Second Shadow Cabinet of Edward Heath

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Second Heath Shadow Cabinet
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Shadow Cabinet of United Kingdom
1974 – 1975
Heathdod (cropped).JPG
Date formed4 March 1974
Date dissolved11 February 1975
People and organisations
Monarch Elizabeth II
Leader of the Opposition Edward Heath
Member party
  •   Conservative Party
Status in legislature Official Opposition
297 / 635 (47%)
(February 1974)
277 / 635 (44%)
(October 1974)
History
Election February 1974 United Kingdom general election
Legislature terms 46th UK Parliament
47th UK Parliament
Outgoing formation 1975 Conservative Party leadership election
Predecessor Second Shadow Cabinet of Harold Wilson
Successor Shadow Cabinet of Margaret Thatcher

The Second Shadow Cabinet of Edward Heath was created after the Conservative Party lost the February 1974 general election. It was led by the Leader of the Conservative Party Edward Heath and featured prominent Conservative politicians both past and future. Included was Heath's successor Margaret Thatcher, the future Home Secretary William Whitelaw, and two future Foreign Secretaries, Lord Carrington and Francis Pym.

Contents

History

For the first time in history, a leadership election was held in 1975 for the Conservative Party whilst the position was not vacant. Margaret Thatcher challenged Heath, with whom the majority of the party was dissatisfied because of repeated losses at elections. She won, becoming the first female leader of a major political party in Britain.

Shadow cabinet list

Edward Heath, Leader of the Opposition 1974-1975 Sir Edward Heath Allan Warren.jpg
Edward Heath, Leader of the Opposition 1974-1975
PortfolioShadow MinisterTerm
Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition
Leader of the Conservative Party 		The Rt Hon. Edward Heath 1974–75
Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer The Rt Hon. Robert Carr 1974–75
Shadow Foreign Secretary The Rt Hon. Sir Alec Douglas-Home 1974
The Rt Hon. Geoffrey Rippon 1974–75
Shadow Home Secretary The Rt Hon. Jim Prior 1974
The Rt Hon. Keith Joseph 1974–75
Chairman of the Conservative Party The Rt Hon. The Lord Carrington PC 1974
The Rt Hon. William Whitelaw 1974–75
Shadow Secretary of State for Defence The Rt Hon. Ian Gilmour 1974
The Rt Hon. Peter Walker 1974–75
Shadow Secretary of State for Employment The Rt Hon. William Whitelaw 1974
The Rt Hon. Jim Prior 1974–75
Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment The Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher [1] 1974
Paul Channon 1974–75
Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry The Rt Hon. Peter Walker 1974
The Rt Hon. Michael Heseltine 1974–75
Shadow Secretary of State for Consumer Affairs The Rt Hon. Peter Walker 1974
Paul Channon 1974
Timothy Raison 1974–75
Shadow Secretary of State for Wales The Rt Hon. Peter Thomas 1974–75
Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food The Rt Hon. Francis Pym 1974–75
Shadow Secretary of State for Social Services The Rt Hon. Sir Geoffrey Howe 1974–75
Shadow Secretary of State for Energy The Rt Hon. Patrick Jenkin 1974–75
Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland The Rt Hon. Alick Buchanan-Smith 1974–75
Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Science The Rt Hon. William van Straubenzee 1974
The Rt Hon. Norman St John-Stevas 1974–75
Shadow Leader of the House of Commons The Rt Hon. Jim Prior 1974
The Rt Hon. John Peyton 1974–75
Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland The Rt Hon. Francis Pym 1974
The Rt Hon. Ian Gilmour 1974–75
Opposition Chief Whip The Rt Hon. Humphrey Atkins 1974–75
Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords The Rt Hon. The Lord Windlesham PC 1974–75
Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury The Rt Hon. Maurice Macmillan 1974
David Howell 1974
The Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher 1974–75
Shadow Minister for Europe The Rt Hon. Geoffrey Rippon 1974
The Rt Hon. The Lord Carrington PC 1974–75
Shadow Minister without Portfolio The Rt Hon. The Lord Hailsham of St Marylebone PC 1974–1975
The Rt Hon. Keith Joseph 1974
The Rt Hon. Anthony Barber 1974

Initial Shadow Cabinet

Heath announced his new Shadow Cabinet on 12 March 1974. [2]

June 1974 reshuffle

On 13 June 1974, a reshuffle saw Peter Carington replaced as party chair by William Whitelaw [3] which coincided with Macmillan and Barber returning to the backbench. [4]

Changes

November 1974 reshuffle

Following the October 1974 general election Heath reshuffled his Shadow Cabinet on 7 November 1974. [6]

References

  1. ↑ McMahon Flatt, Joan (2012). Powerful Political Women: Stirring Biographies of Some of History's Most Powerful Women. iUniverse. p. 201. ISBN   9781462068197.
  2. ↑ "Barber Prepares to Quit". The Glasgow Herald. 12 March 1974. pp. 1, 30. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
  3. ↑ "Whitelaw takes on key Tory post". The Glasgow Herald. 12 June 1974. p. 1. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
  4. ↑ John Warden (13 June 1974). "Senior Tories return to back benches". The Glasgow Herald. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
  5. ↑ "Shadow Cabinet Changes". The Glasgow Herald. 20 June 1974. p. 1. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
  6. ↑ "Heath agrees to change the rules on leadership". The Glasgow Herald. 8 November 1974. p. 1. Retrieved 25 April 2025.

Further reading

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