STEPHEN Barclay has been given one of the largest portfolios in the Government after the Covid pandemic – health.
Here’s what we know about the new boy in the post as he takes over after Sajid Javid’s shock resignation.
Who is Stephen Barclay?
Stephen Paul Barclay has been MP for North East Cambridge since May 2010.
The 46-year-old grew up in Lancashire before joining the Army and attending Sandhurst.
He served as a Second Lieutenant with the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers for five months.
After his short military career he read history at Cambridge University before training as a lawyer and going on to a career in The City.
He joined the Conservative Party in 1994 after leaving Cambridge and was twice an unsuccessful parliamentary candidate, contesting Manchester Blackley in 1997 and Lancaster & Wyre in 2001.
In 2007 he became Organiser of the Carlton Political Dinner which raises funds for the Conservative Party’s target seats.
Barclay was selected in January 2008 to replace outgoing North East Cambridgeshire MP, Malcolm Moss and was voted at the 2010 general election with a majority of 16,425.
After getting to parliament Barclay was elected by fellow MPs to become a member of the Public Accounts Committee.
MORE ON BREXIT
What roles has Stephen Barclay held in Government?
Theresa May appointed the obscure junior minister to be the next Brexit Secretary after Michael Gove turned the job down – fearing it would prove a poisoned chalice.
The PM asked Barclay, a Leave-voting Health Minister, to take over from Dominic Raab as a leadership crisis swirled around her.
The role, previously one of the most powerful in the Cabinet, has been downgraded and will now only involve preparing Britain for our EU exit.
Mr Barclay was “The Prime Minster’s choice for the job”, according to her representatives, but they declined to say whether or not he was her first choice for the role.
Since then, Barclay has held a number of roles in Government, including becoming the Chief Secretary to the Treasury when Boris Johnson became Prime Minister.
He then had roles as Minister for the Cabinet Office, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and the Downing Street chief of staff.
Barclay is now the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care after the role was exited by Sajid Javid.
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