# List of female cabinet members of the United Kingdom

Sixty-eight women have been appointed to positions in the Cabinet of the United Kingdom, with three female Prime Ministers serving in cabinet. Since, by convention, members of the cabinet must be a member of either the House of Commons or House of Lords, the Prime Minister could not appoint women to the cabinet until the Parliament (Qualification of Women) Act 1918 allowed women to stand for MP, and could not appoint peeresses to it until the Life Peerages Act 1958.

## Female prime ministers

Three women have led the cabinet as prime minister.
denotes the first female minister of that particular department.
| Prime Minister | Party | Constituency | Year appointed | Roles held concurrently | Ministry |
| Margaret Thatcher | Conservative | Finchley | 1979 | First Lord of the Treasury Minister for the Civil Service | Thatcher I |
| Margaret Thatcher | Conservative | Finchley | 1979 | First Lord of the Treasury Minister for the Civil Service | Thatcher II |
| Margaret Thatcher | Conservative | Finchley | 1979 | First Lord of the Treasury Minister for the Civil Service | Thatcher III |
| Theresa May | Conservative | Maidenhead | 2016 | First Lord of the Treasury Minister for the Civil Service | May I |
| Theresa May | Conservative | Maidenhead | 2016 | First Lord of the Treasury Minister for the Civil Service | May II |
| Liz Truss | Conservative | South West Norfolk | 2022 | First Lord of the Treasury Minister for the Civil Service Minister for the Union | Truss |

## Female cabinet members

denotes the first female minister of that particular department.
| Member | Party | Constituency | Position | Year appointed | Ministry |
| Margaret Bondfield | Labour | Wallsend | Minister of Labour | 1929 | MacDonald II |
| Ellen Wilkinson | Labour | Jarrow | Minister of Education | 1945 | Attlee I |
| Florence Horsbrugh | Conservative | Manchester Moss Side | Minister of Education | 1951 | Churchill II |
| Barbara Castle | Labour | Blackburn | Minister of Overseas Development | 1964 | Wilson I |
| Barbara Castle | Labour | Blackburn | Minister of Transport | 1965 | Wilson I |
| Barbara Castle | Labour | Blackburn | Minister of Transport | 1965 | Wilson II |
| Barbara Castle | Labour | Blackburn | Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity | 1968 | Wilson II |
| Barbara Castle | Labour | Blackburn | First Secretary of State | 1968 | Wilson II |
| Barbara Castle | Labour | Blackburn | Secretary of State for Health and Social Services | 1974 | Wilson III |
| Barbara Castle | Labour | Blackburn | Secretary of State for Health and Social Services | 1974 | Wilson IV |
| Judith Hart | Labour | Clydesdale | Paymaster General | 1968 | Wilson II |
| Margaret Thatcher | Conservative | Finchley | Secretary of State for Education and Science | 1970 | Heath |
| Shirley Williams | Labour | Hertford and Stevenage | Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection | 1974 | Wilson III |
| Shirley Williams | Labour | Hertford and Stevenage | Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection | 1974 | Wilson IV |
| Shirley Williams | Labour | Hertford and Stevenage | Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection | 1974 | Callaghan |
| Shirley Williams | Labour | Hertford and Stevenage | Secretary of State for Education and Science | 1976 | Callaghan |
| Baroness Young | Conservative | N/A (peeress) | Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | 1981 | Thatcher I |
| Baroness Young | Conservative | N/A (peeress) | Lord Privy Seal | 1982 | Thatcher I |
| Virginia Bottomley | Conservative | South West Surrey | Secretary of State for Health | 1992 | Major II |
| Virginia Bottomley | Conservative | South West Surrey | Secretary of State for National Heritage | 1995 | Major II |
