# Shadow Cabinet of Neil Kinnock

Neil Kinnock was Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition from 2 October 1983 to 18 July 1992. He convincingly defeated Roy Hattersley, Eric Heffer, and Peter Shore in the 1983 leadership election, which was prompted by Michael Foot's resignation following the disastrous general election result earlier that year. Kinnock's period as Leader encompassed the bulk of the Thatcher premiership and the first two years of the Major premiership. Kinnock resigned in 1992 after losing his second election as Leader.

## Shadow Cabinet

| Portfolio | Shadow Minister | Term |
| Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition Leader of the Labour Party | The Rt Hon. Neil Kinnock | 1983–1992 |
| Deputy Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition Deputy Leader of the Labour Party | The Rt Hon. Roy Hattersley | 1983–1992 |
| Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer | The Rt Hon. Roy Hattersley | 1983–1987 |
| Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer | The Rt Hon. John Smith | 1987–1992 |
| Shadow Foreign Secretary | The Rt Hon. Denis Healey | 1983–1987 |
| Shadow Foreign Secretary | The Rt Hon. Gerald Kaufman | 1987–1992 |
| Shadow Home Secretary | The Rt Hon. Gerald Kaufman | 1983–1987 |
| Shadow Home Secretary | The Rt Hon. Roy Hattersley | 1987–1992 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Defence | The Rt Hon. John Silkin | 1983–1984 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Defence | The Rt Hon. Denzil Davies | 1984–1988 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Defence | Martin O'Neill | 1988–1992 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry | The Rt Hon. Peter Shore | 1983–1984 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry | The Rt Hon. John Smith | 1984–1987 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry | Bryan Gould | 1987–1989 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry | Gordon Brown | 1989–1992 |
| Shadow Leader of the House of Commons | The Rt Hon. Peter Shore | 1983–1987 |
| Shadow Leader of the House of Commons | Frank Dobson | 1987–1989 |
| Shadow Leader of the House of Commons | Jack Cunningham | 1989–1992 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment | Jack Cunningham | 1983–1989 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment | Bryan Gould | 1989–1992 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Housing and Construction | Eric Heffer | 1983–1984 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Social Security | Michael Meacher | 1989–1992 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Services | Michael Meacher | 1983–1987 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Services | Robin Cook | 1987–1989 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Health | Robin Cook | 1989–1992 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Education | Giles Radice | 1983–1987 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Education | Jack Straw | 1987–1992 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Employment | The Rt Hon. John Smith | 1983–1984 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Employment | John Prescott | 1984–1987 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Employment | Michael Meacher | 1987–1989 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Employment | Tony Blair | 1989–1992 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Transport | John Prescott | 1983–1984 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Transport | John Prescott | 1988–1992 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Transport | Gwyneth Dunwoody | 1984–1985 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Transport | Robert Hughes | 1985–1988 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Energy | Stan Orme | 1983–1987 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Energy | John Prescott | 1987–1988 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Energy | Tony Blair | 1988–1989 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Energy | Frank Dobson | 1989–1992 |
| Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food | Robert Hughes | 1983–1984 |
| Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food | Brynmor John | 1984–1987 |
| Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food | David Clark | 1987–1989 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland | The Rt Hon. Peter Archer | 1983–1987 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland | Kevin McNamara | 1987–1992 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland | Donald Dewar | 1983–1992 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Wales | Barry Jones | 1983–1987 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Wales | Barry Jones | 1989–1992 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Wales | The Rt Hon. Alan Williams | 1987–1989 |
| Shadow Minister for Europe | Robin Cook | 1983–1984 |
| Shadow Minister responsible for Status of Women | Jo Richardson | 1983–1992 |
| Shadow Attorney General Principal frontbench spokesman on Legal Affairs | The Rt Hon. John Morris | 1983–1992 |
| Shadow Lord Chancellor | The Rt Hon. The Lord Elwyn-Jones PC | 1983–1989 |
| Shadow Lord Chancellor | Lord Mishcon | 1989–1992 |
| Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords | The Rt Hon. The Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos PC | 1983–1992 |
| Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Commons | The Rt Hon. Michael Cocks | 1983–1985 |
| Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Commons | Derek Foster | 1985–1992 |
| Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords | The Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede | 1989–1990 |
| Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords | Lord Graham of Edmonton | 1990–1992 |

