First Secretary of State is an occasionally used title within the United Kingdom Government, principally regarded as purely honorific. The title, which implies seniority over all other Secretaries of State, has no specific powers or authority attached to it beyond that of any other Secretary of State. It originated as an alternative to the use of the title Deputy Prime Minister, which was opposed by some for constitutional reasons. The principle of these objections was that the title implied some degree of expectation that there would be a right of succession to the Prime Minister's position in the event of the death or resignation of the incumbent.[citation needed]
Significantly, the role exists only when in use; there can be a lengthy period between successive holders of the title.
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Current position
The current First Secretary of State is Lord Mandelson, who was appointed by Gordon Brown on 5 June 2009 in his Cabinet reshuffle.[1]
List of First Secretaries of State
| First Secretary | Entered office | Left office | Party | Other offices held whilst in post | Refs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rab Butler CH DL MP | 13 July 1962 | 18 October 1963 | Conservative | Deputy Prime Minister | ||
| George Brown MP | 16 October 1964 | 11 August 1966 | Labour | Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Deputy Leader |
||
| Michael Stewart CH MP | 11 August 1966 | 6 April 1968 | Labour | Secretary of State for Economic Affairs (until 29 August 1967) Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (16 March 1968 – 17 October 1968) |
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| Barbara Castle MP | 6 April 1968 | 19 June 1970 | Labour | Secretary of State for Employment | ||
| Michael Heseltine MP | 20 July 1995 | 2 May 1997 | Conservative | Deputy Prime Minister | ||
| John Prescott MP | 8 June 2001 | 27 June 2007 | Labour | Deputy Prime Minister (from 2 May 1997) Deputy Leader (from 21 July 1994) |
[2] | |
| The Lord Mandelson | 5 June 2009 | Present | Labour | Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills Lord President of the Council |
[1] | |
See also
References
- ^ a b "Cabinet reshuffle: New Cabinet listed in full". scotsman.com (Johnston Press Digital Publishing). 5 June 2009. http://news.scotsman.com/cabinetreshuffles/Cabinet-reshuffle-New-Cabinet-listed.5340367.jp. Retrieved 2009-10-14.
- ^ McSmith, Andy (13 June 2001). "Can Prescott the enforcer overcome Cabinet Office jinx?". Telegraph.co.uk (Telegraph Media Group Limited). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1308925/Can-Prescott-the-enforcer-overcome-Cabinet-Office-jinx.html. Retrieved 2009-10-14.
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