Michael Gove

Politician and Journalist

British (Scottish-born) Edinburgh, Scotland

Quick Info

ProfessionPolitician and Journalist
NationalityBritish (Scottish-born)
Date of Birth26/08/1967
Age58 years
BirthplaceEdinburgh, Scotland

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Bio/Wiki

SummaryMichael Andrew Gove, Baron Gove is a British politician and journalist who served in the Cabinet of three Prime Ministers. He held senior positions including Secretary of State for Education, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Environment Secretary, and Levelling Up Secretary. He was a Member of Parliament for Surrey Heath from 2005 to 2024 and became a member of the House of Lords in 2025.
Notable AchievementsLed the Vote Leave campaign that secured the 2016 Brexit vote; introduced ban on bee-harming pesticides like neonicotinoids; launched white paper on levelling up in 2022; announced Homes for Ukraine scheme during Russian invasion of Ukraine; reformed A-Level and GCSE qualifications in favour of final examinations; responded to the Trojan Horse scandal in schools

Educational Qualification(s)

Schools
  • Robert Gordon's College, Aberdeen
  • Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford

Personal Life

UpbringingBorn in Edinburgh, brought up in Aberdeen; educated in England and Scotland in state and independent sectors

Relationships & More

Notable ConnectionClose friends with David Cameron in London; Cameron urged him to enter Conservative Party politics

Career

Journalism
EmployerThe Times
Positions
  • Leader writer (joined 1996)
  • Comment editor
  • News editor
  • Saturday editor
  • Assistant editor
LaterReturned to The Times to write weekly column after leaving government in July 2016
Political Career
  • Position: Shadow Minister for Housing Period: 2005-2007
  • Position: Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families Period: 2007-2010
  • Position: Secretary of State for Education Period: 2010-2014 PM: David Cameron
  • Position: Government Chief Whip and Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury Period: 2014-2015
  • Position: Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice Period: 2015-2016 PM: David Cameron
  • Position: Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Period: 2017-2019 PM: Theresa May
  • Position: Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Period: 2019-2021 PM: Boris Johnson
  • Position: Minister for the Cabinet Office Period: 2020-2021
  • Position: Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Period: 2021-2022 PM: Boris Johnson
  • Position: Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Period: 2022-2024
  • Position: Member of the House of Lords Period: 2025-present
MP ConstituencySurrey Heath (2005-2024)

Style Quotient

ReputationKnown as pragmatic reformer and 'the minister who gets things done'; described as defying expectations on environmental issues

Some Lesser Known Facts

1. Parts of his levelling up white paper were reported to have been copied from Wikipedia
2. Proposed housing Ukrainian refugees in Russian oligarchs' homes in the UK during Russian invasion; idea was blocked by Treasury and Foreign Office officials
3. Four teachers' unions passed motions of no confidence in his education policies at their 2013 conferences
4. Praised by Greenpeace UK for strong stance on bee-harming pesticides, single-use plastic, and internal combustion engine issues
5. Pressured Boris Johnson to resign as Prime Minister in July 2022; Johnson responded by dismissing him from cabinet
6. Co-Convenor of Vote Leave campaign committee
Information on this page is collected from public sources and may not be 100% accurate. Report an error
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