Minister for the Union

The position was created by Boris Johnson during his first ministry,^[1][2][3] to be held concurrently with the duties of prime minister.^[a] Johnson proposed the position during the 2019 Conservative Party leadership campaign.^[6] He was the first prime minister to adopt the title,^[7] and the post was retained by Johnson in his second ministry,^[4][5] and by subsequent prime ministers.

On 4 September 2019, the Government announced £10 million in funding to support the Prime Minister's work as Minister for the Union.^[8]

Since September 2020, the stated responsibilities of the position have been: "As Minister for the Union, the Prime Minister works to ensure that all of government is acting on behalf of the entire United Kingdom: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales."^[9] Before that point, the government website did not show any responsibilities associated with the position.^[9][10]

A spokesperson for Johnson stated that the office was intended to emphasise his commitment to strengthening the bond between the countries of the United Kingdom.^[3] In July 2019, the title was described as a "cynical rebranding" by Kirsty Blackman, deputy leader of the Scottish National Party in the House of Commons from 2017 to 2020, who advocates Scottish independence.^[7] During the COVID-19 pandemic in July 2020, Mark Drakeford, the First Minister of Wales and leader of Welsh Labour, drew attention to Johnson's lack of contact with the Welsh Government, saying: "If you are minister for the union, speaking to the component parts of the union seems to me a sensible way of discharging those responsibilities."^[12]

Robert Hazell has suggested merging the offices of Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales into one Secretary of State for the Union,^[13] in a department into which Rodney Brazier has suggested adding a Minister of State for England with responsibility for English local government.^[14]