# First May ministry

Theresa May formed the first May ministry in the United Kingdom on 13 July 2016, after having been invited by Queen Elizabeth II to form a new government. Then the Home Secretary, May's appointment followed the resignation of then Prime Minister David Cameron. The ministry, a Conservative majority government, succeeded the second Cameron ministry which had been formed following the 2015 general election. Cameron's government was dissolved as a result of his resignation in the immediate aftermath of the June 2016 referendum on British withdrawal from the European Union.
After the 2017 snap general election resulted in a hung parliament, May formed a new minority government with support from the Democratic Unionist Party.

## History

May announced her choices for Chancellor of the Exchequer, Home Secretary, Foreign Secretary and Defence Secretary in the evening of 13 July: Philip Hammond, Amber Rudd, and Boris Johnson were respectively appointed to the first three posts, while Michael Fallon continued as Defence Secretary. David Davis was appointed to the new post of Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, while Liam Fox became Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade. Greg Clark, who was made business secretary, was mistakenly appointed as President of the Board of Trade by the Privy Council, and held the appointment for four days before the mistake was corrected.
May's choices for the remaining cabinet posts were announced on 14 July. Justine Greening, previously international development secretary, was promoted to education secretary, and the vacancy left by Greening was filled by Priti Patel. Liz Truss, formerly environment secretary, was given the justice portfolio. Andrea Leadsom, previously a junior energy minister, and also the final opponent of Theresa May in the 2016 Conservative leadership election, was made environment secretary. James Brokenshire and Karen Bradley, both formerly junior ministers at the Home Office, were given the posts of Northern Ireland and culture, media and sport respectively. Damian Green took the post of work and pensions secretary, and Chris Grayling was made transport secretary. Finally, Sajid Javid was given the communities and local government brief, The Baroness Evans of Bowes Park became Lords Leader and David Lidington became Commons Leader.
Jeremy Hunt, Alun Cairns, and David Mundell retained the posts of health secretary, Welsh secretary, and Scottish secretary, respectively, which they had held during the second Cameron ministry. In contrast, May sacked six ministers from Cameron's Cabinet: Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, Justice Secretary Michael Gove, Culture Secretary John Whittingdale, Education Secretary Nicky Morgan, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Oliver Letwin and Leader of the House of Lords Baroness Stowell of Beeston.
In addition, May appointed Fiona Hill and Nick Timothy as Downing Street Chiefs of Staff. Both had been political advisers to her at the Home Office, then worked outside government for a brief period before coming back to work on her leadership campaign.

## Cabinet

First May cabinet :
| Portfolio | Minister | Term |
| Cabinet ministers ||||
| Prime Minister First Lord of the Treasury Minister for the Civil Service | The Rt Hon Theresa May MP | 2016–2019 |
| Chancellor of the Exchequer Second Lord of the Treasury | The Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP | 2016–2019 |
| Secretary of State for the Home Department | The Rt Hon Amber Rudd MP | 2016–2018 |
| Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs | The Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP | 2016–2018 |
| Secretary of State for Defence | The Rt Hon Michael Fallon KCB MP | 2014–2017 |
| Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain Secretary of State for Justice | The Rt Hon Liz Truss MP | 2016–2017 |
| Secretary of State for Education Minister for Women and Equalities | The Rt Hon Justine Greening MP | 2016–2018 |
| Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union | The Rt Hon David Davis MP | 2016–2018 |
| Secretary of State for International Trade President of the Board of Trade | The Rt Hon Dr Liam Fox MP | 2016–2019 |
| Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy | The Rt Hon Dr Greg Clark MP | 2016–2019 |
| Secretary of State for Health | The Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP | 2012–2018 |
| Secretary of State for Work and Pensions | The Rt Hon Damian Green MP | 2016–2017 |
| Leader of the House of Lords Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal | The Rt Hon The Baroness Evans of Bowes Park PC | 2016–2022 |
| Secretary of State for Transport | The Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP | 2016–2019 |
| Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government | The Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP | 2016–2018 |
| Leader of the House of Commons Lord President of the Council | The Rt Hon Dr David Lidington CBE MP | 2016–2017 |
| Secretary of State for Scotland | The Rt Hon David Mundell MP | 2015–2019 |
| Secretary of State for Wales | The Rt Hon Alun Cairns MP | 2016–2019 |
| Secretary of State for Northern Ireland | The Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP | 2016–2018 |
| Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | The Rt Hon Andrea Leadsom MP | 2016–2017 |
| Secretary of State for International Development | The Rt Hon Priti Patel MP | 2016–2017 |
| Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport | The Rt Hon Karen Bradley MP | 2016–2018 |
| Also attending cabinet meetings ||||
| Chief Secretary to the Treasury | The Rt Hon David Gauke MP | 2016–2017 |
| Minister for the Cabinet Office Paymaster General | The Rt Hon Ben Gummer MP | 2016–2017 |
| Attorney General | The Rt Hon Jeremy Wright QC MP | 2014–2018 |
| Chief Whip in the House of Commons Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury | The Rt Hon Gavin Williamson CBE MP | 2016–2017 |
| Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Chairman of the Conservative Party (Unpaid) | The Rt Hon Patrick McLoughlin MP | 2016–2018 |

