Jo Swinson has just announced her Shadow Cabinet.
| Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet | |
| Jo Swinson | Leader |
| Ed Davey | Chancellor of the Exchequer Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy |
| Chuka Umunna | Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs International Development International Trade |
| Christine Jardine | Home Department Justice Women and Equalities Deputy Chief Whip |
| Tom Brake | Exiting the European Union Duchy of Lancaster |
| Jamie Stone | Defence Scotland |
| Vince Cable | Health and Social Care |
| Layla Moran | Education Digital, Culture, Media and Sport |
| Wera Hobhouse | Climate Change and Environment Transport |
| Tim Farron | Housing, Communities and Local Government Work and Pensions North of England (Northern Powerhouse) |
| Alistair Carmichael | Chief Whip Northern Ireland |
| Jane Dodds | Wales Food & Rural Affairs |
| Catherine Bearder | Europe |
| Siobhan Benita | London |
| Willie Rennie | Scotland |
| Kirsty Williams | Wales |
| Dick Newby | Leader of the House of Lords |
| Sal Brinton | President of the Liberal Democrats |
*Please note that Norman Lamb and Sarah Wollaston will attend relevant Shadow Cabinet meetings but given their roles as Chairs of respective Select Committees they will not take a formal Shadow Cabinet role.
* Mary Reid is a contributing editor on Lib Dem Voice. She was a councillor in Kingston upon Thames, where she is still very active with the local party, and is the Hon President of Kingston Lib Dems.
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19 Comments
Thank goodness we now have Tim Farron at Works and Pensions allied to Housing Communities and Local Government. The party might now focus on the UN Report on Poverty in the UK.
I know Tim will be committed to this. I well remember him doing a homeless sleep out just after he was elected.
Good list.
@DavidRaw I agree 100 per cent. Welfare is a crucial policy area.
I would love to see some proposals developed that move the debate onto what support the unemployed and long term sick really need.
The current levels of JSA, ESA, UC are simply not enough to live on.
I may be wrong, but I thought only Labour, as the Official Opposition, forms a Shadow Cabinet. Are not the Libdems listed above merely the spokespersons for the briefs they’ve been allocated to?
My hope will be that Tim Farron pushes the case for a radical regional development policy. As things stand we are now currently behind the other political parties on this, but we really must come up with something to tackle the inequality that caused support for Brexit.
Two people for Scotland?
Presumably Jamie is just defence?
Also two people for Wales: but I note that neither Willie Rennie nor Kirsty Williams is a Westminster MP, so presumably they are to be the ‘devolved’ spokespersons for their home countries, whilst Jamie Stone and Jane Dodds (is she remaining as leader of Welsh LDs?) shadow the Secretaries of State in the Commons.
Is there any significance in the absence of a Shadow Attorney General, or is that position taken by someone in the Lords, or does Christine Jardine cover that at Justice? There is, I hear, a certain QC on the Tory benches at risk of deselection…..
Paul McGarry – Jamie Stone & Jane Dodds cover Scotland & Wales in the HoC, Willie Rennie & Kirsty Williams cover Scotland & Wales in their respective Assemblies/Parliaments.
Norman Lamb and Sarah Wollaston will attend relevant Shadow Cabinet meetings but given their roles as Chairs of respective Select Committees they will not take a formal Shadow Cabinet role
Excellent news – forgoing the expertise of these two would have been senseless.
It is good to see Tim Farron having Work and Pensions. I hope he will support our policy becoming the reversal of all the benefit cuts since 2010.
I am disappointed to see a self-confessed economic liberal Ed Davey being named shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer. Perhaps Chuka Umunna would have been better in terms of us rejecting economic liberalism and embracing our social liberal economic tradition.
Geoffrey Payne,
In the “A Fairer Share for All” policy paper and motion we are allocating £50 billion (I assume over a five year Parliament) for a Rebalancing Fund to increase investment in the regions and nations.
Shadow cabinet ??? They are not the opposition party or did I miss something ..
As one might think from a leader who is doing things in a way that is both sensible and practical, a terrific set of roles well decided.
It is a strong line up. Was never convinced Sir Ed was right at Home Affairs, but has got the position he shall do great things in, economics and business and energy together.
Would like to see Christine Jardine toughen up the brief at the Home affairs issues like crime, and be more in tune with the fears on people getting away with things in awful situations.
Agree with David Raw, Tim meant for Work and Pensions, great choices all.
Geoffrey Dron 21st Aug ’19 – 3:49pm Vince Cable should say something about measles.
Tim Farron had a Northern Ireland spokesman, at the heart of the Brexit issue.
Chuka Umunna is really flying up the ranks. From defector to LibDem Spokesperson on Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, International Development & International Trade.
An ambitious man like him will be leader by next year.
Just like he wanted, to be the British Macron.
I like the cabinet. Everyone gets a go
Jo Swinson has written to Jeremy Corbyn again about a vote of no confidence in Boris Johnson’s government. Corbyn’s ambition to be interim PM is affecting the outcome of the vote, negatively. He will need to make his mind up.
Labour has not replied.
Sandra Hammett: “Chuka Umunna is really flying”
Yes, but there is no vacancy. He did not stand when there was a vacancy.
Federal conference is the next event.
Maybe he can persuade Heida Allen to join us.
Barring catastrophe, Jo Swinson will be Leader of the Liberal Democrats for a long time to come.
Chuka Umunna’s talents should be welcomed in any role he agrees to take on.