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Shadow Leader
of the House of Commons
House of Commons of the United Kingdom logo 2018.svg
Incumbent
Vacant

since 5 July 2024
Appointer Leader of the Opposition
Website The Shadow Cabinet

The Shadow Leader of the House of Commons is a member of the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet responsible for working with the Leader of the House in arranging Commons business and holding the Government to account in its overall management of the House. The Shadow Leader also responds to the Business Statement of Leader of House each Thursday, though the Leader of the Opposition exercised this role until the late 1980s. The office is roughly equivalent to the Shadow Leader of the House of Lords.

Shadow Leaders

Name Portrait Took office Left office Political party Leader of the Opposition
Herbert Morrison HerbertMorrison2.jpg 1951 c. 1955 Labour Clement Attlee
Unknown Labour Hugh Gaitskell
George Brown
Harold Wilson
Selwyn Lloyd Selwyn Lloyd cropped.jpg 16 October 1964 4 August 1965 Conservative Alec Douglas-Home
Unknown/Vacant 4 August 1965 19 June 1970 Conservative Edward Heath
Fred Peart No image.svg 19 June 1970 16 December 1971 Labour Harold Wilson
Michael Foot Michael Foot (1981).jpg 16 December 1971 6 December 1972 Labour
Edward Short No image.svg 6 December 1972 4 March 1974 Labour
James Prior No image.svg 4 March 1974 29 October 1974 Conservative Edward Heath
John Peyton No image.svg 29 October 1974 19 November 1976 Conservative
Margaret Thatcher
Francis Pym Francis Leslie Pym.jpg 19 November 1976 Approx. 20 November 1978 Conservative
Norman St John-Stevas Approx. 20 November 1978 5 May 1979 Conservative
Michael Foot Michael Foot (1981).jpg 4 May 1979 8 December 1980 Labour James Callaghan
John Silkin No image.svg 8 December 1980 30 October 1983 Labour Michael Foot
Peter Shore No image.svg 30 October 1983 13 July 1987 Labour Neil Kinnock
Frank Dobson Frank Dobson MP, crop.jpg 13 July 1987 2 November 1989 Labour
John Cunningham No image.svg 2 November 1989 24 July 1992 Labour
Margaret Beckett Official portrait of Rt Hon Margaret Beckett MP crop 2.jpg 24 July 1992 13 May 1994 Labour John Smith
Nick Brown
(Acting)
Official portrait of Rt Hon Nicholas Brown MP crop 2.jpg 13 May 1994 21 July 1994 Labour Margaret Beckett
Margaret Beckett Official portrait of Rt Hon Margaret Beckett MP crop 2.jpg 21 July 1994 20 October 1994 Labour Tony Blair
Ann Taylor Official portrait of Baroness Taylor of Bolton crop 2, 2019.jpg 20 October 1994 2 May 1997 Labour
Alastair Goodlad Official portrait of Lord Goodlad crop 2.jpg May 1997 30 June 1997 Conservative John Major
Gillian Shephard Official portrait of Baroness Shephard of Northwold crop 2.jpg 30 June 1997 2 June 1998 Conservative William Hague
Sir George Young Official portrait of Lord Young of Cookham, 2020.jpg 1 June 1998 22 September 2000 Conservative
Angela Browning Official portrait of Baroness Browning crop 2.jpg 26 September 2000 18 September 2001 Conservative
Eric Forth 18 September 2001 10 November 2003 Conservative Iain Duncan Smith
Oliver Heald Official portrait of Rt Hon Sir Oliver Heald QC MP crop 2.jpg 10 November 2003 10 May 2005 Conservative Michael Howard
Chris Grayling Official portrait of Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP crop 2.jpg 10 May 2005 8 December 2005 Conservative
Theresa May Theresa May - Home Secretary and minister for women and equality.jpg 8 December 2005 19 January 2009 Conservative David Cameron
Alan Duncan Official portrait of Sir Alan Duncan crop 2.jpg 19 January 2009 7 September 2009 Conservative
Sir George Young Official portrait of Lord Young of Cookham, 2020.jpg 8 September 2009 11 May 2010 Conservative
Rosie Winterton Official portrait of Rosie Winterton MP.jpg 12 May 2010 8 October 2010 Labour Harriet Harman
Hilary Benn Official portrait of Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP crop 2.jpg 8 October 2010 7 October 2011 Labour Ed Miliband
Angela Eagle Official portrait of Ms Angela Eagle MP crop 2.jpg 7 October 2011 13 September 2015 Labour
Harriet Harman
Chris Bryant Official portrait of Chris Bryant crop 2.jpg 13 September 2015 26 June 2016 Labour Jeremy Corbyn
Paul Flynn 4 July 2016 6 October 2016 Labour
Valerie Vaz Official portrait of Rt Hon Valerie Vaz MP crop 2.jpg 6 October 2016 9 May 2021 Labour
Sir Keir Starmer
Thangam Debbonaire Official portrait of Thangam Debbonaire MP crop 2.jpg 9 May 2021 4 September 2023 Labour
Lucy Powell Official portrait of Lucy Powell MP crop 2.jpg 4 September 2023 5 July 2024 Labour

See also

  • Opposition House Leader (Canada)
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