The Shadow Cabinet appointed by Conservative Party leader William Hague was the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet from 1997 to 2001. Following his initial appointments in June 1997, Hague reshuffled the Shadow Cabinet five times before his resignation as leader following defeat in the 2001 general election.

Shadow Cabinet list PortfolioShadow MinisterTermLeader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition Leader of the Conservative PartyRt Hon. William Hague MP1997–2001Deputy Leader of the Conservative PartyRt Hon. Peter Lilley MP1998–1999Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer1997–1998Rt Hon. Francis Maude MP1998–2000Rt Hon. Michael Portillo MP2000–2001Deputy leader of the OppositionLeader of the Opposition in the House of LordsRt Hon. Viscount Cranborne PC1997–1998Rt Hon. Thomas Galbraith, Lord Strathclyde PC1998–2010Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords1997–1998Oliver Eden, Lord Henley1998–2001Opposition Chief WhipRt Hon. James Arbuthnot MP1997–2001Shadow Lord ChancellorRt Hon Christopher Prout, Lord Kingsland QC 1997–2009Shadow Foreign SecretaryRt Hon. Michael Howard QC MP1997–1999Rt Hon. John Maples MP 1999–2000Rt Hon. Francis Maude MP2000–2001Shadow Home SecretaryRt Hon. Sir Brian Mawhinney MP1997–1998Rt Hon. Sir Norman Fowler MP1998–1999Rt Hon. Ann Widdecombe MP1999–2001Chairman of the Conservative PartyRt Hon. Cecil Parkinson, Lord Parkinson PC1997–1998Rt Hon. Michael Ancram QC MP 1998–2001Shadow Secretary of State for DefenceRt Hon. Sir George Young Bt MP 1997–1998Rt Hon. John Maples MP 1998–1999Rt Hon. Iain Duncan Smith MP1999–2001Shadow Secretary of State for Education and EmploymentRt Hon. Stephen Dorrell MP1997–1998David Willetts MP1998–1999Theresa May MP1999–2001Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the RegionsRt Hon. Sir Norman Fowler MP1997–1998Rt Hon. Gillian Shephard MP1998–1999Rt Hon. John Redwood MP1999–2000Archie Norman MP2000–2001Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and IndustryRt Hon. John Redwood MP1997–1999Mrs Angela Browning MP1999–2000Rt Hon. David Heathcoat-Amory MP2000–2001Shadow Leader of the House of Commons Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of LancasterRt Hon. Gillian Shephard MP1997–1998Rt Hon. Sir George Young Bt MP 1998–2000Mrs Angela Browning MP2000–2001Constitutional Affairs spokesperson, including Scotland and WalesRt Hon. Michael Ancram QC MP1997–1998Dr Liam Fox MP1998–1999Rt Hon. Sir George Young Bt MP1999–2000Mrs Angela Browning MP2000–2001Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and FoodRt Hon. David Curry MP 1997Rt Hon. Michael Jack MP 1997–1998Tim Yeo MP1998–2001Shadow Secretary of State for International DevelopmentRt Hon. Alastair Goodlad MP1997–1998Gary Streeter MP 1998–2001Shadow Chief Secretary to the TreasuryRt Hon. David Heathcoat-Amory MP1997–2000Rt Hon. Oliver Letwin MP2000–2001Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and SportRt Hon. Francis Maude MP1997–1998Peter Ainsworth MP1998–2001Shadow Secretary of State for Northern IrelandRt Hon. Andrew Mackay MP1997–2001Shadow Secretary of State for HealthJohn Maples MP1997–1998Rt Hon. Ann Widdecombe MP1998–1999Tim Yeo MP1999–2003Shadow Secretary of State for Social SecurityRt Hon. Iain Duncan Smith MP1997–1999David Willetts MP1999–2005Shadow Attorney GeneralEdward Garnier MP1997–2001

Initial Shadow Cabinet Rt Hon. William Hague MP — Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Conservative Party Rt Hon. Peter Lilley MP — Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer Rt Hon. Michael Howard QC MP — Shadow Foreign Secretary Rt Hon. Sir Brian Mawhinney MP — Shadow Home Secretary Rt Hon. Cecil Parkinson, Lord Parkinson PC — Chairman of the Conservative Party Rt Hon. Stephen Dorrell MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Employment Rt Hon. Gillian Shephard MP — Shadow Leader of the House of Commons and Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Rt Hon. Viscount Cranborne PC — Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords Rt Hon. Sir George Young Bt MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Defence Rt Hon. John Redwood MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry Rt Hon. Sir Norman Fowler MP — Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions Rt Hon. Michael Ancram QC MP — Constitutional Affairs spokesperson, including Scotland and Wales Rt Hon. David Curry MP — Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Rt Hon. Alastair Goodlad MP — Shadow Secretary of State for International Development Rt Hon. David Heathcoat-Amory MP — Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury Rt Hon. Francis Maude MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Andrew Mackay MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland John Maples MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Health Iain Duncan Smith MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Social Security James Arbuthnot MP — Opposition Chief Whip Rt Hon. Thomas Galbraith, Lord Strathclyde PC — Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords

