Hilary Benn 'honoured' to be NI Secretary as Keir Starmer, Simon Harris, Michelle O'Neill and Emma Lyttle-Pengelly 'reset' relations between London, Dublin and Belfast

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Northern Ireland’s first Labour Secretary of State in 14 years, Hilary Benn has said he feels honoured to be appointed to the role, as political leaders in Ireland and Britain speak of resetting relations and working in partnership.

Speaking after his appointment, Mr Benn, the London-born MP for Leeds South, whose Labour predecessors in the role include Mo Mowlam and Peter Hain, said: “It is a great honour to be appointed Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

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"I look forward to working with all the Northern Ireland parties, to upholding the Belfast Good Friday Agreement and to helping Northern Ireland realise its full potential as a fantastic place to live, work and invest.”

Meanwhile newly elected UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer – who met with then Mayor Graham Warke and Foyle MP Colum Eastwood among others when he visited Derry for a number of engagements back in 2021 and who returned last year to address students at St Columb’s College at the invite of the John and Pat Hume Foundation – has issued a statement confirming he has spoke to Irish Taoiseach Simon Harris shortly after his official appointment.

Labour leader and new Prime Minister Keir Starmer visiting Derry's Guildhall and meeting with then Mayor Graham Warke back in 2021.Labour leader and new Prime Minister Keir Starmer visiting Derry's Guildhall and meeting with then Mayor Graham Warke back in 2021.
Labour leader and new Prime Minister Keir Starmer visiting Derry's Guildhall and meeting with then Mayor Graham Warke back in 2021.

A statement from a government spokesperson at 10 Downing Street confirmed that “the Prime Minister updated on his appointment of Hilary Benn as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and said he hoped the change in government in the United Kingdom offered an opportunity for a reset between the two countries”.

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“The Prime Minister said he understood firsthand the importance of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement and underscored his total commitment to protecting it,” the spokesperson said, adding:

“The leaders agreed on the importance of a partnership approach to Anglo-Irish relations, and reflected on the opportunities that could offer both countries.

“Looking ahead to the European Political Community Summit later this month, the Prime Minister said he looked forward to the Taoiseach’s attendance, as well as hosting him ahead of the summit.”

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Hilary Benn is the new Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Picture by Richard Townshend. (via www.https://www.parliament.uk/ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/)Hilary Benn is the new Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Picture by Richard Townshend. (via www.https://www.parliament.uk/ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/)
Hilary Benn is the new Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Picture by Richard Townshend. (via www.https://www.parliament.uk/ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/)

Mirroring those sentiments, a spokesperson for An Taoiseach Simon Harris said that the two leaders spoke of their “shared determination to reset and strengthen the bilateral relationship between Ireland and the United Kingdom and to set about that task with urgency and ambition”.

“The Prime Minister invited Simon Harris to meet him in Downing Street on July 17 and the Taoiseach accepted.

“They discussed Northern Ireland, welcoming the restoration of the Institutions, including the full operation of North South and East West Good Friday Agreement institutions, as well as legacy issues. The Taoiseach welcomed the appointment of Hilary Benn as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

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“The Taoiseach and Prime Minister agreed a closer relationship between Dublin and London was needed and a meaningful reset would require regular engagement between them. They agreed to start work on that immediately and to stay in close contact.”

Keir Starmer addressed St. Columb’s College politics students and students from the Foyle Learning Community as guest of the John and Pat Hume Foundation in Derry in March 2023.Keir Starmer addressed St. Columb’s College politics students and students from the Foyle Learning Community as guest of the John and Pat Hume Foundation in Derry in March 2023.
Keir Starmer addressed St. Columb’s College politics students and students from the Foyle Learning Community as guest of the John and Pat Hume Foundation in Derry in March 2023.

In the north, the First Minister and deputy First Minister also spoke to new Prime Minister and congratulated him on his election success.

Speaking after a phone-call with the Prime Minister, both Ministers said they took the opportunity to raise a number of key issues with him.

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First Minister Michelle O’Neill said: “Today we had the opportunity to speak to the new Prime Minister. We discussed a number of critical issues including the challenging budget situation. We pressed upon him the urgent need for the British Government to put a proper funding model in place so that we can provide the public services our citizens deserve.”

Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly said: “We had a really constructive discussion with the new Prime Minister. We raised a number of key issues including the importance of investment to ensure fiscal stability for Northern Ireland. We also spoke about the benefits of a building a positive working relationship and strengthening the links between the NI Executive and the UK Government moving forward.”

Who is the new Secretary of State?

Hilary Benn has the Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland since 2023 so is well aware of his new portfolio and brief and familiar with and to politics and politicians across Ireland.

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He was born in London in 1953 to respected Labour politican Tony Benn and Caroline Benn. He attended Holland Park Comprehensive School and Sussex University and was elected to Ealing Borough Council in 1979 at the age of 25, becoming Chair of the Education Committee in 1986.

His constituency online biography states that in 1993, he was appointed as Head of Research at Manufacturing, Science, Finance – Britain’s fifth largest trade union – and in 1996 was promoted to the post of Head of Policy and Communications, and from 1994 to 1999, he was Chair of the Management Committee of Unions 21 – a trade union think tank.

He has held various Ministerial positions since then, including Secretary of State for International Development, and it was his idea that resulted in the establishment of the UN central emergency relief fund which now helps the world to respond better to disasters. He also led the UK negotiating team at the 2006 Darfur peace negotiations.

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Following the 2010 General Election Hilary became Shadow Leader of the House of Commons and later appointed as Shadow Secretary of State for the Department of Communities and Local Government in October 2011. He was then appointed Shadow Foreign Secretary following the 2015 General Election and served in that position until June 2016.

In October 2016 he was elected as Chair of the newly formed Exiting the European Union Select Committee and was then Chair of the Select Committee on the Future Relationship with the European Union until January 2021.

In his spare time, the father-of-four and grandfather is a keen gardener who enjoys watching sports.

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Hilary Benn won the Channel 4 Politicians’ Politician Award in 2006, the House Magazine Minister of the Year Award in 2006 and 2007, was the Spectator Parliamentarian of the Year in 2016 and the Political Studies Association Parliamentarian of the Year in 2019.

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