Shadow Cabinet of Nick Bourne explained

Cabinet Name:Bourne Shadow Cabinet
Cabinet Type:Shadow Cabinet
Jurisdiction:Wales
Flag Border:true
Incumbent:2007-2011
Government Head Title:Leader of the Opposition and Shadow First Minister
Government Head:Nick Bourne
State Head Title:Monarch
State Head:Elizabeth II
Legislature Status:Official Opposition (2007)
(2009)
Election:2007 assembly election
2011 assembly election
Legislature Term:4th National Assembly for Wales
Previous:Shadow Cabinet of Ieuan Wyn Jones
Successor:Interim Shadow Cabinet of Paul Davies
First Shadow Cabinet of Andrew RT Davies

Nick Bourne became Leader of the Opposition in Wales after the Welsh Conservatives became the largest party that was not a part of the government in the National Assembly for Wales after the 2007 Assembly Elections.[1] [2] This was because the second largest overall party, Plaid Cymru, had entered into government as part of the One Wales coalition with Welsh Labour.[3]

Bourne's Conservatives also participated in negotiations to enter a 'rainbow coalition' with Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Liberal Democrats. These negotiations fell through after the Welsh Liberal Democrats failed to approve the agreement, with an internal vote resulting in a tie.[4]

Bourne's Shadow Cabinet lasted one term, as Bourne lost his seat on the Mid and West Wales list at the 2011 National Assembly for Wales election.

History

Initial Shadow Cabinet

Bourne appointed a frontbench team of Welsh Conservative spokespeople on 5 July 2007,[5] several weeks prior to the formation of the One Wales government on 27 July 2007. This frontbench team was carried over to become his Shadow Cabinet. This therefore meant that Angela Burns became Shadow Minister for Finance, Jonathan Morgan became Shadow Minister for Health, Alun Cairns became Shadow Minister for Education, David Melding became Shadow Minister for Economic Development, Andrew RT Davies became Shadow Minister for Transport, Nick Ramsay became Shadow Minister for Local Government, Darren Millar became Shadow Minister for Environment and Planning, Paul Davies became Shadow Minister for Culture, Sport and the Welsh Language, Brynle Williams became Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs, Mark Isherwood became Shadow Minister for Social Justice, Equality and Housing, and William Graham was appointed as Shadow Chief Whip, Business Manager, and Chair of the Welsh Conservative Group in the Assembly.

Reshuffles

In June 2008, the group was reshuffled to remove Alun Cairns from the Shadow Cabinet, after he described Italians as "greasy wops" on BBC Radio Cymru.[6] [7] Cairn's role as Shadow Minister for Education was assigned to Andrew RT Davies. Cairns was also removed from the role as Chair of the National Assembly's finance committee. Angela Burns was swapped from being Shadow Finance Minister to take this role. Nick Bourne took over the role of Shadow Minister for Finance directly, alongside his role as Leader of the Opposition. The role of David Melding was expanded to include RT Davies' prior transport brief, making him Shadow Minister for the Economy and Transport.[8]

In February 2009, Bourne embarked upon a substantial reshuffle of his Shadow Cabinet. Notably, Jonathan Morgan and William Graham both rejected the roles that were offered to them.[9] Morgan is understood to have turned down the role of Shadow Minister for Education, while it is not public which roles Graham rejected. Morgan was instead appointed as Chair of the Assembly's Audit Committee. Alun Cairns was appointed Chief Whip, Business Manager and Shadow Heritage Minister, whilst collaborating on the Shadow Economy Ministry with David Melding, Andrew RT Davies was made Shadow Health Minister and Paul Davies was made Shadow Minister for Education and the Welsh Language. Angela Burns was made Shadow Minister for Environment, Nick Ramsay was appointed Shadow Minister for Finance, Darren Millar was appointed Shadow Minister for Local Government, Brynle Williams retained the Rural Affairs brief, and Mark Isherwood retained the Social Justice brief.

In December of 2009, Mohammad Asghar, formerly of Plaid Cymru, crossed the floor and joined the Welsh Conservatives.[10] His daughter Natasha Asghar, later also a Senedd Member, also joined the Welsh Conservatives at the same time.[11] Mohammad Asghar declared he had switched his affiliation because he believed Wales was better off within the union, and believed in retaining the royal family.[12] He was made Shadow Equalities Minister shortly after.[13]

In November 2010, the Shadow Cabinet was again reshuffled, with Jonathan Morgan and William Graham returning to the Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Local Government Minister and Shadow Regeneration Minister respectively. Darren Millar, who previously held the Local Government role, became Shadow Minister for Economy and Transport. David Melding stood back from the Shadow Cabinet, with a focus on devising the Welsh Conservatives' Manifesto for 2011. Mohammad Ashgar also took the role of Shadow Heritage minister, while retaining the Equalities portfolio.

