Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care

Last updated

Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Official portrait of Edward Argar MP.jpg
Incumbent
Ed Argar
since 5 November 2024
Appointer Leader of the Opposition
Inaugural holder Shirley Williams
Formation19 June 1970
Website The Shadow Cabinet

The shadow secretary of state for health and social care is an office within British politics held by a member of His Majesty's Loyal Opposition. The duty of the office holder is to scrutinise the actions of the government's secretary of state for health and social care and develop alternative policies. The office holder is a member of the Shadow Cabinet and appointed by the leader of the opposition.

It is currently held by Ed Argar.

List of shadow secretaries of state for health

NameEntered officeLeft officePolitical party Leader of the Opposition NotesRef
Shirley Williams Shirley Williams, 1984.jpg 19 June 197019 October 1971 Labour Later SDP Founder and Liberal Democrats Leader in House of Lords
Barbara Castle 1657543218962 NP0238 Barbara CASTLE 001 MOBILE.jpg 19 October 197124 March 1972Later Secretary of State for Health and Social Services
John Silkin John Silkin.png 24 March 19724 March 1974
Keith Joseph 4 March 197411 March 1974 Conservative Former Secretary of State for Health and Social Services (1970–1974)
Geoffrey Howe Geoffrey Howe (1985).jpg 11 March 197418 February 1975
Norman Fowler Official portrait of Lord Fowler crop 2.jpg 18 February 197519 November 1976
Patrick Jenkin 19 November 19764 May 1979
David Ennals David Ennals.jpg 4 May 197914 June 1979 Labour Former Secretary of State for Health and Social Services (1976–1979)
Stanley Orme 14 June 19798 December 1980 [1]
Gwyneth Dunwoody Dunwoody (cropped).jpg 8 December 198031 October 1983
Michael Meacher Michael Meacher official portrait.jpg 31 October 198313 July 1987
Robin Cook Robin Cook official portrait.jpg 13 July 198718 July 1992 [2]
David Blunkett David Blunkett DfEE (upscaled).jpg 18 July 199220 October 1994 [3]
Margaret Beckett Official portrait of Margaret Beckett as Environment Secretary (cropped).jpg 20 October 199419 October 1995 [4]
Harriet Harman Harriet Harman (3x4 crop).jpg 19 October 19951 July 1996 [5]
Chris Smith Lord Chris Smith.jpg 1 July 19962 May 1997
Stephen Dorrell Stephen dorrell mp -nhs confederation annual conferencepercent2c manchester-11july2011 - crop.jpg 2 May 199711 June 1997 Conservative Former Secretary of State for Health (1995–1997)
John Maples 11 June 19971 June 1998 [6] [7]
Ann Widdecombe Ann Widdecombe as a Minister of State.jpg 1 June 199813 January 1999 [8]
Liam Fox Liam Fox MP, 2007 cropped.jpg 13 January 19996 November 2003 [9]
Tim Yeo Tim Yeo MP (15216846249).jpg 6 November 200319 June 2004Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Education [10]
Andrew Lansley Andrew Lansley, October 2009 2 cropped and rotated.jpg 19 June 200412 May 2010Later Secretary of State for Health (2010–2012) [11] [12]
Andy Burnham Andy Burnham (cropped).jpg 12 May 20108 October 2010LabourFormer Secretary of State for Health (2009–2010)
John Healey John Healey.jpg 8 October 20106 October 2011
Andy Burnham Andy Burnham (cropped).jpg 7 October 201113 September 2015Former Secretary of State for Health (2009–2010)
Heidi Alexander Official portrait of Heidi Alexander crop 2.jpg 13 September 2015 26 June 2016
Diane Abbott Official portrait of Ms Diane Abbott crop 2.jpg 27 June 2016 6 October 2016 Jeremy Corbyn
(Shadow Cabinet)		 [13]
Jonathan Ashworth Official portrait of Jonathan Ashworth MP crop 2.jpg 7 October 2016 29 November 2021 Keir Starmer
(Shadow Cabinet)		Shadow Secretary of State for Health (2016–2020)

Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (2020-2021)

 [14]
Wes Streeting Official portrait of Wes Streeting MP crop 2.jpg 29 November 2021 5 July 2024 [15]
Victoria Atkins Official portrait of Victoria Atkins MP crop 2, 2024.jpg 8 July 20245 November 2024 Conservative Rishi Sunak
(Shadow Cabinet)		Former Secretary of State for Health and Social Care in Rishi Sunak's Administration, (2023-2024)
Ed Argar Edward Argar Official Cabinet Portrait, September 2022 (cropped).jpg 5 November 2024Incumbent Kemi Badenoch
(Shadow Cabinet)		Shadow Secretary of State for Justice (2024)
Shadow Lord Chancellor (2024)

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References

  1. ↑ "Parliamentary career for Lord Orme". Parliament of the United Kingdom .
  2. ↑ "Former minister Robin Cook dies". BBC News . British Broadcasting Corporation. 6 August 2005. Retrieved 29 September 2008.
  3. ↑ Brown, Colin (21 March 2005). "David Blunkett: 'I'd like to come back but I have to earn it. That means the graft of getting round the country'". The Independent . London: Independent News & Media . Retrieved 29 September 2008.
  4. ↑ "Hunting a second term". BBC News . British Broadcasting Corporation. 7 December 2000. Retrieved 29 September 2008.
  5. ↑ "Politics 97; Harriet Harman". BBC Political Research Unit. British Broadcasting Corporation. 1997. Retrieved 30 September 2008.
  6. ↑ "John Maples; Biographical details". Ask Aristotle. London: guardian.co.uk. Archived from the original on 13 November 2005. Retrieved 25 September 2008.
  7. ↑ Maples, John. "John Maples: Political Biography". John Maples. Retrieved 25 September 2008.
  8. ↑ "Opposition front bench team as at 5 June 1998". House of Commons Weekly Information Bulletin. Parliament of the United Kingdom. 6 June 1998. Retrieved 25 September 2008.
  9. ↑ "Opposition front bench team". House of Commons Weekly Information Bulletin. Parliament of the United Kingdom. 19 June 1999. Retrieved 25 September 2008.
  10. ↑ "Tim Yeo; Biographical details". Ask Aristotle. London: guardian.co.uk. Archived from the original on 13 May 2008. Retrieved 25 September 2008.
  11. ↑ "House of Commons Weekly Information Bulletin Noticeboard". House of Commons Weekly Information Bulletin. Parliament of the United Kingdom. 19 June 2004. Retrieved 25 September 2008.
  12. ↑ "Her Majesty's Official Opposition". Parliament of the United Kingdom. 7 October 2008. Archived from the original on 20 October 2008. Retrieved 14 November 2008.
  13. ↑ Turnbull, Alex (27 June 2016). "Diane Abbott appointed shadow health secretary". www.independentnurse.co.uk. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  14. ↑ Jamie Grierson; Anushka Asthana (27 June 2016). "Jeremy Corbyn unveils new shadow cabinet after raft of resignations". The Guardian.
  15. ↑ Launder, Mimi (30 November 2021). "Wes Streeting appointed as shadow health secretary in reshuffle". Nursing in Practice. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
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