Hilary Benn

Hilary James Wedgwood Benn (born 26 November 1953) is an English politician. He was born in Hammersmith, west London. He previously held the position of Shadow Leader of the House of Commons. He has been serving as the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland since 2024. He is the Member of Parliament for the Leeds Central constituency in the United Kingdom. He was first elected in 1999 in a by-election. He is a member of the Labour Party. He is the middle son of Tony Benn (1925-2014) and Caroline Benn (1926-2000).

The Right Honourable Hilary Benn MP
Official portrait, 2024
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Incumbent
Assumed office 5 July 2024
Prime Minister	Keir Starmer
Preceded by	Chris Heaton-Harris
Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
In office 4 September 2023 – 5 July 2024
Leader	Keir Starmer
Preceded by	Peter Kyle
Chair of the Committee on the Future Relationship with the European Union
In office 19 October 2016 – 16 January 2021
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Office abolished
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
In office 28 June 2007 – 11 May 2010
Prime Minister	Gordon Brown
Preceded by	David Miliband
Succeeded by	Caroline Spelman
Secretary of State for International Development
In office 6 October 2003 – 28 June 2007
Prime Minister	Tony Blair
Preceded by	The Baroness Amos
Succeeded by	Douglas Alexander
Shadow Cabinet portfolios Shadow Foreign Secretary Acting 11 May 2015 – 26 June 2016 Leader Harriet Harman (Acting) Jeremy Corbyn Preceded by Douglas Alexander Succeeded by Emily Thornberry Shadow First Secretary of State In office 11 May 2015 – 13 September 2015 Leader Harriet Harman (Acting) Preceded by Harriet Harman (Shadow Deputy Prime Minister) Succeeded by Angela Eagle Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government In office 7 October 2011 – 11 May 2015 Leader Ed Miliband Preceded by Caroline Flint Succeeded by Emma Reynolds Shadow Leader of the House of Commons In office 8 October 2010 – 7 October 2011 Leader Ed Miliband Preceded by Rosie Winterton Succeeded by Angela Eagle Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs In office 11 May 2010 – 8 October 2010 Leader Harriet Harman (Acting) Ed Miliband Preceded by Nick Herbert Succeeded by Mary Creagh
Junior ministerial offices Minister of State for International Development In office 13 May 2003 – 6 October 2003 Prime Minister Tony Blair Preceded by Sally Keeble Succeeded by Gareth Thomas Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Prisons and Probations In office 29 May 2002 – 13 May 2003 Prime Minister Tony Blair Preceded by Keith Bradley Succeeded by Fiona Mactaggart Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development In office 11 June 2001 – 28 May 2002 Prime Minister Tony Blair Preceded by Chris Mullin Succeeded by Sally Keeble
Member of Parliament for Leeds Central
In office 10 June 1999 – 30 June 2024
Preceded by	Derek Fatchett
Succeeded by	Alex Sobel
Majority	19,270 (39.1%)
Member of Parliament for Leeds South
Incumbent
Assumed office 5 July 2024
Preceded by	Constituency Established
Majority	11,279 (54.0%)
Personal details
Born	Hilary James Wedgwood Benn (1953-11-26) 26 November 1953 Hammersmith, London, England
Political party	Labour
Spouse(s)	Rosalind Retey ​ ​ (m. 1973; died 1979)​ Sally Clark ​ ​ (m. 1982)​
Children	4
Parents	Tony Benn Caroline DeCamp
Alma mater	University of Sussex