## Initial Shadow Cabinet

Kinnock announced his first Shadow Cabinet on 31 October 1983.
* Neil Kinnock – Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party
* Roy Hattersley – Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
* Denis Healey – Shadow Foreign Secretary
* Gerald Kaufman – Shadow Home Secretary
* John Silkin – Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
* Peter Shore – Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
* Eric Heffer – Shadow Secretary of State for Housing and Construction and Labour Party Chairman
* Michael Meacher – Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Services
* Giles Radice – Shadow Secretary of State for Education
* John Prescott – Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
* John Smith – Shadow Secretary of State for Employment
* Stanley Orme – Shadow Secretary of State for Energy
* Bob Hughes – Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
* Jack Cunningham – Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment
* Donald Dewar – Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland
* Barry Jones – Shadow Secretary of State for Wales
* Peter Archer – Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
* Robin Cook – Shadow Minister for Europe
* Jo Richardson – Shadow Minister responsible for Women's Rights
* John Morris – Shadow Attorney General and principal frontbench spokesman for Legal Affairs
* The Lord Elwyn-Jones – Shadow Lord Chancellor
* The Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos – Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords
* Michael Cocks – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Commons
* The Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords

## 1984 reshuffle

On 26 October 1984, Kinnock reshuffled his team in the wake of the 1984 Shadow Cabinet elections. Peter Shore remained Shadow Leader of the House, but Trade and Industry was transferred to John Smith, who was replaced as Shadow Employment Secretary by John Prescott. Gwyneth Dunwoody took over as Shadow Transport Secretary, having previously sat in the Shadow Cabinet without portfolio. Denzil Davies replaced Silkin as Shadow Defence Secretary Eric Heffer's was dropped from the Shadow Cabinet, as, it appears, his portfolio was as well. Brynmor John replaced Hughes as Shadow Agriculture Minister.
* Neil Kinnock – Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party
* Roy Hattersley – Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
* Denis Healey – Shadow Foreign Secretary
* Gerald Kaufman – Shadow Home Secretary
* Denzil Davies – Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
* John Smith – Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
* Peter Shore – Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
* Michael Meacher – Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Services
* Giles Radice – Shadow Secretary of State for Education
* Gwyneth Dunwoody – Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
* John Prescott – Shadow Secretary of State for Employment
* Stanley Orme – Shadow Secretary of State for Energy
* Brynmor John – Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
* Jack Cunningham – Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment
* Donald Dewar – Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland
* Barry Jones – Shadow Secretary of State for Wales
* Peter Archer – Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
* Robin Cook – Shadow Minister for Europe and Campaign co-ordinator
* Jo Richardson – Shadow Minister responsible for Women's Rights
* John Morris – Shadow Attorney General and principal frontbench spokesman for Legal Affairs
* The Lord Elwyn-Jones – Shadow Lord Chancellor
* The Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos – Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords
* Michael Cocks – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Commons
* The Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords

### Changes

* Entering the 1985/86 session of Parliament, Michael Cocks stepped down as Chief Whip, and Derek Foster, who had been Kinnock's Parliamentary Private Secretary, defeated the favourite, Norman Hogg, by one vote in the second round of the resulting election among Commons members of the Parliamentary Labour Party.
* Gwyneth Dunwoody lost in the 1985 Shadow Cabinet elections and was replaced by Robert Hughes as Shadow Transport Secretary.
* At the 1986 Shadow Cabinet elections, Bryan Gould and David Clark joined the shadow cabinet

