Gaitskell shadow cabinet
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Shadow Cabinet of Hugh Gaitskell | |
|---|---|
 Shadow Cabinet of United Kingdom | |
| 1955 – 1963 | |
 Gaitskell in 1961 | |
| Date formed | 14 December 1955 |
| Date dissolved | 18 January 1963 |
| People and organisations | |
| Elizabeth II | |
| Hugh Gaitskell | |
| Jim Griffiths (1956–1959) Aneurin Bevan (1959–1960) George Brown (1960–1963) | |
Member party | |
Status in legislature | Official Opposition 277 / 630 (44%) (1955)258 / 630 (41%) (1959) |
| History | |
Incoming formation | 1955 Labour Party leadership election |
Outgoing formation | 1963 Labour Party leadership election |
Outgoing election | 1955 general election |
| Legislature terms | 41st UK Parliament 42nd UK Parliament |
| Predecessor | Shadow Cabinet of Clement Attlee |
| Successor | Shadow Cabinet of George Brown |
The Shadow Cabinet of Hugh Gaitskell was created on following the election of Hugh Gaitskell as Labour leader on 14 December 1955.[1][2]
Shadow Cabinet list
[edit]Initial Shadow Cabinet
[edit]Gaitskell announced his Shadow Cabinet on 15 February 1956 following the election of Jim Griffiths as deputy leader. Before that members of Attlee's Shadow Cabinet remained in place.[5]
- Hugh Gaitskell – Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party
- Jim Griffiths – Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Deputy Leader of the Labour Party
- Harold Wilson – Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
- Alfred Robens – Shadow Foreign Secretary
- Kenneth Younger – Shadow Home Secretary
- Aneurin Bevan – Shadow Secretary of State for the Colonies
- Richard Stokes – Shadow Minister of Defence
- George Brown – Shadow Minister for Labour and National Service and Shadow Minister of Aviation
- Philip Noel-Baker – Shadow Minister for Power
- Tony Greenwood – Shadow Minister of Public Buildings and Works
- James Callaghan – Shadow First Lord of the Admiralty
- Dick Mitchison – Shadow Minister of Housing and Local Government
- Edith Summerskill – Shadow Minister for Health
- Tom Fraser – Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland
- Earl Alexander – Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords
- Herbert Bowden – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Commons
- Earl of Lucan – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords
Junior Shadow Ministers
[edit]- Tom Williams - Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
- Lynn Ungoed-Thomas – Shadow Attorney General for England and Wales
- Douglas Jay – Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
- Arthur Creech Jones – Shadow Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations
- Michael Stewart – Shadow Minister of Education
- Patrick Gordon Walker – Shadow President of the Board of Trade
- Hilary Marquand – Shadow Minister of Pensions and National Insurance
- Arthur Bottomley – Shadow Minister for Trade
- George Strauss – Shadow Minister of Transport
- Ernest Popplewell – Opposition Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Commons
November 1956 reshuffle
[edit]Following the 1956 shadow cabinet election, Gaitskell reshuffled the front bench on 27 November.[6] Richard Stokes was dropped from the frontbench and was replaced by Frank Soskice.
