Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs

Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs is a senior Secretary of State in the Government of the United Kingdom and a principal Great Office of State. The officeholder leads the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and is responsible for the United Kingdom's relations with foreign nations and its role in international organisations. Appointed by the monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary is a key member of the Cabinet and the National Security Council, shaping the nation's global diplomatic, development, and security policies.

History and creation

The office was created on 2 September 2020 through the merger of the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and the Secretary of State for International Development. This merger, announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, reversed the 1997 separation of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Department for International Development (DFID). The decision was influenced by the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy and aimed to align the UK's diplomatic power with its development objectives, a strategy often termed "Global Britain" in the post-Brexit era. The first holder was Dominic Raab, who had previously served as First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

Responsibilities and powers

The Foreign Secretary's primary duty is the formulation and execution of British foreign policy. This encompasses managing bilateral relations with countries like the United States, China, and France, and representing the UK in multilateral forums such as the United Nations, NATO, the G7, and the Commonwealth of Nations. The officeholder oversees the UK's network of embassies, high commissions, and consulates worldwide and has authority over the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) and the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), alongside the Prime Minister. Key policy areas include national security, international trade negotiations, climate diplomacy, humanitarian aid, and upholding the Human Rights Act.

List of officeholders

Since its creation, there have been three individuals appointed to the role, all from the Conservative Party. Dominic Raab served from September 2020 until September 2021, when he was succeeded by Liz Truss during a reshuffle. Truss held the position until September 2022, when she became Prime Minister; she was succeeded briefly by James Cleverly. The current officeholder, appointed in November 2023 by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, is David Cameron, a former Prime Minister who was elevated to the House of Lords to take the role. Notable historical figures who held the predecessor foreign secretary office include Lord Palmerston, Anthony Eden, and Ernest Bevin.

Office and support

The Foreign Secretary is supported by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, headquartered at King Charles Street in Whitehall, London. The FCDO is a major government department staffed by civil servants from the Diplomatic Service, development experts, and policy advisors. The officeholder is typically assisted by several junior ministers, including a Minister of State and Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State, who oversee specific geographic or thematic portfolios. The Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs is the department's senior civil servant.

Predecessor offices

The office directly supersedes two distinct senior cabinet roles. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, often simply called the Foreign Secretary, originated from the older Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (created 1782) which merged with the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs in 1968. The Secretary of State for International Development was a separate cabinet post created in 1997, overseeing the Department for International Development (DFID), which itself evolved from the Overseas Development Administration. Prior to 1782, foreign affairs were managed by the Secretary of State for the Northern Department and the Secretary of State for the Southern Department.

Category:Secretaries of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs Category:Foreign ministers of the United Kingdom Category:British political offices