James Cleverly
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| Name | James Cleverly |
| Office | Secretary of State for the Home Department |
| Term start | 13 November 2023 |
| Predecessor | Suella Braverman |
| Office1 | Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs |
| Term start1 | 6 September 2022 |
| Term end1 | 13 November 2023 |
| Predecessor1 | Liz Truss |
| Successor1 | David Cameron |
| Office2 | Secretary of State for Education |
| Term start2 | 7 July 2022 |
| Term end2 | 6 September 2022 |
| Predecessor2 | Michelle Donelan |
| Successor2 | Kit Malthouse |
| Office3 | Chairman of the Conservative Party |
| Term start3 | 7 February 2022 |
| Term end3 | 6 September 2022 |
| Predecessor3 | Oliver Dowden |
| Successor3 | Jake Berry |
| Office4 | Minister of State for Europe and North America |
| Term start4 | 8 February 2022 |
| Term end4 | 6 September 2022 |
| Predecessor4 | Chris Heaton-Harris |
| Successor4 | Graham Stuart |
| Office5 | Member of Parliament, for Braintree |
| Term start5 | 7 May 2015 |
| Predecessor5 | Brooks Newmark |
| Party | Conservative |
| Birth date | 4 September 1969 |
| Birth place | Lewisham, London, England |
| Alma mater | Thames Valley University |
| Spouse | Susannah Cleverly |
| Military service | British Army |
| Unit | Royal Artillery |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
James Cleverly is a British politician and former British Army officer who has served as Secretary of State for the Home Department since November 2023. A member of the Conservative Party, he has been the Member of Parliament for Braintree since 2015 and has held several senior cabinet positions, including Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs and Secretary of State for Education. Prior to his parliamentary career, he served as a London Assembly member and was Deputy Mayor of London for Boris Johnson.
Early life and education
Born in Lewisham, London, he attended Colfe's School, an independent school in the city. He later studied at Thames Valley University, graduating with a degree in Hospitality Management. His early career included service as a Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery of the British Army, followed by work in publishing and digital marketing. He was also a Freemason, having been initiated into the United Grand Lodge of England.
Political career
His political career began with election to the London Assembly in 2008, representing the Bexley and Bromley constituency. He served as Deputy Mayor of London under Boris Johnson and was a prominent figure in the 2012 London mayoral election. Elected as the MP for Braintree in the 2015 general election, he quickly assumed government roles, including Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Exiting the European Union. He served as Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and was appointed Chairman of the Conservative Party in 2022. Following the resignation of Boris Johnson, he was appointed Secretary of State for Education by Liz Truss and, shortly after, became Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs. In the Sunak ministry, he was appointed Secretary of State for the Home Department in November 2023, succeeding Suella Braverman.
Personal life
He is married to Susannah Cleverly, and the couple have two children. He has spoken publicly about his mixed heritage, with a Sierra Leonean Creole mother and an English father. An advocate for armed forces charities, he maintains interests in digital technology and cricket. He is a supporter of Chelsea F.C..
Political positions and views
A prominent Brexit supporter, he campaigned for Vote Leave during the 2016 referendum. As Foreign Secretary, he focused on strengthening ties with allies like the United States and addressing global challenges such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine and relations with China. At the Home Office, his priorities have included implementing the Rwanda asylum plan, reducing illegal migration across the English Channel, and tackling crime. He is generally considered a pragmatic figure on the One-Nation wing of the Conservative Party.
Electoral history
He was first elected to the London Assembly in the 2008 election. He successfully contested the Braintree seat in the 2015 general election, defeating Labour candidate Malcolm Fincken. He retained the seat with increased majorities in the 2017 election against Labour's Gareth Barrett and the 2019 election against Labour candidate Joshua Burch.
Category:1969 births Category:Living people Category:Conservative Party (UK) MPs Category:Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies Category:Secretaries of State for the Home Department Category:Alumni of the University of West London