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. [3] 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. [5]
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 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. [10] [11] [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. [13]
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]
