Shadow Cabinet of James Callaghan

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James Callaghan became Leader of the Opposition on 4 May 1979 after losing the 1979 election and remained in that office until Michael Foot was elected Leader of the Labour Party on 2 October 1980. Callaghan named his Shadow Cabinet in June 1979, with Foot (the Deputy Leader) and the 12 elected members of the Shadow Cabinet assigned portfolios on 14 June[1] and further appointments made on 18 June.[2] From the opening of Parliament until that date, Callaghan's Cabinet, with a few exceptions, stayed on to shadow their former positions.

Shadow Cabinet list[edit]

Callaghan assigned portfolios in June 1979 to the Deputy Leader and the 12 winners in the 1979 Shadow Cabinet elections.[n 1]

Portfolio Shadow Minister
Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition
Leader of the Labour Party
The Rt Hon. James Callaghan
Deputy Leader of the Labour Party
Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The Rt Hon. Michael Foot
Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer The Rt Hon. Denis Healey
Shadow Foreign Secretary The Rt Hon. Peter Shore
Shadow Home Secretary
Shadow Minister responsible for House of Commons procedural reform
The Rt Hon. Merlyn Rees
Shadow Secretary of State for Defence The Rt Hon. William Rodgers
Shadow Secretary of State for Energy The Rt Hon. David Owen
Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Science Neil Kinnock
Shadow Secretary of State for Employment The Rt Hon. Eric Varley
Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment The Rt Hon. Roy Hattersley
Shadow Secretary of State for Industry The Rt Hon. John Silkin
Shadow Minister for Overseas Development The Rt Hon. Judith Hart
Shadow Secretary of State for Trade The Rt Hon. John Smith
Shadow Secretary of State for Transport The Rt Hon. Albert Booth
Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland The Rt Hon. Bruce Millan
Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Brynmor John
Shadow Secretary of State for Wales The Rt Hon. Alec Jones
Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food The Rt Hon. Roy Mason
Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Services The Rt Hon. Stan Orme
Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords The Rt Hon. The Lord Peart PC
Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Commons The Rt Hon. Michael Cocks
Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords The Rt Hon. Baroness Llewelyn-Davies of Hastoe PC
Shadow Lord Chancellor The Rt Hon. The Lord Elwyn-Jones PC

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ The twelve Shadow Cabinet election winners were Healey, Silkin, Shore, Smith, Owen, Hattersley, Varley, Orme, Booth, Rodgers, Rees, and Mason;[1] the others were Millan, Kinnock, Hart, Jones, and Brynmor John.[2]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Geoffrey Parkhouse (15 June 1979). "Shore steps up as Owen is demoted". The Herald. Glasgow. p. 1.
  2. ^ a b Geoffrey Parkhouse (19 June 1979). "Callaghan keeps Millan in top job". The Herald. Glasgow. p. 1.