What jobs did Michael Gove do in government, and how well did he do them?

Politics Explained: Jon Stone looks at Gove’s record, from education secretary to levelling-up secretary

Cabinet minister Michael Gove announced in 2019 that Leon restaurant co-founder Henry Dimbleby was to lead a review into England’s food system (PA)

Michael Gove has said he is leaving government and doesn’t expect to return. The MP has had a relatively long career in front-line line politics. Let's run down what he's done.

Education secretary (2010-2014)

When the Tories entered government in coalition with the Liberal Democrats, Michael Gove was made education secretary.

His approach made him many enemies in the teaching profession, and he faced a number of no-confidence votes from unions representing teachers and headteachers.

He did get a lot done: introducing free schools, ramping up the academy programme and changing the focus of the curriculum. He also cancelled a planned school estate improvement programme, upsetting many.

Chief whip (2014-2015)

After being moved from education, Mr Gove was appointed chief whip, a position he held for less than a year.

The move was regarded in the press as a demotion, coming with a pay cut and fewer direct responsibilities over policy.

Polls at this time suggested he was the least popular Tory politician in the country, having come out of a bruising four years at the DfE.

Justice secretary (2015-2016)

Mr Gove returned to a ministerial job in 2015 when he was appointed justice secretary.

He won plaudits in the role for cancelling some of the policies of his predecessor, Chris Grayling, including court fees and restrictions on how many books prisoners could keep.

Environment secretary (2017-2019)

After a prominent role in the Brexit referendum, Mr Gove was appointed environment secretary by Theresa May.

He immediately set about burnishing the Tories’ animal welfare credentials after a surprise bad result at the 2017 election highlighted weaknesses in this area.

As environment secretary he won the praise of environment groups for some of his work, including bans on neonicotinoid pesticides, microplastics and the use of wild animals in circuses.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (2019-2021)

Mr Gove’s appointment as “CDL” effectively made him deputy prime minister.

He went where he was needed, taking a key role in no-deal Brexit preparations and later having a seat at the top table on the government’s Covid-19 response.

Levelling-up secretary (2021-2022)

When Boris Johnson created a new levelling-up department to enact his manifesto policy (and take over the responsibilities of the old communities department), Mr Gove was appointed to lead it.

He won praise for his interventions in the cladding leaseholder scandal and pushed forward some improvements to renters’ rights.

But he did not stay in the post long: he was sacked by Mr Johnson during the prime minister’s cabinet meltdown. He had reportedly been urging his one-time Vote Leave colleague to step down on his own accord.