John Smith was Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Official Opposition from 18 July 1992 until his death on 12 May 1994. Smith became leader upon succeeding

Neil Kinnock Neil Gordon Kinnock, Baron Kinnock (born 28 March 1942) is a British former politician. As a member of the Labour Party, he served as a Member of Parliament from 1970 until 1995, first for Bedwellty and then for Islwyn. He was the Leader of ...

, who had resigned following the 1992 general election in which the

Conservative Party The Conservative Party is a name used by many political parties around the world. These political parties are generally right-wing though their exact ideologies can range from center-right to far-right. Political parties called The Conservative P ...

had defeated Labour for the fourth successive time. Prior to being Leader of the Opposition, Smith had been a member of the Government of James Callaghan as

President of the Board of Trade The president of the Board of Trade is head of the Board of Trade. This is a committee of the His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, Privy Council of the United Kingdom, first established as a temporary committee of inquiry in the 17th centu ...

(1978–1979), and served under his predecessor Neil Kinnock's Shadow Cabinet as

Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer The Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer in the British Parliamentary system is the member of the Shadow Cabinet who is responsible for shadowing the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The title is given at the gift of the Leader of the Opposition and ...

(1987–1992). Smith's tenure as Leader of the Opposition saw the Government's policies of the implementation of the Citizen's Charter, progress in the Northern Ireland peace negotiations, and the creation and centralisation of the European Union. Smith died suddenly on 12 May 1994, and was replaced as Acting Leader by

Margaret Beckett Dame Margaret Mary Beckett (''née'' Jackson; born 15 January 1943) is a British politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Derby South since 1983. A member of the Labour Party, she became Britain's first female Foreign S ...

, who served until 21 July 1994.

Shadow Cabinet list

Initial Shadow Cabinet

On 24 July 1992, John Smith announced the following Shadow Cabinet: * John Smith – Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party *

– Deputy Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party,

Shadow Leader of the House of Commons The Shadow Leader of the House of Commons is a member of the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet (United Kingdom), Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet responsible for working with the Leader of the House of Commons, Leader of the House in arrangin ...

, and Elections Co-ordinator *

Gordon Brown James Gordon Brown (born 20 February 1951) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party (UK), Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 to 2010. He previously served as Chance ...

–

. *

Jack Cunningham John Anderson Cunningham, Baron Cunningham of Felling, PC, DL (born 4 August 1939) is a British politician who was a Labour Member of Parliament for over 30 years, serving for Whitehaven from 1970 to 1983 and then Copeland until the 2005 ...

–

Shadow Foreign Secretary In UK politics, the Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs is a position within the opposition's shadow cabinet that deals mainly with issues surrounding the Foreign Office. If elected, the person serving as ...

Tony Blair Sir Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007. He previously served as Leader of th ...

–

Shadow Home Secretary In British politics, the Shadow Home Secretary (formally known as the Shadow Secretary of State for the Home Department) is the person within the shadow cabinet who shadows the Home Secretary; this effectively means scrutinising government polic ...

* David Clark –

Shadow Secretary of State for Defence The Shadow Secretary of State for Defence is a member of the UK Shadow Cabinet responsible for the scrutiny of the Secretary of State for Defence and the department, the Ministry of Defence. The post is currently held by John Healey. Shadow S ...

Ann Taylor Ann or Anne Taylor may refer to: *Ann Taylor (writer, born 1757) (1757–1830), English writer *Ann Taylor (poet) (1782–1866), English poet and children's writer, daughter of the above *Ann Taylor (actress) (born 1936), British actress, hostess a ...

–

Shadow Secretary of State for Education The Shadow Secretary of State for Education, also called the Shadow Education Secretary, is an office in the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet responsible for Opposition policy on education and for holding the Secretary of State for Education, ...

Frank Dobson Frank Gordon Dobson (15 March 1940 – 11 November 2019) was a British Labour Party politician. As Member of Parliament (MP) for Holborn and St. Pancras from 1979 to 2015, he served in the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Health from 1997 ...

–

Shadow Secretary of State for Employment 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 Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet (United Kingdom), Shadow Cabinet. From 1970 to 1995, ...

Jack Straw John Whitaker Straw (born 3 August 1946) is a British politician who served in the Cabinet from 1997 to 2010 under the Labour governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. He held two of the traditional Great Offices of State, as Home Secretary ...

