| Cabinet Name: | Corbyn Shadow Cabinet |
| Cabinet Type: | Shadow Cabinet |
| Jurisdiction: | the United Kingdom |
| Flag: | Flag of the United Kingdom.svg |
| Flag Border: | true |
| Incumbent: | 2015 – 2020 |
| Date Formed: | 12 September 2015 |
| Date Dissolved: | 4 April 2020 |
| Government Head Title: | Leader of the Opposition |
| Government Head: | Jeremy Corbyn |
| Other Government Minister Title: | Shadow First Secretary |
| Other Government Minister: | Angela Eagle (2015–16) Emily Thornberry (2017–20) |
| State Head Title: | Monarch |
| State Head: | Elizabeth II |
| Legislature Status: | Official Opposition (2015) (2017) (2019) |
| Election: | 2015 2016 |
| Last Election: | 2020 |
| Previous: | Second Shadow Cabinet of Harriet Harman |
| Successor: | Shadow Cabinet of Keir Starmer |
Jeremy Corbyn assumed the position of Leader of the Opposition after being elected as leader of the Labour Party on 12 September 2015; the election was triggered by Ed Miliband's resignation following the Labour Party's electoral defeat at the 2015 general election when David Cameron formed a majority Conservative government. The usual number of junior shadow ministers were also appointed.
Corbyn appointed his first Shadow Cabinet in September 2015. He appointed John McDonnell as Shadow Chancellor and promoted several female backbenchers, forming a Shadow Cabinet that for the first time had more women than men. He appointed Tom Watson as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and John McDonnell as Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer. A small reshuffle occurred on 5 January 2016, with one further resignation on 11 January 2016. Dozens of further resignations occurred on 26 and 27 June 2016.[1]
The cabinet was reshuffled following the 2017 and 2019 general elections.
Key:
| Member of the House of Commons | ||
| Member of the House of Lords | ||
| Privy Counsellor | ||
| Shadow Cabinet full members in bold | ||
| Shadow Cabinet attendees in bold italics | ||
| Office of the Leader of the Opposition | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition Leader of the Labour Party | Jeremy Corbyn | ||
| Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition | Steve Rotheram (2015–2017) | ||
| Kate Hollern (2017–2020) | |||
| Tan Dhesi (2020) | |||
| Deputy Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition Deputy Leader of the Labour Party | Tom Watson | ||
| Shadow First Secretary of State | Angela Eagle (2015–2016) | ||
| Emily Thornberry (2017–2020) | |||
| Cabinet Office | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office | Tom Watson (2015–2016) | ||
| Ian Lavery (2016–2017) | |||
| Jon Trickett (2017–2020) | |||
| Labour Party Chair | Tom Watson (2015–2017) | ||
| Ian Lavery (2017–2020) | |||
| Shadow Lord President of the Council | Jon Trickett (2016–2020) | ||
| Shadow Minister without Portfolio | Jon Ashworth (2015–2016) | ||
| Andrew Gwynne (2016–2017) | |||
| Ian Lavery (2017–2020) | |||
| Co-National Campaign Coordinators | Ian Lavery (2017–2020) | ||
| Andrew Gwynne (2017–2020) | |||
| Shadow Minister for Voter Engagement and Youth Affairs | Gloria De Piero (2015–2016) | ||
| Cat Smith (2016–2020) | |||
| Shadow Minister of State for the Cabinet Office | Laura Smith (2018) | ||
| Jo Platt (2018–2019)[2] | |||
| Cat Smith (2020) | |||
| Shadow Ministers for the Cabinet Office | Wayne David (2015–2016) | ||
| Ian Lavery (2015–2016) | |||
| Chris Matheson (2018–2020) | |||
| Shadow Spokesperson in the House of Lords for the Cabinet Office | The Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town | ||
| Foreign and Commonwealth Office | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shadow Foreign Secretary | Hilary Benn (2015–2016) | |||
| Emily Thornberry[3] (2016–2020) | ||||
| Shadow Minister for Europe | Pat McFadden (2015–2016) | |||
