Shadow_Cabinet_of_Neil_Kinnock

Shadow Cabinet of Neil Kinnock

Shadow Cabinet of Neil Kinnock

Shadow Cabinet of the United Kingdom from 1983 to 1992

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.

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Shadow Cabinet

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Initial Shadow Cabinet

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

1984 reshuffle

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

1987 reshuffle

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

  • 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

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

See also

References

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