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)
Second Cable Team (2017–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 National Assembly for Wales (AMs), 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.

Status

Formerly, the Liberal Democrats frontbench team did not use the term 'Shadow Cabinet', with a number of front bench 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, the senior members of the front bench team referred 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 opposition party in the House of Commons. This party, known as the Official Opposition, has constitutional status, although its Shadow Cabinet does not. Following Charles Kennedy's decision to change the nomenclature, the UK Parliament's website now uses the term 'Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet' and does not use 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 very explicit to use the term 'Shadow Cabinet'.[3] Gordon Brown made a notable remark that in the House of Commons in 2001:

The House of Commons is in the unique position of having two shadow Chancellors: one sits in Folkestone and the other 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]

This is a theme to which then Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown returned, comparing and contrasting his frosty relationship with the official Shadow Chancellor George Osborne with his apparently warm relationship with Vince Cable (whom he has 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. Salaries are paid to the Opposition Leader and the Chief Whips but not to smaller opposition parties. Moreover, the Official Opposition has the exclusive use of facilities within Parliament.

Following the 2010 general election and the confirmation of Conservative David Cameron as Prime Minister on 11 May 2010, a coalition cabinet was formed that included Liberal Democrat ministers. The team was updated again during a September 2012 reshuffle.

Following the 2015 general election the Liberal Democrats were reduced to just 8 seats in the House of Commons, falling into fourth place behind the Scottish National Party for the first time. As a result of this, the UK Parliament website no longer lists the Liberal Democrat frontbench team at all and now lists the SNP frontbench team instead.

Current Liberal Democrat frontbench team

Frontbench Team of Vince Cable

Second Frontbench Team of Vince Cable
Portfolio Name
Leader of the Liberal Democrats The Rt Hon Sir Vince Cable MP
President of the Liberal Democrats The Rt Hon The Baroness Brinton
Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats Jo Swinson CBE MP
Spokesperson for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
Spokesperson for Exiting the European Union The Rt Hon Tom Brake MP
Spokesperson for International Trade
Spokesperson for the Treasury The Rt Hon The Baroness Kramer PC
Spokesperson for Home Affairs The Rt Hon Sir Ed Davey FRSA Kt MP
Spokesperson for Health The Rt Hon Norman Lamb MP
Spokesperson for Education Layla Moran MP
Spokesperson for Young People The Rt Hon The Lord Storey CBE
Spokesperson for Communities and Local Government Wera Hobhouse MP
Spokesperson for Refugees
Spokesperson for Culture, Media and Sport The Rt Hon The Lord Storey CBE
Spokesperson for Work and Pensions Stephen Lloyd MP
Spokesperson for Scotland Christine Jardine MP
Spokesperson for Northern Ireland The Rt Hon Alistair Carmichael MP
Chief Whip of the House of Commons
Spokesperson for Energy and Climate Change The Rt Hon The Baroness Featherstone PC
Spokesperson for Business and Industrial Strategy The Rt Hon The Lord Fox
Spokesperson for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Tim Farron MP
Spokesperson for the North of England
Spokesperson for Defence The Rt Hon The Lord Campbell of Pittenweem CH CBE PC QC
Spokesperson for Transport The Rt Hon The Baroness Randerson
Spokesperson for International Development The Rt Hon The Baroness Sheehan
Spokesperson for Equalities The Rt Hon The Baroness Hussein-Ece OBE
Spokesperson for Justice The Rt Hon The Lord Marks of Henley-on-Thames QC
Spokesperson for Wales The Rt Hon The Baroness Humphreys
Spokesperson for Europe and the ALDE Catherine Bearder MEP
Spokesperson for London Caroline Pidgeon MBE AM
Spokesperson for the Armed Forces Jamie Stone MP
Spokesperson for Housing The Rt Hon The Lord Shipley OBE
Spokesperson for Women The Rt Hon The Baroness Burt of Solihull
Spokesperson without portfolio The Rt Hon Baroness Doocey OBE
Leader in the House of Lords The Rt Hon The Lord Newby OBE PC
Chief Whip of the House of Lords The Rt Hon The Lord Stoneham of Droxford

Other Roles and Spokespeople

Portfolio Name
In the House of Commons
Chair of the Science and Technology Select Committee The Rt Hon Norman Lamb MP
In the House of Lords[6]
Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords The Rt Hon The Baroness Walmsley[7]
Lords Spokesperson for Home Affairs The Rt Hon The Lord Paddick
The Rt Hon The Baroness Hamwee
Lords Spokesperson for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs The Rt Hon The Baroness Northover PC
Lords Spokesperson for Exiting the European Union The Rt Hon The Baroness Ludford
Lords Spokesperson for International Trade The Rt Hon The Lord Purvis of Tweed
Lords Spokesperson for Social Care[8] The Rt Hon The Baroness Brinton
Lords Spokesperson for Work and Pensions The Rt Hon The Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville MBE
The Rt Hon The Lord Kirkwood of Kirkhope
Lords Spokesperson for Communities and Local Government The Rt Hon The Baroness Pinnock
Lords Spokesperson for Northern Ireland The Rt Hon The Baroness Suttie
Lords Spokesperson for Scotland The Rt Hon The Lord Bruce of Bennachie
Lords Spokesperson for Africa The Rt Hon The Lord Chidgey
Lords Spokesperson for Attorney General's Office The Rt Hon The Lord Thomas of Gresford
Welsh Liberal Democrats
Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Jane Dodds
Welsh Cabinet Secretary for Education Kirsty Williams CBE AM
Scottish Liberal Democrats
Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats Willie Rennie MSP
Deputy Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats The Rt Hon Alistair Carmichael MP

Previous Frontbench Teams

Previous 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
Liberal
Democrats		 March 1988 David Steel and
Robert 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 Lynne Featherstone
(Under Secretary of State for International Development)		 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

See also

References

  1. ↑ "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.
  2. ↑ "Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet and Parliamentary Team". House of Commons Information Office. Archived from the original on 21 August 2006. Retrieved 4 September 2006.
  3. ↑ "UK Parliament". House of Commons Information Office – libdems. Archived from the original on 2 August 2008. Retrieved 25 September 2008.
  4. ↑ "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 27 Nov 2001 (pt 8)". The Stationery Office Ltd. 27 November 2001. Retrieved 4 September 2006.
  5. ↑ "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 16 Oct 2003 (pt 2)". 16 October 2003. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011.
  6. ↑ "Spokespersons in the House of Lords". UK Parliament. Retrieved 2017-11-05.
  7. ↑ http://www.libdems.org.uk/ (2014-01-16). "Joan Walmsley". Liberal Democrats. Retrieved 2017-11-07.
  8. ↑ http://www.libdems.org.uk/ (2014-01-22). "Sal Brinton". Liberal Democrats. Retrieved 2017-11-07.
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