From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Official Loyal Opposition Shadow Cabinet (normally referred to simply as 'The Shadow Cabinet') is, in British parliamentary practice, a group of members from Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition whose job it is to scrutinise their opposite numbers in government and come up with alternative policies. Since the Conservative Party has been, since 1997, Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition, its leadership therefore forms the current Shadow Cabinet.
Not every Conservative frontbench spokesman is a member of the Shadow Cabinet, which represents the most senior spokesmen only (usually around 20).
In recent years the Liberal Democrats have started to style their senior front-bench team as a Shadow Cabinet although convention has usually only applied the title to the senior front-bench team of the principle opposition party.
[edit] The Current Shadow Cabinet
As of May 2006, the current shadow cabinet is:
| Portfolio
| Shadow Minister
|
| Leader of the Opposition
| The Rt Hon. David Cameron, MP
|
| Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
| George Osborne, MP
|
| Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Senior Member of the Shadow Cabinet
| The Rt Hon. William Hague, MP
|
| Shadow Home Secretary
| The Rt Hon. David Davis, MP
|
| Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
| Dr Liam Fox, MP
|
| Chairman of the Conservative Party and Shadow Minister without Portfolio
| The Rt Hon. Francis Maude, MP
|
| Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
| The Rt Hon. Theresa May, MP
|
| Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
| The Rt Hon. The Lord Strathclyde, PC
|
| Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Skills
| David Willetts, MP
|
| Shadow Secretary of State for Health
| Andrew Lansley, CBE, MP
|
| Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
| Chris Grayling, MP
|
| Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
| Alan Duncan, MP
|
| Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
| David Lidington, MP
|
| Shadow Secretary of State for Wales
| Cheryl Gillan, MP
|
| Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland
| David Mundell, MP
|
| Shadow Secretary of State for International Development
| Andrew Mitchell, MP
|
| Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
| Theresa Villiers, MP
|
| Shadow Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs and
Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
| Oliver Heald, MP
|
| Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
| Philip Hammond MP
|
| Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
| Peter Ainsworth, MP
|
| Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
| Caroline Spelman, MP
|
| Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
| Hugo Swire, MP
|
| Chief Whip (Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury)
| Patrick McLoughlin, MP
|
| Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords
| The Rt Hon The Lord Cope of Berkeley
|
| Chairman of the Policy Review and
Chairman of the Conservative Research Department
| The Rt Hon. Oliver Letwin, MP
|
[edit] External Link
Shadow Cabinet Page
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
