Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport

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Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Official portrait of Nigel Huddleston MP crop 2, 2024.jpg
Incumbent
Nigel Huddleston
since 22 July 2025
Style Shadow Culture Secretary (informal)
Member of Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet
Appointer Leader of the Opposition
Inaugural holder Bryan Gould
Formation18 July 1992

The shadow secretary of state for culture, media and sport (DCMS), previously the shadow secretary of state for national heritage and shadow secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport, is a position in the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet.

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The shadow secretary of state is the opposite number to the secretary of state for culture, media and sport, holding them and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to account. They are the lead opposition spokesperson on culture, media and sport issues.

The post was created in 1992 after John Major established the Department of National Heritage and secretary of state for national heritage. The National Heritage Department, and therefore the portfolio and title of the secretary of state and shadow secretary of state, was replaced by Culture, Media and Sport in 1997.

In 2010, the government merged the offices of the shadow secretary of state for culture, media and sport and minister for the Olympics, establishing the secretary of state for culture, olympics, media and sport. Nevertheless, the opposition retained the shadow minister for the Olympics and left the shadow secretary of state portfolio and title unchanged. The department and secretary of state changed their titles to Digital, Culture, Media and Sport in 2017, and the opposition followed suit. The department reverted to the name Culture, Media and Sport in February 2023.

List of shadow secretaries of state

Shadow secretaries of state for national heritage (1992–97)

NamePortraitTerm of officePartyShadow Cabinet
Bryan Gould Bryan Gould in 1992.jpg 18 July 199229 September 1992 Labour Smith
Ann Clwyd Official portrait of Ann Clwyd crop 2.jpg 29 September 199221 October 1993
Mo Mowlam Mo Mowlam official portrait.jpg 21 October 199321 July 1994
Beckett
Chris Smith Official portrait of Lord Smith of Finsbury, 2020.jpg 21 July 199419 October 1995 Blair
Jack Cunningham Unknown person.jpg 19 October 19952 May 1997
Virginia Bottomley Official portrait of Baroness Bottomley of Nettlestone crop 2.jpg 2 May 199711 June 1997Conservative Major

Shadow secretaries of state for culture, media and sport (1997–2017)

NamePortraitTerm of officePartyShadow Cabinet
Francis Maude Francis Maude, Minister for the Cabinet Office.jpg 11 June 19971 June 1998 Conservative Hague
Peter Ainsworth 1 June 199818 September 2001
Tim Yeo Tim Yeo MP (15216846249).jpg 18 September 200123 July 2002 Duncan Smith
John Whittingdale Official portrait of Mr John Whittingdale crop 2.jpg 23 July 20026 November 2003
Julie Kirkbride Julie-Kirkbride---Jan-07.jpg 6 November 200319 June 2004 Howard
John Whittingdale Official portrait of Mr John Whittingdale crop 2.jpg 19 June 20046 May 2005
Theresa May Theresa May - Home Secretary and minister for women and equality.jpg 6 May 20058 December 2005
Hugo Swire Official portrait of Lord Swire crop 2, 2023.jpg 8 December 20052 July 2007 Cameron
Jeremy Hunt Official portrait of Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP crop 2.jpg 2 July 200711 May 2010
Ben Bradshaw Official portrait of Mr Ben Bradshaw crop 2.jpg 11 May 20108 October 2010 Labour Harman I
Ivan Lewis Official portrait of Mr Ivan Lewis crop 2.jpg 8 October 20107 October 2011 Miliband
Harriet Harman Official portrait of Rt Hon Harriet Harman QC MP crop 2.jpg 7 October 201111 May 2015
Chris Bryant Official portrait of Chris Bryant crop 2.jpg 11 May 201513 September 2015 Harman II
Michael Dugher Unknown person.jpg 13 September 20155 January 2016 Corbyn
Maria Eagle Official portrait of Maria Eagle MP crop 2.jpg 6 January 201627 June 2016
Kelvin Hopkins Official portrait of Kelvin Hopkins crop 2.jpg 28 June 20167 October 2016
Tom Watson Official portrait of Tom Watson crop 2.jpg 7 October 20163 July 2017

Shadow secretaries of state for digital, culture, media and sport (2017–2023)

NamePortraitTerm of officePartyShadow Cabinet
Tom Watson Official portrait of Tom Watson crop 2.jpg 3 July 201712 December 2019 Labour Corbyn
Tracy Brabin Official portrait of Tracy Brabin MP crop 2.jpg 7 January 20206 April 2020
Jo Stevens Official portrait of Jo Stevens MP crop 2.jpg 6 April 2020 29 November 2021 Starmer
Lucy Powell Official portrait of Lucy Powell MP crop 2.jpg 29 November 2021 4 September 2023

Shadow secretaries of state for culture, media and sport (2023–present)

NamePortraitTerm of officePartyShadow Cabinet
Thangam Debbonaire Official portrait of Thangam Debbonaire MP crop 2.jpg 4 September 20235 July 2024 Labour Starmer
Julia Lopez Official portrait of Julia Lopez MP crop 2, 2024.jpg 8 July 20245 November 2024 Conservative Sunak
Stuart Andrew Official portrait of Stuart Andrew crop 2, 2021.jpg 5 November 202422

July 2025

Badenoch
Nigel Huddleston Official portrait of Nigel Huddleston MP crop 2, 2024.jpg 22

July 2025

Incumbent

See also