Government departures during first year of prime ministers' time in office
Sir Keir Starmer has so far lost four members of his Government during his first year as Prime Minister – fewer than some of his immediate predecessors during their initial 12 months in office.
Here is a list of departures from government through resignation or dismissal that took place in the first year of the premierships of Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer.
The information is based on PA news agency reports and data published by the Institute for Government.
The list does not include people who left the government as part of changes made during a planned reshuffle.
– Theresa May (up to July 13 2017)
1. Lord O'Neill (September 23 2016). Resigned as commercial secretary to the Treasury after completing work on antimicrobial resistance.2. Lord Dunlop (June 10 2017). Resigned as under-secretary of state for Scotland & Northern Ireland, saying it was a 'good moment to bow out' after recent Conservative electoral successes.3. Lord Bridges (June 12 2017). Resigned as under-secretary of state for exiting the European Union due to disagreements over EU policy.
– Boris Johnson (up to July 24 2020)
1. Baron Young (August 29 2019). Resigned as a government whip in the House of Lords in protest at the decision to prorogue parliament.2. Jo Johnson (September 5 2019). Resigned as minister for universities & science at the Department for Education, saying he was 'torn between family loyalty and the national interest'.3. Amber Rudd (September 7 2019). Resigned as work and pensions secretary over the government's failure to pursue a Brexit deal and its decision to expel rebel MPs.4. Alun Cairns (November 6 2019). Resigned as Welsh secretary over claims he knew about a former aide's role in the collapse of a rape trial.5. Conor Burns (May 4 2020). Resigned as minister for trade policy at the Department for Business following an investigation by the Parliamentary Committee on Standards.6. Douglas Ross (May 26 2020). Resigned as parliamentary under-secretary for Scotland in protest at the behaviour of Dominic Cummings.
– Liz Truss
1. Conor Burns (October 7 2022). Sacked as minister for trade policy at the Department for Business after allegations of misconduct.2. Kwasi Kwarteng (October 14 2022). Sacked as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the aftermath of the government's mini-Budget.3. Suella Braverman (October 19 2022). Resigned as home secretary over a breach of ministerial code.
– Rishi Sunak (up to October 25 2023)
1. Gavin Williamson (November 8 2022). Resigned as minister without portfolio after allegations of misbehaviour.2. Baroness Stedman-Scott (January 1 2023). Resigned as parliamentary under secretary at the Department for Work and Pensions for personal reasons.3. Nadhim Zahawi (January 29 2023). Sacked as party chairman and minister without portfolio for breaching the ministerial code.4. Dominic Raab (April 21 2023). Resigned as deputy prime minister and justice secretary following the outcome of a bullying investigation.5. Baroness Bloomfield (June 2 2023). Resigned as a government whip in the House of Lords for personal reasons.6. Zac Goldsmith (June 30 2023). Resigned as minister for energy, climate and environment at the Foreign Office after disagreeing with the government's policy towards climate and the environment.7. Ben Wallace (August 30 2023). Resigned as defence secretary to focus on family and personal life.8. Dehenna Davison (September 18 2023). Resigned as parliamentary under secretary at the Department for Levelling Up due to ill health.
– Sir Keir Starmer (as of February 28 2025)
1. Louise Haigh (November 28 2024). Resigned as transport secretary after failing to correct police records in 2013 regarding a stolen mobile phone.2. Tulip Siddiq (January 14 2025). Resigned as economic secretary to the Treasury after an investigation by the independent adviser on ministerial standards.3. Andrew Gwynne (February 8 2025). Sacked from job as under-secretary of state for public health and prevention for comments in a WhatsApp group.4. Annalise Dodds (February 28 2025). Resigned as international development minister and minister for women over cuts to the international aid budget.
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