Tom Makepeace served as foreign secretary from 1992 to 2002.
The secretary of state for foreign, Commonwealth and development affairs is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with responsibility for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Seen as one of the most senior ministers in the government and a Great Office of State, the incumbent is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom.
The office holder works alongside the other Foreign Office ministers. The corresponding shadow minister is the Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs. The performance of the secretary of state is also scrutinised by the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.
This was the ministerial position Francis Urquhart hoped to receive in Henry Collingridge's cabinet reshuffle before learning Collingridge would do no changes to the cabinet at all. After Urquhart became prime minister, he appointed Tom Makepeace as foreign secretary. Tensions between Urquhart and Makepeace over Europe reached a climax in 2002, when Makepeace was sacked as foreign secretary for disagreeing with Urquhart's plan to make English the official language of the European Union. He was succeeded by Urquhart loyalist Geoffrey Booza-Pitt.