Shadow Cabinet of David Cameron

David Cameron was Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition from his election as Leader on 6 December 2005 until he became Prime Minister on 11 May 2010. His tenure as opposition leader was characterised by opposition to the Great Recession from 2007 to 2009, and his relative youth and inexperience before becoming leader invited satirical comparison with Tony Blair. Cameron sought to rebrand the Conservatives, embracing an increasingly socially liberal position, and introducing the "A-List" to increase the number of female and minority ethnic Conservative MPs.

Cameron Shadow Cabinet

Shadow Cabinet of the United Kingdom
20052010
Date formed6 December 2005
Date dissolved11 May 2010
People and organisations
MonarchElizabeth II
Leader of the OppositionDavid Cameron
Deputy Leader of the OppositionWilliam Hague
Member party
  •   Conservative Party
Status in legislatureOfficial Opposition
198 / 650 (30%)
History
Election2005 Conservative leadership election
Outgoing election2010 general election
Legislature terms54th UK Parliament
Outgoing formation2010 government formation
PredecessorShadow Cabinet of Michael Howard
SuccessorFirst Shadow Cabinet of Harriet Harman

Cameron had four Shadow Cabinets during his tenure as opposition leader. His Shadow Cabinet appointments included MPs associated with the various wings of the party. Former leader William Hague was appointed to the Foreign Affairs brief, while both George Osborne and David Davis were retained, as Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer and Shadow Home Secretary respectively. Hague, assisted by Davis, stood in for Cameron during his paternity leave in February 2006. In June 2008, Davis announced his intention to resign as an MP, and was immediately replaced as Shadow Home Secretary by Dominic Grieve; Davis' surprise move was seen as a challenge to the changes introduced under Cameron's leadership.

Under Cameron, the Conservatives made gains in the 2006 local elections, and made further gains in the 2007 and 2008 local elections. With the onset of the Great Recession leading to the Labour government under Gordon Brown taking the blame from a worsening economic climate, soaring unemployment and the expenses scandal, the Conservatives made signifiant gains in the local and European elections in 2009.

Following the 2010 general election, Cameron became prime minister at the head of a coalition government between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats, as no party had gained an overall majority in the House of Commons for the first time since the February 1974 general election. One of the first decisions he made as prime minister was the appointment of Nick Clegg, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, as deputy prime minister.

Shadow Cabinet (8 December 2005 – 2 July 2007)

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Portfolio Shadow Minister
Leader of the Conservative Party
Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition
The Rt Hon. David Cameron
Shadow Foreign Secretary
Senior Member of the Shadow Cabinet
The Rt Hon. William Hague
Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
General Election Campaign Co-ordinator
George Osborne
Shadow Home Secretary David Davis
Chairman of the Conservative Party Francis Maude
Shadow Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs Oliver Heald
Shadow Secretary of State for Health Andrew Lansley CBE
Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Caroline Spelman
Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families David Willetts
Shadow Secretary of State for Defence Dr. Liam Fox
Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Peter Ainsworth
Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Philip Hammond
Shadow Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling
Shadow Leader of the House of Commons The Rt Hon. Theresa May
Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Hugo Swire
Shadow Secretary of State for Wales Cheryl Gillan
Shadow Secretary of State for International Development Andrew Mitchell
Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry & Shadow President of the Board of Trade Alan Duncan
Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury Theresa Villiers
Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland David Mundell
Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland David Lidington
Opposition Chief Whip The Rt Hon. Patrick McLoughlin
Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords The Rt Hon. Thomas Galbraith, Lord Strathclyde PC
Also attending the Shadow Cabinet
Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords The Rt Hon. John Cope, Lord Cope of Berkeley
Shadow Minister for Women and Equality Eleanor Laing
Shadow Minister for Europe Graham Brady
Chairman of the Conservative Policy Review
Chairman of the Conservative Research Department
Shadow Minister without Portfolio
The Rt Hon. Oliver Letwin
Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party Annabel Goldie MSP

Shadow Cabinet (2 July 2007 – 13 June 2008)

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Portfolio Shadow Minister
Leader of the Conservative Party
Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition
The Rt Hon. David Cameron
Shadow Foreign Secretary
Senior Member of the Shadow Cabinet
The Rt Hon. William Hague
Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
General Election Campaign Co-ordinator
George Osborne
Shadow Home Secretary David Davis
Chairman of the Conservative Party Caroline Spelman
Shadow Secretary of State for Justice Nick Herbert
Shadow Secretary of State for Health Andrew Lansley CBE
Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles
Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families Michael Gove
Shadow Secretary of State for Defence Dr. Liam Fox
Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Peter Ainsworth
Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Chris Grayling
Shadow Secretary of State for Transport Theresa Villiers
Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
Shadow Minister for Women and Equality
The Rt Hon. Theresa May
Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Jeremy Hunt
Shadow Secretary of State for Wales Cheryl Gillan
Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office
Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
The Rt Hon. Francis Maude
Shadow Secretary of State for International Development Andrew Mitchell
Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Alan Duncan
Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury Philip Hammond
Shadow Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills David Willetts
Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland David Mundell
Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Owen Paterson
Opposition Chief Whip The Rt Hon. Patrick McLoughlin
Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords The Rt Hon. Thomas Galbraith, Lord Strathclyde PC
Also attending the Shadow Cabinet
Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords The Rt Hon. Joyce Anelay, Baroness Anelay of St Johns DBE PC
Shadow Minister for Europe Mark Francois
Shadow Foreign Office Minister David Lidington
Shadow Secretary of State for Housing Grant Shapps
Shadow Minister for Science and Innovation Adam Afriyie
Shadow Minister for Community Cohesion and Social Action The Rt Hon. Sayeeda Warsi, Baroness Warsi
Shadow Minister for Security
National Security Adviser to the Leader of the Opposition
The Rt Hon. Pauline Neville-Jones, Baroness Neville-Jones DCMG PC
Chairman of the Conservative Policy Review
Chairman of the Conservative Research Department
Shadow Minister without Portfolio
The Rt Hon. Oliver Letwin
Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party Annabel Goldie MSP

