Theresa May | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Home Secretary | |
| In office 12 May 2010 – 13 July 2016 | |
| Prime Minister | David Cameron |
| Preceded by | Alan Johnson |
| Succeeded by | Amber Rudd |
| Minister for Women and Equalities | |
| Prime Minister | David Cameron |
| Preceded by | Harriet Harman |
| Succeeded by | Maria Miller |
Theresa May served as home secretary from 2010 until 2016. As a member of David Cameron's first government May was appointed as home secretary on 12 May 2010, shortly after Cameron became prime minister, and continued in the post as part of the Cameron's second government following the 2015 general election. She held the post until she succeeded Cameron as prime minister on 13 July 2016. May was the second woman to be appointed as home secretary after Jacqui Smith, and the fourth woman to hold one of the Great Offices of State.
The longest-serving home secretary since James Chuter Ede over 60 years previously, May pursued reform of the Police Federation, implemented a harder line on drugs policy including banning khat and brought in further restrictions on immigration. She oversaw the introduction of elected police and crime commissioners, police investigations including Operation Yewtree, the deportation of Abu Qatada and the creation of the College of Policing and the National Crime Agency.