UKIP Frontbench Team


The UK Independence Party is a political party in the United Kingdom. The front bench team is divided into departmental sub-units, the principal ones being the economy, foreign policy and immigration. Sometimes the front bench team consists of more than just the principal positions.

Vachha front bench team II August 2020-Present

Vachha reshuffled his front bench in late-July/early-August 2020, according to the UKIP website.
DepartmentSpokesperson
LeaderFreddy Vachha
ScienceFreddy Vachha
Deputy LeaderPat Mountain
Abuse and ExploitationPat Mountain
ChairmanBen Walker
DefenceBen Walker
Deputy ChairmanPete Muswell
TechnologyPete Muswell
General SecretaryPaul Girvan
Animal WelfarePaul Girvan
Leader of UKIP in WalesNeil Hamilton MS
Leader of UKIP in Northern IrelandRobert Hill
Leader of UKIP in ScotlandDonald Mackay
ImmigrationDonald Mackay
CultureElizabeth Jones
HousingMarietta King
TransportSteve Lee
BrexitLester Taylor
HealthHelena Windsor
Disability and EqualityEd McNally
BusinessRichard Elvin
EnergyStuart Agnew
AgriculturePat Bryant
Youth AffairsJoel McGuigan
Family and ChildrenJulia Searle

Vachha front bench team June 2020-August 2020

Freddy Vachha was elected leader 22 June 2020.
DepartmentSpokesperson
LeaderFreddy Vachha
ScienceFreddy Vachha
Deputy LeaderPat Mountain
ChairmanBen Walker
DefenceBen Walker
Head of PolicyPete Muswell
Deputy Chairman Pete Muswell
TechnologyPete Muswell
General SecretaryPaul Girvan
Animal WelfarePaul Girvan
Leader of UKIP in WalesNeil Hamilton MS
AgricultureNeil Hamilton MS
Leader of UKIP in Northern IrelandRobert Hill
Leader of UKIP in ScotlandDonald Mackay
Small BusinessDonald Mackay
Foreign & CommonwealthElizabeth Jones
HousingMarietta King
TransportSteve Lee
BrexitLester Taylor
Economy Troy De Leon
IntegrationKim Rose
HealthHelena Windsor
Disability and EqualityEd McNally
BusinessRichard Elvin

Braine front bench team August–October 2019

Richard Braine, elected leader 10 August 2019, was suspended from the party on 12 October 2019 and resigned as leader on 30 October 2019; he was yet to announce his full front bench team. After Paul Oakley's resignation as General Secretary, Braine appointed Jeff Armstrong. Armstrong was suspended from the party, along with Braine, over allegations of data theft. On 27 October 2019, Lord Pearson of Rannoch resigned from UKIP to sit as a non-affiliated life peer, leaving the party with no representatives in the House of Lords.
DepartmentSpokesperson
LeaderRichard Braine
Deputy LeaderTony Sharp
ChairmanKirstan Herriot
Deputy ChairmanVacant
General SecretaryJeff Armstrong
TreasurerMark Harland
Leader of UKIP in WalesNeil Hamilton AM
Leader of UKIP in ScotlandDonald MacKay
Leader of UKIP in Northern IrelandRobert Hill
Leader of UKIP in the House of LordsLord Pearson of Rannoch
Position abolished
Leader of UKIP in the Welsh AssemblyGareth Bennett AM
Small BusinessErnie Warrender

Batten front bench team 2018-2019

was appointed UKIP's interim leader on 17 February 2018 and announced his front bench team in March 2018. He was elected unopposed as UKIP's leader on 14 April 2018, and promised to serve for a 12-month period.
By the end of his term there had been some changes, particularly resignations towards the end of the year. Some posts remained vacant after members left the party or at least the post in question.
DepartmentSpokesperson
LeaderGerard Batten
Deputy LeaderMike Hookem MEP
Vacant
Veterans Affairs, FisheriesMike Hookem MEP
ChairmanTony McIntyre
Kirstan Herriot
Deputy Chairman, Home AffairsMargot Parker MEP
Vacant
General SecretaryPaul Oakley
TreasurerSebastian Fairweather
Leader of UKIP in WalesNeil Hamilton AM
Leader of UKIP in ScotlandDonald MacKay
Spokesman for Northern IrelandRobert Hill
Families and ChildrenAlan Craig
EducationDavid Kurten AM
Vacant
Foreign and Commonwealth AffairsRay Finch MEP
Vacant
DefenceRay Finch MEP
Mike Hookem
Exiting the European Union, Leader in the European ParliamentGerard Batten MEP
Energyvacant
Health and Social Carevacant
TransportStephen Lee
Agriculture and Rural AffairsStuart Agnew MEP
Business, Trade & Industrial StrategyChristopher Mills
Small BusinessErnie Warrender
Work and PensionsAndrew Charalambous

