Shadow Cabinet of Hugh Gaitskell

Shadow Cabinet of Hugh Gaitskell
Shadow Cabinet of United Kingdom
1955 – 1963
Gaitskell in 1961
Date formed	14 December 1955 (1955-12-14)
Date dissolved	18 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	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]}

Shadow Cabinet list

Portfolio	Shadow Minister	Term
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	Vacant	1955 – 1956
	Jim Griffiths	1956 – 1959
	Aneurin Bevan	1959 – 1960
	Vacant	1960
	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
	Unknown	1960 – 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]

• Hugh Gaitskell – Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party
• Jim Griffiths – Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Deputy Leader of the Labour Party
• Harold Wilson – Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
• Alfred Robens – Shadow Foreign Secretary
• Kenneth Younger – Shadow Home Secretary
• Aneurin Bevan – Shadow Secretary of State for the Colonies
• Richard Stokes – Shadow Minister of Defence
• George Brown – Shadow Minister for Labour and National Service and Shadow Minister of Aviation
• Philip Noel-Baker – Shadow Minister for Power
• Tony Greenwood – Shadow Minister of Public Buildings and Works
• James Callaghan – Shadow First Lord of the Admiralty
• Dick Mitchison – Shadow Minister of Housing and Local Government
• Edith Summerskill – Shadow Minister for Health
• Tom Fraser – Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland
• Earl Alexander – Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords
• Herbert Bowden – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Commons
• Earl of Lucan – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords

Junior Shadow Ministers

• Tom Williams - Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
• Lynn Ungoed-Thomas – Shadow Attorney General for England and Wales
• Douglas Jay – Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
• Arthur Creech Jones – Shadow Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations
• Michael Stewart – Shadow Minister of Education
• Patrick Gordon Walker – Shadow President of the Board of Trade
• Hilary Marquand – Shadow Minister of Pensions and National Insurance
• Arthur Bottomley – Shadow Minister for Trade
• George Strauss – Shadow Minister of Transport
• Ernest Popplewell – Opposition Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Commons

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.

• Hugh Gaitskell – Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party
• Jim Griffiths – Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Deputy Leader of the Labour Party
• Harold Wilson – Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
• Aneurin Bevan – Shadow Foreign Secretary
• Kenneth Younger – Shadow Home Secretary
• James Callaghan – Shadow Secretary of State for the Colonies
• George Brown – Shadow Minister of Defence and Shadow Minister of Aviation
• Alfred Robens – Shadow Minister for Labour and National Service
• Tony Greenwood – Shadow Minister of Public Buildings and Works
• Dick Mitchison – Shadow Minister of Housing and Local Government
• Edith Summerskill – Shadow Minister for Health
• Frank Soskice – Shadow Attorney General for England and Wales
• Tom Fraser – Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland
• Philip Noel-Baker – Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs
• Earl Alexander – Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords
• Herbert Bowden – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Commons
• Earl of Lucan – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords

Junior Shadow Ministers

• Tom Williams - Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
• Douglas Jay – Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
• Arthur Creech Jones – Shadow Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations
• Michael Stewart – Shadow Minister of Education
• Patrick Gordon Walker – Shadow President of the Board of Trade
• Hilary Marquand – Shadow Minister of Pensions and National Insurance
• Harold Neal – Shadow Minister for Power
• Lynn Ungoed-Thomas – Shadow Solicitor General
• Arthur Bottomley – Shadow Minister for Trade
• George Strauss – Shadow Minister of Transport
• Ernest Popplewell – Opposition Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Commons

January 1958 reshuffle

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

• Hugh Gaitskell – Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party
• Jim Griffiths – Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Deputy Leader of the Labour Party
• Harold Wilson – Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
• Aneurin Bevan – Shadow Foreign Secretary
• Patrick Gordon-Walker – Shadow Home Secretary and Shadow President of the Board of Trade
• James Callaghan – Shadow Secretary of State for the Colonies
• George Brown – Shadow Minister of Defence
• Arthur Bottomley – Shadow Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations
• Alfred Robens – Shadow Minister for Labour and National Service
• Tony Greenwood – Shadow Minister of Public Buildings and Works
• Dick Mitchison – Shadow Minister of Housing and Local Government
• Frank Soskice – Shadow Attorney General for England and Wales
• Tom Fraser – Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland
• Philip Noel-Baker – Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs
• Earl Alexander – Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords
• Herbert Bowden – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Commons
• Earl of Lucan – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords

Junior Shadow Ministers

• Tom Williams - Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
• Frank Beswick – Shadow Minister of Aviation
• Douglas Jay – Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
• Michael Stewart – Shadow Minister of Education
• Kenneth Younger – Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs
• Edith Summerskill – Shadow Minister for Health
• Hilary Marquand – Shadow Minister of Pensions and National Insurance
• Harold Neal – Shadow Minister for Power
• Lynn Ungoed-Thomas – Shadow Solicitor General
• John Edwards – Shadow Minister for Trade
• George Strauss – Shadow Minister of Transport
• Ernest Popplewell – Opposition Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Commons

Changes

• November 1958 - George Brown is voted out of the shadow cabinet and is replaced by Summerskill. He remains Shadow Minister of Defence. ^[8] Lord Faringdon joins as a representative of the Lords.

