United Kingdoms Cabinet Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Cabinet  (Female Suffrage 1918/22)

Cabinet Members and other high officials are members of the Privy Council of the Queen for life and thereafter styled (The) Rt. Hon. For the rest of the government see United Kingdoms Ministers

1929-31 Minister of Employment Rt. Hon. Margaret Bondsfield
She was Chairperson of the Trade Union Conference 1923, MP 1923-31. 1924 Junior Minister of Labour. She lived (1873-1953)

1945-47(†) Minister of Education Rt. Hon. Ellen Cicely Wilkinson
Junior Minister of Pensions 1940 and 1940-45 Junior Minister of Home Security, Chairperson of Labour 1945. She lived (1891-1947)

1953-54 Minister of Education Rt. Hon. Florence Horsburgh
Junior Minister of Food 1939 and 1945, 1940-45 Junior Minister of Health and 1951-54 Minister of Education outside the cabinet. 

1964-65 Minister of Overseas Development Rt. Hon. Barbara Castle
1965-68 Minister of Transport
1968-70 First Secretary of State, Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity
1974-76 Secretary of State for Social Security and Health
The third ranking Minister in the Cabinet 1968-70. Vice-Chairperson 1957-58 and Chairperson of Labour 1958-59 and 1961 Leadership Candidate, Vice-President of the Socialist Group of the European Parliament 1985-89, Created Baroness Castle of Blackburn in 1989 and remained a very active member of the House of Lords until her death. She lived (1910-2002).

1969-70  and 1977-79 Minister of Overseas Development Rt. Hon. Dame Judith Hart
She was Junior Minister of the Scottish Office 1964-66, 1966-67 Foreign Office Minister, 1967-67 Minister of Social Affairs, 1968-69 Paymaster General, 1974-75 Minister of Overseas Development (Outside the Cabinet). She was Chairperson of Labour 1981-82. Sometime Vice-President of the General Assembly of The UN, 1987 created Baroness Hart of South Lanark. She lived (1924-91)

1970-74 Secretary of State for Education Margaret Thatcher
1975-79 Leader of Her Majesty's Opposition (The Rt. Hon.)
1979-90 Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury and Minister of the Civil Service (5.5.79-28.11.90)
MP 1959-90, 1961-64 Junior Minister of Pensions and National Insurance  1974 Shadow Minister of Environment and Housing, 1974-75, Shadow Special Minister of Finance and Public Expenditure, 1975-90 Leader of The Conservative Party,1990 Created Baroness Thatcher of Kestaven. She lived (1925-2013).

1974-76 Secretary of State for Prize and Consumer’s Affairs Rt. Hon. Shirley Williams
1976-79 Paymaster General and Secretary of State for Education (In Cabinet)
She was Junior Minister of Labour 1966-67, Junior Minister of Technology 1967-68 and 1969-70 Home Office Minister, Shadow Home Secretary 1971-73, Labour Leadership-Candidate 1976, 1982-87 President of Social Democratic Party and afterwards a leading member of the Liberal Democrats after the merger of SDP with the Liberal Party, 1993 created Baroness Williams of Crosby. (b. 1930- )

1981-83 Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal and  Leader of The House of Lords Rt. Hon The Baroness Young of Farnworth
Baroness-in-Waiting (Whip) 1972-73, Vice-Chairperson of the Conservative Party 1973-83 and 1973-74 Junior Minister of Environment, 1978-79 Baroness-in-Waiting, 1979-81 Education and Science Minister, 1981 Minister in Charge of the Civil Service, 1981-83 Minister in Management and Personnel Office, 1981-82 Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and 1983-87 Foreign Office Minister. From 1987 Director in WestMinister’s National Bank, 1992 Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire. Janet Young was created a Baroness in 1971. She lived (1926-2002)

1992-95 Secretary of State for Health Rt. Hon. Virgina Bottomley
1995-97 Secretary of State for National Heritage (Cultural Affairs)  
She was Conservative MP 1984-2005, Junior Minister of Environment 1985-86,  Minister of Overseas Development 1986-87, Foreign Office Minister 1987-88 and 1988 Junior Minister of Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 1988-89 Environment Minister, 1989-92 Health Minister. She had posts in the Conservative Shadow Cabinets 1997-99. Created Baroness Bottomley of Surrey South in 2005. (b.1948-).

