Chris Bryant, Northern Ireland’s Secretary: The Priest to Be, the Secretary to Act

Chris Bryant, Northern Ireland’s Secretary, is a surprise for the UK. The Labor Prime Minister has replaced the Cabinet Secretary for Northern Ireland, a controversial move. The previous candidate was Hilary Benn, an experienced politician, whereas Chris Bryant is a completely different figure. Chris Bryant’s appointment to the Northern Ireland Ministry reflects more the limitations of Andy Burnham’s new cabinet than a precise strategic choice.

Perhaps Bryant’s only real strength is his departure from Hilary Benn’s cautious, bureaucratic style. Benn was respected, had a more professional diplomatic demeanor, and had managed to partially repair relations between Northern Ireland and Westminster after years of tension with the London government.

Surprising Departure of Benn-Surprising Election of Bryant, the Priest

Chris Bryant replaced Hilary Benn as Northern Ireland secretary. It happened following a major cabinet reshuffle by new UK prime minister Andy Burnham. Benn’s removal was regarded as a surprise in Northern Ireland. Earlier this month, he began a “program of work” with the UK Treasury and Northern political parties. The plan was over the funding crisis facing public services and the Stormont executive’s failure to agree a multi-year budget. But he faced criticism in some quarters for seeking to change the resulting legislation to support British Army veterans.

Bryant, a Rhondda and Ogmore MP and former minister for trade and labour under former UK prime minister Keir Starmer, previously served as an Anglican priest before he was first elected to parliament in 2001.

Chris Bryant, Northern Ireland’s Secretary: A First-Timer to Be

Chris Bryant, Northern Ireland’s Secretary, has been an Anglican priest and an esteemed author. He is the first MP to have a same-sex civil partnership ceremony in Westminster. Now Sir Chris Bryant adds to his already colorful CV the job of Northern Ireland secretary.  BBC asked how he had got the job. He jokingly replied that he had no idea and admitted the task ahead was “daunting”.

Bryant was briefly a Europe minister in the Brown government. He held several junior minister roles when Labor returned to power under Sir Keir Starmer in 2024. He has most recently served in the Department for Business and Trade. Speaking to the BBC’s Political Thinking in 2021, he joked he had “careered from career to career” before finding politics and sticking at it. While it appears to have served him well, Andy Burnham’s decision to give him the Northern Ireland portfolio is the first time Bryant has held a cabinet job.

Chris Bryant, Northern Ireland’s Secretary, Vs. Mo Mowlam

Some in Westminster circles have begun comparing his personality to the late Mo Mowlam. She was Labour’s no-nonsense Northern Ireland secretary during the talks leading to the Good Friday Agreement. Her reputation for straight-talking matched her sharp one-liners in the media.

Kitty Donaldson is the chief political commentator at The i Paper. She said he could be a “sarcastic” character but also a very “positive” person. He is comfortable sharing his personal life with the public. “He sees injustice as the big campaign structure of his life, and I think he’ll be a breath of fresh air. Hilary Benn was a lovely bloke, but by no means as combative as Chris Bryant, so I think you’re in for some fun,” said Donaldson. But this is not 1998. Moreover, the challenges Northern Ireland faces now differ in many ways from those Mowlam had to deal with.

Chris Bryant: Brexit ‘Never, never, never’

Ideas about Chris Bryant, Northern Ireland’s Secretary, are different. One Stormont source remarked that Bryant would probably “fall out with everybody”. They pointed to the reputation he has developed during his 25 years as an MP. Another MP described him as “surprisingly sincere”. They added he might have the right skillset for Northern Ireland and “not tolerating the same old failing” approach.

But he may have bridges to build with some in the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). They may not have forgotten that, back in 2017, Sir Chris was among LGBT Labour MPs. Those MPs came out against the confidence-and-supply deal between the DUP and Theresa May’s Conservative government. In fact, it was due to the DUP’s opposition to same-sex marriage and abortion. During those turbulent years of Brexit negotiations, Sir Chris also loudly displayed his pro-EU credentials. At one point he said in a Commons speech that Brexit would not be done in his name. Moreover, he added: “Never, never, never.” Of course Brexit did happen. He is now in a government dealing with the out workings of those arrangements.

No political honeymoon for Chris Bryant at Northern Ireland Office

Hilary Benn was a shock departure from the British government’s team at the Northern Ireland Office. His successor Chris Bryant will quickly discover that political honeymoons don’t really exist in Northern Ireland. Sinn Féin, the DUP and others were out of the blocks very quickly to offer advice on how he should approach the job. The parties at Stormont seldom agree on anything. However, when it comes to money, they have repeatedly pointed an accusing finger at Westminster. They accused it of short-changing Northern Ireland and being responsible for failings and shortcomings in its health service and other areas.

Chris Bryant, Northern Ireland’s Secretary, will also have to carefully navigate an increasingly fractious relationship between Sinn Féin and the DUP at Stormont. A Downing Street spokesperson said Burnham had calls with the First Minister of Scotland. He also called the First Minister of Wales and the First Minister and Deputy First Minister at Stormont today. Chris Bryant will have to tread that minefield carefully. The fact that he was a committed Remainer, and has made it clear that he remains so, will sit well with Sinn Féin and the SDLP. However, it does not fit with unionists, as the debate over the impact of the Irish Sea Border rumbles on.