The Shadow First Secretary of State is a position in the United Kingdom's
Shadow Cabinet that was created on 11 May 2015 by the
Leader of the Opposition
The Leader of the Opposition is a title traditionally held by the leader of the largest political party not in government, typical in countries utilizing the parliamentary system form of government. The leader of the opposition is typically se ...
,
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 ...
for her interim shadow cabinet. From 2005 to 2010, the office was known as Senior Member of the Shadow Cabinet, and from 2010 to 2015, the office was known as Shadow Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
Even though the role has no specific responsibilities attached to it, the holder of the position shadows the
First Secretary of State
The First Secretary of State is an office that is sometimes held by a minister of the Crown in the Government of the United Kingdom. The office indicates seniority, including over all other Secretaries of State. The office is not always in use, ...
and deputises for the
Leader of the Opposition
The Leader of the Opposition is a title traditionally held by the leader of the largest political party not in government, typical in countries utilizing the parliamentary system form of government. The leader of the opposition is typically se ...
in
Prime Minister's Questions
Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs, officially known as Questions to the Prime Minister, while colloquially known as Prime Minister's Question Time) is a constitutional convention in the United Kingdom, currently held as a single session every W ...
when the First Secretary is deputising for the
Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
.
The current office-holder is Deputy Labour Leader
Angela Rayner
Angela Rayner (' Bowen; born 28 March 1980) is a British politician serving as Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office and Shadow Secretary of State for the Future of Work since 2021. She has been Shad ...
, who succeeded
Emily Thornberry
Emily Anne Thornberry (born 27 July 1960) is a British politician who has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Islington South and Finsbury since 2005. A member of the Labour Party, she has served as Shadow Attorney General for England and Wale ...
in April 2020. After
Dominic Raab
Dominic Rennie Raab (; born 25 February 1974) is a British politician who has served as Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Secretary of State for Justice, and Lord Chancellor since October 2022, having previously served from 2021 to ...
was appointed
Deputy Prime Minister
A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some countries, a government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to that of a vice president, ...
in September 2021, Rayner does not have an official counterpart in
HM Government
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, image2 = Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (HM Government).svg
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to shadow, though she continues to shadow Raab in his role as Deputy Prime Minister.
List of Shadow Ministers and Secretaries
See also
*
Official Opposition frontbench
The frontbench of His Majesty's Loyal Opposition in the Parliament of the United Kingdom consists of the Shadow Cabinet and other official shadow ministers of the political party currently serving as the Official Opposition. The Opposition front ...
*
Shadow Cabinet of Keir Starmer
Keir Starmer became Leader of the Opposition (United Kingdom), Leader of the Opposition in the United Kingdom after being elected as Leader of the Labour Party (UK), Leader of the Labour Party on 4 April 2020. He appointed his Shadow cabinet, ...
*
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 esta ...
*
Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office is a position in the British Shadow Cabinet, appointed by the Leader of the Opposition. The post involves holding the Cabinet Office and the Minister for the Cabinet Office to account.
The position is ...
References
{{British shadow cabinets
Official Opposition (United Kingdom)
2005 establishments in the United Kingdom