Shadow Secretary of State for Employment Rights and Protections

Last updated
Shadow Secretary of State for Employment Rights and Protections
Incumbent
Abolished

since 27 September 2021
Appointer Leader of the Opposition
Inaugural holder Barbara Castle
Formation19 June 1970
Final holder Andy McDonald
Website The Shadow Cabinet

The Shadow Secretary of State for Employment Rights and Protections was a position in the United Kingdom's Shadow Cabinet.

Contents

From 1970 to 1995, the duty of the office holder was to scrutinise the actions of the government's Secretary of State for Employment and develop alternative policies. From 1995, the office shadowed the Secretary of State for Education and Employment. In 2001, the office was replaced by that of Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions after the creation of the Department for Work and Pensions.

In 2019, the office was reformed in the Shadow Cabinet of Jeremy Corbyn as Secretary of State for Employment Rights. The title was renamed Secretary of State for Employment Rights and Protections in the Shadow Cabinet of Keir Starmer. The position remained vacant after the resignation of Andy McDonald and was abolished in the November 2021 reshuffle.

List of Shadow Secretaries for Employment

Shadow Secretaries of State for Employment

Shadow SecretaryTook officeLeft officePolitical PartyLeader of the Opposition
Barbara Castle Mme Barbara Castle, Ministre britannique du developpement outre-mer.jpg 19 June 197019 October 1971Labour Harold Wilson
James Callaghan James Callaghan.JPG 19 October 197119 April 1972Labour
Reg Prentice 19 April 19724 March 1974Labour
William Whitelaw 11 March 197429 October 1974Conservative Edward Heath
James Prior 29 October 19744 May 1979Conservative
Margaret Thatcher
Albert Booth 4 May 197914 July 1979Labour James Callaghan
Eric Varley 14 July 197931 October 1983Labour
Michael Foot
John Smith 31 October 198326 October 1984Labour Neil Kinnock
John Prescott John Prescott on his last day as Deputy Prime Minister, June 2007.jpg 26 October 198413 July 1987Labour
Michael Meacher Michael Meacher MP.jpg 13 July 19872 November 1989Labour
Tony Blair WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM ANNUAL MEETING 2009 - Tony Blair.jpg 2 November 198918 July 1992Labour
Frank Dobson Frank Dobson MP, crop.jpg 18 July 199221 October 1993Labour John Smith
John Prescott John Prescott on his last day as Deputy Prime Minister, June 2007.jpg 21 October 199320 October 1994Labour
Harriet Harman Harriet Harman.jpg 20 October 199419 October 1995Labour Tony Blair

Shadow Secretaries of State for Education and Employment

Shadow SecretaryTook officeLeft officePolitical PartyLeader of the Opposition
David Blunkett David Blunkett -8April2010.jpg 19 October 19952 May 1997Labour Tony Blair
Gillian Shephard Official portrait of Baroness Shephard of Northwold crop 2.jpg 2 May 199711 June 1997Conservative John Major
Stephen Dorrell Stephen dorrell mp -nhs confederation annual conferencepercent2c manchester-11july2011 - crop.jpg 11 June 199715 June 1998Conservative William Hague
David Willetts Rt Hon David Willetts MP.jpg 1 June 199815 June 1999Conservative
Theresa May Theresa May - Home Secretary and minister for women and equality.jpg 15 June 199918 September 2001Conservative

Shadow Secretaries of State for Employment Rights

Shadow SecretaryTook officeLeft officePolitical PartyLeader of the Opposition
Laura Pidcock Official portrait of Laura Pidcock crop 2.jpg 10 September 201912 December 2019Labour Jeremy Corbyn
Rachael Maskell Official portrait of Rachael Maskell MP crop 2.jpg 7 January 20206 April 2020Labour

Shadow Secretaries of State for Employment Rights and Protections

Shadow SecretaryTook officeLeft officePolitical PartyLeader of the Opposition
Andy McDonald Official portrait of Andy McDonald MP crop 2.jpg 6 April 202027 September 2021Labour Sir Keir Starmer

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