Where did the Education Secretaries go next?
Speculation is rife about a September Cabinet re-shuffle. If Gove leaves education, where might he go next?
Using the scientific medium of Wikipedia, it seems 12 of the 31 Ed Secs never transitioned to other roles (though many continued as MPs or Peers).
Since the early 90s, Home Secretary became a popular move. Not only have three Ed Secs in the past 25 years moved straight into this role, Alan Johnson also made it there after Health and Ed Balls took position as Shadow Home Secretary before becoming Shadow Chancellor (though admittedly that was only for 3 months).
Women seem to have done particularly poorly in moves, with only Ruth Kelly keeping a Ministerial position while still in power. However Margaret Thatcher did move from being Ed Sec to being Leader of the Conservative Party, which turned out to be a very important move indeed!
Subsequent roles taken by Ed Secs…..
1 | Rab Butler | Chancellor of the Exchequer |
2 | Richard Law | |
3 | Ellen Wilkinson | |
4 | George Tomlinson | |
5 | Florence Horsbrugh | |
6 | Geoffrey Lloyd | |
7 | David Eccles | (1st time) President of the Board of Trade(2nd time) Paymaster General & Minister for the Arts |
8 | Edward Boyle | |
9 | Quintin Hogg | Lord President of the Council |
10 | Michael Stewart | Secretary of State for Economic Affairs |
11 | Anthony Crosland | Secretary of State for Local Government & Regional Planning |
12 | Patrick Gordon Walker | |
13 | Edward Short | Leader of the House of Commons/Lord President of the Council |
14 | Margaret Thatcher | Leader of the Conservative Party |
15 | Reg Prentice | Minister of State for Overseas Development |
16 | Fred Mulley | Secretary of State for Defence |
17 | Shirley Williams | |
18 | Mark Carlisle | |
19 | Keith Joseph | |
20 | Kenneth Baker | Chairman of the Conservative Party |
21 | John MacGregor | Leader of the House of Commons/Lord President of the Council |
22 | Kenneth Clarke | Home Secretary |
23 | John Patten | |
24 | Gillian Shephard | Shadow Secretary of State for Education |
25 | David Blunkett | Home Secretary |
26 | Estelle Morris | |
27 | Charles Clarke | Home Secretary |
28 | Ruth Kelly | Minister for Women |
29 | Alan Johnson | Secretary of State for Health |
30 | Edward Balls | Shadow Secretary of State for Education |
31 | Michael Gove | ?? |