Liberal Democrat Frontbench Team

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The Liberal Democrats are the third-largest political party in the United Kingdom. While in opposition, the Liberal Democrat leader appointed a team of Members of Parliament (MPs) and Peers to speak for the party on different issues. Their areas of responsibility broadly corresponded to those of Government ministers. The party called its frontbench the Liberal Democrat shadow ministerial team. The shadow ministerial team was divided into departmental sub-units, such as Education, Health and Foreign Affairs. The leader of each departmental team was a member of the Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet.

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Status [edit]

Formerly, the Liberal Democrats frontbench team did not use the term 'Shadow Cabinet', with a number of front bench spokesmen covering areas (e.g., Defence and Foreign Affairs) rather than directly shadowing specific Cabinet portfolios. Under Charles Kennedy's leadership, and with the increase in numbers of Liberal Democrat MPs, the senior members of the front bench team referred to themselves as a Shadow Cabinet.

This was controversial, because in the two-party political system that dominated UK politics in the 20th century, the term 'Shadow Cabinet' referred to senior members of the frontbench team of the largest opposition party in the House of Commons. This party, known as the Official Opposition, has constitutional status, although its Shadow Cabinet does not. Following Charles Kennedy's decision to change the nomenclature, the UK Parliament's website now uses the term 'Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet' and does not use the old term 'Frontbench Team'.[1][2]

This is not without contention, and was disputed by the Conservative Party, who were then the Official Opposition. However, the official listing at the Parliament website is very explicit to use the term 'Shadow Cabinet'.[3] Gordon Brown made a notable remark that in the House of Commons in 2001:

The House of Commons is in the unique position of having two shadow Chancellors: one sits in Folkestone and the other in Truro. It is rather like the mediaeval papacy: two hon. Members claim to hold the position of shadow Chancellor. I shall organise a play-off during the year.[4]

This is a theme to which then Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown returned, comparing and contrasting his frosty relationship with the official Shadow Chancellor George Osborne with his apparently warm relationship with Vince Cable (whom he has referred to as "the Shadow Chancellor from Twickenham").[5]

The Official Opposition receives support for its official function which is denied to smaller opposition parties, although they, along with every parliamentary party, do receive Short Money. Salaries are paid to the Opposition Leader and the Chief Whips but not to smaller opposition parties. Moreover, the Official Opposition has the exclusive use of facilities within Parliament.

Liberal Democrat Frontbench Team [edit]

Following the United Kingdom general election, 2010 and the confirmation of Conservative David Cameron as Prime Minister on 11 May 2010, a coalition cabinet was formed that included Liberal Democrat ministers. The Page has been updated to reflect the September 2012 reshuffle.

Liberal Democrat Members of the Government [edit]

Name Portfolio
Nick Clegg Deputy Prime Minister
Lord President of the Council
Leader of the Liberal Democrats
Minister for Political & Constitutional Reform
Vincent Cable Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills
President of the Board of Trade
Ed Davey Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change
Danny Alexander Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Michael Moore Secretary of State for Scotland
Lord McNally Minister of State for Human Rights and Civil Liberties
Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
Steve Webb Minister of State for Pensions
Jeremy Browne Minister of State for Crime Prevention
David Laws Minister of State for Schools and for the Cabinet Office
David Heath Minister of State for Agriculture and Food
Norman Lamb Minister of State for Care Services
Alistair Carmichael Government Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Commons
Liberal Democrat Chief Whip in the Commons
Tom Brake Deputy Leader of the House of Commons
Mark Hunter Assistant Government Whip in the House of Commons
Jenny Willott Assistant Government Whip in the House of Commons
Lord Newby Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Lords
Baroness Northover Whip in the House of Lords
Lord Wallace Whip in the House of Lords
Baroness Garden Whip in the House of Lords
Jo Swinson Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Employment Relations, Consumer and Postal Affairs
and for Women and Equalities
Don Foster Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Community Cohesion
Norman Baker Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Regional and Local Transport
Lynne Featherstone Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development
Lord Wallace Advocate General for Scotland
Baroness Randerson Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales
Duncan Hames Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister

Previous Frontbench Teams [edit]

Previous team key-members in summary:

Party Date Leader Economy Foreign affairs Home affairs
Liberal April 1966 Jo Grimond Richard Wainwright James Davidson
January 1967 Jeremy Thorpe Richard Wainwright James Davidson
June 1970 Jeremy Thorpe John Pardoe Russell Johnston
1975 Jeremy Thorpe John Pardoe David Steel
May 1976 Jo Grimond John Pardoe David Steel
July 1976 David Steel John Pardoe Jeremy Thorpe
1977 David Steel John Pardoe Jeremy Thorpe Emlyn Hooson
May 1979 David Steel Richard Wainwright Russell Johnston
October 1981 David Steel Richard Wainwright Russell Johnston Bill Pitt
June 1983 David Steel Richard Wainwright Russell Johnston
1985 David Steel David Penhaligon Alan Beith
January 1987 David Steel Alan Beith
June 1987 David Steel Alan Beith Russell Johnston
Liberal
Democrats		 March 1988 David Steel and
Robert Maclennan
(co-leaders)		 Alan Beith Russell Johnston Robert Maclennan
July 1988 Paddy Ashdown Alan Beith Russell Johnston Robert Maclennan
July 1989 Paddy Ashdown Alan Beith David Steel Robert Maclennan
July 1994 Paddy Ashdown Malcolm Bruce Menzies Campbell Alan Beith
August 1999 Charles Kennedy Matthew Taylor Menzies Campbell Simon Hughes
June 2003 Charles Kennedy Vince Cable Menzies Campbell Mark Oaten
January 2006 Menzies Campbell
(acting)		 Vince Cable Menzies Campbell Mark Oaten
January 2006 Menzies Campbell
(acting)		 Vince Cable Menzies Campbell Alistair Carmichael
March 2006 Menzies Campbell Vince Cable Michael Moore Nick Clegg
October 2007 Vince Cable
(acting)		 Vince Cable Michael Moore Nick Clegg
December 2007 Nick Clegg Vince Cable Ed Davey Chris Huhne

See also [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ "Directory of MPs, Peers, Offices and Overseas Delegations". House of Commons Information Office. Archived from the original on 2 September 2006. Retrieved 4 September 2006. 
  2. ^ "Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet and Parliamentary Team". House of Commons Information Office. Archived from the original on 21 August 2006. Retrieved 4 September 2006. 
  3. ^ "UK Parliament". House of Commons Information Office – libdems. Archived from the original on 2 August 2008. Retrieved 25 September 2008. 
  4. ^ "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 27 Nov 2001 (pt 8)". The Stationery Office Ltd. 2001. Retrieved 4 September 2006.  Unknown parameter |monthday= ignored (help)
  5. ^ "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 16 Oct 2003 (pt 2)". 2003.  Unknown parameter |monthday= ignored (help)

External links [edit]
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