Liberal Democrat frontbench team

Frontbench Teams since 1997
Ashdown Team (1997–1999)
Kennedy Team (1999–2006)
Campbell Team (2006–2007)
First Cable Team (2007)
Clegg Team (2007–2010)
General Election Cabinet (2015)
Farron Team (2015–2017)
Second Cable Team (2017–2019)
Swinson Team (2019)
Davey Team (2019–present)

The Liberal Democrats are a political party in the United Kingdom. While in opposition, the Leader of the Liberal Democrats appoints a frontbench team of Members of Parliament (MPs), Peers, Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) and Members of the National Assembly for Wales (AMs), to speak for the party on different issues. Their areas of responsibility broadly corresponded to those of Government ministers. The shadow ministerial team is divided into departmental sub-units, the principle ones being the economy, foreign policy and home affairs. Sometimes the frontbench team consists of more than just the principle positions.

Status

Formerly, the Liberal Democrats frontbench team did not use the term 'Shadow Cabinet', with a number of front bench spokespeople 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.

Following the 2010 general election 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 team was updated again during a September 2012 reshuffle.

Following the 2015 general election the Liberal Democrats were reduced to just 8 seats in the House of Commons, falling into fourth place behind the Scottish National Party for the first time. As a result of this, the UK Parliament website no longer lists the Liberal Democrat frontbench team at all and now lists the SNP frontbench team instead.

Current Liberal Democrat frontbench team

style="background: Template:House of Commons/meta/color; width: 1px;" \|	Member of the House of Commons	style="background: Template:House of Lords/meta/color; width: 1px;" \|	Member of the House of Lords
style="background: Template:Scottish Parliament/meta/color;" \|	Member of the Scottish Parliament	style="background: Template:National Assembly for Wales/meta/color;" \|	Member of the Welsh Assembly
	Member of local government	style="background: Template:Privy Council/meta/color;" \|	Privy Counsellor

Attending Frontbench meetings

Tim Farron revealed his frontbench team on 29 July 2015.^[6] The shadow ministers are as follows:

Portfolio
Leader of the Liberal Democrats	Tim Farron MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale	style="background: Template:House of Commons/meta/color;" \|
Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords	Jim Wallace Baron Wallace of Tankerness QC PC	style="background: Template:House of Lords/meta/color;" \|	style="background: Template:Privy Council/meta/color;" \|
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Economics	Susan Kramer Baroness Kramer PC	style="background: Template:House of Lords/meta/color;" \|	style="background: Template:Privy Council/meta/color;" \|
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs Chief Whip of the Liberal Democrats Liberal Democrat Shadow Leader of the House of Commons	Tom Brake MP for Carshalton and Wallington PC	style="background: Template:House of Commons/meta/color;" \|	style="background: Template:Privy Council/meta/color;" \|
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Europe 2016–	Nick Clegg MP for Sheffield Hallam PC	style="background: Template:House of Commons/meta/color;" \|	style="background: Template:Privy Council/meta/color;" \|
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Defence	Judith Jolly Baroness Jolly	style="background: Template:House of Lords/meta/color;" \|
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Home Affairs	Alistair Carmichael MP for Orkney and Shetland PC	style="background: Template:House of Commons/meta/color;" \|	style="background: Template:Privy Council/meta/color;" \|
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Health	Norman Lamb MP for Norfolk North PC	style="background: Template:House of Commons/meta/color;" \|	style="background: Template:Privy Council/meta/color;" \|
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Education	John Pugh MP for Southport	style="background: Template:House of Commons/meta/color;" \|
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Work and Pensions	Zahida Manzoor Baroness Manzoor CBE	style="background: Template:House of Lords/meta/color;" \|
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Business, Innovation and Skills	Lorely Burt Baroness Burt of Solihull	style="background: Template:House of Lords/meta/color;" \|
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Energy and Climate Change	Lynne Featherstone Baroness Featherstone PC	style="background: Template:House of Lords/meta/color;" \|	style="background: Template:Privy Council/meta/color;" \|
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Communities and Local Government	Dorothy Thornhill Baroness Thornhill MBE	style="background: Template:House of Lords/meta/color;" \|
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Transport	Jenny Randerson Baroness Randerson PC	style="background: Template:House of Lords/meta/color;" \|	style="background: Template:Privy Council/meta/color;" \|
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Deputy Leader in the House of Lords	Kate Parminter Baroness Parminter	style="background: Template:House of Lords/meta/color;" \|
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for International Development	Lindsay Northover Baroness Northover PC	style="background: Template:House of Lords/meta/color;" \|	style="background: Template:Privy Council/meta/color;" \|
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Culture, Media and Sport	Jane Bonham-Carter Baroness Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury	style="background: Template:House of Lords/meta/color;" \|
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Women and Equalities	Meral Hussein-Ece Baroness Hussein-Ece OBE	style="background: Template:House of Lords/meta/color;" \|
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Justice Liberal Democrat Shadow Attorney General	Jonathan Marks Baron Marks of Henley-on-Thames QC	style="background: Template:House of Lords/meta/color;" \|
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Northern Ireland	John Alderdice Baron Alderdice	style="background: Template:House of Lords/meta/color;" \|
Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Scotland	Willie Rennie MSP for North East Fife	style="background: Template:Scottish Parliament/meta/color;" \|
Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Wales	Mark Williams MP for Ceredigion	style="background: Template:House of Commons/meta/color;" \|
Chairman of Campaigns and Communications	Greg Mulholland MP for Leeds North West	style="background: Template:House of Commons/meta/color;" \|
Chief Executive of the Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Grassroots Campaigns	Tim Pickstone Bury Borough Councillor for Holyrood Ward

