Government minister James Brokenshire stands down to concentrate on fight against cancer

Minister developed tumour despite never having been smoker

Security minister James Brokenshire has announced he is standing down from the government to concentrate on his fight against cancer.

The Old Bexley and Sidcup MP resigned as Northern Ireland secretary in 2018 for surgery to remove a lesion on his right lung, but returned to Theresa May’s cabinet later that year as housing secretary and joined the Home Office under Boris Johnson in 2020.

He announced in January he was taking a leave of absence from ministerial duties for surgery on a tumour.

But in a letter to Mr Johnson, he today said that his recovery from treatment and return to full duties was “taking longer than anticipated”.

“I have therefore concluded that it is best that I stand down from my ministerial role and focus on restoring my health,” he said.

Mr Brokenshire said he hoped “to be able to serve again in some way in the future”.

The 53-year-old father-of-three has previously said that his lung cancer diagnosis came as a “jolt” as he had never smoked.

In a letter accepting his resignation from the government, Mr Johnson said: “I look forward to welcoming you back as soon as possible.”