Brokenshire back at top table after battling cancer
THE return of James Brokenshire to Cabinet brings a close ally of Theresa May back much sooner than either could have expected.
The popular MP stepped down as Northern Ireland Secretary on January 8, the day after his 50th birthday, to undergo cancer treatment.
Just a month after surgery on his right lung, the father-of-three returned to Parliament, crediting early diagnosis for saving his life.
He has since called for better cancer screening and more radical therapies, condemning the “stigma” surrounding lung cancer, which often affects nonsmokers like himself.
Mr Brokenshire was born in the Essex town of Southend-on-Sea. After reading law at Exeter University he went on to become a partner at international legal firm Jones Day.
He entered Parliament in 2005 as MP for Hornchurch, then won Sir Edward Heath’s former seat of Old Bexley and Sidcup in 2010.
Later that year, then leader David Cameron Opposition made him shadow minister for crime reduction before Mr Brokenshire served under Theresa May at the Home Office as minister for crime prevention.
In 2014, as immigration minister, he was praised for his role in the talks that secured the deportation of Islamist cleric Abu Qatada in 2013.
Mr Brokenshire attained Cabinet rank in 2016 when new Prime Minister Mrs May made him Ulster Secretary.
Yesterday, he was back at the top table as head of Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Issues he inherits include rehoming survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire, ensuring the safe recladding of similar buildings, and tackling the country’s chronic housing shortage.
Mr Brokenshire yesterday told MPs of some helpful past experience: “In some ways, local government is in my blood as my father was a former chief executive of a local council, so some of the debates about local councils were ones that I had as a boy.”
The revelation prompted Speaker John Bercow to comment wryly: “It sounds like meal times at Chez Brokenshire were enormous fun.”