Suella Braverman has resigned after sending an official document from a personal email, which she said was a “technical infringement” of the rules. She has become the shortest-serving home secretary in modern political history, lasting just 43 days.
Here is a list of the shortest-serving home secretaries of modern times:
1 Suella Braverman, Conservative, 43 days
A critic of Liz Truss’s U-turn on the top rate of tax, Braverman departed after suggesting she thought the prime minister had fallen victim to a “coup” earlier this month.
2 Donald Somervell, Conservative, 62 days
Somervell held the post from May to July 1945 in Winston Churchill’s caretaker government before it was defeated in a general election.
3 Alan Johnson, Labour, 340 days
He was in the post from June 2009 until the 2010 general election, before going on to be touted at one time as a possible Labour leader, and holding shadow cabinet posts.
4 David Waddington, Conservative, 398 days
Waddington was in the post from October 1989 until November 1990 under the premiership of Margaret Tatcher.
5 Kenneth Clarke, Conservative, 412 days
Under John Major, Clarke was home secretary from April 1992 to May 1993, when he was appointed chancellor of the exchequer, the role for which he is best known.
Before 1900, the role of home secretary was often combined with other posts in government. The Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, held the role of de facto home secretary at the same time as serving as prime minister in a caretaker capacity for a month between November and December 1834.
