The shadow secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport (DCMS), previously the shadow secretary of state for national heritage and shadow secretary of state for culture, media and sport, is a position in the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet.
The shadow secretary of state is the opposite number to the secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport, holding them and their department to account. They are the lead opposition spokesperson on culture, media and sport issues.
The post was created in 1992 after John Major established the Department of National Heritage and secretary of state for national heritage, with the opposition forming an equivalent shadow post. The title and remit of the post has adjusted over time, following changes in those of the cabinet post it is shadowing. An exception to this occurred in 2010–2012, where the opposition did not follow the government's approach of merging the ministery for the Olympics into that for culture, media and sport.
List of shadow secretaries of state
Shadow secretaries of state for national heritage (1992–97) NamePortrait Term of office Party Shadow Cabinet Bryan Gould 18 July 1992 29 September 1992 Labour Smith Ann Clwyd 29 September 1992 21 October 1993 Mo Mowlam 21 October 1993 21 July 1994 Beckett Chris Smith 21 July 1994 19 October 1995 Blair Jack Cunningham 19 October 1995 2 May 1997 Virginia Bottomley 2 May 1997 11 June 1997 Conservative Major
Shadow secretaries of state for culture, media and sport (1997–2017) NamePortrait Term of office Party Shadow Cabinet Francis Maude 11 June 1997 1 June 1998 Conservative Hague Peter Ainsworth 1 June 1998 18 September 2001 Tim Yeo 18 September 2001 23 July 2002 Duncan Smith John Whittingdale 23 July 2002 6 November 2003 Julie Kirkbride 6 November 2003 19 June 2004 Howard John Whittingdale 19 June 2004 6 May 2005 Theresa May 6 May 2005 8 December 2005 Hugo Swire 8 December 2005 2 July 2007 Cameron Jeremy Hunt 2 July 2007 11 May 2010 Ben Bradshaw 11 May 2010 8 October 2010 Labour Harman I Ivan Lewis 8 October 2010 7 October 2011 Miliband Harriet Harman 7 October 2011 11 May 2015 Chris Bryant 11 May 2015 13 September 2015 Harman II Michael Dugher 13 September 2015 5 January 2016 Corbyn Maria Eagle 6 January 2016 27 June 2016 Kelvin Hopkins 28 June 2016 7 October 2016 Tom Watson 7 October 2016 3 July 2017
Shadow secretaries of state for digital, culture, media and sport (2017–2023) NamePortrait Term of office Party Shadow Cabinet Tom Watson 3 July 2017 12 December 2019 Labour Corbyn Tracy Brabin 7 January 2020 6 April 2020Jo Stevens6 April 202029 November 2021 StarmerLucy Powell29 November 20214 September 2023
Shadow secretaries of state for culture, media and sport (2023–2026) NamePortrait Term of office Party Shadow Cabinet Thangam Debbonaire 4 September 2023 5 July 2024 Labour Starmer Julia Lopez 8 July 2024 5 November 2024 Conservative Sunak Stuart Andrew 5 November 2024 22 July 2025 BadenochNigel Huddleston22 July 202531 August 2026
Shadow secretaries of state for digital, culture, media and sport (2023–present) NamePortrait Term of office Party Shadow CabinetRebecca Paul31 August 2026incumbentConservativeBadenoch
See also Official Opposition frontbench Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Department for Culture, Media and Sport