Barclay, an MP since 2010, had taken on a series of roles before Theresa May made him Brexit secretary in 2018 following David Davis’ resignation in protest at May’s planned European Union (EU) departure deal.
Educated at King Edward VII School in Lytham St Annes Lancashire before reading history at Peterhouse, Cambridge, Barclay later studied law at the College of Law, Chester.
Before entering politics, the new health secretary had qualified as a solicitor in 1998. He worked as an insurance company lawyer for AXA Insurance, as a regulator for the Financial Services Authority, and as Director of Regulatory Affairs and then Head of Anti-Money Laundering and Sanctions at Barclays Retail Bank.
He was Minister of State for the Department of Health and Social Care from where he was responsible for NHS workforce, finance, efficiency from January to November 2018.
Barclay was Economic Secretary to the Treasury from June 2017 to January 2018. He had also served as a Government Whip (Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury) from July 2016 to June 2017.
He added, “This government is investing more than ever before in our NHS and care services to beat the COVID backlogs, recruit 50,000 more nurses, reform social care and ensure patients across the country can access the care they need.”