| Pat Glass (2016) | ||||
| Fabian Hamilton (2016) | ||||
| Khalid Mahmood (2016–2020) | ||||
| Shadow Minister for Peace and Disarmament | Fabian Hamilton (2016–2020) | |||
| Shadow Minister for Americas, Far East and Overseas Territories | Catherine West (2015–2017) | |||
| Helen Goodman (2017–2019) | ||||
| Lloyd Russell-Moyle (2020) | ||||
| Shadow Minister for the Middle East | Fabian Hamilton (2017–2020) | |||
| Shadow Minister for South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and the Commonwealth | Stephen Doughty (2015–2016) | |||
| Fabian Hamilton (2016) | ||||
| Liz McInnes (2016–2019) | ||||
| Afzal Khan (2020) | ||||
| Shadow Minister for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs | Diana Johnson (2015–2016) | |||
| David Hanson (2015) | ||||
| Shadow Spokesperson in the House of Lords | The Lord Collins of Highbury (2015–2020) | |||
| Defence | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Shadow Secretary of State for Defence | Maria Eagle (2015–2016) | ||
| Emily Thornberry (2016) | |||
| Clive Lewis (2016) | |||
| Nia Griffith (2016–2020) | |||
| Shadow Minister for the Armed Forces | Kevan Jones (2015–2016) | ||
| Kate Hollern (2016) | |||
| Wayne David (2016–2020) | |||
| Shadow Minister of State for Armed Forces Personnel and Veterans | Rachael Maskell (2015–2016) | ||
| Vacant (2016–2017) | |||
| Gerald Jones (2017–2020) | |||
| Shadow Minister for Defence Procurement | Wayne David (2016–2020) | ||
| Stephen Morgan (2020) | |||
| Shadow Minister for Defence | Toby Perkins (2015–2016) | ||
| Shadow Spokesperson in the House of Lords | The Lord Tunnicliffe | ||
| International Development | ||
|---|---|---|
| Shadow Secretary of State for International Development | Diane Abbott (2015–2016) | |
| Kate Osamor (2016–2018) | ||
| Dan Carden (2018–2020) | ||
| Shadow Minister for International Development | Mike Kane (2015–2016) | |
| Imran Hussain (2016–2017) | ||
| Roberta Blackman-Woods (2017–2018) | ||
| Dan Carden (2018) | ||
| Preet Gill (2018–2020) | ||
| International Trade | ||
|---|---|---|
| Shadow Secretary of State for International Trade | Barry Gardiner (2016–2020) | |
| Shadow Minister for International Trade | Bill Esterson (2016–2020) | |
| Judith Cummins (2018–2020) | ||
| Brexit | ||
|---|---|---|
| Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union | Emily Thornberry (2016) | |
| Keir Starmer (2016–2020) | ||
| Shadow Minister for Exiting the European Union | Paul Blomfield (2016–2020) | |
| Matthew Pennycook (2016–2019) | ||
| Jenny Chapman (2016–2019) | ||
| Thangam Debbonaire (2020) | ||
| Home Office | ||
|---|---|---|
| Shadow Home Secretary | Andy Burnham (2015–2016) | |
| Diane Abbott (2016–2020) | ||
| Shadow Minister for Immigration | Keir Starmer (2015–2016) | |
| Afzal Khan (2017–2020) | ||
| Bell Ribeiro-Addy (2020) | ||
| Shadow Minister for Crime Reduction | Lyn Brown (2015–2016) | |
| Rupa Huq (2016–2017) | ||
| Shadow Minister for Security | Nick Thomas-Symonds (2017–2020) | |
| Shadow Minister for Safeguarding | Sarah Champion (2015–2016) | |
| Carolyn Harris (2016–2020) | ||
| Shadow Minister for Policing | Jack Dromey (2015–2016) | |
| Lyn Brown (2016–2017) | ||
| Louise Haigh (2017–2020) | ||
| Shadow Minister for Fire and Emergency Services | Chris Williamson (2017–2018) | |
| Karen Lee (2018–2019) | ||
| Attorney General's Office | ||
|---|---|---|
| Shadow Attorney General | Catherine McKinnell (2015–2016) | |
| Karl Turner (2016) | ||
| Baroness Chakrabarti (2016–2020) | ||
| Shadow Solicitor General | Karl Turner (2015–2016) | |
| Jo Stevens (2016) | ||
| Nick Thomas-Symonds (2016–2020) | ||
| Ministry of Justice | ||
|---|---|---|
| Shadow Justice Secretary | Lord Falconer (2015–2016) | |
| Richard Burgon (2016–2020) | ||
| Shadow Minister for Prisons | Jenny Chapman (2015–2016) | |