| Gillian Shephard | Conservative | South West Norfolk | Secretary of State for Employment | 1992 | Major II |
| Gillian Shephard | Conservative | South West Norfolk | Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food | 1993 | Major II |
| Gillian Shephard | Conservative | South West Norfolk | Secretary of State for Education | 1994 | Major II |
| Gillian Shephard | Conservative | South West Norfolk | Secretary of State for Education and Employment | 1995 | Major II |
| Margaret Beckett | Labour | Derby South | Secretary of State for Trade and Industry | 1997 | Blair I |
| Margaret Beckett | Labour | Derby South | Lord President of the Council | 1998 | Blair I |
| Margaret Beckett | Labour | Derby South | Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 2001 | Blair II |
| Margaret Beckett | Labour | Derby South | Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 2001 | Blair III |
| Margaret Beckett | Labour | Derby South | Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs | 2006 | Blair III |
| Harriet Harman | Labour | Camberwell and Peckham | Secretary of State for Social Security | 1997 | Blair I |
| Harriet Harman | Labour | Camberwell and Peckham | Lord Privy Seal | 2007 | Brown |
| Mo Mowlam | Labour | Redcar | Secretary of State for Northern Ireland | 1997 | Blair I |
| Mo Mowlam | Labour | Redcar | Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | 1999 | Blair I |
| Baroness Jay | Labour | N/A (peeress) | Leader of the House of Lords | 1998 | Blair I |
| Baroness Jay | Labour | N/A (peeress) | Lord Privy Seal | 1998 | Blair I |
| Clare Short | Labour | Birmingham Ladywood | Secretary of State for International Development | 1997 | Blair I |
| Clare Short | Labour | Birmingham Ladywood | Secretary of State for International Development | 1997 | Blair II |
| Ann Taylor | Labour | Dewsbury | Lord President of the Council | 1997 | Blair I |
| Helen Liddell | Labour | Airdrie and Shotts | Secretary of State for Scotland | 2001 | Blair I |
| Helen Liddell | Labour | Airdrie and Shotts | Secretary of State for Scotland | 2001 | Blair II |
| Estelle Morris | Labour | Birmingham Yardley | Secretary of State for Education and Skills | 2001 | Blair II |
| Patricia Hewitt | Labour | Leicester West | Secretary of State for Trade and Industry | 2001 | Blair II |
| Patricia Hewitt | Labour | Leicester West | Secretary of State for Health | 2005 | Blair III |
| Tessa Jowell | Labour | Dulwich and West Norwood | Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport | 2001 | Blair II |
| Tessa Jowell | Labour | Dulwich and West Norwood | Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport | 2001 | Blair III |
| Baroness Amos | Labour | N/A (peeress) | Secretary of State for International Development | 2003 | Blair II |
| Baroness Amos | Labour | N/A (peeress) | Lord President of the Council | 2003 | Blair II |
| Baroness Amos | Labour | N/A (peeress) | Lord President of the Council | 2003 | Blair III |
| Ruth Kelly | Labour | Bolton West | Secretary of State for Education and Skills | 2004 | Blair II |
| Ruth Kelly | Labour | Bolton West | Secretary of State for Education and Skills | 2004 | Blair III |
| Ruth Kelly | Labour | Bolton West | Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government | 2006 | Blair III |
| Ruth Kelly | Labour | Bolton West | Secretary of State for Transport | 2007 | Brown |
| Hilary Armstrong | Labour | North West Durham | Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | 2006 | Blair III |
| Hazel Blears | Labour | Salford and Eccles | Minister without portfolio | 2006 | Blair III |
| Hazel Blears | Labour | Salford and Eccles | Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government | 2007 | Brown |