## List of ministers

| | Minister in the House of Commons | Minister in the House of Lords |
| Ministers that attend cabinet are listed in bold ||||

### Prime Minister and the Cabinet Office

Prime Minister and Cabinet Office :
| Post | Minister | Term |
| Prime Minister of the United Kingdom First Lord of the Treasury Minister for the Civil Service | The Rt Hon Theresa May MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Prime Minister | George Hollingbery MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Chairman of the Conservative Party (unpaid) | The Rt Hon Sir Patrick McLoughlin MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Minister for the Cabinet Office Paymaster General | The Rt Hon Ben Gummer MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Leader of the House of Commons Lord President of the Council | The Rt Hon David Lidington CBE MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Secretary at the Cabinet Office Minister for the Constitution | Chris Skidmore MP | July 2016–June 2017 |

### Departments of state

Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy :
| Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (President of the Board of Trade 15–19 July 2016) | The Rt Hon Greg Clark MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation | Jo Johnson MP (jointly with Education) | May 2015–June 2017 |
| Minister of State for Climate Change and Industry | The Hon Nick Hurd MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Minister of State for Energy and Intellectual Property | The Rt Hon The Baroness Neville-Rolfe DBE CMG | July 2016 – Dec 2016 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy and Intellectual Property | The Rt Hon The Lord Prior of Brampton PC | Dec 2016–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Corporate Responsibility | Margot James MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Minister for Industry and Energy | Jesse Norman MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
Communities and Local Government :
| Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government | The Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Minister of State for Housing and Planning Minister for London | The Rt Hon Gavin Barwell MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Minister for Local Government | Marcus Jones MP | May 2015–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Minister for the Northern Powerhouse | Andrew Percy MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities | The Rt Hon The Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth, (also with Wales) | July 2016–June 2017 |
Culture, Media and Sport :
| Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport | The Rt Hon Karen Bradley MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Minister of State for Digital and Culture | The Rt Hon Matt Hancock MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Minister for Sport, Heritage, and Tourism | Tracey Crouch MP | May 2015–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Minister for Civil Society | Rob Wilson MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State | The Rt Hon The Lord Ashton of Hyde (also Lord-in-Waiting) | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Minister for Internet Safety and Security | The Rt Hon The Baroness Shields OBE (with Home Office until Dec 2016) (unpaid) | May 2015 – Dec 2016 |
Defence :
| Secretary of State for Defence | The Rt Hon Sir Michael Fallon KCB MP | July 2014–June 2017 |
| Minister of State for the Armed Forces | The Rt Hon Mike Penning MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Minister of State for Defence | The Rt Hon The Earl Howe PC (also Deputy Lords Leader) (unpaid) | May 2015–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence Procurement | Harriett Baldwin MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence Veterans, Reserves and Personnel | Lt Col Mark Lancaster TD MP | May 2015–June 2017 |
Education and Equalities :
| Secretary of State for Education Minister for Women and Equalities | The Rt Hon Justine Greening MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Minister of State for Apprenticeships and Skills | The Rt Hon Robert Halfon MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation | Jo Johnson MP (jointly with BEIS) | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Minister of State for School Standards | The Rt Hon Nick Gibb MP | July 2014–June 2017 |
| Minister of State for Vulnerable Children and Families | Edward Timpson MP | May 2015–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Women, Equalities and Early Years | Caroline Dinenage MP | May 2015–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the School System | The Rt Hon The Lord Nash (unpaid) | Oct 2013–June 2017 |
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs :
| Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | The Rt Hon Andrea Leadsom MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food | George Eustice MP | October 2013–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment and Rural Life Opportunities | Dr Thérèse Coffey MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Rural Affairs and Biosecurity | The Rt Hon The Lord Gardiner of Kimble | July 2016–June 2017 |
Exiting the European Union :
| Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union | The Rt Hon David Davis MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Minister of State | The Rt Hon David Jones MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State | The Hon. Robin Walker MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State | The Rt Hon The Lord Bridges of Headley MBE | July 2016–June 2017 |
Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs :
| Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs | The Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Minister of State for Europe and the Americas | The Rt Hon Sir Alan Duncan KCMG MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Minister of State for the Commonwealth and the UN | The Rt Hon The Baroness Anelay of St John's DBE PC (with International Development until October 2016) | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Minister for Asia and the Pacific | Alok Sharma MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Minister for the Middle East and Africa | The Rt Hon Tobias Ellwood MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
