Shadow Cabinet of William Hague

Status in legislatureOfficial Opposition (1997)
(2001)HistoryElection(s)1997 Conservative leadership electionOutgoing election2001 Conservative Party leadership electionLegislature term(s)52nd UK Parliament
53rd UK ParliamentPredecessorShadow Cabinet of John MajorSuccessorShadow Cabinet of Iain Duncan Smith

The Shadow Cabinet appointed by Conservative Party leader William Hague was the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet from 1997 to 2001. Following his initial appointments in June 1997, Hague reshuffled the Shadow Cabinet five times before his resignation as leader following defeat in the 2001 general election.

Initial Shadow Cabinet

• Rt Hon. William Hague MP — Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Conservative Party
• Rt Hon. Peter Lilley MP — Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
• Rt Hon. Michael Howard QC MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
• Rt Hon. Sir Brian Mawhinney MP — Shadow Secretary of State for the Home Department
• Rt Hon. Cecil Parkinson, Lord Parkinson PC — Chairman of the Conservative Party
• Rt Hon. Stephen Dorrell MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Employment
• Rt Hon. Gillian Shephard MP — Shadow Leader of the House of Commons and Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
• Rt Hon. Viscount Cranborne PC — Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords
• Rt Hon. Sir George Young Bt MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
• Rt Hon. John Redwood MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
• Rt Hon. Sir Norman Fowler MP — Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions
• Rt Hon. Michael Ancram QC MP — Constitutional Affairs spokesperson, including Scotland and Wales
• Rt Hon. David Curry MP — Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
• Rt Hon. Alastair Goodlad MP — Shadow Secretary of State for International Development
• Rt Hon. David Heathcoat-Amory MP — Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
• Rt Hon. Francis Maude MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
• Rt Hon. Andrew Mackay MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
• Rt Hon. John Maples MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Health
• Rt Hon. Iain Duncan Smith MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Social Security
• Rt Hon. James Arbuthnot MP — Opposition Chief Whip
• Rt Hon. Thomas Galbraith, Lord Strathclyde PC — Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords

June 1998 reshuffle

Hague first reshuffled the Shadow Cabinet on 1 June 1998.

• Rt Hon. William Hague MP — Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Conservative Party
• Rt Hon. Peter Lilley MP — Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party
• Rt Hon. Francis Maude MP — Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
• Rt Hon. Michael Howard QC MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
• Rt Hon. Sir Norman Fowler MP — Shadow Secretary of State for the Home Department
• Rt Hon. Cecil Parkinson, Lord Parkinson PC — Chairman of the Conservative Party
• Rt Hon. Michael Ancram MP — Vice-Chairman of the Conservative Party
• David Willetts MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Employment
• Rt Hon. Sir George Young Bt MP — Shadow Leader of the House of Commons and Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
• Rt Hon. Viscount Cranborne PC — Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords
• John Maples MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
• Rt Hon. John Redwood MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
• Rt Hon. Gillian Shephard MP — Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions
• Dr Liam Fox MP — Constitutional Affairs spokesperson
• Tim Yeo MP — Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
• Gary Streeter MP — Shadow Secretary of State for International Development
• Rt Hon. David Heathcoat-Amory MP — Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
• Peter Ainsworth MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
• Rt Hon. Andrew Mackay MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
• Rt Hon. Ann Widdecombe MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Health
• Rt Hon. Iain Duncan Smith MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Social Security
• Rt Hon. James Arbuthnot MP — Opposition Chief Whip
• Rt Hon. Thomas Galbraith, Lord Strathclyde PC — Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords

Junior Shadow Ministers

• Rt Hon. Sir Nicholas Lyell MP — Shadow Attorney General
• Rt Hon Christopher Prout, Lord Kingsland QC — Shadow Lord Chancellor

Changes from June 1997

• Peter Lilley moves from Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer to Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party
• Francis Maude moves from Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
• Sir Brian Mawhinney leaves the Shadow Cabinet
• Sir Norman Fowler moves from Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions to Shadow Secretary of State for the Home Department
• Gillian Shephard moves from Shadow Leader of the House of Commons to Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions
• Sir George Young moves from Shadow Secretary of State for Defence to Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
• John Maples moves from Shadow Secretary of State for Health to Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
• Ann Widdecombe enters the Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Secretary of State for Health
• Alastair Goodlad leaves the Shadow Cabinet
• Peter Ainsworth enters the Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
• Liam Fox enters the Shadow Cabinet as Constitutional Affairs spokesperson
• Gary Streeter enters the Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Secretary of State for International Development
• David Curry leaves the Shadow Cabinet
• Tim Yeo enters the Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
• Michael Ancram becomes Vice-Chairman of the Conservative Party. A few months later he succeeded Parkinson with his own successor not sitting in the Shadow Cabinet.