–

Shadow Minister for Local Government and Housing The Secretary of State for the Environment was a UK cabinet position, responsible for the Department of the Environment (DoE). This was created by Edward Heath as a combination of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, the Ministry of Tra ...

* Chris Smith –

Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is a position with the UK Opposition's Shadow Cabinet that deals with issues surrounding the environment and food and rural affairs; if the opposition party is elected to govern ...

and

Shadow Minister for London The Minister for London is a United Kingdom Government ministerial post in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. The officeholder is responsible for policy relating to London including informing Members of Parliament in the ...

David Blunkett David Blunkett, Baron Blunkett, (born 6 June 1947) is a British Labour Party politician who has been a Member of the House of Lords since 2015, and previously served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough ...

– Shadow Secretary of State for Health *

Donald Dewar Donald Campbell Dewar (21 August 1937 – 11 October 2000) was a Scottish politician who served as the inaugural First Minister of Scotland and Leader of the Labour Party in Scotland from 1999 until his death in 2000. He previously served as ...

– Shadow Secretary of State for Social Security *

Bryan Gould Bryan Charles Gould (born 11 February 1939) is a New Zealand-born British former politician and diplomat. He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1974 to 1979, and again from 1983 to 1994. He was a member of the Labour Party's Shadow Ca ...

– Shadow Secretary of State for National Heritage *

Robin Cook Robert Finlayson "Robin" Cook (28 February 19466 August 2005) was a British Labour politician who served as a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1974 until his death in 2005 and served in the Cabinet as Foreign Secretary from 1997 until 2001 whe ...

–

Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry The Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Industrial Strategy is an office within British politics held by a member of His Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition. The duty of the office holder is to scrutinise the actions of the government's Secre ...

John Prescott John Leslie Prescott, Baron Prescott (born 31 May 1938) is a British politician who served as Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and as First Secretary of State from 2001 to 2007. A member of the Labour Party, he w ...

–

Shadow Secretary of State for Transport The Shadow Secretary of State for Transport is a political post in the United Kingdom. It has been consistently held by a member of the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet since May 1979. The Shadow Secretary helps hold the Transport Secretary and ...

* Tom Clarke –

Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland The Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland is a member of the UK Shadow Cabinet responsible for the scrutiny of the Secretary of State for Scotland and his/her department, the Scotland Office. The incumbent holder of the office is Ian Murray. ...

* Ann Clwyd –

Shadow Secretary of State for Wales The Shadow Secretary of State for Wales or Shadow Welsh Secretary is a member of the UK Shadow Cabinet responsible for the scrutiny of the Secretary of State for Wales and his/her department, the Wales Office , agency_type = Ministerial ...

* Kevin McNamara –

Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland The Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is a member of the British Shadow Cabinet responsible for the scrutiny of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and their department, the Northern Ireland Office. The post is currently he ...

Michael Meacher Michael Hugh Meacher (4 November 1939 – 21 October 2015) was a British politician who served as a government minister under Harold Wilson, James Callaghan and Tony Blair. A member of the Labour Party, he was Member of Parliament (MP) for ...

– Shadow Minister for Overseas Development *

Mo Mowlam Dr Marjorie "Mo" Mowlam (18 September 1949 – 19 August 2005) was a British Labour Party politician. She was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Redcar from 1987 to 2001 and served in the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Mini ...

–

Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster The Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is a position in the British Shadow Cabinet, appointed by the Leader of the Opposition. The post involves holding the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to account, who has control over the est ...

, Shadow Minister for the Citizen's Charter, and Shadow Minister for the Status of Women *

Harriet Harman Harriet Ruth Harman (born 30 July 1950) is a British politician and solicitor who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Camberwell and Peckham, formerly Peckham, since 1982. A member of the Labour Party, she has served in various Cabi ...

–

Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury The Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury is the most junior member of the Shadow Cabinet, and is the deputy to the Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer. The Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury acts as the primary opposition to the equivalent G ...

* Ron Davies –

Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food The Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food was a member of the UK Shadow Cabinet responsible for the scrutiny of the Ministers of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and his/her ministry, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. ...

* Lord Richard –

Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords The Shadow Leader of the House of Lords, also referred as the Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords, is the person who leads the Official Opposition in the House of Lords. Their job is to work with the Leader, Lord Speaker and other sen ...