Government Equalities Office :
| Minister for Women and Equalities (Jointly with Education) | The Rt Hon Justine Greening MP | July 2016-June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Women, Equalities and Early Years (Jointly with Education) | Caroline Dinenage MP | May 2015-June 2017 |
Health :
| Secretary of State for Health | The Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP | September 2012–June 2017 |
| Minister of State for Health | Philip Dunne MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and Innovation | Nicola Blackwood MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Community Health and Care | David Mowat MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State | The Rt Hon The Lord Prior of Brampton PC | May 2015 – Dec 2016 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State | The Rt Hon The Lord O'Shaughnessy (also a whip) | Dec 2016–June 2017 |
Home Office :
| Secretary of State for the Home Department | The Rt Hon Amber Rudd MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Minister of State for Security | The Rt Hon Ben Wallace MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Minister of State for Policing and the Fire Services | Brandon Lewis MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Minister of State for Immigration | Robert Goodwill MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Minister of State for Countering Extremism | The Rt Hon The Baroness Williams of Trafford | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Vulnerability, Safeguarding and Countering Extremism | Sarah Newton MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Internet Safety and Security | The Rt Hon The Baroness Shields OBE (with Culture until Dec 2016) (unpaid) | July 2016–June 2017 |
International Development :
| Secretary of State for International Development | The Rt Hon Priti Patel MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Minister of State | Rory Stewart OBE MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Minister of State | The Rt Hon The Baroness Anelay of St John's DBE PC (with Foreign Office) | July–October 2016 |
| Minister of State | The Rt Hon The Lord Bates PC | October 2016–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State | James Wharton MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
International Trade :
| Secretary of State for International Trade President of the Board of Trade (19 July- | The Rt Hon Dr Liam Fox MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Minister of State for Trade and Investment | The Rt Hon Greg Hands MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Minister of State for Trade Policy | The Rt Hon The Lord Price CVO | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State | Mark Garnier MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
Justice :
| Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain Secretary of State for Justice | The Rt Hon Liz Truss MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Minister of State for Courts and Justice | Sir Oliver Heald QC MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Prisons and Probation | Sam Gyimah MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Victims, Youth and Family Justice | Dr Phillip Lee MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| MoJ Spokesperson for the Lords | The Rt Hon The Lord Keen of Elie QC | July 2016–June 2017 |
Northern Ireland :
| Secretary of State for Northern Ireland | The Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State | Kris Hopkins MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State | The Rt Hon The Lord Dunlop (with Scotland) | July 2016–June 2017 |
Scotland :
| Secretary of State for Scotland | The Rt Hon David Mundell MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State | The Rt Hon The Lord Dunlop (with Northern Ireland) | July 2016–June 2017 |
Transport :
| Secretary of State for Transport | The Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Minister of State | The Rt Hon John Hayes CBE MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State | Paul Maynard MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State | Andrew Jones MP | May 2015–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State | The Rt Hon The Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon | May 2015–June 2017 |
Treasury :
| Chancellor of the Exchequer Second Lord of the Treasury | The Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Chief Secretary to the Treasury | The Rt Hon David Gauke MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Financial Secretary to the Treasury | Jane Ellison MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Economic Secretary to the Treasury (City Minister) | Simon Kirby MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Commercial Secretary to the Treasury | The Rt Hon The Lord O'Neill of Gatley (unpaid) | July 2016 – Sept 2016 |
| Commercial Secretary to the Treasury | The Rt Hon The Baroness Neville-Rolfe DBE CMG | Dec 2016–June 2017 |
Wales :
| Secretary of State for Wales | The Rt Hon Alun Cairns MP | March 2016–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State | Guto Bebb MP (also a Whip) (unpaid) | March 2016–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State | The Rt Hon The Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (also with Communities & Local Government) | May 2015–June 2017 |
Work and Pensions :
| Secretary of State for Work and Pensions | The Rt Hon Damian Green MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Minister of State for Disabled People, Work and Health | Penny Mordaunt MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Minister of State for Employment | Damian Hinds MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Minister of State for Welfare Reform | The Rt Hon The Lord Freud PC (unpaid) | May 2015–31 Dec 2016 |
| Parliamentary under-Secretary of State | The Rt Hon The Lord Henley PC (also a whip) (unpaid) | 21 Dec 2016–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Welfare Delivery | Caroline Nokes MP | July 2016–June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Pensions | Richard Harrington MP | July 2016–June 2017 |

