The shadow secretary of state for education, also called the shadow education secretary, is an office in the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet responsible for Opposition policy on education and for holding the secretary of state for education, junior education ministers, and the Department for Education to account.

Departments shadowed Ministry of Education (1944–1964) Department of Education and Science (1964–1992) Department for Education (1992–1995, 2010–present) Department for Education and Employment (1995–2001) Department for Education and Skills (2001–2007) Department for Children, Schools and Families (2007–2010)

List of shadow secretaries of state Shadow Minister of EducationShadow Secretary Took office Left office Political party Shadow Cabinet Michael Stewart 15 July 1955 16 November 1959 Labour Attlee Gaitskell Tony Greenwood 16 November 1959 14 October 1960 Labour Eirene White 14 October 1960 28 November 1960 Labour Fred Willey 28 November 1960 1 April 1964 Labour WilsonShadow Secretary of State for Education and ScienceShadow Secretary Took office Left office Political party Shadow Cabinet Fred Willey 1 April 1964 16 October 1964 Labour Wilson Quintin Hogg 16 October 1964 16 February 1965Conservative Douglas-Home Sir Edward Boyle 16 February 1965 15 October 1969 Heath Margaret Thatcher 21 October 1969 20 June 1970 Edward Short 20 June 1970 6 December 1972 Labour Wilson II Roy Hattersley 6 December 1972 5 March 1974 William van Straubenzee 12 March 1974 12 June 1974Conservative Heath II Norman St John-Stevas 12 June 1974 6 November 1978 Thatcher Mark Carlisle 6 November 1978 4 May 1979 Gordon OakesSecretary of State for Education and Science Shirley Williams lost her seat in the General Election. 4 May 1979 14 July 1979 LabourCallaghan Neil Kinnock 14 July 1979 2 October 1983Foot Giles Radice 2 October 1983 13 July 1987 Kinnock Jack Straw 13 July 1987 18 July 1992Shadow Secretary of State for EducationShadow Secretary Took office Left office Political party Shadow Cabinet Ann Taylor 18 July 1992 20 October 1994 Labour Smith Beckett David Blunkett 20 October 1994 19 October 1995 BlairShadow Secretary of State for Education and EmploymentShadow Secretary Took office Left office Political Party Shadow Cabinet David Blunkett 19 October 1995 2 May 1997 Labour Blair Gillian Shephard 2 May 1997 11 June 1997 ConservativeMajor Stephen Dorrell 11 June 1997 15 June 1998 Hague David Willetts 1 June 1998 15 June 1999 Theresa May 15 June 1999 18 September 2001Shadow Secretary of State for Education and SkillsShadow Secretary Took office Left office Political party Shadow Cabinet Damian Green 18 September 2001 11 November 2003 ConservativeDuncan Smith Tim Yeo 11 November 2003 14 July 2004 Howard Tim Collins 14 July 2004 5 May 2005 David Cameron 10 May 2005 6 December 2005David Willetts 8 December 2005 3 July 2007CameronShadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and FamiliesShadow Secretary Took office Left office Political party Shadow Cabinet Michael Gove 3 July 2007 11 May 2010ConservativeCameronShadow Secretary of State for EducationShadow Secretary Took office Left office Political party Shadow Cabinet Ed Balls 12 May 2010 8 October 2010 Labour Harman Andy Burnham 8 October 2010 7 October 2011 Miliband Stephen Twigg 7 October 2011 7 October 2013 Tristram Hunt 7 October 2013 14 September 2015 Harman II Lucy Powell 14 September 2015 26 June 2016 Corbyn Pat Glass 27 June 2016 29 June 2016 Angela Rayner 1 July 2016 5 April 2020Rebecca Long-Bailey6 April 202025 June 2020StarmerKate Green27 June 202029 November 2021Bridget Phillipson29 November 20215 July 2024Damian Hinds8 July 20244 November 2024ConservativeSunakLaura Trott4 November 2024IncumbentBadenoch

See also Official Opposition frontbench

References

Notes