June 1998 reshuffle Hague first reshuffled the Shadow Cabinet on 1 June 1998. Rt Hon. William Hague MP — Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Conservative Party Rt Hon. Peter Lilley MP — Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party Rt Hon. Francis Maude MP — Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer Rt Hon. Michael Howard QC MP — Shadow Foreign Secretary Rt Hon. Sir Norman Fowler MP — Shadow Home Secretary Rt Hon. Cecil Parkinson, Lord Parkinson PC — Chairman of the Conservative Party Rt Hon. Michael Ancram MP — Vice-Chairman of the Conservative Party David Willetts MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Employment Rt Hon. Sir George Young Bt MP — Shadow Leader of the House of Commons and Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Rt Hon. Viscount Cranborne PC — Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords John Maples MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Defence Rt Hon. John Redwood MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry Rt Hon. Gillian Shephard MP — Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions Dr Liam Fox MP — Constitutional Affairs spokesperson Rt Hon Michael Jack MP — Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Gary Streeter MP — Shadow Secretary of State for International Development Rt Hon. David Heathcoat-Amory MP — Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury Peter Ainsworth MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Rt Hon. Andrew Mackay MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Rt Hon. Ann Widdecombe MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Health Iain Duncan Smith MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Social Security Rt Hon. James Arbuthnot MP — Opposition Chief Whip Rt Hon. Thomas Galbraith, Lord Strathclyde PC — Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords

Junior Shadow Ministers Edward Garnier — Shadow Attorney General Rt Hon Christopher Prout, Lord Kingsland QC — Shadow Lord Chancellor

Changes from June 1997 Peter Lilley moves from Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer to Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party Francis Maude moves from Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer Sir Brian Mawhinney leaves the Shadow Cabinet Sir Norman Fowler moves from Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions to Shadow Home Secretary Gillian Shephard moves from Shadow Leader of the House of Commons to Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions Sir George Young moves from Shadow Secretary of State for Defence to Shadow Leader of the House of Commons John Maples moves from Shadow Secretary of State for Health to Shadow Secretary of State for Defence Ann Widdecombe enters the Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Secretary of State for Health Alastair Goodlad leaves the Shadow Cabinet Peter Ainsworth enters the Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Liam Fox enters the Shadow Cabinet as Constitutional Affairs spokesperson Gary Streeter enters the Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Secretary of State for International Development David Curry leaves the Shadow Cabinet Michael Ancram becomes Vice-Chairman of the Conservative Party. A few months later he succeeded Parkinson with his own successor not sitting in the Shadow Cabinet. Stephen Dorrell leaves the Shadow Cabinet.

December 1998 A minor Shadow Cabinet reshuffle was required on 2 December 1998, due to the sacking of Viscount Cranborne over the House of Lords Act 1999. Cranborne had been engaged in secret negotiations with the Labour Government over the issue of hereditary peers, without informing William Hague. This amendment (proposed by Bernard Weatherill for issues of formality, known as the Weatherill Amendment) allowed 92 hereditary peers to remain. The sacking of Cranborne led to a leadership crisis, with some Conservative peers resigning the party whip.

Shadow Cabinet Rt Hon. William Hague MP — Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Conservative Party Rt Hon. Peter Lilley MP — Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party Rt Hon. Francis Maude MP — Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer Rt Hon. Michael Howard QC MP — Shadow Foreign Secretary Rt Hon. Sir Norman Fowler MP — Shadow Home Secretary Michael Ancram MP — Chairman of the Conservative Party David Willetts MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Employment Rt Hon. Sir George Young Bt MP — Shadow Leader of the House of Commons and Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Rt Hon. Thomas Galbraith, Lord Strathclyde PC — Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords John Maples MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Defence Rt Hon. John Redwood MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry Rt Hon. Gillian Shephard MP — Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions Dr Liam Fox MP — Constitutional Affairs spokesperson Tim Yeo MP — Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Gary Streeter MP — Shadow Secretary of State for International Development Rt Hon. David Heathcoat-Amory MP — Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury Peter Ainsworth MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Rt Hon. Andrew Mackay MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Rt Hon. Ann Widdecombe MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Health Iain Duncan Smith MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Social Security Rt Hon. James Arbuthnot MP — Opposition Chief Whip Oliver Eden, Lord Henley — Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords

Changes Rt Hon. Viscount Cranborne PC is sacked from the Shadow Cabinet Rt Hon. Thomas Galbraith, Lord Strathclyde PC moves from Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords to Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords Oliver Eden, Lord Henley enters the Shadow Cabinet as Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords Cecil Lord Parkinson leaves the Shadow Cabinet Michael Ancram MP appointed Chairman of the Conservative Party

1999 reshuffle Hague again reshuffled the Shadow Cabinet on 15 June 1999. Rt Hon. William Hague MP — Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Conservative Party Rt Hon. Francis Maude MP — Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer John Maples MP — Shadow Foreign Secretary Rt Hon. Ann Widdecombe MP — Shadow Home Secretary Rt Hon. Michael Ancram QC MP — Chairman of the Conservative Party Theresa May MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Employment Rt Hon. Sir George Young Bt MP — Shadow Leader of the House of Commons, Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Constitutional Affairs spokesperson Rt Hon. Thomas Galbraith, Lord Strathclyde PC — Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords Iain Duncan Smith MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Defence Angela Browning MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry Rt Hon. John Redwood MP — Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions Tim Yeo MP — Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Gary Streeter MP — Shadow Secretary of State for International Development Rt Hon. David Heathcoat-Amory MP — Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury