Formerly, the Liberal Democrats frontbench team did not use the term 'Shadow Cabinet', with a number of frontbench spokespeople covering areas (e.g., Defence and Foreign Affairs) rather than directly shadowing specific Cabinet portfolios. Under Charles Kennedy's leadership, and with the increase in numbers of Liberal Democrat MPs after the 1997 general election, the senior members of the frontbench team began referring to themselves as a Shadow Cabinet. This was controversial, because in the two-party political system that dominated UK politics in the 20th century, the term 'Shadow Cabinet' referred to senior members of the frontbench team of the largest single opposition party in the House of Commons. This party, known as the Official Opposition, has constitutional status, although its Shadow Cabinet does not. Following Kennedy's decision to change the nomenclature, the UK Parliament's website used for a time the term 'Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet' in place of the old term 'Frontbench Team'.[1][2]
This is not without contention, and was disputed by the Conservative Party, who were then the Official Opposition. However, the official listing at the Parliament website is explicit in using the term 'Shadow Cabinet'.[3] In 2001, Chancellor of the ExchequerGordon Brown said the following in the House of Commons:
The House of Commons is in the unique position of having two shadow Chancellors: one [Conservative Michael Howard] sits in Folkestone and the other [Liberal Democrat Matthew Taylor] in Truro. It is rather like the mediaeval papacy: two hon. Members claim to hold the position of shadow Chancellor. I shall organise a play-off during the year.[4]
Brown returned to this theme, comparing his frosty relationship with the official Shadow Chancellor George Osborne with his apparently warm relationship with Vince Cable (whom he referred to as "the Shadow Chancellor from Twickenham").[5]
The Official Opposition receives support for its official function which is denied to smaller opposition parties, although they, along with every parliamentary party, do receive Short Money. While the Opposition Leader and Chief Whips draw salaries, their counterparts in smaller opposition parties do not. The Official Opposition also has the exclusive use of facilities within Parliament.
Following the 2015 general election, the Liberal Democrats were reduced to just eight seats in the House of Commons, falling into joint fourth place with the Democratic Unionist Party behind the Scottish National Party (SNP) for the first time. As a result of this, Parliament's website listed the SNP's frontbench team (in comparison with the Conservative Cabinet and Labour Shadow Cabinet) in lieu of the Liberal Democrat frontbench team.
^. House of Commons Information Office. Archived from the original on 2 September 2006. Retrieved 4 September 2006.
^. House of Commons Information Office. Archived from the original on 21 August 2006. Retrieved 4 September 2006.
^. House of Commons Information Office – libdems. Archived from the original on 2 August 2008. Retrieved 25 September 2008.
^"House of Commons Hansard Debates for 27 Nov 2001 (pt 8)". The Stationery Office Ltd. 27 November 2001. Retrieved 4 September 2006.
^. 16 October 2003. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011.
External linksedit
The Liberal Democrats – Frontbench team
January 01, 1970
liberal, democrat, frontbench, team, frontbench, teams, since, 1997, ashdown, team, 1997, 1999, kennedy, team, 1999, 2006, campbell, team, 2006, 2007, first, cable, team, 2007, clegg, team, 2007, 2010, general, election, cabinet, 2015, farron, team, 2015, 2017. Frontbench Teams since 1997 Ashdown Team 1997 1999 Kennedy Team 1999 2006 Campbell Team 2006 2007 First Cable Team 2007 Clegg Team 2007 2010 General Election Cabinet 2015 Farron Team 2015 2017 Second Cable Team 2017 2019 Swinson Team 2019 Davey Team 2019 present The Liberal Democrats are a political party in the United Kingdom While in opposition the Leader of the Liberal Democrats appoints a frontbench team of Members of Parliament MPs Peers Members of the Scottish Parliament MSPs and Members of the Senedd MSs to speak for the party on different issues Their areas of responsibility broadly corresponded to those of Government ministers The frontbench team is divided into departmental sub units the principal ones being the economy foreign policy and home affairs Sometimes the frontbench team consists of more than just the principal positions Contents 1 Status 2 Previous frontbench teams 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksStatus editFormerly the Liberal Democrats frontbench team did not use the term Shadow Cabinet with a number of frontbench spokespeople covering areas e g Defence and Foreign Affairs rather than directly shadowing specific Cabinet portfolios Under Charles Kennedy s leadership and with the increase in numbers of Liberal Democrat MPs after the 1997 general election the senior members of the frontbench team began referring to themselves as a Shadow Cabinet This was controversial because in the two party political system that dominated UK politics in the 20th century the term Shadow Cabinet referred to senior members of the frontbench team of the largest single opposition party in the House of Commons This party known as the Official Opposition has constitutional status although its Shadow Cabinet does not Following Kennedy s decision to change the nomenclature the UK Parliament s website used for a time the term Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet in place of the old term Frontbench Team 1 2 This is not without contention and was disputed by the Conservative Party who were then the Official Opposition However the official listing at the Parliament website is explicit in using the term Shadow Cabinet 3 In 2001 Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown said the following in the House of Commons The House of Commons is in the unique position of having two shadow Chancellors one Conservative Michael Howard sits in Folkestone and the other Liberal Democrat Matthew Taylor in Truro It is rather like the mediaeval papacy two hon Members claim to hold the position of shadow Chancellor I shall organise a play off during the year 4 Brown returned to this theme comparing his frosty relationship with the official Shadow Chancellor George Osborne with his apparently warm relationship with Vince Cable whom he referred to as the Shadow Chancellor from Twickenham 5 The Official Opposition receives support for its official function which is denied to smaller opposition parties although they along with every parliamentary party do receive Short Money While the Opposition Leader and Chief Whips draw salaries their counterparts in smaller opposition parties do not The Official Opposition also has the exclusive use of facilities within Parliament Following the 2010 general election and the confirmation of Conservative leader David Cameron as Prime Minister on 11 May 2010 a coalition cabinet was formed that included Liberal Democrat ministers including Liberal leader Nick Clegg as Deputy Prime Minister and Lord President of the Council Thus the Liberal Democrats entered the Cabinet again for the first time since the 1940s Following the 2015 general election the Liberal Democrats were reduced to just eight seats in the House of Commons falling into joint fourth place with the Democratic Unionist Party behind the Scottish National Party SNP for the first time As a result of this Parliament s website listed the SNP s frontbench team in comparison with the Conservative Cabinet and Labour Shadow Cabinet in lieu of the Liberal Democrat frontbench team Previous frontbench teams editPrevious team key members in summary Party Date Leader Economy Foreign affairs Home affairs Liberal April 1966 Jo Grimond Richard Wainwright James Davidson Unknown January 1967 Jeremy Thorpe June 1970 John Pardoe Russell Johnston 1975 David Steel May 1976 Jo Grimond July 1976 David Steel Jeremy Thorpe 1977 Emlyn Hooson May 1979 Richard Wainwright Russell Johnston October 1981 Bill Pitt June 1983 1985 David Penhaligon Alan Beith January 1987 June 1987 Alan Beith Russell Johnston LiberalDemocrats March 1988 David Steel andRobert Maclennan co leaders Robert Maclennan July 1988 Paddy Ashdown July 1989 David Steel July 1994 Malcolm Bruce Menzies Campbell Alan Beith August 1999 Charles Kennedy Matthew Taylor Simon Hughes June 2003 Vince Cable Mark Oaten January 2006 Menzies Campbell acting Jan Mar 2006 January 2006 Alistair Carmichael March 2006 Michael Moore Nick Clegg October 2007 Vince Cable acting December 2007 Nick Clegg Deputy Prime Minister May 2010 May 2015 Ed Davey Chris Huhne May 2010 David Laws Chief Secretary to the Treasury Jeremy Browne Minister of State for Foreign Affairs The Lord McNally Minister of State for Justice May 2010 Danny Alexander Chief Secretary to the Treasury September 2012 Lynne Featherstone Under Secretary of State for International Development Jeremy Browne Minister of State for Home Affairs October 2013 Norman Baker Minister of State for Home Affairs November 2014 Menzies Campbell Member of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee Lynne Featherstone Minister of State for Home Affairs January 2015 Tim Farron May 2015 Norman Lamb The Lord McNally July 2015 Tim Farron The Baroness Kramer Tom Brake Alistair Carmichael October 2016 The Lord Paddick May 2017 Sir Vince Cable June 2017 Jo Swinson Ed Davey July 2017 Sir Vince Cable Vacant Oct 2017 The Baroness Kramer June 2019 Chuka Umunna August 2019 Jo Swinson Ed Davey Chuka Umunna Christine Jardine December 2019 Ed Davey acting Angela Smith Int Dev January 2020 Alistair Carmichael August 2020 Ed Davey Christine Jardine Layla Moran Alistair Carmichael July 2022 Sarah OlneySee also editCabinet of the United Kingdom Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet United Kingdom List of British shadow cabinetsReferences edit Directory of MPs Peers Offices and Overseas Delegations House of Commons Information Office Archived from the original on 2 September 2006 Retrieved 4 September 2006 Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet and Parliamentary Team House of Commons Information Office Archived from the original on 21 August 2006 Retrieved 4 September 2006 UK Parliament House of Commons Information Office libdems Archived from the original on 2 August 2008 Retrieved 25 September 2008 House of Commons Hansard Debates for 27 Nov 2001 pt 8 The Stationery Office Ltd 27 November 2001 Retrieved 4 September 2006 House of Commons Hansard Debates for 16 Oct 2003 pt 2 16 October 2003 Archived from the original on 5 June 2011 External links editThe Liberal Democrats Frontbench team UK Parliament Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Liberal Democrat frontbench team amp oldid 1140019753, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