* Derek Foster – Labour Chief Whip in the House of Commons *

Lord Graham of Edmonton Thomas Edward Graham, Baron Graham of Edmonton, (26 March 1925 – 21 March 2020) was a British Labour and Co-operative politician. Career Born in Newcastle, Graham was educated at the Co-operative College and held several positions in the co ...

– Labour Chief Whip in the House of Lords *

Lord Irvine of Lairg Alexander Andrew Mackay Irvine, Baron Irvine of Lairg, (born 23 June 1940), known as Derry Irvine, is a Scottish lawyer, judge and political figure who served as Lord Chancellor under his former pupil barrister, Tony Blair. Education Irvine wa ...

–

Shadow Lord Chancellor The Shadow Lord Chancellor is the member of the British Shadow Cabinet who shadows the Lord Chancellor, an office which has existed since the Norman Conquest. Since 2010, the officeholder has jointly held the title Shadow Secretary of State for ...

;Changes * 29 September 1992: Gould resigned over the Party's stance on the

Maastricht Treaty The Treaty on European Union, commonly known as the Maastricht Treaty, is the foundation treaty of the European Union (EU). Concluded in 1992 between the then-twelve member states of the European Communities, it announced "a new stage in the ...

. and was replaced as Shadow National Heritage Secretary by Ann Clwyd, who retained her position as Shadow Welsh Secretary.

1993 reshuffle

Smith reshuffled the Shadow Cabinet on 21 October 1993, following the 1993 Shadow Cabinet elections. Clwyd left the Shadow Cabinet. Mowlam replaced her as Shadow National Heritage Secretary, with

Clare Short Clare Short (born 15 February 1946) is a British politician who served as Secretary of State for International Development under Prime Minister Tony Blair from 1997 to 2003. Short was the Member of Parliament for Birmingham Ladywood from 1983 t ...

(who also lost in the Shadow Cabinet elections) replacing her as Shadow Minister for the Status of Women. Meacher replaced Mowlam as Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Shadow Minister for the Citizen's Charter. He was in turn replaced by Clarke at the Overseas Development portfolio, and Clarke was replaced as Scottish Spokesperson by new Shadow Cabinet minister George Robertson. Clwyd was replaced as Shadow Welsh Secretary by Davies, who was replaced at Agriculture by

Gavin Strang Gavin Steel Strang (born 10 July 1943) is a Scottish Labour Party politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Edinburgh East from 1970 until 2010 (including two terms for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh). He served as a minister in the ...

. Prescott and Dobson exchanged portfolios (receiving Employment and Transport, respectively), with Dobson also taking London from Chris Smith. Blunkett became Chair of the Labour Party while retaining the Health portfolio. * John Smith – Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party *

– Deputy Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party,

, and Elections Co-ordinator *

–

* David Clark –

–

and

–

* Chris Smith –

– Shadow Secretary of State for Health and

Chair of the Labour Party The Chair of the Labour Party is a position in the Labour Party of the United Kingdom. The Chair is responsible for administration of the party and overseeing general election campaigns, and is typically held concurrently with another position ...

– Shadow Secretary of State for Social Security *

– Shadow Secretary of State for National Heritage *

–

* George Robertson –

* Ron Davies –

* Kevin McNamara –

* Tom Clarke – Shadow Minister for Overseas Development *

–

and Shadow Minister for the Citizen's Charter *

– Shadow Minister for the Status of Women *

–

* Lord Richard –

* Derek Foster – Labour Chief Whip in the House of Commons *

– Labour Chief Whip in the House of Lords *

–

References

{{UK Labour Party Official Opposition (United Kingdom)

Smith Smith may refer to: People * Metalsmith, or simply smith, a craftsman fashioning tools or works of art out of various metals * Smith (given name) * Smith (surname), a family name originating in England, Scotland and Ireland ** List of people wi ...

1992 establishments in the United Kingdom 1993 in the United Kingdom 1994 in the United Kingdom 1992 elections in the United Kingdom 1994 disestablishments in the United Kingdom British shadow cabinets John Smith (Labour Party leader)

Shadow Cabinet list

Initial Shadow Cabinet

1993 reshuffle

See also

References