A few days later, Jonathan Morgan was also appointed Chair of the Health Committee. Shortly after, Andrew RT Davies stood down as Shadow Minister for Health, and was replaced by Nick Ramsay.[14]

Dissolution

Bourne's Shadow Cabinet lasted one term, as, at the 2011 assembly election, Bourne lost his seat on the Mid and West Wales list, due to successes for the Welsh Conservatives on constituency seats in the region.[15] The Welsh Conservatives continued to be the largest party not in government, with Paul Davies taking over the leadership of the Welsh Conservatives in an interim capacity. Andrew RT Davies would later become the leader of the Welsh Conservatives after a leadership contest, and form his own Shadow Cabinet.

Members

July 2007 - June 2008

PortfolioShadow MinisterConstituencyTerm
Leader of the Opposition
Leader of the Welsh Conservatives
Nick Bourne AMMid and West WalesJuly 2007 - May 2011
Shadow Minister for FinanceAngela Burns AMCarmarthen West and South PembrokeshireJuly 2007 - June 2008
Shadow Minister for HealthJonathan Morgan AMCardiff NorthJuly 2007 - February 2009
Shadow Minister for EducationAlun Cairns AMSouth Wales WestJuly 2007 - June 2008
Chief Whip, Business Manager, Chair of the Welsh Conservative Assembly GroupWilliam Graham AMSouth Wales EastJuly 2007 - February 2009
Shadow Minister for Economic DevelopmentDavid Melding AMSouth Wales CentralJuly 2007 - June 2008
Shadow Minister for TransportAndrew RT Davies AMSouth Wales CentralJuly 2007 - June 2008
Shadow Minister for Local GovernmentNick Ramsay AMMonmouthJuly 2007 - February 2009
Shadow Minister for Environment and PlanningDarren Millar AMClwyd WestJuly 2007 - February 2009
Shadow Minister for Culture, Sport and the Welsh LanguagePaul Davies AMPreseli PembrokeshireJuly 2007 - February 2009
Shadow Minister for Rural AffairsBrynle Williams AMNorth WalesJuly 2007 - May 2011
Shadow Minister for Social Justice, Equality and HousingMark Isherwood AMNorth WalesJuly 2007 - February 2009

June 2008 - February 2009

PortfolioShadow MinisterConstituencyTerm
Leader of the Opposition
Leader of the Welsh Conservatives
Nick Bourne AMMid and West WalesJuly 2007 - May 2011
Shadow Minister for FinanceJune 2008 - February 2009
Shadow Minister for HealthJonathan Morgan AMCardiff NorthJuly 2007 - February 2009
Chief Whip, Business Manager, Chair of the Welsh Conservative Assembly GroupWilliam Graham AMSouth Wales EastJuly 2007 - February 2009
Shadow Minister for Economy and TransportDavid Melding AMSouth Wales CentralJune 2008 - February 2009
Shadow Minister for EducationAndrew RT Davies AMSouth Wales CentralJune 2008 - February 2009
Shadow Minister for Local GovernmentNick Ramsay AMMonmouthJuly 2007 - February 2009
Shadow Minister for Environment and PlanningDarren Millar AMClwyd WestJuly 2007 - February 2009
Shadow Minister for Culture, Sport and the Welsh LanguagePaul Davies AMPreseli PembrokeshireJuly 2007 - February 2009
Shadow Minister for Rural AffairsBrynle Williams AMNorth WalesJuly 2007 - May 2011
Shadow Minister for Social Justice, Equality and HousingMark Isherwood AMNorth WalesJuly 2007 - February 2009