Shadow Cabinet (13 June 2008 – 19 January 2009)

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Portfolio Shadow Minister
Leader of the Conservative Party
Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition
The Rt Hon. David Cameron
Shadow Foreign Secretary
Senior Member of the Shadow Cabinet
The Rt Hon. William Hague
Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
General Election Campaign Co-ordinator
George Osborne
Shadow Home Secretary Dominic Grieve QC
Chairman of the Conservative Party Caroline Spelman
Shadow Secretary of State for Justice Nick Herbert
Shadow Secretary of State for Health Andrew Lansley CBE
Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles
Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families Michael Gove
Shadow Secretary of State for Defence Dr. Liam Fox
Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Peter Ainsworth
Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Chris Grayling
Shadow Secretary of State for Transport Theresa Villiers
Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
Shadow Minister for Women and Equality
The Rt Hon. Theresa May
Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Jeremy Hunt
Shadow Secretary of State for Wales Cheryl Gillan
Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office
Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
The Rt Hon. Francis Maude
Shadow Secretary of State for International Development Andrew Mitchell
Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Alan Duncan
Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury Philip Hammond
Shadow Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills David Willetts
Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland David Mundell
Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Owen Paterson
Opposition Chief Whip The Rt Hon. Patrick McLoughlin
Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords The Rt Hon. Thomas Galbraith, Lord Strathclyde PC
Also attending the Shadow Cabinet
Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords The Rt Hon. Joyce Anelay, Baroness Anelay of St Johns DBE PC
Shadow Minister for Europe Mark Francois
Shadow Foreign Office Minister David Lidington
Shadow Secretary of State for Housing Grant Shapps
Shadow Minister for Science and Innovation Adam Afriyie
Shadow Minister for Community Cohesion and Social Action The Rt Hon. Sayeeda Warsi, Baroness Warsi
Shadow Minister for Security
National Security Adviser to the Leader of the Opposition
The Rt Hon. Pauline Neville-Jones, Baroness Neville-Jones DCMG PC
Chairman of the Conservative Policy Review
Chairman of the Conservative Research Department
Shadow Minister without Portfolio
The Rt Hon. Oliver Letwin
Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party Annabel Goldie MSP

Shadow Cabinet (19 January 2009 – 11 May 2010)

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Portfolio Shadow Minister
Leader of the Conservative Party
Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition
The Rt Hon. David Cameron
Shadow Foreign Secretary
Senior Member of the Shadow Cabinet
The Rt Hon. William Hague
Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
General Election Campaign Co-ordinator
George Osborne
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Grayling
Chairman of the Conservative Party Eric Pickles
Shadow Secretary of State for Justice Dominic Grieve QC
Shadow Secretary of State for Health Andrew Lansley CBE
Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Caroline Spelman
Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families Michael Gove
Shadow Secretary of State for Defence Dr. Liam Fox
Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Nick Herbert
Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
Shadow Minister for Women and Equality
The Rt Hon. Theresa May
Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Greg Clark
Shadow Secretary of State for Transport Theresa Villiers
Shadow Leader of the House of Commons The Rt Hon. Sir George Young Bt.
Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Jeremy Hunt
Shadow Secretary of State for Wales Cheryl Gillan
Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office
Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
The Rt Hon. Francis Maude
Shadow Secretary of State for International Development Andrew Mitchell
Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills The Rt Hon. Kenneth Clarke QC
Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury Philip Hammond
Shadow Minister for Universities and Skills David Willetts
Shadow Secretary of State for Housing Grant Shapps
Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland David Mundell
Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Owen Paterson
Shadow Minister for Europe Mark Francois
Opposition Chief Whip The Rt Hon. Patrick McLoughlin
Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords The Rt Hon. Thomas Galbraith, Lord Strathclyde PC
Also attending the Shadow Cabinet
Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords The Rt Hon. Joyce Anelay, Baroness Anelay of St Johns DBE PC
Shadow Minister for Science and Innovation Adam Afriyie
Shadow Minister for Community Cohesion and Social Action The Rt Hon. Sayeeda Warsi, Baroness Warsi
Shadow Minister for Security
National Security Adviser to the Leader of the Opposition
The Rt Hon. Pauline Neville-Jones, Baroness Neville-Jones DCMG PC
Chairman of the Conservative Policy Review
Chairman of the Conservative Research Department
Shadow Minister without Portfolio
The Rt Hon. Oliver Letwin
Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party Annabel Goldie MSP
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See also

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  Conservatism portal