Liberal Democrat frontbench team

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 shadow ministerial team is divided into departmental sub-units, the principle ones being the economy, foreign policy and home affairs. Sometimes the frontbench team consists of more than just the principle 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

Attending Frontbench meetings

Tim Farron revealed his frontbench team on 29 July 2015.^[6] The shadow ministers are as follows:

Portfolio	Name
Leader of the Liberal Democrats		Tim Farron MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale
Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords		Jim Wallace Baron Wallace of Tankerness QC PC
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Economics		Susan Kramer Baroness Kramer PC
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs Chief Whip of the Liberal Democrats Liberal Democrat Shadow Leader of the House of Commons		Tom Brake MP for Carshalton and Wallington PC
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Europe 2016–		Nick Clegg MP for Sheffield Hallam PC
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Defence		Judith Jolly Baroness Jolly
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Home Affairs		Alistair Carmichael MP for Orkney and Shetland PC
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Health		Norman Lamb MP for Norfolk North PC
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Education		John Pugh MP for Southport
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Work and Pensions		Zahida Manzoor Baroness Manzoor CBE
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Business, Innovation and Skills		Lorely Burt Baroness Burt of Solihull
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Energy and Climate Change		Lynne Featherstone Baroness Featherstone PC
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Communities and Local Government		Dorothy Thornhill Baroness Thornhill MBE
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Transport		Jenny Randerson Baroness Randerson PC
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Deputy Leader in the House of Lords		Kate Parminter Baroness Parminter
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for International Development		Lindsay Northover Baroness Northover PC
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Culture, Media and Sport		Jane Bonham-Carter Baroness Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Women and Equalities		Meral Hussein-Ece Baroness Hussein-Ece OBE
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Justice Liberal Democrat Shadow Attorney General		Jonathan Marks Baron Marks of Henley-on-Thames QC
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Northern Ireland		John Alderdice Baron Alderdice
Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Scotland		Willie Rennie MSP for North East Fife
Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Wales		Mark Williams MP for Ceredigion
Chairman of Campaigns and Communications		Greg Mulholland MP for Leeds North West
Chief Executive of the Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Grassroots Campaigns		Tim Pickstone Bury Borough Councillor for Holyrood Ward

Not attending Frontbench meetings

Previous Frontbench Teams

Previous team key-members in summary:

See also

• Cabinet of the United Kingdom
• British Government frontbench
• Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet (United Kingdom)
• List of British shadow cabinets

References

External links

• The Liberal Democrats – Frontbench team
• UK Parliament – Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet

Shadow Cabinets of the United Kingdom
Official Opposition	Heath I (1965–1970) Wilson II (1970–1974) Heath II (1974–1975) Thatcher (1975–1979) Callaghan (1979–1980) Foot (1980–1983) Kinnock (1983–1992) Smith (1992–1994) Beckett (1994) Blair (1994–1997) Major (1997) Hague (1997–2001) Duncan Smith (2001–2003) Howard (2003–2005) Cameron (2005–2010) Harman I (2010) Miliband (2010–2015) Harman II (2015) Corbyn (2015–present)
Liberal Democrats	Ashdown (1997–1999) Kennedy (1999–2006) Campbell (2006–2007) Cable (2007) Clegg (2007–2010) Farron (2015–present)
Scottish National Party	Robertson (2015–present)
1965 to Present