February 2009 - November 2010

PortfolioShadow MinisterConstituencyTerm
Leader of the Opposition
Leader of the Welsh Conservatives
Nick Bourne AMMid and West WalesJuly 2007 - May 2011
Chief Whip, Business Manager, Shadow Heritage MinisterAlun Cairns AMSouth Wales WestFebruary 2009 - November 2010
Shadow Minister for EconomyFebruary 2009 - November 2010
David Melding AMSouth Wales Central
Shadow Minister for FinanceNick Ramsay AMMonmouthFebruary 2009 - November 2010
Shadow Minister for HealthAndrew RT Davies AMSouth Wales CentralFebruary 2009 - November 2010
Shadow Minister for Education and the Welsh LanguagePaul Davies AMPreseli PembrokeshireFebruary 2009 - May 2011
Shadow Minister for Local GovernmentDarren Millar AMClwyd WestFebruary 2009 - November 2010
Shadow Minister for EnvironmentAngela Burns AMCarmarthen West and South PembrokeshireFebruary 2009 - May 2011
Shadow Minister for Rural AffairsBrynle Williams AMNorth WalesJuly 2007 - May 2011
Shadow Minister for Social JusticeMark Isherwood AMNorth WalesFebruary 2009 - May 2011
Shadow Minister for EqualitiesMohammad Asghar AMSouth Wales EastDecember 2009 - November 2010

November 2010 - May 2011

PortfolioShadow MinisterConstituencyTerm
Leader of the Opposition
Leader of the Welsh Conservatives
Nick Bourne AMMid and West WalesJuly 2007 - May 2011
Chief Whip and Business ManagerAlun Cairns AMSouth Wales WestNovember 2010 - May 2011
Shadow Minister for Economy and TransportDarren Millar AMClwyd WestNovember 2010 - May 2011
Shadow Minister for HealthNick Ramsay AMMonmouthNovember 2010 - May 2011
Shadow Minister for Education and the Welsh LanguagePaul Davies AMPreseli PembrokeshireFebruary 2009 - May 2011
Shadow Minister for EnvironmentAngela Burns AMCarmarthen West and South PembrokeshireFebruary 2009 - May 2011
Shadow Minister for Rural AffairsBrynle Williams AMNorth WalesJuly 2007 - May 2011
Shadow Minister for Local GovernmentJonathan Morgan AMCardiff NorthNovember 2010 - May 2011
Shadow Minister for RegenerationWilliam Graham AMSouth Wales EastNovember 2010 - May 2011
Shadow Minister for Social JusticeMark Isherwood AMNorth WalesFebruary 2009 - May 2011
Shadow Minister for Equalities and HeritageMohammad Asghar AMSouth Wales EastNovember 2010 - May 2011

Notes and References

  1. News: 29 June 2007 . Labour MPs worried by Plaid deal . 17 May 2024 . BBC News.
  2. News: 30 June 2007 . Bourne: We'll protect Wales in opposition . 17 May 2024 . North Wales Live.
  3. News: 2007-06-27 . Historic Labour-Plaid deal agreed . 2024-07-11 . en-GB.
  4. Book: Osmond, John . Crossing the Rubicon: Coalition Politics Welsh Style . August 2007 . Institute of Welsh Affairs . 978-1-904773-26-9 . 28–29 . 17 May 2024.
  5. Web site: WalesOnline . 2007-06-04 . Bourne names his front benchers . 2024-07-11 . Wales Online . en.
  6. News: Association . Press . 2008-06-14 . Tory candidate apologises for 'greasy wops' comment . 2024-07-11 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
  7. Web site: Milne . Jonathan . Welsh Tory quits over “greasy wops” remark . 2024-07-11 . www.thetimes.com . en.
  8. Web site: Williamson . David . 2008-06-16 . Tories rush to replace Alun Cairns . 2024-07-11 . Wales Online . en.
  9. News: 2009-02-27 . Two Tories reject Bourne offers . 2024-07-11 . en-GB.
  10. News: 2009-12-08 . Plaid AM defects to Conservatives . 2024-07-11 . BBC News . en-GB.
  11. Web site: Shipton . Martin . 2009-12-10 . Plaid AM Mohammad Asghar defected to Tories after being told he could not employ his daughter as press officer . 2024-07-11 . Wales Online . en.
  12. Web site: 2009-12-09 . Plaid AM rocks leader by shock defection to Tories . 2024-07-11 . North Wales Daily Post . en.
  13. News: Davies . Daniel . 2010-11-26 . Tories appoint Morgan to Shadow Cabinet . Press Association Newswire: Wales.
  14. Web site: Williamson . David . 2010-11-30 . Bourne shocked by shadow health minister’s resignation . 2024-07-11 . Wales Online . en.
  15. News: 2011-05-06 . Tory leader Bourne loses his seat . 2024-07-11 . BBC News . en-GB.