- Hugh Gaitskell – Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party
- Jim Griffiths – Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Deputy Leader of the Labour Party
- Harold Wilson – Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
- Aneurin Bevan – Shadow Foreign Secretary
- Kenneth Younger – Shadow Home Secretary
- James Callaghan – Shadow Secretary of State for the Colonies
- George Brown – Shadow Minister of Defence and Shadow Minister of Aviation
- Alfred Robens – Shadow Minister for Labour and National Service
- Tony Greenwood – Shadow Minister of Public Buildings and Works
- Dick Mitchison – Shadow Minister of Housing and Local Government
- Edith Summerskill – Shadow Minister for Health
- Frank Soskice – Shadow Attorney General for England and Wales
- Tom Fraser – Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland
- Philip Noel-Baker – Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs
- Earl Alexander – Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords
- Herbert Bowden – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Commons
- Earl of Lucan – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords
Junior Shadow Ministers
[edit]- Tom Williams - Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
- Douglas Jay – Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
- Arthur Creech Jones – Shadow Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations
- Michael Stewart – Shadow Minister of Education
- Patrick Gordon Walker – Shadow President of the Board of Trade
- Hilary Marquand – Shadow Minister of Pensions and National Insurance
- Harold Neal – Shadow Minister for Power
- Lynn Ungoed-Thomas – Shadow Solicitor General
- Arthur Bottomley – Shadow Minister for Trade
- George Strauss – Shadow Minister of Transport
- Ernest Popplewell – Opposition Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Commons
January 1958 reshuffle
[edit]Following the 1957 shadow cabinet election, Gaitskell reshuffled the front bench on 24 January 1958.[7]
- Hugh Gaitskell – Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party
- Jim Griffiths – Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Deputy Leader of the Labour Party
- Harold Wilson – Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
- Aneurin Bevan – Shadow Foreign Secretary
- Patrick Gordon-Walker – Shadow Home Secretary and Shadow President of the Board of Trade
- James Callaghan – Shadow Secretary of State for the Colonies
- George Brown – Shadow Minister of Defence
- Arthur Bottomley – Shadow Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations
- Alfred Robens – Shadow Minister for Labour and National Service
- Tony Greenwood – Shadow Minister of Public Buildings and Works
- Dick Mitchison – Shadow Minister of Housing and Local Government
- Frank Soskice – Shadow Attorney General for England and Wales
- Tom Fraser – Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland
- Philip Noel-Baker – Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs
- Earl Alexander – Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords
- Herbert Bowden – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Commons
- Earl of Lucan – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords
Junior Shadow Ministers
[edit]- Tom Williams - Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
- Frank Beswick – Shadow Minister of Aviation
- Douglas Jay – Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
- Michael Stewart – Shadow Minister of Education
- Kenneth Younger – Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs
- Edith Summerskill – Shadow Minister for Health
- Hilary Marquand – Shadow Minister of Pensions and National Insurance
- Harold Neal – Shadow Minister for Power
- Lynn Ungoed-Thomas – Shadow Solicitor General
- John Edwards – Shadow Minister for Trade
- George Strauss – Shadow Minister of Transport
- Ernest Popplewell – Opposition Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Commons
- Changes
- November 1958 - George Brown is voted out of the shadow cabinet and is replaced by Summerskill. He remains Shadow Minister of Defence.[8] Lord Faringdon joins as a representative of the Lords.
1959 reshuffle
[edit]Following that year's general, deputy leadership and shadow cabinet elections, Gaitskell performed a major reshuffle on 16 November 1959.[9]
- Hugh Gaitskell – Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party
- Aneurin Bevan – Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and Shadow Foreign Secretary
- Harold Wilson – Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
- Patrick Gordon-Walker – Shadow Home Secretary
- Alfred Robens – Shadow Minister for Labour and National Service
- George Brown – Shadow Minister of Defence
- James Callaghan – Shadow Secretary of State for the Colonies
- Dick Mitchison – Shadow President of the Board of Trade
- Tony Greenwood – Shadow Minister of Education
- Fred Willey – Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
- Frederick Lee – Shadow Minister for Power
- Frank Soskice – Shadow Attorney General for England and Wales
- Tom Fraser – Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland
- Earl Alexander – Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords
- Herbert Bowden – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Commons
- Earl of Lucan – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords
- Denis Healey – Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs
Junior Shadow Ministers
[edit]- George Strauss – Shadow Minister of Aviation
- Douglas Jay – Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
- Hilary Marquand – Shadow Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations
- Edith Summerskill – Shadow Minister for Health
- Michael Stewart – Shadow Minister of Housing and Local Government
- Richard Crossman – Shadow Minister of Pensions and National Insurance
- Douglas Houghton – Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry for Pensions and National Insurance
- Barbara Castle – Shadow Minister of Public Buildings and Works
- Eirene White – Shadow Minister of State for Education
- Philip Noel-Baker – Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs
- Roy Jenkins – Shadow Minister for Trade
- Tony Benn – Shadow Minister of Transport
- Lynn Ungoed-Thomas – Shadow Solicitor General
- Jim Griffiths – Frontbench spokesmen for Wales
- John Taylor – Opposition Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Commons
- Changes
- 6 July 1960 – Bevan dies. Healey becomes Shadow Foreign Secretary. The deputy leadership is left vacant until the regular election in November.[10]
- 14 October 1960 – Greenwood resigns following Gaitskell defying the party conference position on nuclear weapons.[11]
1960 reshuffle
[edit]Following the leadership, deputy leadership and shadow cabinet elections, Gaitskell performed another reshuffle on 28 November 1960.
