The shadow minister for women and equalities (previously shadow minister for women, shadow minister for women and equality, shadow secretary of state for women and equalities) is a position in the United Kingdom's Official Opposition, and sits in the Shadow Cabinet. The shadow minister is responsible for holding the minister for women and equalities, responsible for the Government Equalities Office, to account and is responsible for Opposition policy on women's and equality issues.
The post was upgraded to the Shadow Cabinet rank of shadow secretary of state following the snap general election of 2017, with Jeremy Corbyn indicating that if Labour win office at the next election, Women and Equalities will be upgraded to the full status of a government department. Keir Starmer continued this pledge but ultimately continued with a Minister for Women and Equalities when he entered government in July 2024. Previously, the post was often held together with a Shadow Cabinet post, but sometimes as a Shadow Cabinet post in its own right.
The position, since its creation in 1983, has always been held by a female member of parliament. Since November 2024, the position has been split into the Shadow Minister for Women and Shadow Minister for Equalities, held by Mims Davies and Claire Coutinho respectively.
Shadow ministers Shadow Minister Took office Left office Party Shadow Cabinet Shadow Minister for Women Jo Richardson 31 October 1983 18 July 1992 Labour Kinnock Mo Mowlam 18 July 1992 21 October 1993 Smith Clare Short 21 October 1993 19 October 1995 Blair Tessa Jowell 19 October 1995 26 July 1996 Janet Anderson 26 July 1996 2 May 1997 Gillian Shephard 2 May 1997 Unknown Conservative Major Unclear Hague Theresa May 15 June 1999 14 September 2001 Caroline Spelman 14 September 2001 15 March 2004 Duncan Smith Howard Eleanor Laing 15 March 2004 10 May 2005Shadow Minister for Women and EqualityEleanor Laing8 December 20053 July 2007ConservativeCameron Theresa May 3 July 2007 11 May 2010Shadow Minister for Women and EqualitiesRosie Winterton12 May 20108 October 2010LabourHarman I Yvette Cooper 8 October 2010 7 October 2013 Miliband Gloria De Piero 7 October 2013 14 September 2015 Harman II Kate Green 14 September 2015 27 June 2016 Corbyn Angela Rayner 27 June 2016 6 October 2016Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities Sarah Champion 6 October 2016 16 August 2017LabourCorbyn Dawn Butler 31 August 2017 6 April 2020 Marsha de Cordova 6 April 2020 14 September 2021StarmerAnneliese Dodds21 September 20215 July 2024 Shadow Minister for Women and EqualitiesMims Davies(Women)8 July 202431 August 2026 ConservativeSunakBadenochClaire Coutinho(Equalities) 6 November 2024Joy Morrissey31 August 2026Incumbent
See also Official Opposition frontbench
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