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This page is about the foreign secretary of the United Kingdom. For other uses, see Foreign secretary.
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United Kingdom
Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs
Coat of arms of the United Kingdom (2022, lesser arms).svg
David Lammy, 2024.jpg
Incumbent
David Lammy
since 5 July 2024
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Style
Member of
Reports to The Prime Minister
Residence
  • No. 1 Carlton Gardens
    (Official)
  • Chevening
    (Country House)
Seat King Charles Street
Nominator The Prime Minister
Appointer The Monarch
(on the advice of the Prime Minister)
Term length At His Majesty's pleasure
Formation
  • 27 March 1782
    (as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs)
  • 2 September 2020
    (as Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs)
First holder Charles James Fox
(as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs)
Salary £106,363 per annum (2022)
Website Foreign Secretary

The Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, often called the Foreign Secretary, is a very important job in the UK Government. This person is in charge of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, which handles how the UK works with other countries.

It's one of the most senior roles in the government. The Foreign Secretary is part of the Cabinet and the National Security Council. They report directly to the Prime Minister.

The Foreign Secretary works with other ministers in the Foreign Office. The person who holds this job for the main opposition party is called the Shadow Foreign Secretary. A special group of politicians, the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, also checks how well the Foreign Secretary is doing their job.

The current Foreign Secretary is David Lammy. He was chosen by Prime Minister Keir Starmer on 5 July 2024.

What the Foreign Secretary Does

The Foreign Secretary has many important duties, similar to a "foreign minister" in other countries. Their main jobs include:

Where the Foreign Secretary Lives and Works

The official home for the Foreign Secretary is 1 Carlton Gardens in London. They also get to use Chevening House, a large country house in Kent, in South East England. When they are working, they are usually at the Foreign Office building in Whitehall, London.

A Brief History of the Role

The idea of a "secretary of state" in the English government started a long time ago, in the early 1600s. The specific job of "Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs" was created in 1782. This happened when the government was reorganized, and two older departments became the Foreign Office and the Home Office.

Over time, other departments that dealt with different parts of the world, like the India Office and the Colonial Office, were closed or merged.

In 1968, the roles of the foreign affairs secretary and the Commonwealth affairs secretary were combined. This created the "Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs." Later, in 2006, Margaret Beckett became the first woman to hold this important position.

The job title changed again in 2020 to "Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs." This happened when the responsibilities for international development were added to the role.

Some Past Foreign Secretaries

The role of Foreign Secretary has been held by many important people throughout history. The very first person to hold the job, when it was called "Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs," was Charles James Fox in 1782.

Here are a few notable individuals who have served as Foreign Secretary:

  • Charles James Fox (1782, 1783, 1806) - The first Foreign Secretary.
  • George Canning (1807-1809, 1822-1827) - Served twice in the role.
  • Henry John Temple (1830-1834, 1835-1841, 1846-1851) - Held the position multiple times.
  • Anthony Eden (1935-1938, 1940-1945, 1951-1955) - Another person who served as Foreign Secretary on three separate occasions.
  • Margaret Beckett (2006-2007) - The first woman to be appointed to the role.
  • Boris Johnson (2016-2018) - Later became Prime Minister.
  • David Cameron (2023-2024) - Also a former Prime Minister.

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See Also

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