1992-93 Secretary of State for Employment Rt. Hon. Gillian Shepard
1993-94 Secretary of Agriculture, Fisheries and Foods
1994-97 Secretary of State for Education
1995-97 Secretary of State for Employment
Economic Secretary to the Treasury 1988-89, Junior Minister of Social Security 1989-90, Treasury Minister 1990-92 and member of the Conservative Shadow Cabinet 1997-99. Created Baroness Shephard of South West Norfolk in 2005. (b. 1940-).

1994 Acting Leader of Her Majesty's Opposition The Rt. Hon Margaret Beckett
1997-98 President of the Board of Trade and Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
1998-2001 President of the Council and Leader of The House of Commons, Deputy Government Spokesperson and Minister in charge of the Millennium Bug
2001-06 Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
2006-07 Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
2008-09
Minister of State for Housing in Department for Communities and Local Government (Attending Cabinet)
She was Assistant Government Whip 1975-76 and 1976-79 Junior Minister of Education, Deputy Leader of Labour 1992-94, Acting leader after the death of John Smith, and she was a candidate for both the Leadership and the Deputy Leadership of Labour. She had various Posts in the Labour Shadow Cabinets 1989-97. Candidate for the post of Speaker of the House of Commons in 2009 and considered the favourite but withdrew from the contest after finishing third in the two first rounds of voting. (b. 1943-)

1997-99 Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Rt. Hon. Dr. Mo Mowlan
1999-2001 Minister in the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lanchester
As Minister in the Cabinet Office she is "Cabinet Enforcer" and Coordinator of the government policies. She lived (1949-2005 )

1997-98 President of the Council and Leader of The House of Commons Rt. Hon. Ann Taylor
1998-2001 The Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip)  
Labour MP 1974-2005, Assistant Government Whip 1977-79 and had a number of Shadow Cabinet posts, As Leader of the House of Commons her full title was Lord President of Her Majesty The Queen’s Privy Council. Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State of Defence (Minister for Defence Equipment and Support) from 2007. She was created Baroness Taylor of Bolton in 2005. (b. 1947-)

1997-2003 Secretary of State for of International Development Rt. Hon. Claire Short
Vice-Chairperson of Labour 1996-97. (b. 193?-)

1997-98 Secretary of State for Social Security and Minister for Women Rt. Hon. Harriet Harman
2007-10
Leader of the House of Commons and Lord Privy Seal, ecretary of State for Equalities, Minister for Women and Labour Party Chairperson
2010 and 2015 Leader of the Opposition and the Acting Leader of the Labour Party

Held a number of Shadow Ministry posts before 1997, Solicitor General 2001-05, Constitutional Affairs Minister 2005-07 and Minister of State of Justice in 2007. Deputy Leader of Labour from 2007 and Member of the Shadow Cabinet from 2010. (b. 1950- )

1998-2001 Lord Privy Seal and Leader of the House of Lords and Minister of Women The Rt. Hon. Baroness Jay of Paddington
National Health Service Minister 1997-98. Margaret Jay was created a Baroness in 1992. She is daughter of former Prime Minister James Callaghan now Baron Callaghan of Cardiff (1912- ) Married secondly to Professor M.W. Adler. (b. 1939-)

1999 Transport Minister Rt. Hon. Helen Liddell
2001-03 Secretary of State for Scotland
Scottish Labour Party Secretary General 1977-88 and 1997-98 Economic Secretary to the Treasury, 1998-99 Deputy Scottish Secretary and Minister of Education and Industry in Scotland and 1999-2001 Minister for Energy and Competitiveness in Europe (b. 1950-)

2001-02 Secretary of State for Education and Skills Rt. Hon. Estelle Morris
Labour MP 1992-2005, Opposition Whip 1994-95, Schools Minister 1997-98 and Minister of School Standards 1998-2001 and Arts Minister 2003-05. Created Baroness Morris of Birmingham Yardley in 2005. (b. 1960-).(b. 1960-)