## 1987 reshuffle

Kinnock reshuffled his Shadow Cabinet on 13 July 1987 in the aftermath of the general election loss. Denis Healey retired from the front bench and was replaced as Shadow Foreign Secretary by Kaufman, who was in turn replaced by Hattersley as Shadow Home Secretary. John Smith replaced the latter Shadow Chancellor. Bryan Gould replaced Smith as Shadow Trade and Industry Secretary, Alan Williams replaced Barry Jones as Shadow Welsh Secretary, and Kevin McNamara replaced Archer as Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary. Robin Cook replaced Meacher as Shadow Health Secretary, and Meacher took over Employment from Prescott, who in turn took the Energy portfolio, with Orme leaving Shadow Cabinet. Shore (Shadow Leader of the House), Radice (Shadow Education Secretary), and Brynmor John (Shadow Agriculture Minister) also left the front bench, being replaced by Frank Dobson, Jack Straw and David Clark, respectively. Gordon Brown was appointed Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
* Neil Kinnock – Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party
* Roy Hattersley – Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and Shadow Home Secretary
* Gerald Kaufman – Shadow Foreign Secretary
* John Smith – Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
* Denzil Davies – Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
* Bryan Gould – Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
* Frank Dobson – Shadow Leader of the House of Commons and Campaign co-ordinator
* Robin Cook – Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Services
* Michael Meacher – Shadow Secretary of State for Employment
* Jack Straw – Shadow Secretary of State for Education
* Robert Hughes – Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
* John Prescott – Shadow Secretary of State for Energy
* David Clark – Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
* Jack Cunningham – Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment
* Gordon Brown – Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
* Donald Dewar – Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland
* Alan Williams – Shadow Secretary of State for Wales
* Kevin McNamara – Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
* Jo Richardson – Shadow Minister responsible for Women's Rights
* John Morris – Shadow Attorney General and principal frontbench spokesman for Legal Affairs
* The Lord Elwyn-Jones – Shadow Lord Chancellor
* The Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos – Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords
* Derek Foster – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Commons
* The Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords

### Changes

* On 14 June 1988, Martin O'Neill replaced Denzil Davies as Shadow Defence Secretary after the latter resigned in protest over inadequate consultation over a change in the party's defence policy.
* Following the 1988 Shadow Cabinet elections in autumn, Tony Blair replaced Prescott at Energy, and Prescott returned to Transport. Hughes seems to have left the Shadow Cabinet.

## 1989 reshuffle

Following the 1989 Shadow Cabinet elections, Kinnock on 2 November reshuffled the Shadow Cabinet. Dobson replaced Blair as Shadow Energy Secretary. Joining the Shadow Cabinet, Tony Blair took Meacher's portfolio, Employment. Robin Cook's portfolio was divided in two after a Government reshuffle; he retained Health, but Meacher took Social Security. Cunningham took Shadow Leader of the House, being replaced by at Environment by Gould. Brown took the latter's Trade and Industry, being replaced himself by Margaret Beckett as Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury. Barry Jones returned to Wales portfolio, bumping Alan Williams from the front bench. Joan Lestor joined the Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Children's minister, and Ann Clwyd joined as Shadow Minister for International Development and Co-operation.
* Neil Kinnock – Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party
* Roy Hattersley – Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and Shadow Home Secretary
* Gerald Kaufman – Shadow Foreign Secretary
* John Smith – Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
* Martin O'Neill – Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
* Gordon Brown – Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
* Frank Dobson – Shadow Secretary of State for Energy
* Jack Cunningham – Shadow Leader of the House of Commons and Campaign co-ordinator
* Robin Cook – Shadow Secretary of State for Health
* Michael Meacher – Shadow Secretary of State for Social Security
* Tony Blair – Shadow Secretary of State for Employment
* Jack Straw – Shadow Secretary of State for Education
* John Prescott – Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
* David Clark – Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
* Bryan Gould – Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment
* Margaret Beckett – Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
* Donald Dewar – Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland
* Barry Jones – Shadow Secretary of State for Wales
* Kevin McNamara – Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
* Jo Richardson – Shadow Minister responsible for Women's Rights
* Joan Lestor – Shadow Minister for Children
* Ann Clwyd – Shadow Minister for International Development and co-operation
* John Morris – Shadow Attorney General and principal frontbench spokesman for Legal Affairs
* The Lord Elwyn-Jones – Shadow Lord Chancellor
* The Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos – Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords
* Derek Foster – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Commons
* The Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords

### Changes

* Lord Elwyn-Jones died on 4 December 1989, and he was replaced by Lord Mishcon.
* Lord Ponsonby died on 13 June 1990; he was replaced by Lord Graham of Edmonton.