What is a Minister Without Portfolio and who is it in the UK?
GAVIN WILLIAMSON has been appointed to the role of Minister Without Portfolio under Rishi Sunak.
The position allows ministers to take part in Government at Downing Street without having a specific department of state to oversee — but what exactly is the position for?
What is a Minister Without Portfolio?
A Minister Without Portfolio is a Government minister who holds no specific responsibilities.
They can also be a minister who does not lead a ministry or department of state.
It is more common in countries whose governments are enforced coalitions, but in the UK it is a position that is used to bring in senior politicians to Cabinet meetings.
In modern British politics, the Minister Without Portfolio is often a Party Chairman.
Other positions such as the the Lord Privy Seal and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster are used to perform the same task of bringing in senior party officials to Cabinet positions.
Who is the UK's Minister Without Portfolio?
The Minister Without Portfolio is the former Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson.
Gavin was born in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, on June 25, 1976.
He has been the MP for South Staffordshire since 2010, when he was elected with a majority of 16,590 votes.
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Williamson also served in Theresa May's Cabinet as Secretary of State for Defence between 2017 and 2019.
He was also May's Chief Whip between 2016 and 2017.
The new Minister Without Portfolio also held the position of Secretary of State for Education under Boris Johnson from 2019 to 2021.
Williamson lost his position as Education Secretary when Johnson re-shuffled his Cabinet on September 15, 2021.
Who else has been the Minister Without Portfolio?
James Berry, the MP for Rossendale and Darwen, was the Minister Without Portfolio before Williamson.
Shortest ever serving PM Liz Truss appointed Berry to the role on September 6, 2022, and he served in the position for one month and 19 days.
Oliver Dowden was the Minister Without Portfolio under Boris Johnson, between September 15, 2021 and June 24, 2022.
Dowden has been the MP for Hertsmere since 2015.
Other MPs who have held the role include, previous Home Secretary, Grant Shapps, lawyer Sayeeda Warsi, Conservative Party veteran, Kenneth Clarke, and MP, Amanda Milling.
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