Shadow Cabinet of Tony Blair


, as Leader of the Labour Party, was Leader of the Opposition in the United Kingdom from his election as Leader on 21 July 1994 until he became Prime Minister on 2 May 1997. He announced his first Shadow Cabinet on 20 October 1994.

Shadow Cabinet list

PortfolioShadow MinisterTerm
Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition
Leader of the Labour Party		The Rt Hon. Tony Blair1994–1997
Deputy Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition
Deputy Leader of the Labour Party		The Rt Hon. John Prescott1994–1997
Leader of the Opposition in the House of LordsThe Rt Hon. The Lord Richard PC1994–1997
Labour Chief Whip in the House of CommonsThe Rt Hon. Derek Foster1994–1995
Labour Chief Whip in the House of CommonsDonald Dewar1995–1997
Labour Chief Whip in the House of LordsThe Lord Graham of Edmonton1994–1997
Shadow Lord ChancellorThe Lord Irvine of Lairg1994–1997
Shadow Chancellor of the ExchequerGordon Brown1994–1997
Shadow Foreign SecretaryRobin Cook1994–1997
Shadow Home SecretaryJack Straw1994–1997
Shadow Secretary of State for DefenceDavid Clark1994–1997
Shadow Secretary of State for EmploymentHarriet Harman1994–1995
Shadow Secretary of State for EducationDavid Blunkett1994–1995
Shadow Secretary of State for Education and EmploymentDavid Blunkett1995–1997
Shadow Secretary of State for the EnvironmentFrank Dobson1994–1997
Shadow Secretary of State for HealthThe Rt Hon. Margaret Beckett1994–1995
Shadow Secretary of State for HealthHarriet Harman1995–1996
Shadow Secretary of State for HealthChris Smith1996–1997
Shadow Leader of the House of CommonsAnn Taylor1994–1997
Shadow Minister for the Citizen's CharterAnn Taylor1994–1995
Shadow Minister for the Citizen's CharterThe Rt Hon. Derek Foster1995–1997
Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of LancasterThe Rt Hon. Derek Foster1995–1997
Shadow Secretary of State for Social SecurityDonald Dewar1994–1995
Shadow Secretary of State for Social SecurityChris Smith1995–1996
Shadow Secretary of State for Social SecurityHarriet Harman1996–1997
Shadow Secretary of State for National Heritage
Shadow Minister with special responsibility for the Information Superhighway		Chris Smith1994–1995
Shadow Secretary of State for National Heritage
Shadow Minister with special responsibility for the Information Superhighway		The Rt Hon. Jack Cunningham1995–1997
Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and IndustryThe Rt Hon. Jack Cunningham1994–1995
Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and IndustryThe Rt Hon. Margaret Beckett1995–1997
Shadow Secretary of State for TransportMichael Meacher1994–1995
Shadow Secretary of State for TransportClare Short1995–1996
Shadow Secretary of State for TransportAndrew Smith1996–1997
Shadow Secretary of State for ScotlandGeorge Robertson1994–1997
Shadow Secretary of State for WalesRon Davies1994–1997
Shadow Secretary of State for Northern IrelandMo Mowlam1994–1997
Shadow Minister for Overseas DevelopmentJoan Lestor1994–1996
Shadow Minister for Overseas DevelopmentClare Short1996–1997
Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and FoodGavin Strang1994–1997
Shadow Minister for EmploymentMichael Meacher1994–1995
Shadow Minister for Environmental ProtectionMichael Meacher1995–1996

Initial Shadow Cabinet

On 20 October 1994, following the 1994 Shadow Cabinet elections, Blair announced his first Shadow Cabinet.
Blair made a number of significant changes to the Shadow Cabinet on 19 October 1995, following the 1995 Shadow Cabinet elections. Foster, who had been elected to the post, acceded to Blair's request that he step aside as Chief Whip; he was appointed Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Shadow Minister responsible for the Citizen's Charter, taking the latter from Taylor, who remained Shadow Leader of the House. Dewar was appointed Chief Whip under a new rule that made the job appointive and added on additional elective seat in the Shadow Cabinet. Chris Smith replaced Dewar at Social Security, and was replaced as Shadow National Heritage Secretary by Cunningham. Responsibility for the Information Superhighway was transferred from Shadow National Heritage Secretary to a junior Shadow Trade and Industry minister. Cunningham was in turn replaced at the Trade and Industry brief by Beckett. Harman took over the Health portfolio Beckett had held. Blunkett added Harman's Employment portfolio to his own to reflect the created of the Department for Education and Employment.
Michael Meacher, while remaining in the Shadow Cabinet, became Blunkett's deputy as Shadow Minister for Employment, leaving the Transport brief to Clare Short, newly elected to the Shadow Cabinet. Another newcomer, Tom Clarke, was appointed to the new post of Shadow Minister for Disabled People's Rights.
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