| Imran Hussain (2017–2020) | ||
| Shadow Minister for Courts and Legal Aid | Andy Slaughter (2015–2016) | |
| Yasmin Qureshi (2016–2020) | ||
| Shadow Minister for Justice | Wayne David (2015–2016) | |
| Karl Turner (2015–2016) | ||
| Jo Stevens (2016) | ||
| Christina Rees (2016–2017) | ||
| Gloria De Piero (2017–2019) | ||
| Bambos Charalambous (2020) | ||
| Treasury | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer | John McDonnell (2015–2020) | ||
| Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury | Seema Malhotra (2015–2016) | ||
| Rebecca Long-Bailey (2016–2017) | |||
| Peter Dowd (2017–2020) | |||
| Shadow Financial Secretary to the Treasury | Rob Marris (2015–2026) | ||
| Peter Dowd (2016–2017) | |||
| Anneliese Dodds (2017–2020) | |||
| Shadow Economic Secretary to the Treasury | Richard Burgon (2015–2016) | ||
| Jonathan Reynolds (2016–2020) | |||
| Shadow Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury | Lyn Brown (2018–2020) | ||
| Shadow Minister for Sustainable Economics | Clive Lewis (2018–2020) | ||
| Shadow Treasury Minister | Rebecca Long-Bailey (2015–2016) | ||
| Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy | Angela Eagle (2015–2016) | ||
| Jon Trickett (2016) | |||
| Clive Lewis (2016–2017) | |||
| Rebecca Long-Bailey (2017–2020) | |||
| Shadow Secretary of State for Employment Rights & Protections | Laura Pidcock (2019) | ||
| Rachael Maskell (2020) | |||
| Shadow Minister for Labour | Jack Dromey (2016–2018) | ||
| Laura Pidcock (2018–2019) | |||
| Justin Madders (2018–2019) | |||
| Shadow Minister for Digital Economy | Chi Onwurah (2015–2016) | ||
| Louise Haigh (2016–2017) | |||
| Liam Byrne (2017–2020) | |||
| Shadow Minister for Small Business | Bill Esterson (2015–2020) | ||
| Shadow Minister for Business, Innovation & Skills | Yvonne Fovargue (2015–2016) | ||
| Shadow Minister for Trade & Investment | Stephen Doughty (2015) | ||
| Kevin Brennan (2015–2016) | |||
| Shadow Minister for Higher Education, Further Education & Skills | Gordon Marsden (2015–2019) | ||
| Shadow Minister for Industrial Strategy | Chi Onwurah (2016–2020) | ||
| Shadow Minister for Steel, Postal Affairs & Consumer Protection | Gill Furniss (2016–2020) | ||
| Shadow Minister for Climate Justice & Green Jobs | Danielle Rowley (2019) | ||
| Energy and Climate Change (2015–2016) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change | Lisa Nandy (2015–2016) | |
| Barry Gardiner (2016) | ||
| Shadow Minister for Energy | Barry Gardiner (2015–2016) | |
| Alan Whitehead (2016–2020) | ||
| Shadow Minister for Climate Change | Clive Lewis (2015–2016) | |
| Alan Whitehead (2015–2016) | ||
| Shadow Minister for International Climate Change | Barry Gardiner (2016–2020) | |
Corbyn named his first Shadow Cabinet appointments on 13 September and announced its full composition on 14 September. One of Labour's largest reshuffles, the announcement was further delayed by a large number of previous Shadow Cabinet members publicly announcing they would not participate under Corbyn, even if called to do so. The following members declined to serve:
The remaining changes were as follows:
On 6 January 2016, Corbyn replaced Shadow Culture Secretary Michael Dugher with Shadow Defence Secretary Maria Eagle (who was in turn replaced by Shadow Employment Minister Emily Thornberry).[10] He also replaced Shadow Europe Minister (not attending Shadow Cabinet) Pat McFadden with Pat Glass.[10] The reshuffle prompted three junior shadow ministers to resign in solidarity with McFadden: Shadow Rail Minister Jonathan Reynolds, Shadow Defence Minister Kevan Jones and Shadow Foreign Minister Stephen Doughty.[10] [11] On 7 January, Reynolds was replaced by Andy McDonald, Doughty by Fabian Hamilton, Jones by Kate Hollern and Thornberry by Angela Rayner; as well as appointing Jenny Chapman to the education team and Jo Stevens to the justice team.[12]
