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Shadow Minister for Employment

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Shadow Minister for Employment
since 4 December 2021
AppointerLeader of the Opposition
Inaugural holderBarbara Castle
Formation19 June 1970
WebsiteThe Shadow Cabinet

The office of Shadow Minister for Employment is a position on the United Kingdom's Official Opposition frontbench, and has occasionally been a position in the Shadow Cabinet.

From 1970 to 1995, the duty of the office holder was to scrutinise the actions of the government's Secretary of State for Employment and develop alternative policies. From 1995, the office shadowed the Secretary of State for Education and Employment. In 2001, the office was replaced by that of Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions after the creation of the Department for Work and Pensions.

In 2019, the office was reformed in the Shadow Cabinet of Jeremy Corbyn as Shadow Minister for Labour; later renamed Secretary of State for Employment Rights and, in the Shadow Cabinet of Keir Starmer, Shadow Secretary of State for Employment Rights and Protections. The position was vacant after the resignation of Andy McDonald, who was replaced by Alison McGovern in the November 2021 reshuffle.

List of Shadow Secretaries for Employment

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Shadow Secretaries of State for Employment

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Shadow Secretary Took office Left office Political Party Leader of the Opposition
Barbara Castle 19 June 1970 19 October 1971 Labour Harold Wilson
James Callaghan 19 October 1971 19 April 1972 Labour
Reg Prentice 19 April 1972 4 March 1974 Labour
William Whitelaw 11 March 1974 29 October 1974 Conservative Edward Heath
James Prior 29 October 1974 4 May 1979 Conservative
Margaret Thatcher
Albert Booth 4 May 1979 14 July 1979 Labour James Callaghan
Eric Varley 14 July 1979 31 October 1983 Labour
Michael Foot
John Smith 31 October 1983 26 October 1984 Labour Neil Kinnock
John Prescott 26 October 1984 13 July 1987 Labour
Michael Meacher 13 July 1987 2 November 1989 Labour
Tony Blair 2 November 1989 18 July 1992 Labour
Frank Dobson 18 July 1992 21 October 1993 Labour John Smith
John Prescott 21 October 1993 20 October 1994 Labour
Harriet Harman 20 October 1994 19 October 1995 Labour Tony Blair

Shadow Secretaries of State for Education and Employment

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Shadow Secretary Took office Left office Political Party Leader of the Opposition
David Blunkett 19 October 1995 2 May 1997 Labour Tony Blair
Gillian Shephard 2 May 1997 11 June 1997 Conservative John Major
Stephen Dorrell 11 June 1997 15 June 1998 Conservative William Hague
David Willetts 1 June 1998 15 June 1999 Conservative
Theresa May 15 June 1999 18 September 2001 Conservative

Shadow Ministers for Labour

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Shadow Minister Took office Left office Political Party Leader of the Opposition
Jack Dromey 10 October 2016 12 January 2018 Labour Jeremy Corbyn
Laura Pidcock 12 January 2018 10 September 2019 Labour

Shadow Secretaries of State for Employment Rights

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Shadow Secretary Took office Left office Political Party Leader of the Opposition
Laura Pidcock 10 September 2019 12 December 2019 Labour Jeremy Corbyn
Rachael Maskell 7 January 2020 6 April 2020 Labour

Shadow Secretaries of State for Employment Rights and Protections

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Shadow Secretary Took office Left office Political Party Leader of the Opposition
Andy McDonald 6 April 2020 27 September 2021 Labour Keir Starmer

Shadow Ministers for Employment

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Shadow Minister Took office Left office Political Party Leader of the Opposition
Alison McGovern 4 December 2021 Incumbent Labour Keir Starmer
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