
Leader of the House of Commons
2022
Truss
[48]
Sunak
[48]
Esther McVey
Conservative
Tatton
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
2018
May II
[49]
Thérèse Coffey
Conservative
Suffolk Coastal
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
2019
Johnson I
[50]
Johnson II
[50]
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
2022
Truss
[50]
Deputy Prime Minister
[50]
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
2022
Sunak
[50]
Amanda Milling
Conservative
Cannock Chase
Minister without portfolio
2020
Johnson II
[51]
Anne-Marie Trevelyan
Conservative
Berwick-upon-Tweed
Secretary of State for International Development
2020
Johnson II
[52]
Secretary of State for International Trade
2021
[52]
Secretary of State for Transport
2022
Truss
[52]
Nadine Dorries
Conservative
Mid Bedfordshire
Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
2021
Johnson II
[53]
Michelle Donelan
Conservative
Chippenham
Secretary of State for Education
2022
Johnson II
[54]
Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
2022
Truss
[54]
Sunak
[54]
Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
[b]
2023
[54]
Kemi Badenoch
Conservative
Saffron Walden
Secretary of State for International Trade
2022
Truss
[55]
Sunak
[55]
Secretary of State for Business and Trade
2023
[55]
Suella Braverman
Conservative
Fareham
Secretary of State for the Home Department
2022
Truss
[56]
2022
Sunak
[56]
Chloe Smith
Conservative
Norwich North
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
2022
Truss
[57]
Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
2023
Sunak
[57]
Gillian Keegan
Conservative
Chichester
Secretary of State for Education
2022
Sunak
[58]
Lucy Frazer
Conservative
South East Cambridgeshire
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
2023
Sunak
[59]
Claire Coutinho
Conservative
East Surrey
Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
2023
Sunak
[60]
Victoria Atkins
Conservative
Louth and Horncastle
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
2023
Sunak
[61]
Female ministers also attending cabinet
Some roles, such as the
Attorney General , can attend cabinet meetings without being a member of the cabinet.
denotes the first female minister of that particular department.
Notable members
Baroness Amos became the first black woman to be appointed to the cabinet in 2003.
[74] In 2011,
Justine Greening became the first member of the cabinet who was publicly known to be a
lesbian , although she was not openly lesbian until 2016.
[75]
[76]
References
^ The prime minister is appointed by the monarch, through the exercise of the
royal prerogative .
[2]
^
Minister on Leave from 28 April 2023 to 20 July 2023.
^
a
b
c
d
e
f
g First woman to serve in cabinet in the position.
^ Appointed in 2013, but did not attend cabinet until 2014.
^
Minister on Leave from 2 March 2021 to 10 September 2021.
^
"Ministers in the House of Lords" (PDF) . House of Commons Library . 22 April 2020. p. 3. Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
Public Administration Select Committee .
"Taming the Prerogative: Strengthening Ministerial Accountability to Parliament. Fourth Report of Session 2003–04" (PDF) . Parliament of the United Kingdom. p. 5.
^ Claytor, Martin.
"Margaret Bondfield - The first woman minister in Parliament" . Historic UK . Retrieved 15 August 2022 .
^
"Ellen Wilkinson - Later career" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 15 August 2022 .
^ Watton, Cherish (8 March 2021).
"Remembering Florence Horsbrugh on International Women's Day" . Churchill College . Retrieved 15 August 2022 .
^
a
b
c
d
e
f
g Perkins, Anne (3 May 2002).
"Barbara Castle: Obituary" . The Guardian . Retrieved 15 August 2022 .
^ Zeigler, Philip.'Wilson: The Authorised Life'. Weidenfeld & Nicolson (20 Sept. 1993).
ISBN
978-0297812760
^ Harris, Robin (2014). Not for turning : the life of Margaret Thatcher . London: Corgi. p. 73.
ISBN
978-0-55215-579-3 .
^
a
b
c
d
"Parliamentary career for Baroness Williams of Crosby" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
"No. 48741" .
The London Gazette . 18 September 1981. p. 11857.
^
"No. 48952" .
The London Gazette . 16 April 1982. p. 5169.
^
a
b
"Parliamentary career for Baroness Bottomley of Nettlestone" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
a
b
c
d
"Parliamentary career for Baroness Shephard of Northwold" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
a
b
c
d
e
f
"Parliamentary career for Margaret Beckett" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
a
b
"Parliamentary career for Harriet Harman" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
a
b
"Parliamentary career for Dr Mo Mowlam" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
"Parliamentary career for Baroness Jay" . Retrieved 4 April 2023 .