On 11 January 2016, Shadow Attorney General Catherine McKinnell resigned, citing party infighting, family reasons and a wish to speak in Parliament away from front-bench responsibilities. She was replaced by Karl Turner.[13]
See main article: 2016 British shadow cabinet resignations. On Sunday 26 June and Monday 27 June 2016, a number of members of the shadow cabinet either resigned or were sacked. This process began with Jeremy Corbyn sacking Hilary Benn as Shadow Foreign Secretary in the early hours of Sunday morning after Corbyn informed Benn that he knew Benn had been constructing a coup against the Leadership during the run up to the vote to leave the European Union. Subsequently, the following resigned (in chronological order):
On 27 June:
On 29 June:
All cited concerns over the EU vote and Corbyn's leadership.
Lords leader Angela Smith of Basildon and Lords chief whip Steve Bassam stated they would boycott shadow cabinet meetings while Jeremy Corbyn remained leader. They remained members of the shadow cabinet as these positions are elected by the Labour members of the upper chamber. They returned to attending shadow cabinet four months later.[17] [18]
Following the resignations, Corbyn appointed several new MPs to shadow cabinet positions:[19]
Following his victory in the 2016 Labour leadership election, Jeremy Corbyn began a reshuffle of his cabinet on 7 October:[21]
Owen Smith, who lost to Corbyn in the preceding leadership election, declined to continue in Shadow Cabinet, if offered. Angela Smith and Steve Bassam formally returned to Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Leader of the House of Lords and Shadow Chief Whip of the House of Lords after boycotting following the June reshuffle.
On Thursday 19 January, Jeremy Corbyn was reported to be preparing to order Labour MPs to vote to support triggering Article 50 in the vote on the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill 2017, in line with a three-line whip.[22] This triggered the following resignations from the frontbench (in chronological order):
On Thursday 26 January:
On Friday 27 January:
On Wednesday 1 February:
On Wednesday 8 February:
Following the 2017 general election, Corbyn began a reshuffle of his shadow cabinet:[27]
On 14 June 2017:
Later that month, Corbyn sacked three shadow ministers (Ruth Cadbury, Catherine West and Andy Slaughter) and a fourth (Daniel Zeichner) resigned.[28] This was after they had rebelled against party orders to abstain in the vote on a motion that was proposed by the then Labour MP Chuka Umunna and was aimed at keeping the UK in the EU single market.
Dawn Butler was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities, replacing Sarah Champion.
Richard Corbett was elected Leader of the European Parliamentary Labour Party, replacing Glenis Willmott and attending Shadow Cabinet meetings.
Tommy McAvoy was elected Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords, replacing Steve Bassam.
Debbie Abrahams, Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, was sacked. She was replaced by Margaret Greenwood. Owen Smith, Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, was sacked. He was replaced by Tony Lloyd.
Kate Osamor, Shadow Secretary of State for International Development, resigned. She was replaced by Dan Carden.
In the 2019 general election, a number of Shadow Ministers lost their seats; mostly to Boris Johnson's Conservatives. The following replacement appointments were made.
As Tom Watson stood down at the election, he was replaced as Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport by Tracy Brabin.
Newcomer MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy was immediately appointed Shadow Minister for Immigration.