| Baroness Ashton of Upholland | Labour | N/A (peeress) | Lord President of the Council | 2007 | Brown |
| Jacqui Smith | Labour | Redditch | Secretary of State for the Home Department | 2007 | Brown |
| Yvette Cooper | Labour | Pontefract and Castleford | Chief Secretary to the Treasury | 2008 | Brown |
| Yvette Cooper | Labour | Pontefract and Castleford | Secretary of State for Work and Pensions | 2009 | Brown |
| Yvette Cooper | Labour | Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley | Secretary of State for the Home Department | 2024 | Starmer |
| Baroness Royall of Blaisdon | Labour | N/A (peeress) | Lord President of the Council | 2008 | Brown |
| Baroness Royall of Blaisdon | Labour | N/A (peeress) | Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | 2009 | Brown |
| Cheryl Gillan | Conservative | Chesham and Amersham | Secretary of State for Wales | 2010 | Cameron–Clegg |
| Theresa May | Conservative | Maidenhead | Secretary of State for the Home Department | 2010 | Cameron–Clegg |
| Theresa May | Conservative | Maidenhead | Secretary of State for the Home Department | 2010 | Cameron II |
| Caroline Spelman | Conservative | Meriden | Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 2010 | Cameron–Clegg |
| Baroness Warsi | Conservative | N/A (peeress) | Minister without portfolio | 2010 | Cameron–Clegg |
| Justine Greening | Conservative | Putney | Secretary of State for Transport | 2011 | Cameron–Clegg |
| Justine Greening | Conservative | Putney | Secretary of State for International Development | 2012 | Cameron–Clegg |
| Justine Greening | Conservative | Putney | Secretary of State for International Development | 2012 | Cameron II |
| Justine Greening | Conservative | Putney | Secretary of State for Education | 2016 | May I |
| Justine Greening | Conservative | Putney | Secretary of State for Education | 2016 | May II |
| Maria Miller | Conservative | Basingstoke | Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport | 2012 | Cameron–Clegg |
| Theresa Villiers | Conservative | Chipping Barnet | Secretary of State for Northern Ireland | 2012 | Cameron–Clegg |
| Theresa Villiers | Conservative | Chipping Barnet | Secretary of State for Northern Ireland | 2012 | Cameron II |
| Theresa Villiers | Conservative | Chipping Barnet | Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 2019 | Johnson I |
| Theresa Villiers | Conservative | Chipping Barnet | Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 2019 | Johnson II |
| Nicky Morgan | Conservative | Loughborough | Secretary of State for Education | 2014 | Cameron–Clegg |
| Nicky Morgan | Conservative | Loughborough | Secretary of State for Education | 2014 | Cameron II |
| Nicky Morgan | Conservative | Loughborough | Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport | 2019 | Johnson I |
| Nicky Morgan | Conservative | N/A (peeress) | Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport | 2019 | Johnson II |
| Baroness Stowell of Beeston | Conservative | N/A (peeress) | Lord Privy Seal | 2014 | Cameron–Clegg |
| Baroness Stowell of Beeston | Conservative | N/A (peeress) | Lord Privy Seal | 2014 | Cameron II |
| Liz Truss | Conservative | South West Norfolk | Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 2014 | Cameron–Clegg |
| Liz Truss | Conservative | South West Norfolk | Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 2014 | Cameron II |
| Liz Truss | Conservative | South West Norfolk | Secretary of State for Justice | 2016 | May I |
| Liz Truss | Conservative | South West Norfolk | Secretary of State for International Trade | 2019 | Johnson I |
| Liz Truss | Conservative | South West Norfolk | Secretary of State for International Trade | 2019 | Johnson II |