1959 reshuffle

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

• Hugh Gaitskell – Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party
• Aneurin Bevan – Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and Shadow Foreign Secretary
• Harold Wilson – Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
• Patrick Gordon-Walker – Shadow Home Secretary
• Alfred Robens – Shadow Minister for Labour and National Service
• George Brown – Shadow Minister of Defence
• James Callaghan – Shadow Secretary of State for the Colonies
• Dick Mitchison – Shadow President of the Board of Trade
• Tony Greenwood – Shadow Minister of Education
• Fred Willey – Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
• Frederick Lee – Shadow Minister for Power
• Frank Soskice – Shadow Attorney General for England and Wales
• Tom Fraser – Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland
• Earl Alexander – Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords
• Herbert Bowden – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Commons
• Earl of Lucan – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords
• Denis Healey – Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs

Junior Shadow Ministers

• George Strauss – Shadow Minister of Aviation
• Douglas Jay – Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
• Hilary Marquand – Shadow Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations
• Edith Summerskill – Shadow Minister for Health
• Michael Stewart – Shadow Minister of Housing and Local Government
• Richard Crossman – Shadow Minister of Pensions and National Insurance
• Douglas Houghton – Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry for Pensions and National Insurance
• Barbara Castle – Shadow Minister of Public Buildings and Works
• Eirene White – Shadow Minister of State for Education
• Philip Noel-Baker – Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs
• Roy Jenkins – Shadow Minister for Trade
• Tony Benn – Shadow Minister of Transport
• Lynn Ungoed-Thomas – Shadow Solicitor General
• Jim Griffiths – Frontbench spokesmen for Wales
• John Taylor – Opposition Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Commons

Changes

• 6 July 1960 – Bevan dies. Healey becomes Shadow Foreign Secretary. The deputy leadership is left vacant until the regular election in November. ^[10]
• 14 October 1960 – Greenwood resigns following Gaitskell defying the party conference position on nuclear weapons. ^[11]

1960 reshuffle

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

• Hugh Gaitskell – Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party
• George Brown – Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and Shadow Minister of Defence
• Harold Wilson – Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
• Patrick Gordon-Walker – Shadow Home Secretary
• Denis Healey – Shadow Foreign Secretary
• James Callaghan – Shadow Secretary of State for the Colonies
• Frank Soskice – Shadow Attorney General for England and Wales
• Dick Mitchison – Shadow President of the Board of Trade
• Michael Stewart – Shadow Minister of Housing and Local Government
• Tom Fraser – Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland
• Ray Gunter – Shadow Minister for Power
• Douglas Houghton – Shadow Minister of Pensions and National Insurance
• Fred Willey – Shadow Minister of Education
• Frederick Lee – Shadow Minister for Labour and National Service
• Earl Alexander – Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords
• Herbert Bowden – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Commons
• Earl of Lucan – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords

Junior Shadow Ministers

• Geoffrey de Freitas – Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
• John Strachey – Shadow Minister of Aviation
• Douglas Jay – Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
• Hilary Marquand – Shadow Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations
• Eirene White – Shadow Minister of State for Education
• Edith Summerskill – Shadow Minister for Health
• Lynn Ungoed-Thomas – Shadow Solicitor General
• George Strauss – Shadow Minister of Transport
• Jim Griffiths – Frontbench spokesmen for Wales
• John Taylor – Opposition Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Commons

1961 reshuffle

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

• Hugh Gaitskell – Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party
• George Brown – Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and Shadow Home Secretary
• James Callaghan – Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
• Harold Wilson – Shadow Foreign Secretary
• Frank Soskice – Shadow Attorney General for England and Wales
• Douglas Houghton – Shadow Minister of Pensions and National Insurance
• Denis Healey – Shadow Secretary of State for the Colonies
• Michael Stewart – Shadow Minister of Housing and Local Government
• Ray Gunter – Shadow Minister for Labour and National Service
• Dick Mitchison – Shadow President of the Board of Trade and Shadow Minister of Public Buildings and Works
• Fred Willey – Shadow Minister of Education
• Tom Fraser – Shadow Minister for Power
• Patrick Gordon-Walker – Shadow Minister of Defence
• Frederick Lee – Shadow Minister of Aviation
• Earl Alexander – Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords
• Herbert Bowden – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Commons
• Earl of Lucan – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords

Junior Shadow Ministers

• Fred Peart – Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
• John Strachey – Shadow Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations
• Kenneth Robinson – Shadow Minister for Health
• Willie Ross – Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland
• Lynn Ungoed-Thomas – Shadow Solicitor General
• George Strauss – Shadow Minister of Transport
• Jim Griffiths – Frontbench spokesmen for Wales
• John Taylor – Opposition Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Commons

See also

• Politics portal
• United Kingdom portal

• List of British governments
• Official Opposition of the United Kingdom

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.