In the May 2010 general election, no party was able to form a majority government. Both the Conservative and Labour parties needed the support of the Liberal Democrats to form a government that could function as a majority government in the Commons. After a degree of horse-trading with regards to what would be offered for the support of the Liberal Democrats, a Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government was formed and Cameron had to create his first ever Cabinet. By the very nature of a coalition, the Cabinet contained a number of Liberal Democrat MP’s; the party leader, Nick Clegg, was made Deputy Prime Minister.
Prime Minister: David Cameron
Deputy Prime Minister: Nick Clegg*
Foreign Secretary: William Hague
Chancellor of the Exchequer: George Osbourne
Home Secretary: Theresa May
Defence Secretary: Liam Fox
Chief Secretary to the Treasury: Danny Alexander*
Health Secretary: Andrew Lansley
Education and Children Secretary: Michael Gove
Justice Secretary: Ken Clarke
Business Secretary: Vince Cable*
Works and Pensions Secretary: Ian Duncan-Smith
Energy and Climate Secretary: Chris Huhme*
Local Government and Communities Secretary: Eric Pickles
Transport Secretary: Philip Hammond
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary: Caroline Spelman
International Development Secretary: Andrew Mitchell
Culture, Sport and Olympics Secretary: Jeremy Hunt
Welsh Secretary: Cheryl Gillan
Northern Ireland Secretary: Owen Patterson
Chair of the Cabinet: Lady Warsi
Leader of the Lords: Lord Strathclyde
The following attend Cabinet meetings on a basis of when they are needed:
Paymaster General and Head of the Cabinet Office: Francis Maude
Minister of State, Cabinet Office: Oliver Letwin
Minister of State Universities and Science: David Willetts
Chief Whip and Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury: Patrick McLoughlin
Attorney General: Dominic Grieve
Leader of the Commons and Lord Privy Seal: Sir George Young
* = Liberal Democrat.
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