| Liz Truss | Conservative | South West Norfolk | Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs | 2021 | Johnson II |
| Amber Rudd | Conservative | Hastings and Rye | Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change | 2015 | Cameron II |
| Amber Rudd | Conservative | Hastings and Rye | Secretary of State for the Home Department | 2016 | May I |
| Amber Rudd | Conservative | Hastings and Rye | Secretary of State for the Home Department | 2016 | May II |
| Amber Rudd | Conservative | Hastings and Rye | Secretary of State for Work and Pensions | 2018 | May II |
| Amber Rudd | Conservative | Hastings and Rye | Secretary of State for Work and Pensions | 2018 | Johnson I |
| Karen Bradley | Conservative | Staffordshire Moorlands | Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport | 2016 | May I |
| Karen Bradley | Conservative | Staffordshire Moorlands | Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport | 2016 | May II |
| Karen Bradley | Conservative | Staffordshire Moorlands | Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport | 2017 | May II |
| Karen Bradley | Conservative | Staffordshire Moorlands | Secretary of State for Northern Ireland | 2018 | May II |
| Baroness Evans of Bowes Park | Conservative | N/A (peeress) | Lord Privy Seal | 2016 | May I |
| Baroness Evans of Bowes Park | Conservative | N/A (peeress) | Lord Privy Seal | 2016 | May II |
| Baroness Evans of Bowes Park | Conservative | N/A (peeress) | Lord Privy Seal | 2016 | Johnson I |
| Baroness Evans of Bowes Park | Conservative | N/A (peeress) | Lord Privy Seal | 2016 | Johnson II |
| Andrea Leadsom | Conservative | South Northamptonshire | Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 2016 | May I |
| Andrea Leadsom | Conservative | South Northamptonshire | Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy | 2019 | Johnson I |
| Andrea Leadsom | Conservative | South Northamptonshire | Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy | 2019 | Johnson II |
| Priti Patel | Conservative | Witham | Secretary of State for International Development | 2016 | May I |
| Priti Patel | Conservative | Witham | Secretary of State for International Development | 2016 | May II |
| Priti Patel | Conservative | Witham | Secretary of State for the Home Department | 2019 | Johnson I |
| Priti Patel | Conservative | Witham | Secretary of State for the Home Department | 2019 | Johnson II |
| Penny Mordaunt | Conservative | Portsmouth North | Secretary of State for International Development | 2017 | May II |
| Penny Mordaunt | Conservative | Portsmouth North | Secretary of State for Defence | 2019 | May II |
| Penny Mordaunt | Conservative | Portsmouth North | Lord President of the Council | 2022 | Truss |
| Penny Mordaunt | Conservative | Portsmouth North | Lord President of the Council | 2022 | Sunak |
| Penny Mordaunt | Conservative | Portsmouth North | Leader of the House of Commons | 2022 | Truss |
| Penny Mordaunt | Conservative | Portsmouth North | Leader of the House of Commons | 2022 | Sunak |
| Esther McVey | Conservative | Tatton | Secretary of State for Work and Pensions | 2018 | May II |
| Thérèse Coffey | Conservative | Suffolk Coastal | Secretary of State for Work and Pensions | 2019 | Johnson I |
| Thérèse Coffey | Conservative | Suffolk Coastal | Secretary of State for Work and Pensions | 2019 | Johnson II |
| Thérèse Coffey | Conservative | Suffolk Coastal | Secretary of State for Health and Social Care | 2022 | Truss |
| Thérèse Coffey | Conservative | Suffolk Coastal | Deputy Prime Minister | 2022 | Truss |
| Thérèse Coffey | Conservative | Suffolk Coastal | Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 2022 | Sunak |
| Amanda Milling | Conservative | Cannock Chase | Minister without portfolio | 2020 | Johnson II |
