This is a list of resignations from theSecond government formed by Prime MinisterTheresa May. After forming aConservativeminority government on 11 June 2017, Theresa May faced a significant number offront bench resignations. These included 16 departures from theCabinet, including three from theGreat Offices of State. She experienced 60 ministerial departures with 42 of these being resignations due to disunity regarding Brexit discord. Lastly, Theresa May herself resigned on 24 July 2019, withBoris Johnson being appointedPrime Minister byQueen Elizabeth II shortly after.

The pace and amount of resignations were described as 'unprecedented' by the Institute for Government,^[1] with resignations impacting the civil functioning of the government. For example, in March 2019 fifteen posts had been left vacant due to resignations and a lack of MPs willing to fill positions.Secretary of State for Work and PensionsAmber Rudd had to take onSarah Newton's responsibilities as Minister of State for Disabled People as the position was left unfilled two weeks after her resignation.^[2] In less than three years, Theresa May saw more resignations thanThatcher orBlair.^[3] The resignations also occurred amid a breakdown ofcabinet collective responsibility, withChief WhipJulian Smith describing May's Cabinet as exhibiting the 'worst cabinet ill-discipline in history',^[4] as well as various MPs resigning the whip, including three to joinThe Independent Group of MPs.

Minister (Cabinet members shown in bold)		Office	Date of resignation	Reason
	Rt HonThe Lord Bridges of Headley[note 1]	Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union	12 June	Differences between May's approach to Brexit and his own.[5]
	Andrew Percy MP	Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for theNorthern Powerhouse and Local Growth	14 June	Decided to "pursue other challenges" and resigned despite being invited to remain in government.[6]
	Rt HonThe Lord Price[note 1]	Minister of State for Trade Policy	3 September	Wanted to pursue 'business and writing interests'.[5]
	Rt HonThe Baroness Anelay of St Johns PC[note 1]	Minister of State for Exiting the European Union	27 October	Resigned on health grounds, due to an injury sustained in 2015.[5]
	Rt HonSirMichael Fallon MP	Secretary of State for Defence	1 November	Allegations of inappropriate sexual behaviour.[note 2][7]
	Christopher Pincher MP	Comptroller of the Household	5 November	Allegations of sexual assault and harassment.[note 2][8]
	Rt HonPriti Patel MP	Secretary of State for International Development	8 November	Conflict of interest arising from secret meetings with theIsraeli government.[9]
	Rt HonDamian Green MP	First Secretary of State Minister for the Cabinet Office	20 December	Found to have lied about the presence of pornographic images on his office computer.[note 2][10]

Minister (Cabinet members shown in bold)		Office	Date of resignation	Reason
	Rt HonJames Brokenshire MP	Secretary of State for Northern Ireland	8 January	Resigned on health grounds, due to an upcoming lung operation.[11]
	Rt HonJustine Greening MP	Secretary of State for Education	8 January	Refused to accept a new position atDWP during the2018 cabinet reshuffle.[12]
	Rt HonAmber Rudd MP	Home Secretary	29 April	Misled theHome Affairs Select Committee during a hearing on theWindrush scandal.[13]
	Phillip Lee MP	Parliamentary Under Secretary of State forJustice	12 June	Opposition to the government's approach toBrexit. Lee later defected to theLiberal Democrats due to the Brexit policy ofBoris Johnson.[14]
	Rt HonGreg Hands MP	Minister of State forInternational Trade	21 June	Opposition to theexpansion ofHeathrow Airport; voted against the Airports National Policy Statement.[15]
	Rt HonDavid Davis MP	Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union	8 July	Opposition to theChequers Agreement.[16]
	Steve Baker MP	Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State forExiting the European Union	9 July	Opposition to the Chequers Agreement.[17]
	Rt HonBoris Johnson MP	Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs	9 July	Opposition to the Chequers Agreement.[18]
	Conor Burns MP	Parliamentary Private Secretary to theForeign Office	9 July	Opposition to the Chequers Agreement.[19]
	Chris Green MP	Parliamentary Private Secretary to theDepartment for Transport	9 July	Opposition to the Chequers Agreement.[20]
	Andrew Griffiths MP	Minister of State forBusiness, Energy and Industrial Strategy	13 July	Allegations of sexual misconduct.[21]
	Robert Courts MP	Parliamentary Private Secretary to theForeign Office	15 July	Opposition to the Chequers Agreement.[22]
	Scott Mann MP	Parliamentary Private Secretary toHM Treasury	16 July	Opposition to the Chequers Agreement.[23]
	Guto Bebb MP	Minister for Defence Procurement	16 July	Opposition to government-backed amendments to the Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Bill.[24]
	Tracey Crouch MP	Minister for Sport, Civil Societyand Loneliness	1 November	Opposition to policy rollout delays announced in the2018 budget.[25]
	Jo Johnson MP	Minister of State forTransport Minister for London	9 November	Opposition to the government's handling ofBrexit negotiations.[26]
	Shailesh Vara MP	Minister of State forNorthern Ireland	15 November	Opposition to the Draft Withdrawal Agreement.[27]
	Rt HonDominic Raab MP	Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union	15 November	Opposition to the Draft Withdrawal Agreement.[28]
	Rt HonEsther McVey MP	Secretary of State for Work and Pensions	15 November	Opposition to the Draft Withdrawal Agreement.[29]
	Suella Braverman MP	Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State forExiting the European Union	15 November	Opposition to the Draft Withdrawal Agreement.[30]
	Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP	Parliamentary Private Secretary to theDepartment for Education	15 November	Opposition to the Draft Withdrawal Agreement.[31]
	Ranil Jayawardena MP	Parliamentary Private Secretary to theDepartment for Work and Pensions	15 November	Opposition to the Draft Withdrawal Agreement.
	Rehman Chishti MP	Prime Ministerial Trade Envoy toPakistan	15 November	Opposition to the Draft Withdrawal Agreement and the government's handling of theAsia Bibi blasphemy case.
	Sam Gyimah MP	Minister of State forUniversities, Science, Research and Innovation	30 November	Opposition to theWithdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration.[32]
	Will Quince MP	Parliamentary Private Secretary to theMinistry of Defence	8 December	Opposition to the Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration.[33]
	Rt HonThe Lord O'Shaughnessy[note 1]	Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health	31 December	Resigned due to "family circumstances."[34]

