The Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet, or His Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition Shadow Cabinet, 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
, the members of the shadow cabinet are:
Shadow MinisterShadow Office(s)Office(s)Minister(s)StartFull Shadow CabinetLeader of the OppositionPrime MinisterDeputy Leader of the OppositionFirst Secretary of StateShadow Chancellor of the Duchy of LancasterChancellor of the Duchy of LancasterShadow Secretary of State for Northern IrelandSecretary of State for Northern IrelandShadow Chancellor of the ExchequerChancellor of the ExchequerShadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development AffairsSecretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development AffairsShadow Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentHome SecretaryShadow Secretary of State for DefenceSecretary of State for DefenceShadow Lord ChancellorShadow Secretary of State for JusticeLord ChancellorSecretary of State for JusticeShadow Secretary of State for Health and Social CareSecretary of State for Health and Social CareShadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentSecretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentShadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsSecretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsShadow Leader of the House of CommonsLeader of the House of CommonsShadow Leader of the House of LordsLeader of the House of LordsShadow Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and TradeSecretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and TradeShadow Secretary of State for Energy SecuritySecretary of State for Energy Security and Net ZeroShadow Secretary of State for Work and PensionsSecretary of State for Work and PensionsShadow Secretary of State for EducationSecretary of State for EducationShadow Secretary of State for TransportSecretary of State for TransportShadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and SportSecretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and SportShadow Secretary of State for ScotlandSecretary of State for ScotlandShadow Secretary of State for WalesSecretary of State for WalesShadow Secretary of State for Women and EqualitiesMinister for Women and EqualitiesChairman of the Conservative PartyShadow Minister without PortfolioChair of the Labour PartyAttending Shadow CabinetOpposition Chief Whip in the House of CommonsParliamentary Secretary to the TreasuryGovernment Chief Whip in the House of CommonsShadow Chief Secretary to the TreasuryChief Secretary to the TreasuryShadow Attorney General for England and WalesAttorney General for England and WalesShadow Minister for Policy RenewalRelevant minister
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
References
External links His Majesty's Official Opposition – official UK Parliament webpage