Secretary of State for Defence
The Secretary of State for Defence is the senior United Kingdom government minister in charge of the Ministry of Defence. It is a Cabinet position.
The post was created on 1 April 1964 and replaced the previous office of Minister of Defence. The former Cabinet positions of First Lord of the Admiralty, Secretary of State for War and Secretary of State for Air (responsible for the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force respectively) were incorporated into it and the offices of the Admiralty, War Office and the Air Ministry were abolished and their functions transferred to an expanded Ministry of Defence.
Secretaries of State for Defence
| Name | Portrait | Entered office | Left office | Political party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peter Thorneycroft | 1 April 1964 | 16 October 1964 | Conservative | |
| 2 | Denis Healey | 16 October 1964 | 19 June 1970 | Labour | |
| 3 | Peter Carrington, Lord Carrington |  |
20 June 1970 | 8 January 1974 | Conservative |
| 4 | Ian Gilmour | 8 January 1974 | 4 March 1974 | Conservative | |
| 5 | Roy Mason | 5 March 1974 | 10 September 1976 | Labour | |
| 6 | Frederick Mulley | September 10 1976 | May 4 1979 | Labour | |
| 7 | Francis Pym |  |
5 May 1979 | 5 January 1981 | Conservative |
| 8 | John Nott | 5 January 1981 | 6 January 1983 | Conservative | |
| 9 | Michael Heseltine | 6 January 1983 | 7 January 1986 | Conservative | |
| 10 | George Younger | 9 January 1986 | 24 July 1989 | Conservative | |
| 11 | Tom King | 24 July 1989 | 10 April 1992 | Conservative | |
| 12 | Malcolm Rifkind | 10 April 1992 | 5 July 1995 | Conservative | |
| 13 | Michael Portillo |  |
5 July 1995 | 2 May 1997 | Conservative |
| 14 | George Robertson |  |
3 May 1997 | 11 October 1999 | Labour |
| 15 | Geoff Hoon |  |
11 October 1999 | 6 May 2005 | Labour |
| 16 | John Reid |  |
May 6 2005 | May 5 2006 | Labour |
| 17 | Des Browne |  |
May 5 2006 | Incumbent | Labour |
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