Minister (Cabinet members shown in bold)		Office	Date of resignation	Reason
	Gareth Johnson MP	Parliamentary Private Secretary to theDepartment for Exiting the European Union	14 January	Voted against theWithdrawal Agreement in the firstmeaningful vote.[35]
	Craig Tracey MP	Parliamentary Private Secretary to theDepartment for International Development	15 January	Voted against the Withdrawal Agreement in the first meaningful vote.[36]
	Eddie Hughes MP	Parliamentary Private Secretary to theMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government	15 January	Voted against the Withdrawal Agreement in the first meaningful vote.[36]
	Alberto Costa MP	Parliamentary Private Secretary to theScotland Office	27 February	Asked to resign after tabling an amendment to protect rights of EU citizens.[37]
	George Eustice MP	Minister of State forAgriculture, Fisheries & Food	28 February	Dissatisfaction with the government acceding to a possible vote on delaying Brexit.[38]
	Sarah Newton MP	Minister of State for Disabled People	13 March	Voted against the government whip and in favour of the "Spelman amendment."[39]
	Paul Masterton MP	Parliamentary Private Secretary to theScotland Office	13 March	Voted against the government whip and supported the amended motion after the "Spelman amendment" passed.[40]
	Richard Harrington MP	Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State forBusiness and Industry	25 March	Voted against the government whip and in favour of the "Letwin amendment."[41]
	Steve Brine MP	Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State forPublic Health and Primary Care	25 March	Voted against the government whip and in favour of the "Letwin amendment."[41]
	Rt HonAlistair Burt MP	Minister of State forthe Middle East and North Africa	25 March	Voted against the government whip and in favour of the "Letwin amendment."[41]
	Nigel Adams MP	Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State forWales	3 April	Opposition to the Prime Minister's attempt to find common ground on a Brexit deal withJeremy Corbyn.[42][43]
	Chris Heaton-Harris MP	Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State forExiting the European Union	3 April	Opposition to a further extension of Article 50.[44]
	Rt HonThe Lord Bates[note 1]	Minister of State for International Development	23 April	Wanted the freedom to explore a "process for restoring our national unity."[45]
	Rt HonGavin Williamson MP	Secretary of State for Defence	1 May	Dismissed by PM after National Security Council investigation found Williamson leaked highly classified information, in contradiction to the Official Secrets Act, regarding Huawei's 5G network to a national newspaper.[46]
	Rt HonThe Baroness Fairhead[note 1]	Minister of State for Trade and Export Promotion	7 May	Resigned for "personal reasons."[47]
	Rt HonThe Baroness Manzoor[note 1]	Baroness-in-Waiting Government Whip	7 May	Resigned for "personal reasons."[47]
	Rt HonAndrea Leadsom MP	Leader of the House of Commons Lord President of the Council	22 May	Resigned due to opposition to the Government's Withdrawal Agreement Bill which was set to be introduced.[48]
	Margot James MP	Minister of State for Digital and Creative Industries	18 July	Resigned in order to support an amendment seeking to prevent prorogation of Parliament.
	Andrew Percy MP	Prime Ministerial Trade Envoy toCanada	22 July	Resigned over opposition to how no deal Brexit policies would harmUK–Canada trade.[49]
	Rt HonAlan Duncan MP	Minister of State for Europe and the Americas	22 July	Resigned in opposition to theincoming Prime Minister's acceptance of a no deal Brexit.[50]
	Rt HonAnne Milton MP	Minister of State for Apprenticeships and Skills	23 July	Resigned due to 'grave concerns' overBoris Johnson's Brexit policies.[51]
	Rt HonPhilip Hammond MP	Chancellor of the Exchequer	24 July	Resigned in protest at Boris Johnson's willingness to leave the EU without a deal.[52]
	Rt HonDavid Gauke MP	Secretary of State for Justice Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain	24 July	Resigned in protest at Boris Johnson's willingness to leave the EU without a deal.[53]
	Rt HonRory Stewart OBE FRSL FRSGS MP	Secretary of State for International Development	24 July	Resigned in protest at Boris Johnson's willingness to leave the EU without a deal.[53]
	The Rt HonDavid Lidington CBE MP	Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Minister for the Cabinet Office	24 July	May's de facto Deputy PM resigned in protest at Boris Johnson's willingness to leave the EU without a deal, as well as believing it was time to leave the frontbench.[52]
	Rt HonThe Lord Taylor of Holbeach[note 1]	Government Chief Whip in the House of Lords	24 July	Resigned independent of the "political situation" having planned to resign for a long time beforehand.[52]

• 2018 British cabinet reshuffle
• List of departures from the first Johnson ministry
• List of departures from the second Johnson ministry
• List of departures from the Truss ministry

• 2017 in British politics
• 2018 in British politics
• Premiership of Theresa May
• Consequences of the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum
• History of the Conservative Party (UK)
• Lists of departures from the British government by Ministry

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