December 1998

A minor Shadow Cabinet reshuffle was required on 2 December 1998, due to the sacking of Viscount Cranborne over the House of Lords Act 1999. Cranborne had been engaged in secret negotiations with the Labour Government over the issue of hereditary peers, without informing William Hague. This amendment (proposed by Bernard Weatherill for issues of formality, known as the Weatherill Amendment) allowed 92 hereditary peers to remain. The sacking of Cranborne led to a leadership crisis, with some Conservative peers resigning the party whip.

Shadow Cabinet

• Rt Hon. William Hague MP — Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Conservative Party
• Rt Hon. Peter Lilley MP — Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party
• Rt Hon. Francis Maude MP — Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
• Rt Hon. Michael Howard QC MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
• Rt Hon. Sir Norman Fowler MP — Shadow Secretary of State for the Home Department
• Michael Ancram MP — Chairman of the Conservative Party
• David Willetts MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Employment
• Rt Hon. Sir George Young Bt MP — Shadow Leader of the House of Commons and Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
• Rt Hon. Thomas Galbraith, Lord Strathclyde PC — Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords
• John Maples MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
• Rt Hon. John Redwood MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
• Rt Hon. Gillian Shephard MP — Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions
• Dr Liam Fox MP — Constitutional Affairs spokesperson
• Tim Yeo MP — Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
• Gary Streeter MP — Shadow Secretary of State for International Development
• Rt Hon. David Heathcoat-Amory MP — Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
• Peter Ainsworth MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
• Rt Hon. Andrew Mackay MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
• Rt Hon. Ann Widdecombe MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Health
• Rt Hon. Iain Duncan Smith MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Social Security
• Rt Hon. James Arbuthnot MP — Opposition Chief Whip
• Oliver Eden, Lord Henley — Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords

Changes

• Rt Hon. Viscount Cranborne PC is sacked from the Shadow Cabinet
• Rt Hon. Thomas Galbraith, Lord Strathclyde PC moves from Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords to Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords
• Oliver Eden, Lord Henley enters the Shadow Cabinet as Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords

1999 reshuffle

Hague again reshuffled the Shadow Cabinet on 15 June 1999.

• Rt Hon. William Hague MP — Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Conservative Party
• Rt Hon. Francis Maude MP — Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
• Rt Hon. John Maples MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
• Rt Hon. Ann Widdecombe MP — Shadow Secretary of State for the Home Department
• Rt Hon. Michael Ancram QC MP — Chairman of the Conservative Party
• Rt Hon. Theresa May MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Employment
• Rt Hon. Sir George Young Bt MP — Shadow Leader of the House of Commons, Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Constitutional Affairs spokesperson
• Rt Hon. Thomas Galbraith, Lord Strathclyde PC — Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords
• Rt Hon. Iain Duncan Smith MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
• Angela Browning MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
• Rt Hon. John Redwood MP — Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions
• Tim Yeo MP — Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
• Gary Streeter MP — Shadow Secretary of State for International Development
• Rt Hon. David Heathcoat-Amory MP — Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
• Peter Ainsworth MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
• Rt Hon. Andrew Mackay MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
• Dr Liam Fox MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Health
• David Willetts MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Social Security
• Rt Hon. James Arbuthnot MP — Opposition Chief Whip
• Oliver Eden, Lord Henley — Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords

Junior Shadow Ministers

• Edward Garnier QC MP — Shadow Attorney General
• Rt Hon Christopher Prout, Lord Kingsland QC — Shadow Lord Chancellor
• Bernard Jenkin MP — Shadow Minister for Transport
• Andrew Lansley MP — Shadow Cabinet Office Minister