| Anne-Marie Trevelyan | Conservative | Berwick-upon-Tweed | Secretary of State for International Development | 2020 | Johnson II |
| Anne-Marie Trevelyan | Conservative | Berwick-upon-Tweed | Secretary of State for International Trade | 2021 | Johnson II |
| Anne-Marie Trevelyan | Conservative | Berwick-upon-Tweed | Secretary of State for Transport | 2022 | Truss |
| Nadine Dorries | Conservative | Mid Bedfordshire | Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport | 2021 | Johnson II |
| Michelle Donelan | Conservative | Chippenham | Secretary of State for Education | 2022 | Johnson II |
| Michelle Donelan | Conservative | Chippenham | Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport | 2022 | Truss |
| Michelle Donelan | Conservative | Chippenham | Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport | 2022 | Sunak |
| Michelle Donelan | Conservative | Chippenham | Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology | 2023 | Sunak |
| Kemi Badenoch | Conservative | Saffron Walden | Secretary of State for International Trade | 2022 | Truss |
| Kemi Badenoch | Conservative | Saffron Walden | Secretary of State for International Trade | 2022 | Sunak |
| Kemi Badenoch | Conservative | Saffron Walden | Secretary of State for Business and Trade | 2023 | Sunak |
| Suella Braverman | Conservative | Fareham | Secretary of State for the Home Department | 2022 | Truss |
| Suella Braverman | Conservative | Fareham | Secretary of State for the Home Department | 2022 | Sunak |
| Chloe Smith | Conservative | Norwich North | Secretary of State for Work and Pensions | 2022 | Truss |
| Chloe Smith | Conservative | Norwich North | Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology | 2023 | Sunak |
| Gillian Keegan | Conservative | Chichester | Secretary of State for Education | 2022 | Sunak |
| Lucy Frazer | Conservative | South East Cambridgeshire | Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport | 2023 | Sunak |
| Claire Coutinho | Conservative | East Surrey | Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero | 2023 | Sunak |
| Victoria Atkins | Conservative | Louth and Horncastle | Secretary of State for Health and Social Care | 2023 | Sunak |
| Louise Haigh | Labour | Sheffield Heeley | Secretary of State for Transport | 2024 | Starmer |
| Liz Kendall | Labour | Leicester West | Secretary of State for Work and Pensions | 2024 | Starmer |
| Shabana Mahmood | Labour | Birmingham Ladywood | Secretary of State for Justice | 2024 | Starmer |
| Lisa Nandy | Labour | Wigan | Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport | 2024 | Starmer |
| Bridget Phillipson | Labour | Houghton and Sunderland South | Secretary of State for Education | 2024 | Starmer |
| Lucy Powell | Labour | Manchester Central | Lord President of the Council | 2024 | Starmer |
| Angela Rayner | Labour | Ashton-under-Lyne | Deputy Prime Minister | 2024 | Starmer |
| Angela Rayner | Labour | Ashton-under-Lyne | Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities | 2024 | Starmer |
| Angela Rayner | Labour | Ashton-under-Lyne | Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government | 2024 | Starmer |
| Rachel Reeves | Labour | Leeds West and Pudsey | Chancellor of the Exchequer | 2024 | Starmer |
| Baroness Smith of Basildon | Labour | N/A (peeress) | Lord Privy Seal | 2024 | Starmer |
| Jo Stevens | Labour | Cardiff East | Secretary of State for Wales | 2024 | Starmer |
| Heidi Alexander | Labour | Swindon South | Secretary of State for Transport | 2024 | Starmer |

## Female ministers also attending cabinet

Some roles, such as the Attorney General, can attend cabinet meetings without being a member of the cabinet.
denotes the first female minister of that particular department.