Bolton front bench team 2017-2018

Henry Bolton, elected leader 29 September 2017, announced his front bench on 18 October 2017. Following revelations about Henry Bolton's affair with a woman accused of racism a number of his spokespeople resigned.
DepartmentSpokesperson
LeaderHenry Bolton
ChairmanPaul Oakden
Deputy ChairWilliam Dartmouth MEP
vacant
Deputy LeaderMargot Parker MEP
vacant
Assistant Deputy LeaderJames Carver MEP
Assistant Deputy LeaderMike Hookem MEP
vacant
Leader in the European ParliamentRay Finch MEP
Leader in the Assembly for WalesNeil Hamilton AM
Leader in the London AssemblyPeter Whittle
vacant
TreasuryJonathan Arnott MEP
vacant
Leader of UKIP in WalesNeil Hamilton AM
Leader of UKIP in ScotlandDavid Coburn MEP
Home AffairsRichard Bingley
Justicevacant
Immigrationvacant
Foreign and Commonwealth AffairsRay Finch MEP
Exiting the European Unionvacant
DefenceHenry Bolton
International Developmentvacant
Veterans AffairsMike Hookem MEP
vacant
Business, Energy and Industrial StrategyChristopher Mills
Small BusinessErnie Warrender
International Tradevacant
EducationDavid Kurten
vacant
Work and PensionsAndrew Charalambous
Welfare and Social PolicyDavid Sprason
vacant
Energy and Climate Changevacant
Health and Social CareDr Julia Reid MEP
vacant
TransportJill Seymour MEP
Women and Equalitiesvacant
Housing, Communities and Local Governmentvacant
Environment, Food and Rural AffairsDr Julia Reid MEP
vacant
AgricultureStuart Agnew MEP
FisheriesMike Hookem MEP
vacant
Digital, Culture, Media and SportDavid Meacock
vacant
Electoral ReformDavid Allen

Nuttall and Crowther front bench team 2016-2017

Paul Nuttall formed his front bench team following his election as leader. This was following a period of turmoil in the party which resulted in former migration spokesman Steven Woolfe and leader-elect Diane James leaving UKIP to sit as independents in the European Parliament. The position of deputy leader was given to Peter Whittle. Nuttall resigned following a poor election campaign, and was succeeded in an acting capacity by Steve Crowther.
DepartmentSpokesperson
ChairmanPaul Oakden
Co-deputy ChairwomanSuzanne Evans
Co-deputy ChairmanWilliam Dartmouth
LeaderPaul Nuttall
Steve Crowther
Deputy LeaderPeter Whittle AM
Leader in the European ParliamentRay Finch MEP
Leader in the Assembly for WalesNeil Hamilton AM
Leader in the London AssemblyPeter Whittle AM
General SecretaryJonathan Arnott MEP
Key Seats co-ordinatorCllr. Tim Aker MEP
TreasurerJohn Bickley
Head of PolicySuzanne Evans
Head of UKIP WalesNeil Hamilton
Head of UKIP ScotlandDavid Coburn MEP
Head of UKIP Northern IrelandRegional committee
Economy SpokesmanPatrick O'Flynn 2017
Mark Reckless 2016-2017
Home Affairs and Justice SpokeswomanJane Collins MEP
Immigration SpokesmanJohn Bickley
Constitutional Affairs SpokesmanJonathan Arnott MEP 2016-2017
Foreign and Commonwealth SpokesmanJames Carver MEP 2016-2017
Ray Finch MEP
Defence SpokesmanCllr. Bill Etheridge MEP
Veterans SpokesmanMike Hookem MEP
Education and Apprenticeships SpokesmanDavid Kurten AM
Brexit SpokesmanGerard Batten MEP
International Trade SpokesmanWilliam Dartmouth
Business SpokesmanChristopher Mills
Small Business SpokesmanErnie Warrender
Energy SpokesmanRoger Helmer
Health SpokeswomanSuzanne Evans
Disability SpokeswomanStar Anderton
Work and Pensions SpokesmanAndrew Charalambous
Welfare and Social Policy SpokesmanDavid Sprason
Transportation SpokeswomanJill Seymour MEP
Equalities and Women's Issues SpokeswomanMargot Parker MEP
Justice SpokesmanPeter Jewell
Local Government SpokesmanCllr. Peter Reeve
Housing SpokesmanRay Finch MEP
Environment SpokeswomanDr. Julia Reid MEP
Agriculture SpokesmanStuart Agnew MEP
Fisheries SpokesmanMike Hookem MEP
Special Assistant to the leaderRoger Bird
Culture SpokesmanPeter Whittle AM
Media and Sport SpokesmanPatrick O'Flynn MEP 2016-2017
Tourism SpokeswomanCllr. Victoria Ayling 2016-2017
Jonathan Bullock MEP
Foreign Aid SpokeswomanCllr. Lisa Duffy
Party Policy CommitteeSuzanne Evans

This was the front bench team of Nigel Farage from June 2014 till September 2016, briefly that of Diane James from September to October 2016, and Farage again in an acting capacity from October to November 2016.