2001-07 Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Rt. Hon. Dame Tessa Jowell
2007-10
Minister for the Olympics (Attending cabinet when her Ministerial responsibilities are on the agenda)
2009-10 Minister for the Cabinet Office (in the Cabinet)
Labour Whip 1994-95, Public Health Minister 1997-99, Minister of State of Women’s Affairs 1998-2001 and  Minister for the New Deal 1999-2001. Minister for the Olympics since 2005 and Minister for Women 2005-06 and and Minister of State of London and South East 2007-09 and Member of the Shadow Cabinet from 2010. Tessa Jane Helen Douglas Jowell was given a Damehood in 2012 and created Baroness Jowell in 2015. (b. 1947-)

2001-05 Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and Minister for Women Rt. Hon. Patricia Hewitt
2005-07 Secretary of State for Health
Economic Secretary to the Treasury 1998-99, and 1999-2001 Trade Minister (b. 1949-)

2001-06 The Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip) The Rt. Hon. Hilary Armstrong
2006-07 Minister for the Cabinet Office and Social Exclusion and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
Housing and Local Government Minister 1997-2001. (b. 1946-)

2003 Secretary of State for International Development The Rt Hon Baroness Amos of Brondesbury
2003-07 Leader of the House of Lords and Lord President of the Council
Baroness-in-Waiting (Whip) and Spokesperson on International Development  and Social Security, and Spokesperson on Women's Issues in the Lords 1998-2001, Junior Foreign Minister. 2001-03 later Ambassador to Australia, EU Representative to the African Union and United Nation Vice Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs. Valerie Amos was created a Baroness Amos of Brondesbury, in the London Borough of Brent in 1997 as the first black woman. She was the first female and second black person in the Cabinet. (b. 1954-).
 
2004-06 Secretary of State for Education and Skills Rt. Hon.
Ruth Kelly
2006-07 Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and Minister for Women
2007-08 Secretary of State for Transport
She was previously the Parliamentary Private Secretary to Nick Brown at the Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (since 1998). She was a member of the Treasury Select Committee between 1997 and 1998. 2001-02 Economic Secretary, 2002-04 Financial Secretary and in 2004 Minister for the Cabinet Office.

2006-07 Chief Whip and Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury Rt. Hon Jacqui Smith
2007-09 Secretary of State for the Home Department
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education and Employment for Lifelong Learning 1999-2001, Minister of State of Health 2001-03, Minister of state for Trade and Industry and Deputy Minister for Women 2003-05 and Minister of State of Education and Skills (Schools) (Deputy to the Secretary of State) 2005-06. (b. 1962-).

2006-07 Minister without Portfolio and Chairperson of the Labour Party Rt. Hon.
Hazel Blears
2007-09 Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Minister of State of Health 1997-98 and to the Chief Secretary to Her Majesty's Treasury 1998-99. Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State of Health 2001-03, Minister of State of the Home Office 2003-06 and Deputy Home Secretary 2005-06. Candidate for the post of Deputy Leader of Labour in 2007. (b. 1956-).

2007-08 Leader of the House of Lords and Lord President of the Council Rt. Hon the Baroness Ashton of Upholland
2009-15 EU Commissioner for Foreign Relations and Security
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State of  Education and Skills 2001-04, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of Constitutional Affairs 2004-06 and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 2006-07. Catherine Ashton was appointed Baroness Ashton of Upholland, of St Albans in Hertfordshire in 1999. (b. 1956-).

2007-10 Attorney General England and Wales and Northern Ireland (Attending Cabinet) Rt. Hon. the Baroness Scotland of Asthal
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State of Foreign and Commonwealth Office 1999-2001, Parliamentary Secretary in the Lord Chancellor's Department 2001-03, Minister of State of the Home Office 2003-07. Member of the Shadow Cabinet 2010-11, and Secretary General of the Commonwealth from 2016.

2007-10 Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Prime Minister (Attending Cabinet) Angela Smith
Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Minister of State of the Home Office 1999-2001 and to the Secretary of State of the same department 2000-01, Assistant Government Whip 2001-02, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of the Northern Ireland Office 2002-06, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State of Communities and Local Government 2006-07. Member of the Shadow Cabinet from 2010. (b. 1959-).

