Michael Gove | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() Official portrait, 2022 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities[a] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 25 October 2022 – 5 July 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | Rishi Sunak | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Simon Clarke | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Angela Rayner | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 15 September 2021 – 6 July 2022 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | Boris Johnson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Robert Jenrick | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Greg Clark | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Minister for Intergovernmental Relations | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 25 October 2022 – 5 July 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | Rishi Sunak | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Nadhim Zahawi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 18 September 2021 – 6 July 2022 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | Boris Johnson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Office established | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Nadhim Zahawi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 24 July 2019 – 15 September 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | Boris Johnson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | David Lidington | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Steve Barclay | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Minister for the Cabinet Office | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 13 February 2020 – 15 September 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | Boris Johnson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Oliver Dowden | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Steve Barclay | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 11 June 2017 – 24 July 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | Theresa May | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Andrea Leadsom | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Theresa Villiers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Secretary of State for Justice Lord Chancellor | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 9 May 2015 – 14 July 2016 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | David Cameron | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Chris Grayling | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Liz Truss | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chief Whip of the House of Commons Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 15 July 2014 – 9 May 2015 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | David Cameron | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | George Young | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Mark Harper | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Secretary of State for Education | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 12 May 2010 – 15 July 2014 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | David Cameron | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Ed Balls | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Nicky Morgan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Member of Parliament for Surrey Heath | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 5 May 2005 – 30 May 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Nick Hawkins | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Al Pinkerton | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Graeme Andrew Logan 26 August 1967 Aberdeen, Scotland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Political party | Conservative | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other political affiliations | Labour (1983) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Spouse | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Children | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Education | Robert Gordon's College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alma mater | Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford (BA) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Occupation |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Signature | ![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Website | michaelgove | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Michael Andrew Gove (/ɡoʊv/; born Graeme Andrew Logan, 26 August 1967) is a British retired politician who served in various cabinet positions under David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak. Apart from periods as a backbencher from July 2016 to June 2017 and July to October 2022, he served continuously in the cabinet from 2010 to 2024. He was Member of Parliament (MP) for Surrey Heath from 2005 to 2024. A member of the Conservative Party, Gove twice ran to become Leader of the Conservative Party, in 2016 and 2019, finishing in third place on both occasions.
Born in Aberdeen, Gove was in care until being adopted aged four months old, after which he was raised in the Kittybrewster area of the city. He attended the independent Robert Gordon's College and studied English at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford. He then began a career as a journalist at The Press and Journal before having a long tenure as a leader writer at The Times. Elected for Surrey Heath at the 2005 general election, he was appointed Secretary of State for Education in the Cameron–Clegg coalition. He terminated the previous Labour government's Building Schools for the Future programme, reformed A-Level and GCSE qualifications in favour of final examinations, and responded to the Trojan Horse scandal. Four teachers unions passed motions of no confidence in his policies at their 2013 conferences. In the 2014 cabinet reshuffle, he was moved to the post of Government Chief Whip. Following the 2015 general election and the formation of the majority Cameron government, Gove was promoted to Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor. As the co-convenor of Vote Leave, Gove was seen, along with fellow Conservative MP Boris Johnson, as one of the most prominent figures of the 2016 referendum on EU membership. He was campaign manager for Johnson in the 2016 Conservative Party leadership election but withdrew his support on the morning Johnson was due to declare and announced his own candidacy, finishing behind Theresa May and Andrea Leadsom.
Upon the appointment of May as prime minister, Gove was dismissed from the cabinet but joined the second May government as Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs following the 2017 general election. In his second leadership bid, in 2019, Gove finished behind Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt. Following Johnson's victory, Gove was appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster with responsibility for no-deal Brexit preparations. He took on the additional role of Minister for the Cabinet Office in the 2020 cabinet reshuffle and was responsible for coordinating the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. After the 2021 cabinet reshuffle, he served as Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and Minister for Intergovernmental Relations until telling Johnson to resign during the July 2022 government crisis and being dismissed by Johnson. Under Rishi Sunak, he was reinstated to his previous roles of Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and Minister for Intergovernmental Relations. He stood down as an MP at the 2024 United Kingdom general election.
Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha>
tags or {{efn}}
templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
template or {{notelist}}
template (see the help page).