- Hugh Gaitskell – Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party
- George Brown – Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and Shadow Minister of Defence
- Harold Wilson – Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
- Patrick Gordon-Walker – Shadow Home Secretary
- Denis Healey – Shadow Foreign Secretary
- James Callaghan – Shadow Secretary of State for the Colonies
- Frank Soskice – Shadow Attorney General for England and Wales
- Dick Mitchison – Shadow President of the Board of Trade
- Michael Stewart – Shadow Minister of Housing and Local Government
- Tom Fraser – Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland
- Ray Gunter – Shadow Minister for Power
- Douglas Houghton – Shadow Minister of Pensions and National Insurance
- Fred Willey – Shadow Minister of Education
- Frederick Lee – Shadow Minister for Labour and National Service
- Earl Alexander – Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords
- Herbert Bowden – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Commons
- Earl of Lucan – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords
Junior Shadow Ministers
[edit]- Geoffrey de Freitas – Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
- John Strachey – Shadow Minister of Aviation
- Douglas Jay – Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
- Hilary Marquand – Shadow Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations
- Eirene White – Shadow Minister of State for Education
- Edith Summerskill – Shadow Minister for Health
- Lynn Ungoed-Thomas – Shadow Solicitor General
- George Strauss – Shadow Minister of Transport
- Jim Griffiths – Frontbench spokesmen for Wales
- John Taylor – Opposition Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Commons
1961 reshuffle
[edit]Following the leadership, deputy leadership and shadow cabinet elections, Gaitskell performed another reshuffle on 30 November 1961.[12]
- Hugh Gaitskell – Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party
- George Brown – Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and Shadow Home Secretary
- James Callaghan – Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
- Harold Wilson – Shadow Foreign Secretary
- Frank Soskice – Shadow Attorney General for England and Wales
- Douglas Houghton – Shadow Minister of Pensions and National Insurance
- Denis Healey – Shadow Secretary of State for the Colonies
- Michael Stewart – Shadow Minister of Housing and Local Government
- Ray Gunter – Shadow Minister for Labour and National Service
- Dick Mitchison – Shadow President of the Board of Trade and Shadow Minister of Public Buildings and Works
- Fred Willey – Shadow Minister of Education
- Tom Fraser – Shadow Minister for Power
- Patrick Gordon-Walker – Shadow Minister of Defence
- Frederick Lee – Shadow Minister of Aviation
- Earl Alexander – Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords
- Herbert Bowden – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Commons
- Earl of Lucan – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords
Junior Shadow Ministers
[edit]- Fred Peart – Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
- John Strachey – Shadow Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations
- Kenneth Robinson – Shadow Minister for Health
- Willie Ross – Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland
- Lynn Ungoed-Thomas – Shadow Solicitor General
- George Strauss – Shadow Minister of Transport
- Jim Griffiths – Frontbench spokesmen for Wales
- John Taylor – Opposition Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Commons
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ↑ Ivor Jennings (1957). Parliament. Cambridge University Press. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
- ↑ Robert Malcolm Punnett (1973). Front-bench opposition; the role of the Leader of the Opposition, the Shadow Cabinet and Shadow Government in British politics. London. pp. 458–467. ISBN 978-0-435-83734-1. Retrieved 18 April 2025.
- ↑ "Mr Giffiths as Labour's New Deputy Leader". The Glasgow Herald. 3 February 1956. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
- ↑ "First Five Women of Opposition". The Bulletin. 13 November 1959. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
- ↑ "New Job for Mr Bevan". The Glasgow Herald. Westminister. 15 February 1956. p. 7. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
- ↑ "Bevan Ousts Robens as Foreign Chief". The Bulletin. 28 November 1956. p. 4. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
- ↑ "Shadow Cabinet Changes". The Glasgow Herald. 24 January 1958. p. 9. Retrieved 19 April 2025.
- ↑ "George Brown Carries On". The Bulletin. 20 November 1958. p. 9. Retrieved 11 May 2025.
- ↑ "Labor Shadow Cabinet Puts Young Members In Key Posts". Saskatoon Star-Phoenix. London. Reuters. 16 November 1959. p. 12. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
- ↑ "Party Delay on Bevan's Successor". The Glasgow Herald. 14 July 1960. p. 8. Retrieved 11 May 2025.
- ↑ "Top Labor Member Quits Post". The Windsor Star. Reuters. 14 October 1960. p. 17. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
- ↑ "Wilson - Foreign Spokesman". Evening Times. 30 November 1961. p. 1. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
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