2007-09 Minister for Children and Youth Justice and Minister for the North West The Rt. Hon Beverley Hughes (Attending cabinet when her Ministerial responsibilities are on the agenda)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Transport and The Regions 2001-02, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State of the Home Office, Minister of State of the Home Office 2002-04 and Minister of State of Education and Skills 2005-07.

2007-08 Minister for Housing (Attending the Cabinet) Rt. Hon. Yvette Cooper
2008-09 Chief Secretary to the Treasury
2009-10 Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State of Health 1999-2002, Parliamentary Secretary in the Lord Chancellor's Office 2002-03, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister 2003-05, Minister of State of Housing 2005-06, Minister of State of Communities and Local Government 2006-07. Later Shadow Foreign and Home Secretary. Candidate for Leader of Labour in 2015.

2008-08 Minister for Housing (Attending Cabinet) Rt. Hon. Caroline Flint
2008-09 Minister of State for Europe in the Foreign And Commonwealth Office (Attending cabinet when her Ministerial
responsibilities are on the agenda)
MP from 1997, Parliamentary Private Secretary to John Reid 2002-03 and prior to that to the the Minister for Europe (Peter Haine), Parliamentary Under-Secretary of the Home Office for Reducing Organised and International Crime, Anti Drugs Co-ordination and International and European Issues 2003-05, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State of Health 2005-07 and Minister of State for Works and Pensions and
Minister for Yorkshire and the Humber 2007-08. Member of the Shadow Cabinet from 2010. (b. 1961-).

2008-10 Leader of the House of Lords The Baroness Royall of Blaisdon
2008-09 Lord President of the Council
2009-10 Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
2010- Leader of Her Majesty's Official Opposition in the House of Lords

Baroness-in-Waiting 2005-08, Government Spokesperson in the Lords for Health, for International Development and for Foreign and Commonwealth Office 2007-08, Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms (Chief Whip in the House of Lords) in 2008. Janet Royall was created Baroness Royall of Blaisdon, of Blaisdon in the County of Gloucestershire  in 2004. (b. 1955-).

2009-10 Minister of State for Children in Department for Children, Schools and Families (Attending Cabinet when her Ministerial responsibilities are on the agenda) Dawn Primarolo
Financial Secretary to the Treasury 1997-99, Paymaster General 1999-07 and Minister of State of Health (Deputy to the Secretary of State) 2007-09. (b. 1954-).

2009-10 Minister of State for Regional Economic Development and Co-ordination in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (Attending Cabinet when her Ministerial responsibilities are on the agenda)
2010- Opposition Chief Whip of the Labour Party in the House of Commons Rosie Winterton
Labour MP from 1997, Parliamentary Secretary in the Lord Chancellor's Department 2001-03, Minister of State of Health 2003-07, Minister of State of Transport 2007-08, Minister for Yorkshire and the Humber 2008-09 and Minister of State for Works and Pensions 2008-09 and Labour Leader of the House of Commons in 2010. (b. 1958-).

2010-15 Secretary of State for the Home Department Theresa May (Third in Cabinet from 2015)
2010-12 Minister for Women and Equalities
2016- Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury
Conservative MP from 1997 and Chairperson of the Conservative Party 2002-03 and held a number of other Shadow Cabinet posts since 1999. (b. 1956-).

2010-12 Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Dame Caroline Spelman
Conservative MP from 1997, Chairperson of the Conservative Party 2007-09, held a number of other shadow ministry posts and was appointed Second Church Estates Commissioner and member of the body managing the historic property assets of the Church of England in 2015. Given a Damehood in 2016. (b. 1958-).

2010-12 Secretary of State for Wales Cheryl Gillian
Conservative MP from 1992, Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal 1994-95, Minister of State of Education and Employment 1995-97, Shadow Junior Minister 1997-2001, Opposition Whip in the House of Commons 2001-03, Shadow Home Minister 2003-05 and held other Shadow Cabinet posts, Became Member of Speaker’s Panel of Chairmen of the House of Commons in 2015.. (b. 1952-).