^
"Baroness Jay's Political Progress" . Retrieved 4 April 2023 .
^
a
b
"Parliamentary career for Clare Short" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
a
b
c
d
"Parliamentary career for Baroness Taylor of Bolton" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
a
b
"Parliamentary career for Baroness Liddell of Coatdyke" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
"Parliamentary career for Baroness Morris of Yardley" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
a
b
"Parliamentary career for Ms Patricia Hewitt" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
a
b
c
d
"Parliamentary career for Baroness Jowell" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
a
b
c
"Parliamentary career for Baroness Amos" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
a
b
c
d
"Parliamentary career for Ruth Kelly" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
"Parliamentary career for Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
a
b
"Parliamentary career for Hazel Blears" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
"Parliamentary career for Baroness Ashton of Upholland" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
a
b
"Parliamentary career for Jacqui Smith" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
a
b
c
"Parliamentary career for Yvette Cooper" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
a
b
c
"Parliamentary career for Baroness Royall of Blaisdon" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
"Parliamentary career for Cheryl Gillan" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
a
b
"Parliamentary career for Mrs Theresa May" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
"Parliamentary career for Caroline Spelman" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
a
b
c
"Parliamentary career for Baroness Warsi" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
a
b
c
d
e
"Parliamentary career for Mrs Justine Greening" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
"Parliamentary career for Dame Maria Miller" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
a
b
c
d
"Parliamentary career for Theresa Villiers" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
a
b
c
d
e
"Parliamentary career for Baroness Morgan of Cotes" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
a
b
"Parliamentary career for Baroness Stowell of Beeston" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
"Parliamentary career for Elizabeth Truss" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
a
b
c
d
e
"Parliamentary career for Amber Rudd" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
a
b
c
d
"Parliamentary career for Karen Bradley" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
a
b
c
d
"Parliamentary career for Baroness Evans of Bowes Park" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
a
b
c
d
e
"Parliamentary career for Andrea Leadsom" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
a
b
c
d
e
"Parliamentary career for Priti Patel" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
a
b
c
d
e
f
"Parliamentary career for Penny Mordaunt" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
a
b
c
d
e
"Parliamentary career for Esther McVey" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
a
b
c
d
e
"Parliamentary career for Dr Thérèse Coffey" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
"Parliamentary career for Amanda Milling" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
a
b
c
"Parliamentary career for Anne-Marie Trevelyan" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
"Parliamentary career for Nadine Dorries" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
a
b
c
d
e
"Parliamentary career for Michelle Donelan" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
a
b
c
"Parliamentary career for Kemi Badenoch" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 6 September 2022 .
^
a
b
c
"Parliamentary career for Suella Braverman" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
a
b
"Parliamentary career for Chloe Smith" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 6 September 2022 .
^
"Parliamentary career for Gillian Keegan" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 6 September 2022 .
^
"Parliamentary career for Lucy Frazer" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 6 September 2022 .
^
"Parliamentary career for Claire Coutinho" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 16 September 2023 .
^
"Parliamentary career for Victoria Atkins" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 13 November 2023 .
^
"Parliamentary career for Baroness Hughes of Stretford" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
"Parliamentary career for Baroness Scotland of Asthal" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
a
b
"Parliamentary career for Caroline Flint" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
a
b
c
"Parliamentary career for Baroness Primarolo" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
a
b
"Parliamentary career for Baroness Anelay of St Johns" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
"Parliamentary career for Anna Soubry" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
"Parliamentary career for Anna Soubry" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
"Parliamentary career for Claire Perry" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 14 August 2022 .
^
"Parliamentary career for Vicky Ford" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 6 September 2022 .
^
"Parliamentary career for Wendy Morton" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 6 September 2022 .
^
"Parliamentary career for Victoria Prentis" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 6 September 2022 .
^
"Parliamentary career for Laura Trott" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 6 September 2022 .
^ Watt, Nicholas; White, Michael (13 May 2003).
"Amos is first black woman in cabinet" . The Guardian . Retrieved 16 August 2022 .
^ Saul, Heather (25 June 2016).
"Tory MP announces she's in a same-sex relationship" . The Independent . Retrieved 16 August 2022 .
^ Parsons, Vic (25 June 2020).
"Justine Greening, the UK's first openly lesbian cabinet minister, launches campaign to save LGBT+ venues after lockdown" . PinkNews . Retrieved 16 August 2022 .