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Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet (United Kingdom) facts for kids

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The Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet, or His Majesty’s Most Loyal Opposition Shadow Cabinet, but usually simply the Shadow Cabinet, is the committee of senior members of the Official Opposition who scrutinise the work of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom. Each Shadow Cabinet member is typically given a position which corresponds to that of a government minister in Cabinet.

Composition

Shadow Cabinet members, commonly known as shadow ministers, are usually appointed by the leader of the Opposition (currently Kemi Badenoch). The roles of shadow ministers are to develop alternative policies, hold the government to account for its actions and responses, and act as spokespeople for the opposition party in their own specific policy areas. By convention, shadow ministers are drawn either from serving members of the House of Commons or the House of Lords, with most chosen from the former. Since July 2024, the Conservative Party has been the Official Opposition, and its leadership therefore forms the current Shadow Cabinet.

Not all opposition frontbenchers are members of the Shadow Cabinet, which is composed of the most senior opposition members (usually they number around twenty).

The leader of the Opposition, the Opposition chief whip and Opposition deputy chief whip are the only members of the Official Opposition in the House of Commons to be paid for their opposition roles in addition to their salaries as members of Parliament. The leader of the Opposition and the Opposition chief whip in the House of Lords also receive a salary.

Other parties may also form frontbench teams of spokespeople which may be referred to as shadow cabinets by the party (e.g. the Liberal Democrats in 2019), but these are not part of the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet.

Current Shadow Cabinet

As of November 2024, the members of the shadow cabinet are:

His Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition Shadow Cabinet
Shadow Minister
Constituency
Office(s) Shadows
Shadow Cabinet ministers
Official portrait of Kemi Badenoch MP crop 2, 2024.jpg Kemi Badenoch

MP for North West Essex

Leader of the Opposition Prime Minister
Mel Stride Official Cabinet Portrait, October 2022 (cropped).jpg Mel Stride

MP for Central Devon

Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer Chancellor of the Exchequer
Official portrait of Rt Hon Priti Patel MP crop 2.jpg Priti Patel

MP for Witham

Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs
Official portrait of Chris Philp MP crop 2, 2024.jpg Chris Philp

MP for Croydon South

Shadow Home Secretary Home Secretary
Official portrait of James Cartlidge MP crop 2, 2024.jpg James Cartlidge

MP for South Suffolk

Shadow Secretary of State for Defence Secretary of State for Defence
Official portrait of Robert Jenrick MP crop 2, 2024.jpg Robert Jenrick

MP for Newark

Shadow Secretary of State for Justice Secretary of State for Justice
Official portrait of Alan Mak crop 2.jpg Alan Mak

MP for Havant

Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
Official portrait of Edward Argar MP crop 2.jpg Edward Argar

MP for Melton and Syston

Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Official portrait of Kevin Hollinrake MP crop 2.jpg Kevin Hollinrake

MP for Thirsk and Malton

Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
Victoria Atkins Official Cabinet Portrait, November 2023 (cropped).jpg Victoria Atkins

MP for Louth and Horncastle

Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Official portrait of Rt Hon Jesse Norman MP crop 2.jpg Jesse Norman

MP for Hereford and South Herefordshire

Shadow Leader of the House of Commons Leader of the House of Commons
Lord True Official Cabinet Portrait, October 2022 (cropped).jpg The Lord True Shadow Leader of the House of Lords Leader of the House of Lords
Official portrait of Andrew Griffith MP crop 2, 2024.jpg Andrew Griffith

MP for Arundel and South Downs

Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade Secretary of State for Business and Trade
Official portrait of Claire Coutinho MP crop 2, 2024.jpg Claire Coutinho

MP for East Surrey

Shadow Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero

Shadow Minister for Equalities

Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero

Minister for Women and Equalities

Official portrait of Helen Whately MP crop 2, 2024.jpg Helen Whately

MP for Faversham and Mid Kent

Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
Laura Trott Official Cabinet Portrait, November 2023 (cropped).jpg Laura Trott

MP for Sevenoaks

Shadow Secretary of State for Education Secretary of State for Education
Official portrait of Mr Gareth Bacon MP crop 2.jpg Gareth Bacon

MP for Orpington

Shadow Secretary of State for Transport Secretary of State for Transport
Official portrait of Stuart Andrew MP crop 2.jpg Stuart Andrew

MP for Daventry

Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Official portrait of Alex Burghart crop 2.jpg Alex Burghart

MP for Brentwood and Ongar

Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

Official portrait of Andrew Bowie MP crop 2.jpg Andrew Bowie

MP for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine

Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland Secretary of State for Scotland
Mims Davies.jpg Mims Davies

MP for East Grinstead and Uckfield

Shadow Secretary of State for Wales

Shadow Minister for Women

Secretary of State for Wales

Minister for Women and Equalities

Official portrait of Rebecca Harris MP crop 2.jpg Rebecca Harris

MP for Castle Point

Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Commons Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury
Official portrait of Richard Fuller MP crop 2, 2024.jpg Richard Fuller

MP for North East Bedfordshire

Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Richard Holden Official Cabinet Portrait, November 2023 (cropped).jpg Richard Holden

MP for Basildon and Billericay

Shadow Paymaster General Paymaster General

See also

  • His Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition (United Kingdom)
  • Official Opposition frontbench
  • List of British shadow cabinets
  • List of shadow holders of the Great Offices of State
  • Cabinet of the United Kingdom
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