In British parliamentary practice, the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet (usually known simply as the shadow cabinet) consists of senior members of
His Majesty's Loyal Opposition who scrutinise their corresponding
government
A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state.
In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government i ...
ministers, develop alternative policies, hold the government to account for its actions and responses, and act as
spokespeople
A spokesperson, spokesman, or spokeswoman, is someone engaged or elected to speak on behalf of others.
Duties and function
In the present media-sensitive world, many organizations are increasingly likely to employ professionals who have receiv ...
for the opposition party in their own specific policy areas.
Since May 2010, the
Labour Party has been the Official Opposition, and its leadership therefore forms the current
shadow cabinet.
Not all
opposition frontbenchers are members of the shadow cabinet, which is composed of the most senior opposition members (usually around twenty).
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 ...
, the opposition chief whip and opposition deputy chief whip are the only members of the Official Opposition to be paid for their opposition roles in addition to their salaries as
members of Parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...
. The leader of the opposition and the opposition chief whip in the House of Lords also receive a salary.
Members
See also
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His Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition (United Kingdom)
His Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition, commonly known as the Official Opposition in the United Kingdom, is the main political opposition to His Majesty's Government. This is usually the political party with the second-largest number of seats i ...
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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 fron ...
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List of British shadow cabinets
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List of shadow holders of the Great Offices of State
This is a list shadow holders of the Great Offices of State in the United Kingdom's Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet since Hugh Gaitskell's Shadow Cabinet of 1955. The purpose of the Shadow Cabinet is to scrutinise the opposing ministers, dev ...
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2010 Labour Party (UK) Shadow Cabinet election
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May 2021 British shadow cabinet reshuffle
Keir Starmer, Leader of the Opposition in the United Kingdom, carried out a reshuffle of his shadow cabinet on 9 May 2021. This followed disappointing results for the Labour Party, including historic defeat in the Hartlepool by-election a ...
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November 2021 British shadow cabinet reshuffle
On 29 November 2021, Keir Starmer, Leader of the Opposition in the United Kingdom, carried out a reshuffle of his shadow cabinet. The slimmed down shadow cabinet, was seen to be Starmer creating a top team in his own image.
The major outcome ...
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SNP Frontbench Team
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Liberal Democrat frontbench team
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Cabinet of the United Kingdom
The Cabinet of the United Kingdom is the senior decision-making body of His Majesty's Government. A committee of the Privy Council, it is chaired by the prime minister and its members include secretaries of state and other senior ministers.
...
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British Government frontbench
The Government frontbench in the Parliament of the United Kingdom, also known as the Treasury Bench, consists of the Cabinet and all other ministers.
Parliamentary opposition to the Government frontbench is provided by the Official Opposition f ...
References
External links
His Majesty's Official Opposition– official UK Parliament webpage
{{British shadow cabinets
Official Opposition (United Kingdom)
Cabinet of the United Kingdom