Cameron shadow cabinet
Cameron Shadow Cabinet | |
|---|---|
Shadow Cabinet of the United Kingdom | |
| 2005 – 2010 | |
| Date formed | 6 December 2005 |
| Date dissolved | 11 May 2010 |
| People and organisations | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Leader of the Opposition | David Cameron |
| Deputy Leader of the Opposition | William Hague |
| Member party | |
| Status in legislature | Official Opposition |
| History | |
| Election | 2005 Conservative leadership election |
| Outgoing election | 2010 general election |
| Legislature terms | 54th UK Parliament |
| Outgoing formation | 2010 government formation |
| Predecessor | Howard shadow cabinet |
| Successor | First Harman shadow cabinet |
David Cameron was Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition from his election as Leader on 6 December 2005 until he became Prime Minister on 11 May 2010. His tenure as opposition leader was characterised by opposition to the Great Recession from 2007 to 2009, and his relative youth and inexperience before becoming leader invited satirical comparison with Tony Blair. Cameron sought to rebrand the Conservatives, embracing an increasingly socially liberal position, and introducing the "A-List" to increase the number of female and minority ethnic Conservative MPs.
Cameron had four Shadow Cabinets during his tenure as opposition leader. His Shadow Cabinet appointments included MPs associated with the various wings of the party. Former leader William Hague was appointed to the Foreign Affairs brief, while both George Osborne and David Davis were retained, as Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer and Shadow Home Secretary respectively. Hague, assisted by Davis, stood in for Cameron during his paternity leave in February 2006. In June 2008, Davis announced his intention to resign as an MP, and was immediately replaced as Shadow Home Secretary by Dominic Grieve; Davis' surprise move was seen as a challenge to the changes introduced under Cameron's leadership.
Under Cameron, the Conservatives made gains in the 2006 local elections, and made further gains in the 2007 and 2008 local elections. With the onset of the Great Recession leading to the Labour government under Gordon Brown taking the blame from a worsening economic climate, soaring unemployment and the expenses scandal, the Conservatives made significant gains in the local and European elections in 2009.
Following the 2010 general election, Cameron became prime minister at the head of a coalition government between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats, as no party had gained an overall majority in the House of Commons for the first time since the February 1974 general election. One of the first decisions he made as prime minister was the appointment of Nick Clegg, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, as deputy prime minister.
Shadow Cabinet (8 December 2005 – 2 July 2007)
Cameron appointed his first shadow cabinet in December 2005.[1]
Shadow Cabinet (2 July 2007 – 13 June 2008)
Changes[2]
- Caroline Spelman replaced Francis Maude as Chairman of the Conservative Party
- Nick Herbert replaced Oliver Heald as Shadow Secretary of State for Justice
- Eric Pickles replaced Spelman as Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
- Michael Gove replaced David Willetts as Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families
- Chris Grayling replaced Philip Hammond as Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
- Theresa May replaced Eleanor Laing as Shadow Minister for Women and Equality while remaining Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
- Jeremy Hunt replaced Hugo Swire as Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
- Francis Maude gained new portfolios of Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office and Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
- Philip Hammond replaced Theresa Villiers as Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
- David Willetts gained the new portfolio of Shadow Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills
- Owen Paterson replaced David Lidington as Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
- Joyce Anelay replaced John Cope as Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords
- Mark Francois replaced Graham Brady as Shadow Minister for Europe
Shadow Cabinet (13 June 2008 – 19 January 2009)
Changes
- David Davis resigned as an MP to run for re-election and was replaced as Shadow Home Secretary by Dominic Grieve[3]
Shadow Cabinet (19 January 2009 – 11 May 2010)
Changes[4]
- Chris Grayling replaced Dominic Grieve as Shadow Home Secretary
- Eric Pickles replaced Caroline Spelman as Chairman of the Conservative Party
- Spelman replaced Pickles as Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
- Dominic Grieve replaced Nick Herbert as Shadow Secretary of State for Justice
- Nick Herbert replaced Peter Ainsworth as Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
- Theresa May replaced Chris Grayling as Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions while remaining Shadow Minister for Women and Equality
- Greg Clark gained a new portfolio of Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change
- George Young replaced Theresa May as Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
- Kenneth Clarke replaced Alan Duncan as Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills
References
- ^ Wintour, Patrick (9 December 2005). "Cameron calls in Gummer to lead green policy rethink". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
- ^ "In full: Cameron's shadow cabinet". 2 July 2007. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
- ^ "Cameron considers Davis's future". 11 July 2008. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
- ^ "Weekly Information Bulletin, Session 2009-10: Opposition Front Bench". publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 26 February 2026.