International Affairs Appointments in No.10 and Cabinet Office

The Prime Minister has appointed Lord Frost as his Representative for Brexit and International Policy and head of a new International Policy Unit in No.10. He has asked Lord Frost to lead the UK’s institutional and strategic relationship with the EU, and to help drive through changes to maximise the opportunities of Brexit, including on international trade and economic issues. Lord Frost will work with Sir Stephen to finalise the Integrated Review and will continue to advise on foreign policy issues as necessary. He will take up this new role on 1 February.

Lord Frost has been the Prime Minister’s Chief Negotiator with the EU since July 2019.

The Cabinet Secretary, with the approval of the Prime Minister, has appointed Sir Stephen Lovegrove as National Security Adviser. He will be responsible for managing the foreign, international economic and national security teams within the Cabinet Secretariat and advising the Prime Minister on all matters of international and domestic security. Stephen will take up the role at the end of March.

Sir Stephen Lovegrove has been Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Defence since April 2016. Prior to MoD, he was Permanent Secretary to the Department of Energy and Climate Change.

The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson said:

“I am hugely grateful to Lord Frost for his herculean efforts in securing a deal with the EU, and I am thrilled that he has agreed to be my representative for Brexit and International Policy as we seize the opportunities from our departure from the EU.

“I am also delighted to appoint Sir Stephen Lovegrove as my National Security Adviser. Stephen brings with him a wealth of experience from across Whitehall and in National Security and I look forward to working closely together to deliver this Government’s vision for the UK in the world.”

Lord Frost said:

“I am delighted to take up this new role as the Prime Minister’s Representative on Brexit and International Policy. With a new agreement with the EU in place, we have huge opportunities to boost our wealth and define what we stand for as a country internationally, and I very much look forward to supporting the Prime Minister on this.”

Sir Stephen Lovegrove said:

“It has been an immense privilege to serve as the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defence for the past five years. Working with the whole force – our armed forces, both regular and reserve, civil servants, our suppliers and everyone that makes up the Defence community – has been an honour.

“I am delighted now to be taking up the role of the National Security Adviser. On this broader canvas I aim to deliver the Prime Minister’s vision for an enhanced and more engaged role for the UK in the world, leading the national security community to embrace the opportunities now available to us, while ensuring we are well prepared to deal with the challenges we face.”

Notes to Editors:

• These arrangements represent a change to those provisionally announced in July 2020.
• Lord Frost will continue to be a Special Adviser. He is on leave of absence from the House of Lords.