Not attending Frontbench meetings

Portfolio		Name
style="background: Template:House of Lords/meta/color;" \|	President of the Liberal Democrats	Sal Brinton, Baroness Brinton
style="background: Template:House of Lords/meta/color;" \|	Spokesperson for Constitutional and Political Reform	Paul Tyler, Baron Tyler
style="background: Template:House of Lords/meta/color;" \|	Spokesperson for Mental Health	Claire Tyler, Baroness Tyler of Enfield
style="background: Template:House of Lords/meta/color;" \|	Spokesperson for Europe (2015–16)	Sarah Ludford, Baroness Ludford
style="background: Template:House of Lords/meta/color;" \|	Spokesperson for Special Educational Needs	Dominic Hubbard, 6th Baron Addington
style="background: Template:House of Lords/meta/color;" \|	Spokesperson for Voluntary Sector and Social Enterprise	Elizabeth Barker, Baroness Barker
style="background: Template:House of Lords/meta/color;" \|	Spokesperson for Creative Industries	Timothy Clement-Jones, Baron Clement-Jones
style="background: Template:House of Lords/meta/color;" \|	Spokesperson for Welfare	Archy Kirkwood, Baron Kirkwood of Kirkhope
style="background: Template:House of Lords/meta/color;" \|	Spokesperson for Sport, Tourism and Cultural Participation	Dee Doocey, Baroness Doocey
style="background: Template:House of Lords/meta/color;" \|	Spokesperson for Children	Kath Pinnock, Baroness Pinnock
style="background: Template:House of Lords/meta/color;" \|	Spokesperson for Civil Service and Public Sector	Tim Razzall, Baron Razzall
style="background: Template:House of Lords/meta/color;" \|	Spokesperson for Communities, Decentralisation and the Northern Powerhouse	John Shipley, Baron Shipley
style="background: Template:House of Lords/meta/color;" \|	Spokesperson for Disability	Celia Thomas, Baroness Thomas of Winchester
style="background: Template:House of Lords/meta/color;" \|	Liberal Democrat Shadow Attorney General for England and Wales	Martin Thomas, Baron Thomas of Gresford

Previous Frontbench Teams

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
	May 2010	Nick Clegg (Deputy Prime Minister)	David Laws (Chief Secretary to the Treasury)	Jeremy Browne (Minister of State for Foreign Affairs)	Tom McNally (Minister of State for Justice)
	May 2010	Nick Clegg (Deputy Prime Minister)	Danny Alexander (Chief Secretary to the Treasury)	Jeremy Browne (Minister of State for Foreign Affairs)	Tom McNally (Minister of State for Justice)
	September 2012	Nick Clegg (Deputy Prime Minister)	Danny Alexander (Chief Secretary to the Treasury)	Lynne Featherstone (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development)	Jeremy Browne (Minister of State for Home Affairs)
	October 2013	Nick Clegg (Deputy Prime Minister)	Danny Alexander (Chief Secretary to the Treasury)	Lynne Featherstone (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development)	Norman Baker (Minister of State for Home Affairs)
	November 2014	Nick Clegg (Deputy Prime Minister)	Danny Alexander (Chief Secretary to the Treasury)		Lynne Featherstone (Minister of State for Home Affairs)
	January 2015	Nick Clegg (Deputy Prime Minister)	Danny Alexander (Chief Secretary to the Treasury)	Tim Farron	Lynne Featherstone (Minister of State for Home Affairs)
	May 2015	Nick Clegg	Norman Lamb	Tim Farron	Tom McNally
	July 2015	Tim Farron	Susan Kramer	Tom Brake	Alistair Carmichael

References

^ "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.
^ "Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet and Parliamentary Team". House of Commons Information Office. Archived from the original on 21 August 2006. Retrieved 4 September 2006.
^ "UK Parliament". House of Commons Information Office – libdems. Archived from the original on 2 August 2008. Retrieved 25 September 2008.
^ "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 27 Nov 2001 (pt 8)". The Stationery Office Ltd. 27 November 2001. Retrieved 4 September 2006.
^ "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 16 Oct 2003 (pt 2)". 16 October 2003.
^ "Tim Farron unveils his Lib Dem front bench team". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 16 July 2016.

External links

[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.

[Hansard-BrownShadow-4] "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 27 Nov 2001 (pt 8)". The Stationery Office Ltd. 27 November 2001. Retrieved 4 September 2006.

[5] "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 16 Oct 2003 (pt 2)". 16 October 2003.

[6] "Tim Farron unveils his Lib Dem front bench team". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 16 July 2016.

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v t e Shadow Cabinets of the United Kingdom
Official Opposition	Wilson I (1963–1964) Douglas-Home (1964–1965) Heath I (1965–1970) Wilson II (1970–1974) Heath II (1974–1975) Thatcher (1975–1979) Callaghan (1979–1980) Foot (1980–1983) Kinnock (1983–1992) Smith (1992–1994) Beckett (1994) Blair (1994–1997) Major (1997) Hague (1997–2001) Duncan Smith (2001–2003) Howard (2003–2005) Cameron (2005–2010) Harman I (2010) Miliband (2010–2015) Harman II (2015) Corbyn (2015–2020) Starmer (2020–2024) Sunak (2024) Badenoch (2024–present)
Liberal Democrats	Ashdown (1997–1999) Kennedy (1999–2006) Campbell (2006–2007) Cable I (2007) Clegg (2007–2010) Farron (2015–2017) Cable II (2017–2019) Swinson (2019) Davey (2020–present)
Scottish National Party	Robertson (2015–2017) Blackford (2017–2022) Flynn (2022–present)
1964 to Present