Changes from 2 December 1998

• Peter Lilley leaves the Shadow Cabinet
• Cecil Lord Parkinson leaves the Shadow Cabinet
• Michael Howard leaves the Shadow Cabinet
• Gillian Shephard leaves the Shadow Cabinet
• Sir Norman Fowler leaves the Shadow Cabinet
• Sir Nicholas Lyell leaves the Shadow Ministerial Team
• Theresa May enters the Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Employment
• Angela Browning enters the Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
• Edward Garnier enters the Shadow Ministerial Team as Shadow Attorney General
• Bernard Jenkin enters the Shadow Ministerial Team as Shadow Transport Minister
• Andrew Lansley enters the Shadow Ministerial Team as Shadow Cabinet Office Minister
• Ann Widdecombe moves from Shadow Secretary of State for Health to Shadow Secretary of State for the Home Department
• John Maples moves from Shadow Secretary of State for Defence to Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
• John Redwood moves from Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions
• Liam Fox moves from Constitutional Affairs spokesperson to Shadow Secretary of State for Health
• Iain Duncan Smith moves from Shadow Secretary of State for Social Security to Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
• David Willetts moves from Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Employment to Shadow Secretary of State for Social Security

February 2000 reshuffle

On 2 February 2000, Hague again reshuffled the Shadow Cabinet.

• Rt Hon. William Hague MP — Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Conservative Party
• Rt Hon. Michael Portillo MP — Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
• Rt Hon. Francis Maude MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
• Rt Hon. Ann Widdecombe MP — Shadow Secretary of State for the Home Department
• Rt Hon. Michael Ancram QC MP — Chairman of the Conservative Party
• Rt Hon. Theresa May MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Employment
• Rt Hon. Sir George Young Bt MP — Shadow Leader of the House of Commons, Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Constitutional Affairs spokesperson
• Rt Hon. Thomas Galbraith, Lord Strathclyde PC — Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords
• Rt Hon. Iain Duncan Smith MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
• Angela Browning MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
• Archie Norman MP — Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions
• Tim Yeo MP — Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
• Gary Streeter MP — Shadow Secretary of State for International Development
• Rt Hon. David Heathcoat-Amory MP — Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
• Peter Ainsworth MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
• Rt Hon. Andrew Mackay MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
• Dr Liam Fox MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Health
• David Willetts MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Social Security
• Rt Hon. James Arbuthnot MP — Opposition Chief Whip
• Oliver Eden, Lord Henley — Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords

Junior Shadow Ministers

• Edward Garnier QC MP — Shadow Attorney General
• Rt Hon Christopher Prout, Lord Kingsland QC — Shadow Lord Chancellor
• Bernard Jenkin MP — Shadow Minister for Transport
• Andrew Lansley CBE MP — Shadow Cabinet Office Minister

Changes from 15 June 1999

• John Redwood leaves the Shadow Cabinet
• John Maples leaves the Shadow Cabinet
• Michael Portillo enters the Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
• Archie Norman enters the Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions
• Francis Maude moves from Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer to Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

September 2000 reshuffle

Hague's final Shadow Cabinet reshuffle occurred on 26 September 2000.

• Rt Hon. William Hague MP — Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Conservative Party
• Rt Hon. Michael Portillo MP — Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
• Rt Hon. Francis Maude MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
• Rt Hon. Ann Widdecombe MP — Shadow Secretary of State for the Home Department
• Rt Hon. Michael Ancram QC MP — Chairman of the Conservative Party
• Rt Hon. Theresa May MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Employment
• Angela Browning MP — Shadow Leader of the House of Commons, Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Constitutional Affairs spokesperson
• Rt Hon. Thomas Galbraith, Lord Strathclyde PC — Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords
• Rt Hon. Iain Duncan Smith MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
• Rt Hon. David Heathcoat-Amory MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
• Archie Norman MP — Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions
• Tim Yeo MP — Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
• Gary Streeter MP — Shadow Secretary of State for International Development
• Rt Hon. Oliver Letwin MP — Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
• Peter Ainsworth MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
• Rt Hon. Andrew Mackay MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
• Dr Liam Fox MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Health
• David Willetts MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Social Security
• Rt Hon. James Arbuthnot MP — Opposition Chief Whip
• Oliver Eden, Lord Henley — Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords

Junior Shadow Ministers

• Edward Garnier QC MP — Shadow Attorney General
• Rt Hon Christopher Prout, Lord Kingsland QC — Shadow Lord Chancellor
• Bernard Jenkin MP — Shadow Minister for Transport
• Andrew Lansley CBE MP — Shadow Cabinet Office Minister

Changes from 2 February 2000

• Sir George Young leaves the Shadow Cabinet
• Oliver Letwin enters the Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
• Angela Browning moves from Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to Shadow Leader of the House of Commons, Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Constitutional Affairs spokesperson
• David Heathcoat-Amory moves from Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury to Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry

See also

 Conservatism portal