- In full:
- Philip Hammond, Baron Hammond of Runnymede
- Born:
- December 4, 1955, Epping, Essex, England (age 70)
- Title / Office:
- Chancellor of the Exchequer (2016-), United Kingdom
- Political Affiliation:
- Conservative Party
- Role In:
- Brexit
Philip Hammond
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Who is Philip Hammond?
Philip Hammond, born December 4, 1955, is a British Conservative Party politician. He served as foreign minister (2014–16) under Prime Minister David Cameron and chancellor of the Exchequer (2016–19) under Prime Minister Theresa May.
After earning a degree in philosophy, politics, and economics from University College, Oxford, Hammond worked in property, energy, and health care. He was elected to Parliament in 1997 as MP for Runnymede and Weybridge. Hammond held a number of shadow posts until the Conservative Party was elected to government in 2010, when Prime Minister Cameron appointed him transport secretary.
In July 2014, he became foreign secretary and in July 2016, he became chancellor of the Exchequer. Hammond stepped down in late July 2019 and continued to serve in the House of Commons until November 2019.
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What positions has Philip Hammond held in the UK government?
Philip Hammond held several prominent positions in the UK government. He was the transport secretary starting in 2010, before becoming defense secretary in 2011. In 2014, he was appointed foreign minister, and then in 2016, he became chancellor of the Exchequer under Prime Minister Theresa May. Hammond stepped down in late July 2019, before Boris Johnson became prime minister.
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Which political party does Philip Hammond belong to?
Philip Hammond is a British Conservative Party politician. He served as foreign minister from 2014 to 2016 under Prime Minister David Cameron and as chancellor of the Exchequer from 2016 to 2019 under Prime Minister Theresa May. Hammond was elected to Parliament in 1997 as a member of Parliament for Runnymede and Weybridge. He held a number of shadow posts until the Conservative Party was elected to government in 2010, when Prime Minister Cameron appointed him transport secretary. Hammond stepped down in late July 2019, and he continued to serve in the House of Commons until November 2019.
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What was Philip Hammond known for as Chancellor of the Exchequer?
As Chancellor of the Exchequer (2016–19) under Prime Minister Theresa May, Philip Hammond, though a supporter of Brexit, cautioned against the potential serious economic damage of leaving the EU without an agreement.
During his tenure, Hammond, who was known for being hardworking and detail-oriented, treated the challenges of Brexit as practical rather than ideological. He stepped down as Chancellor in late July 2019, before Boris Johnson, who favored a no-deal Brexit, became prime minister.
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How did Philip Hammond’s views on Brexit influence his role in government?
Philip Hammond, a prominent Conservative Party politician, served as chancellor of the Exchequer under Prime Minister Theresa May following the Brexit referendum. Although he supported Brexit, Hammond cautioned against the potential for severe economic harm if an exit agreement was not secured. His pragmatic, detail-oriented approach led him to treat Brexit as a practical challenge rather than an ideological crusade. Hammond stepped down in late July 2019, before Boris Johnson, who favored a no-deal Brexit, became prime minister.
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What are some major policies or actions associated with Philip Hammond during his political career?
During his political career, Philip Hammond held significant roles in the UK government. As transport secretary starting in 2010, he demonstrated a strong grasp of financial data. In 2011, he became defense secretary, where he managed budget cuts and oversaw troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.
As foreign minister starting in 2014, Hammond adopted a practical approach to negotiations with EU members. In 2016, he became chancellor of the Exchequer under Theresa May, where he supported Brexit but cautioned against the economic risks of not reaching an exit agreement. He stepped down in late July 2019.
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Philip Hammond (born December 4, 1955, Epping, Essex, England) is a British Conservative Party politician who served as foreign minister (2014–16) under Prime Minister David Cameron and chancellor of the Exchequer (2016–19) under Prime Minister Theresa May.
After graduating (1977) from University College, Oxford, with a first-class degree in philosophy, politics, and economics, Hammond pursued a varied business career. Over a 20-year period his professional interests ranged from property to energy and health care. He also gained overseas experience, undertaking assignments for the World Bank in Latin America and, for two years in the mid-1990s, serving as a consultant to Malawi’s government.
Hammond was elected to Parliament in 1997 as MP for Runnymede and Weybridge, a safe Conservative constituency to the southwest of London. Within a year he was appointed a shadow minister in opposition to the Labour government led by Prime Minister Tony Blair. Hammond held a number of shadow posts under successive Conservative leaders until his party was elected to government in 2010, whereupon Prime Minister Cameron appointed him transport secretary. (Though Hammond had expected to become chief secretary to the Treasury, a position that would have put him in overall charge of all public spending, under the Conservatives’ coalition agreement with the Liberal Democrats that post was among those allocated to the smaller party.)
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As transport secretary, Hammond proved to be hardworking, undemonstrative, and able to absorb detailed information, especially financial data. When Liam Fox resigned suddenly as defense secretary in October 2011, Cameron asked Hammond to accept the post. The United Kingdom’s defense budget was being cut as part of the government-wide strategy to reduce public spending, and Cameron acknowledged that he needed someone whose mastery of a spreadsheet was as great as his ability to grasp the complexities of military strategy. Hammond oversaw much of the U.K. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. He also established himself as a leading figure on the right of the party, advocating significant cuts to welfare spending, opposing same-sex marriage, and declaring that he would rather see the United Kingdom leave the EU if reforms were not initiated.
When Foreign Secretary William Jefferson Hague resigned in July 2014, Hammond was unexpectedly appointed his successor. Given that he was a Euroskeptic, the move appeared to indicate a more hawkish approach to the coming negotiations with other EU members. However, it quickly became clear that the detail-oriented Hammond would treat the issue as a practical challenge rather than an ideological crusade. When Theresa May became Conservative Party leader and prime minister in July 2016 following Cameron’s resignation in the wake of his failure to persuade Britons to vote against leaving the EU (Brexit) in a June referendum, she named Hammond chancellor of the Exchequer. Although he supported Brexit, he warned of serious economic damage if an exit agreement was not reached. After repeatedly failing to pass such a deal, May announced in 2019 that she would resign, and Boris Johnson, who favoured a no-deal Brexit, soon emerged as a front-runner to win the leadership race. Hammond stepped down in late July 2019, shortly before Johnson became prime minister.
Hammond continued to serve in the House of Commons until November 2019. The following year he was elevated to the House of Lords when he was made a life peer.