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Shadow Cabinet of Neil Kinnock

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Kinnock Shadow Cabinet

Shadow Cabinet of the United Kingdom
1983 – 1992
Kinnock with members of his shadow cabinet during a visit to the Commission of the European Communities in 1988
Date formed2 October 1983
Date dissolved18 July 1992
People and organisations
MonarchElizabeth II
Leader of the OppositionNeil Kinnock
Deputy Leader of the OppositionRoy Hattersley
Member party
  •   Labour Party
Status in legislatureOfficial Opposition
209 / 650 (32%)
(1983)
229 / 651 (35%)
(1987)
271 / 651 (42%)
(1992)
History
Election1983 Labour Party leadership election
Legislature terms49th UK Parliament
50th UK Parliament
51st UK Parliament
PredecessorShadow Cabinet of Michael Foot
SuccessorShadow Cabinet of John Smith

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Neil Kinnock was Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition from 2 October 1983 to 18 July 1992. He convincingly defeated Roy Hattersley, Eric Heffer, and Peter Shore in the 1983 leadership election, which was prompted by Michael Foot's resignation following the disastrous general election result earlier that year. Kinnock's period as Leader encompassed the bulk of the Thatcher premiership and the first two years of the Major premiership. Kinnock resigned in 1992 after losing his second election as Leader.

Shadow Cabinet

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Portfolio Shadow Minister Term
Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition
Leader of the Labour Party 		The Rt Hon. Neil Kinnock 1983–1992
Deputy Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition
Deputy Leader of the Labour Party 		The Rt Hon. Roy Hattersley 1983–1992
Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer 1983–1987
The Rt Hon. John Smith 1987–1992
Shadow Foreign Secretary The Rt Hon. Denis Healey 1983–1987
The Rt Hon. Gerald Kaufman 1987–1992
Shadow Home Secretary 1983–1987
The Rt Hon. Roy Hattersley 1987–1992
Shadow Secretary of State for Defence The Rt Hon. John Silkin 1983–1984
The Rt Hon. Denzil Davies 1984–1988
Martin O'Neill 1988–1992
Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry The Rt Hon. Peter Shore 1983–1984
The Rt Hon. John Smith 1984–1987
Bryan Gould 1987–1989
Gordon Brown 1989–1992
Shadow Leader of the House of Commons The Rt Hon. Peter Shore 1983–1987
Frank Dobson 1987–1989
Jack Cunningham 1989–1992
Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment 1983–1989
Bryan Gould 1989–1992
Shadow Secretary of State for Housing and Construction Eric Heffer 1983–1984
Shadow Secretary of State for Social Security Michael Meacher 1989–1992
Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Services 1983–1987
Robin Cook 1987–1989
Shadow Secretary of State for Health 1989–1992
Shadow Secretary of State for Education Giles Radice 1983–1987
Jack Straw 1987–1992
Shadow Secretary of State for Employment The Rt Hon. John Smith 1983–1984
John Prescott 1984–1987
Michael Meacher 1987–1989
Tony Blair 1989–1992
Shadow Secretary of State for Transport John Prescott 1983–1984
1988–1992
Gwyneth Dunwoody 1984–1985
Robert Hughes 1985–1988
Shadow Secretary of State for Energy Stan Orme 1983–1987
John Prescott 1987–1988
Tony Blair 1988–1989
Frank Dobson 1989–1992
Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Robert Hughes 1983–1984
Brynmor John 1984–1987
David Clark 1987–1989
Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland The Rt Hon. Peter Archer 1983–1987
Kevin McNamara 1987–1992
Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland Donald Dewar 1983–1992
Shadow Secretary of State for Wales Barry Jones 1983–1987
1989–1992
The Rt Hon. Alan Williams 1987–1989
Shadow Minister for Europe Robin Cook 1983–1984
Shadow Minister responsible for Status of Women Jo Richardson 1983–1992
Shadow Attorney General
Principal frontbench spokesman on Legal Affairs 		The Rt Hon. John Morris 1983–1992
Shadow Lord Chancellor The Rt Hon. The Lord Elwyn-Jones PC 1983–1989
Lord Mishcon 1989–1992
Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords The Rt Hon. The Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos PC 1983–1992
Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Commons The Rt Hon. Michael Cocks 1983–1985
Derek Foster 1985–1992
Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords The Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede 1989–1990
Lord Graham of Edmonton 1990–1992