2010-12 Minister without Portfolio, Minister of State and Co-Chairperson of the Conservative Party Baroness Warsi
2012-14 Senior Minister of State of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Minister of State for Faiths and Communities (Attending cabinet)

Sayeeda Hussain Warsi was created Baroness Warsi, of Dewsbury in the County of West Yorkshire in 2007. (b. 1971-).

2011-12 Secretary of of State for Transport Justine Greening
2012-16 Secretary of State for International Development
2016- Secretary of State for Edcation and Minister of Women and Equalities
Conservative MP from 2005, Vice-Chairperson of the Conservative Party 2005-07 and Economic Secretary to the Treasury 2010-11. Lives in a relationship with another woman. (b. 1969-).

2012-14 Secretary of State for Culture and and Minister for Women and Equalities Maria Miller
Conservative MP from 2005 and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State of Works and Pensions 2010-12. (b. 1964-).

2012-16 Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Theresa Villiers
Conservative Member of the European Parliament 1999-2005 and MP from 2005. Held senior posts in the Shadow Cabinet and was Minister of State of Transport (Deputy to the Secretary of State and Minister of Rail and Aviation) 2010-12. (b. 1968-).

2014-16 Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women and Equalities Nicky Morgan

Conservative MP from 2010, Assistant Government Whip 2012-13, Economic Secretary to the Treasury 2013-14 and also appointed Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Minister of Women attending Cabinet in 2014. (b. 1972-).

2014-16 Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Elizabeth Truss
2016- Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
Conservative MP since 2010 and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State of Education for Early Years Education 2012-14. (b. 1975-)

2014-16 Leader of the House of Lords and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Attending Cabinet) Baroness Stowell of Beeston
2015-16 Lord Privy Seal

Baroness in Waiting 2011-13 and Parliamentary Under Secretary of Communities and Local Government 2013-14. A former Conservative Party Advisor, Tina Stowell was appointed Baroness Stowell of Beeston, of Beeston in the County of Nottinghamshire in 2011. (b. 1967-)

2014-15 Minister Attending Cabinet Esther McVey

Conservative MP from 2010 and Private Parliamentary Secretary to the Employment Minister before becoming Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State of Work and Pensions (Minister for Disabled People) 2012-13 and appointed Minister of State for Emloyment in 2013. (b. 1967-)

2014-06 Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and attending Cabinet without a vote Baroness Anelay of St Johns
Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords 2007-10 and Deputy Speaker and Deputy Chair of Committees 2008-10 and Lords Chief Whip, Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms 2010-14. Continued as Minister of State of the Departments of Foreign and International Developments, but no longer attending cabinet after 2016. Dame Joyce Anelay was created Baroness Anelay of St. Johns, of St. Johns in the County of Surrey in 1996. (b. 1947-).

2015-16 Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Amber Rudd
2016- Secretary of State for the Home Department
Conservative MP from 2010, Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Chancellor of the Exchequer 2012-13, Assistant Government Whip 2013-14 and Under Secretary of State for Climate Change 2014-15.

2015-16 Minister of State of Work and Pensions (Minister for Employment), attending Cabinet Priti Patel
2016 Secretary of State for International Development
Conservative MP from 2010 and Excequer Secretary to the Treasury 2014-15. (b. 1972-)

2015-16 Minister of State of Business, Innovaton and Skills (Minister for Small Business), Attending Cabinet Anna Soubry
Conservative MP since 2010, Parliamentary Under Secretary of Defence 2013-14 and Minister of State of Defence 2014-15. (b. 1956-)

2016- Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Andrea Leadsom
Conservative MP from 2010, Economic Secretary to the Treasury (City Minister), 2014-15, Minister of State at the Department for Energy and Climate Change (Deputy Secretary of State) 2015-16   and in 2016 she was elected by the Conservative MPs to be one of the two candidates to contest the party leadership in September, but withdrew from the race after a week, making Theresa May Party Leader and Prime Minister. (b. 1963-)

2016- Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Karen Bradley
Conservative MP from 2010, Assistant Government Whip 2012-13, Lord Commissioner of the Treasury (Deputy Government Whip) 2013-14 and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office (Minister for Modern Slavery and Organised Crime) 2014-16(b. 1970-)


Last update 04.08.16