This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-42608564
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
James Brokenshire: Northern Ireland Secretary resigns | James Brokenshire: Northern Ireland Secretary resigns |
(35 minutes later) | |
Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire has resigned from government, the Northern Ireland Office has confirmed. | Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire has resigned from government, the Northern Ireland Office has confirmed. |
It is understood he requires surgery for a lung condition. | |
Mr Brokenshire, 50, took the role in July 2016, replacing Theresa Villiers. | Mr Brokenshire, 50, took the role in July 2016, replacing Theresa Villiers. |
Prime Minister Theresa May paid a warm tribute to the outgoing secretary of state, and wished him a "speedy recovery". | |
His resignation comes almost a year to the day that the Northern Ireland Assembly collapsed following a scandal over a renewable energy scheme. | |
The coalition led by the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Sinn Féin fell apart when the late Martin McGuinness resigned as deputy first minister on 9 January, 2017. | |
Despite months of negotiations aimed at restoring power-sharing, the parties have been unable to reach a deal to return to government. | |
In a letter to Mr Brokenshire, the prime minister wrote: "While it is typical of you that your first thought was not for yourself, but for your duties as a cabinet minister and public servant, it is absolutely right that you should put your health first, for your sake and that of your family." | |
Mr Brokenshire first elected as the Conservative MP for Old Bexley & Sidcup in May 2010. He was subsequently re-elected in 2015 and again in 2017 with more than 60% of the vote. | |
He lives in Bexley with his wife, Catherine, and the couple's three children. | He lives in Bexley with his wife, Catherine, and the couple's three children. |
Before entering parliament, Mr Brokenshire was a partner in an international law firm. | Before entering parliament, Mr Brokenshire was a partner in an international law firm. |
From May 2011 to May 2015, he served as security minister at the Home Office. | From May 2011 to May 2015, he served as security minister at the Home Office. |
That role included supporting Mrs May, the then home secretary, with oversight of the work of MI5 and the national police counter-terrorism network. | That role included supporting Mrs May, the then home secretary, with oversight of the work of MI5 and the national police counter-terrorism network. |
BBC News NI political correspondent Gareth Gordon | |
As far as Theresa May was concerned, at a time of unprecedented upheaval, James Brokenshire was probably as near to a being a safe pair of hands as her current Cabinet possessed. | |
But in Northern Ireland, as devolution collapsed around him, he was often dismissed as a "do-nothing" secretary of state who allowed the situation to drift when decisive action was required. | |
For republicans and nationalists, he and his government were seen as being too close to the DUP. | |
As far as some in the DUP were concerned, he should have already moved towards introducing direct rule in the face of what they saw as Sinn Fein intransigence. | |
Caught between these two positions, he appeared to be impotent, but whoever replaces him will face exactly the same problems. | |
His responsibilities also included the government's counter-terrorism strategy and he was part of the prime minister's extremism taskforce. | His responsibilities also included the government's counter-terrorism strategy and he was part of the prime minister's extremism taskforce. |
He also led negotiations with the Jordanian government to secure the deportation of the radical cleric Abu Qatada. | He also led negotiations with the Jordanian government to secure the deportation of the radical cleric Abu Qatada. |