| Member | Party | Constituency | Position | Year Appointed | Ministry |
| Ann Taylor | Labour | Dewsbury | Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury | 1998 | Blair I |
| Hilary Armstrong | Labour | North West Durham | Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury | 2001 | Blair II |
| Hilary Armstrong | Labour | North West Durham | Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury | 2001 | Blair III |
| Jacqui Smith | Labour | Redditch | Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury | 2006 | Blair III |
| Yvette Cooper | Labour | Pontefract and Castleford | Minister of State for Housing and Planning | 2007 | Brown |
| Beverley Hughes | Labour | Stretford and Urmston | Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families | 2007 | Brown |
| Tessa Jowell | Labour | Dulwich and West Norwood | Minister for the Olympics | 2007 | Brown |
| Tessa Jowell | Labour | Dulwich and West Norwood | Paymaster General | 2007 | Brown |
| Baroness Scotland of Asthal | Labour | N/A (peeress) | Attorney General for England and Wales | 2007 | Brown |
| Caroline Flint | Labour | Don Valley | Minister of State for Housing and Planning | 2008 | Brown |
| Caroline Flint | Labour | Don Valley | Minister of State for Europe | 2008 | Brown |
| Baroness Royall of Blaisdon | Labour | N/A (peeress) | Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms | 2008 | Brown |
| Margaret Beckett | Labour | Derby South | Minister of State for Housing and Planning | 2008 | Brown |
| Dawn Primarolo | Labour | Bristol South | Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families | 2009 | Brown |
| Rosie Winterton | Labour | Bristol South | Minister of State for Regional Economic Development and Coordination | 2009 | Brown |
| Rosie Winterton | Labour | Bristol South | Minister of State for Local Government | 2009 | Brown |
| Baroness Warsi | Conservative | N/A (peeress) | Senior Minister of State for Faith and Communities | 2012 | Cameron–Clegg |
| Baroness Warsi | Conservative | N/A (peeress) | Senior Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs | 2012 | Cameron–Clegg |
| Nicky Morgan | Conservative | Loughborough | Financial Secretary to the Treasury | 2014 | Cameron–Clegg |
| Baroness Anelay of St Johns | Conservative | N/A (peeress) | Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs | 2014 | Cameron–Clegg |
| Baroness Anelay of St Johns | Conservative | N/A (peeress) | Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs | 2014 | Cameron II |
| Esther McVey | Conservative | Wirral West | Minister of State for Employment | 2014 | Cameron–Clegg |
| Esther McVey | Conservative | Tatton | Minister of State for Housing and Planning | 2019 | Johnson I |
| Esther McVey | Conservative | Tatton | Minister of State for Housing and Planning | 2019 | Johnson II |
| Esther McVey | Conservative | Tatton | Minister without Portfolio in the Cabinet Office | 2023 | Sunak |
| Priti Patel | Conservative | Witham | Minister of State for Employment | 2015 | Cameron II |
| Anna Soubry | Conservative | Broxtowe | Minister of State for Small Business, Industry and Enterprise | 2015 | Cameron II |
| Andrea Leadsom | Conservative | South Northamptonshire | Lord President of the Council | 2017 | May II |
| Andrea Leadsom | Conservative | South Northamptonshire | Leader of the House of Commons | 2017 | May II |
| Liz Truss | Conservative | South West Norfolk | Chief Secretary to the Treasury | 2017 | May II |
| Caroline Nokes | Conservative | Romsey and Southampton North | Minister of State for Immigration | 2018 | May II |
| Claire Perry | Conservative | Devizes | Minister of State for Energy and Clean Growth | 2018 | May II |
| Suella Braverman | Conservative | Fareham | Attorney General for England and Wales | 2020 | Johnson II |
| Michelle Donelan | Conservative | Chippenham | Minister of State for Higher and Further Education | 2021 | Johnson II |
| Vicky Ford | Conservative | Chelmsford | Minister of State for Development | 2022 | Truss |
| Wendy Morton | Conservative | Aldridge-Brownhills | Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury | 2022 | Truss |
| Victoria Prentis | Conservative | Banbury | Attorney General for England and Wales | 2022 | Sunak |
| Laura Trott | Conservative | Sevenoaks | Chief Secretary to the Treasury | 2023 | Sunak |
| Anneliese Dodds | Labour | Oxford East | Minister of State for Development | 2024 | Starmer |
| Anneliese Dodds | Labour | Oxford East | Minister of State for Women and Equalities | 2024 | Starmer |
| Baroness Chapman of Darlington | Labour | N/A (peeress) | Minister of State for International Development, Latin America and Caribbean | 2025 | Starmer |

## Notable members

Baroness Amos became the first black woman to be appointed to the cabinet in 2003. In 2011, Justine Greening became the first member of the cabinet who was publicly known to be a lesbian, although she was not openly lesbian until 2016.