Liberal Democrat Leader Menzies Campbell today showed his confidence in the strength of his front bench team as he unveiled his new Shadow Cabinet.
Commenting, he said:
“We are fortunate in having some of the brightest and most able people in the House of Commons. I am confident they will continue to hold the Government to account and develop Liberal Democrat policy.
“We must continue to attack Labour and the Conservatives for their cosy consensus on key issues from the environment and civil liberties to nuclear energy and the war in Iraq.
“This is a winning team which will take the fight to the other parties as we head toward the next election.”
Leader
The Rt Hon Sir Menzies Campbell, QC, MP
Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer and Deputy Leader
Vincent Cable MP
Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
Michael Moore MP
Shadow Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor
David Heath MP
Shadow Secretary of State for the Home Department
Nick Clegg MP
Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
Nick Harvey MP
Shadow Secretary of State for Health
Norman Lamb MP
Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Chris Huhne MP
Shadow Secretary of State for International Development
Lynne Featherstone MP
Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
Lembit Öpik MP
Shadow Leader of the House of Commons and Party President
Simon Hughes MP
Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
Danny Alexander MP
Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
Susan Kramer MP
Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
Andrew Stunell MP
Liberal Democrat Chief Whip
Paul Burstow MP
Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families
David Laws MP
Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office; and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
Norman Baker MP
Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport; and Olympics
Don Foster MP
Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and Scotland
Alistair Carmichael MP
Leader in the Lords
The Rt Hon Lord (Tom) McNally
Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Julia Goldsworthy MP
Shadow Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills
Sarah Teather MP
Shadow Secretary of State for Wales
Roger Williams MP
Also attending as members of the Shadow Cabinet
Lords Chief Whip
Lord (David) Shutt of of Greetland
Shadow Attorney General
Lord (Martin) Thomas of Gresford
Shadow Minister for Housing
Paul Holmes MP
Shadow Solicitor General
David Howarth MP
Chief of Staff and Chair of Campaigns and Communications
Edward Davey MP
Chair of the Manifesto Group
Steve Webb MP
Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Leader
Tim Farron MP
Chair of the Parliamentary Party
To be elected by the Parliamentary Party
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17 Comments
So, the highlights as I see them:
Danny Alexander promoted from Social Exclusion minister to DWP shadow sec
David Laws promoted(?)from DWP to Schools
Sarah Teather does a ‘David Willets’ (which I think we called a demotion, didn’t we?) and is given the Universities half of the new Education brief
David Heath promoted from Shadow Leader of the House to shadow Justice
Simon Hughes moved from Shadow Attorney General to Shadow Leader of the House. AG goes to Lord Thomas.
Lembit Opik promoted(?) to what used to be called the DTI, loses Wales which is given to Roger Williams
Susan Kramer moved from DTI to Transport
Alistair Carmichael demoted(?) from transport to NI and Scotland
David Howarth to attend Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Solicitor General
Plus rottweiler Baker back in the Shadow Cabinet
Oh yes! Though to be honest given his natural skill at getting media attention I’d forgotten he ever left it…
And Jack Straw will think David Heath is stalking him
I would forget the question marks – Opik and Laws have definitely been promoted. From 10 years in a brief thats almost impossible to get any capital from for an opposition spokesman, Lembit now has one of the two portfolios he has always dreamt of covering (the other being Transport).
As for Laws, you have to remember that when constructing an opposition cabinet, you have to have regard to who your opposite number is. In this case, Laws versus Ed Balls will be a mouth watering contest!
Well done Ming on a good akll round reshuffle.
Only Jo Swinson seems to be sacked.
I wonder if Lib Dems can really afford to demote their sharpest MP David Laws and replace him with Danny Alexander.
With Balls and Gove for the other parties on children and schools, Laws is clearly a good appointment there.
Smiley face, didnt you read the post above you?
Re: Swinson, wonder if she wanted more time to work on her constituency after poor local results there in May?
I dunno, the education ones seem a bit strange. Why on earth take David Laws away from the Treasury orbit where he’s clearly most effective? Should have kept Sarah Teather as Children/Schools and the previous HE guy (Williams?) as Innovation, Unis and Skills. (especially with policy reviews on tuition fees no doubt pending). Does no-one agree?
“Simon Hughes moved from Shadow Attorney General to Shadow Leader of the House”
is it a demotion, right? He was Shadow Secretary of State for Justice and Shadow Attorney General, but they appointed Heath to shadow Straw (Secretary for Justice and Lord Chancellor) now and sent Hughes to shadow Harriet Harman and Theresa May
Unlike Iain Dale it’s good to see you guys putting the words ‘Shadow’ in front of all those positions…
Andrea – it struck me as a pretty neutral move, but then I’m a fan of Mr Hughes so I may be in denial.
Hmm, I’m not sure about the leader 😉
Bruce – I see your point about Laws – he certainly has seriously rattled Treasury cages while at DWP – but remember he is now going to shadow Balls, which is surely about as close as you can get to the Brown orbit.
Anyone like to offer me some decent odds on Laurence Boyce at some point posting something other than “Ming is crap and should go”? He might even be right but it’s getting really boring (and not doing his credibility for balanced judgement much good at all).
A clever re-shuffle here putting good people in the right jobs. My only two down points are:
Giving Teather Universities rather than Schools and promoting that idiot Opik at all.
Other than that a good move (at last) from Sir Ming.
Can someone please explain why Opik is still in the Shadow Cabinet? What has he done for the Lib Dems lately, or ever come to think of it, to deserve promotion?
Can someone please explain why Opik is still in the Shadow Cabinet?
Maybe it’s because he makes the rest of them look like serious politicians?