| Post: | Shadow Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom |
| Incumbent: | Sir Oliver Dowden |
| Incumbentsince: | 5 July 2024 |
| Department: | Shadow Cabinet |
| Appointer: | Leader of the Opposition |
| Formation: | 6 December 2005 |
| First: | William Hague |
| Website: | Shadow Cabinet |
The Shadow Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is a position in the United Kingdom's Shadow Cabinet that was created on 6 December 2005 by the then-Leader of the Opposition, David Cameron for his shadow cabinet. From 2005 to 2010, the office was known as Senior Member of the Shadow Cabinet, and from 2015 to 2023, the office was known as Shadow First Secretary of State, and from 2010 to 2015 and again from 2023 to 2024, the office was known as Shadow Deputy Prime Minister.
Even though the role has no specific responsibilities attached to it, the holder of the position shadows the First Secretary of State and/or Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and deputises for the Leader of the Opposition in Prime Minister's Questions when the First Secretary or Deputy PM is deputising for the Prime Minister.[1] The position is currently vacant after Angela Rayner, the most recent officeholder, became Deputy Prime Minister in July 2024. Oliver Dowden currently serves as Deputy Leader of the Opposition.
Senior Member of the Shadow Cabinet | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senior Member | Term of Office | Political Party | Leader of the Opposition | ||||
| William Hague | 6 December 2005 | 11 May 2010 | Conservative | David Cameron | |||
Shadow Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom | |||||||
| Shadow Deputy Prime Minister | Term of Office | Political Party | Leader of the Opposition | ||||
| Jack Straw Acting | 11 May 2010 | 25 September 2010 | Labour | Harriet Harman | |||
| Harriet Harman | 7 October 2010 | 8 May 2015 | Labour | Ed Miliband | |||
Shadow First Secretary of State | |||||||
| Shadow First Secretary | Term of Office | Political Party | Leader of the Opposition | ||||
| Hilary Benn Acting | 11 May 2015 | 13 September 2015 | Labour | Harriet Harman | |||
| Angela Eagle | 13 September 2015 | 27 June 2016 | Labour | Jeremy Corbyn | |||
| Office not in use from June 2016 to June 2017. | |||||||
| Emily Thornberry | 14 June 2017 | 5 April 2020 | Labour | Jeremy Corbyn | |||
| Angela Rayner | 9 April 2020 | 4 September 2023 | Labour | Keir Starmer | |||
Shadow Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom | |||||||
| Shadow Deputy Prime Minister | Term of Office | Political Party | Leader of the Opposition | ||||
| Angela Rayner | 4 September 2023 | 5 July 2024 | Labour | Keir Starmer | |||
Deputy Leader of the Opposition | |||||||
| Deputy Leader | Term of Office | Political Party | Leader of the Opposition | ||||
| ! style="background-color: " | Oliver Dowden | 5 July 2024 | Present | Conservative | Rishi Sunak | ||