Shadow Cabinet of Hugh Gaitskell

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Shadow Cabinet of Hugh Gaitskell
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Shadow Cabinet of United Kingdom
1955 – 1963
Hugh Todd Naylor Gaitskell.jpg
Gaitskell in 1961
Date formed14 December 1955 (1955-12-14)
Date dissolved18 January 1963 (1963-01-18)
People and organisations
Monarch Elizabeth II
Leader of the Opposition Hugh Gaitskell
Deputy Leader of the Opposition Jim Griffiths (1956–1959)
Aneurin Bevan (1959–1960)
George Brown (1960–1963)
Member party
  •   Labour Party
Status in legislature Official Opposition
277 / 630(44%)
(1955)
258 / 630(41%)
(1959)
History
Outgoing election 1955 general election
Legislature terms 41st UK Parliament
42nd UK Parliament
Incoming formation 1955 Labour Party leadership election
Outgoing formation 1963 Labour Party leadership election
Predecessor Second Shadow Cabinet of Clement Attlee
Successor Shadow Cabinet of George Brown

The Shadow Cabinet of Hugh Gaitskell was created on following the election of Hugh Gaitskell as Labour leader on 14 December 1955. [1] [2]

Contents

Shadow Cabinet list

PortfolioShadow MinisterTerm
Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition
Leader of the Labour Party
Hugh Gaitskell 1955 – 1963
Deputy Leader of the Opposition
Deputy Leader of the Labour Party
Vacant1955 – 1956
Jim Griffiths 1956 – 1959
Aneurin Bevan 1959 – 1960
Vacant1960
George Brown 1960 – 1963
Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer Hugh Gaitskell 1955 – 1956
Harold Wilson 1956 – 1961
James Callaghan 1961 – 1963
Shadow Foreign Secretary Alfred Robens 1955 – 1956
Aneurin Bevan 1956 – 1959
Denis Healey 1959 – 1961
Harold Wilson 1961 – 1963
Shadow Home Secretary Kenneth Younger 1955 – 1957
Patrick Gordon Walker 1957 – 1962
George Brown 1962 – 1963
Shadow Minister of Defence Richard Stokes 1955 – 1956
George Brown 1956 – 1962
Patrick Gordon Walker 1962 – 1963
Shadow Secretary of State for the Colonies Jim Griffiths [3] 1955 – 1956
Aneurin Bevan 1956
James Callaghan 1956 – 1961
Denis Healey 1961 – 1963
Shadow Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations Patrick Gordon Walker 1955 – 1956
Arthur Creech Jones 1956 – 1958
Arthur Bottomley 1958 – 1959
Hilary Marquand 1959 – 1961
John Strachey 1961 – 1963
Shadow Minister for Health Edith Summerskill [4] 1955 – 1961
Kenneth Robinson 1961 – 1963
Shadow Minister of Labour Aneurin Bevan 1955 – 1956
George Brown 1956
Alfred Robens 1956 – 1960
Frederick Lee 1960 – 1961
Ray Gunter 1961 – 1963
Shadow Minister of Public Buildings and Works Tony Greenwood 1955 – 1959
Barbara Castle 1959 – 1960
Unknown1960 – 1961
Dick Mitchison 1961 – 1963
Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland Tom Fraser 1955 – 1961
William Ross 1961 – 1963
Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords The Earl Alexander of Hillsborough 1955 – 1963
Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Commons Herbert Bowden 1955 – 1963

Initial Shadow Cabinet

Gaitskell announced his Shadow Cabinet on 15 February 1956 following the election of Jim Griffiths as deputy leader. Before that members of Attlee's Shadow Cabinet remained in place. [5]

Junior Shadow Ministers

November 1956 reshuffle

Following the 1956 shadow cabinet election, Gaitskell reshuffled the front bench on 27 November. [6] Richard Stokes was dropped from the frontbench and was replaced by Frank Soskice.

Junior Shadow Ministers

January 1958 reshuffle

Following the 1957 shadow cabinet election, Gaitskell reshuffled the front bench on 24 January 1958. [7]

Junior Shadow Ministers

Changes

1959 reshuffle

Following that year's general, deputy leadership and shadow cabinet elections, Gaitskell performed a major reshuffle on 16 November 1959. [9]

Junior Shadow Ministers

Changes

1960 reshuffle

Following the leadership, deputy leadership and shadow cabinet elections, Gaitskell performed another reshuffle on 28 November 1960.

Junior Shadow Ministers

1961 reshuffle

Following the leadership, deputy leadership and shadow cabinet elections, Gaitskell performed another reshuffle on 30 November 1961. [12]

Junior Shadow Ministers

See also

References

  1. Ivor Jennings (1957). Parliament. Cambridge University Press. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
  2. Robert Malcolm Punnett (1973). Front-bench opposition; the role of the Leader of the Opposition, the Shadow Cabinet and Shadow Government in British politics. London. pp. 458–467. ISBN   978-0-435-83734-1 . Retrieved 18 April 2025.
  3. "Mr Giffiths as Labour's New Deputy Leader". The Glasgow Herald. 3 February 1956. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
  4. "First Five Women of Opposition". The Bulletin. 13 November 1959. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
  5. "New Job for Mr Bevan". The Glasgow Herald. Westminister. 15 February 1956. p. 7. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  6. "Bevan Ousts Robens as Foreign Chief". The Bulletin. 28 November 1956. p. 4. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
  7. "Shadow Cabinet Changes". The Glasgow Herald. 24 January 1958. p. 9. Retrieved 19 April 2025.
  8. "George Brown Carries On". The Bulletin. 20 November 1958. p. 9. Retrieved 11 May 2025.
  9. "Labor Shadow Cabinet Puts Young Members In Key Posts". Saskatoon Star-Phoenix. London. Reuters. 16 November 1959. p. 12. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
  10. "Party Delay on Bevan's Successor". The Glasgow Herald. 14 July 1960. p. 8. Retrieved 11 May 2025.
  11. "Top Labor Member Quits Post". The Windsor Star. Reuters. 14 October 1960. p. 17. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  12. "Wilson - Foreign Spokesman". Evening Times. 30 November 1961. p. 1. Retrieved 28 April 2025.