Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
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The Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is a member of the UK Shadow Cabinet responsible for the scrutiny of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and his department, the Northern Ireland Office. The post is currently occupied by Owen Paterson. He is assisted by shadow ministers Laurence Robertson, MP for Tewkesbury, in the Commons and Lord Glentoran and Viscount Bridgeman in the Lords.
Until recently there has been a 'bi-partisan' attitude to Northern Ireland affairs in the House of Commons but the role is influenced by the relationship between the main Official Opposition and parties in the province. Conservatives, for example, generally support the unionist cause and in 2008 reformalised a link with the Ulster Unionist Party, while Labour has traditionally supported Irish nationalism and is loosely allied to the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP). The Liberal Democrats are linked with the cross-community Alliance Party.
Contents |
[edit] Shadow Secretaries of State (incomplete)
| Name | Portrait | Entered office | Left office | Political party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merlyn Rees |  |
1972 | 1974 | Labour | |
| Airey Neave[1] | |
1975 | 30 March 1979 | Conservative | |
| Don Concannon | |
1980 | 1983 | Labour | |
| Peter Archer | |
1983 | 1987 | Labour | |
| Kevin McNamara | |
1987 | 1994 | Labour | |
| Mo Mowlam | 1994 | 1 May 1997 | Labour | ||
| Andrew Mackay | |
1 May 1997 | 18 September 2001 | Conservative | |
| Quentin Davies | |
18 September 2001 | 10 November 2003 | Conservative | |
| David Lidington |  |
10 November 2003 | 2 July 2007 | Conservative | |
| Owen Paterson | |
2 July 2007 | present | Conservative | |
[edit] References
[edit] See also
- Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
- Northern Ireland Office
- UK Shadow Cabinet
- Liberal Democrat Frontbench Team
- Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
- Northern Ireland Grand Committee