Initial Shadow Cabinet

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Kinnock announced his first Shadow Cabinet on 31 October 1983.[1]

1984 reshuffle

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On 26 October 1984, Kinnock reshuffled his team in the wake of the 1984 Shadow Cabinet elections. Peter Shore remained Shadow Leader of the House, but Trade and Industry was transferred to John Smith, who was replaced as Shadow Employment Secretary by John Prescott. Gwyneth Dunwoody took over as Shadow Transport Secretary, having previously sat in the Shadow Cabinet without portfolio. Denzil Davies replaced Silkin as Shadow Defence Secretary Eric Heffer's was dropped from the Shadow Cabinet, as, it appears, his portfolio was as well.[3] Brynmor John replaced Hughes as Shadow Agriculture Minister.

Changes

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1987 reshuffle

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Kinnock reshuffled his Shadow Cabinet on 13 July 1987 in the aftermath of the general election loss. Denis Healey retired from the front bench and was replaced as Shadow Foreign Secretary by Kaufman, who was in turn replaced by Hattersley as Shadow Home Secretary. John Smith replaced the latter Shadow Chancellor. Bryan Gould replaced Smith as Shadow Trade and Industry Secretary, Alan Williams replaced Barry Jones as Shadow Welsh Secretary, and Kevin McNamara replaced Archer as Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary. Robin Cook replaced Meacher as Shadow Health Secretary, and Meacher took over Employment from Prescott, who in turn took the Energy portfolio, with Orme leaving Shadow Cabinet. Shore (Shadow Leader of the House), Radice (Shadow Education Secretary), and Brynmor John (Shadow Agriculture Minister) also left the front bench, being replaced by Frank Dobson, Jack Straw and David Clark, respectively. Gordon Brown was appointed Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury.[8]

Changes

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  • On 14 June 1988, Martin O'Neill replaced Denzil Davies as Shadow Defence Secretary after the latter resigned in protest over inadequate consultation over a change in the party's defence policy.
  • Following the 1988 Shadow Cabinet elections in autumn, Tony Blair replaced Prescott at Energy, and Prescott returned to Transport. Hughes seems to have left the Shadow Cabinet.

1989 reshuffle

[edit]

Following the 1989 Shadow Cabinet elections, Kinnock on 2 November reshuffled the Shadow Cabinet. Dobson replaced Blair as Shadow Energy Secretary. Joining the Shadow Cabinet, Tony Blair took Meacher's portfolio, Employment. Robin Cook's portfolio was divided in two after a Government reshuffle; he retained Health, but Meacher took Social Security. Cunningham took Shadow Leader of the House, being replaced by at Environment by Gould. Brown took the latter's Trade and Industry, being replaced himself by Margaret Beckett as Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury. Barry Jones returned to Wales portfolio, bumping Alan Williams from the front bench. Joan Lestor joined the Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Children's minister, and Ann Clwyd joined as Shadow Minister for International Development and Co-operation.[9]

Changes

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Geoffrey Parkhouse (1 November 1983). "Protest by Nationalists as Dewar takes over". The Glasgow Herald. p. 7.
  2. ^ House of Commons Debates 16 November 1983 c 904.
  3. ^ Geoffrey Parkhouse (27 October 1984). "Smith chosen to shadow Tebbit". The Glasgow Herald. p. 1.
  4. ^ House of Commons Debates 6 December 1984 c 488–89.
  5. ^ "Norman Is Pipped at the Post". Evening Standard. 23 October 1985.
  6. ^ Stuart Trotter (5 November 1985). "Transport job goes to Hugues". The Glasgow Herald. p. 7.
  7. ^ Geoffrey Parkhouse (30 October 1986). "Kinnock Strengthens Shadow Cabinet Hold". The Glasgow Herald. p. 9. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  8. ^ Ian Hernon (13 July 1987). "Kinnock Cashes in on the Scots". Evening Times. p. 2.
  9. ^ "Kinnock splits his top Treasury team". The Glasgow Herald. 2 November 1989. p. 1. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
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