### Law officers

Attorney General's Office :
| Attorney General for England and Wales | The Rt Hon Jeremy Wright QC MP | July 2014–June 2017 |
| Solicitor General for England and Wales | Robert Buckland QC MP | July 2014–June 2017 |
Office of the Advocate General for Scotland :
| Advocate General for Scotland | The Rt HonThe Lord Keen of Elie QC | May 2015–June 2017 |

### Parliament

House Leaders :
| Leader of the House of Lords Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal | The Rt Hon The Baroness Evans of Bowes Park PC | July 2016 – June 2017 |
| Deputy Leader of the House of Lords | The Rt Hon The Earl Howe PC (unpaid; also with Defence) | May 2015 – June 2017 |
| Leader of the House of Commons Lord President of the Council | The Rt Hon David Lidington CBE MP | July 2016 – June 2017 |
| Parliamentary Secretary Deputy Leader of the House of Commons (also a Whip) | Michael Ellis MP (unpaid) | July 2016 – June 2017 |
House of Commons Whips :
| Chief Whip of the House of Commons Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury | The Rt Hon Gavin Williamson CBE MP | July 2016 – June 2017 |
| Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Commons Treasurer of the Household | The Rt Hon Anne Milton MP | May 2015 – June 2017 |
| Comptroller of the Household Whip | The Rt Hon Mel Stride MP | July 2016 – June 2017 |
| Vice-Chamberlain of the Household Whip | Julian Smith MP | July 2016 – June 2017 |
| Lords Commissioners of the Treasury Whips | The Rt Hon David Evennett MP | September 2012 – June 2017 |
| Lords Commissioners of the Treasury Whips | Steve Barclay MP | July 2016 – June 2017 |
| Lords Commissioners of the Treasury Whips | Guto Bebb MP (also with Wales Office) | March 2016 – June 2017 |
| Lords Commissioners of the Treasury Whips | Guy Opperman MP | July 2016 – June 2017 |
| Lords Commissioners of the Treasury Whips | Andrew Griffiths MP (unpaid) | July 2016 – June 2017 |
| Lords Commissioners of the Treasury Whips | Robert Syms MP | July 2016 – June 2017 |
| Assistant Whips | Chris Heaton-Harris MP | July 2016 – June 2017 |
| Assistant Whips | Heather Wheeler MP | July 2016 – June 2017 |
| Assistant Whips | Graham Stuart MP | July 2016 – June 2017 |
| Assistant Whips | Steve Brine MP (unpaid) | July 2016 – June 2017 |
| Assistant Whips | Mark Spencer MP | July 2016 – June 2017 |
| Assistant Whips | Christopher Pincher MP | July 2016 – June 2017 |
| Assistant Whips | Jackie Doyle-Price MP | May 2015 – June 2017 |
| Assistant Whips | Michael Ellis MP (also Deputy Commons Leader) | July 2016 – June 2017 |
House of Lords Whips :
| Chief Whip of the House of Lords Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms | The Rt Hon The Lord Taylor of Holbeach CBE PC | August 2014 – June 2017 |
| Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Lords Captain of the Queen's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard | The Rt Hon The Earl of Courtown | July 2016 – June 2017 |
| Lords and Baronesses in Waiting Whips | The Rt Hon The Lord Ashton of Hyde | July 2014 – June 2017 |
| Lords and Baronesses in Waiting Whips | The Rt Hon The Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen (unpaid) | May 2015 – December 2016 |
| Lords and Baronesses in Waiting Whips | The Rt Hon The Baroness Goldie DL (unpaid from Dec 2016) | July 2016 – June 2017 |
| Lords and Baronesses in Waiting Whips | The Rt Hon The Baroness Buscombe (unpaid) | December 2016 – June 2017 |
| Lords and Baronesses in Waiting Whips | The Rt Hon The Baroness Vere of Norbiton (unpaid) | December 2016 – June 2017 |
| Lords and Baronesses in Waiting Whips | The Rt Hon The Baroness Mobarik CBE (unpaid) | July 2016 – April 2017 |
| Lords and Baronesses in Waiting Whips | The Rt Hon The Viscount Younger of Leckie Bt | May 2015 – June 2017 |
| Lords and Baronesses in Waiting Whips | The Rt Hon The Lord Young of Cookham Bt CH PC | July 2016 – June 2017 |
| Lords and Baronesses in Waiting Whips | The Rt Hon The Lord Henley PC (also with Work & Pensions from Dec 2016) | November 2016 – June 2017 |
| Lords and Baronesses in Waiting Whips | The Rt Hon The Lord O'Shaughnessy (also with Health) | December 2016 – June 2017 |