Harold Wilson of the Labour Party formed his Second Shadow Cabinet as Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition after losing the 1970 general election to Conservative Edward Heath.
He retained leadership of the Opposition for the length of the Heath ministry from 1970 to 1974. In February 1974, his party narrowly won an election. Wilson was then forced to form a minority government that lasted only until another election in October of that year. Following that election, Wilson formed a majority government.
Shadow Cabinet list
Portfolio Shadow Minister Term Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal OppositionLeader of the Labour Party The Rt Hon. Harold Wilson 1970 – 1974Deputy Leader of the OppositionDeputy Leader of the Labour Party The Rt Hon. Roy Jenkins 1970 – 1972 The Rt Hon. Edward Short 1972 – 1974 Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer The Rt Hon. Roy Jenkins 1970 – 1972 The Rt Hon. Denis Healey 1972 – 1974 Shadow Leader of the House of Commons The Rt Hon. Fred Peart 1970 – 1971 The Rt Hon. Michael Foot 1971 – 1972 The Rt Hon. Edward Short 1972 – 1974 Shadow Foreign Secretary The Rt Hon. Denis Healey 1970 – 1972 The Rt Hon. James Callaghan 1972 – 1974 Shadow Home Secretary The Rt Hon. James Callaghan 1970 – 1971 Shirley Williams 1971 – 1973 The Rt Hon. Roy Jenkins 1973 – 1974 Shadow Secretary of State for Defence The Rt Hon. George Thomson 1970 – 1972 The Rt Hon. Fred Peart 1972 – 1974 Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment The Rt Hon. Anthony Crosland 1970 – 1974 Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry The Rt Hon. Tony Benn 1970 – 1974 Shadow Secretary of State for Employment The Rt Hon. Barbara Castle 1970 – 1971 The Rt Hon. James Callaghan 1971 – 1972 The Rt Hon. Reg Prentice 1972 – 1974 Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Services Shirley Williams 1970 – 1971 The Rt Hon. Barbara Castle 1971 – 1972 John Silkin 1972 – 1974 Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Science The Rt Hon. Edward Short 1970 – 1972 The Rt Hon. Roy Hattersley 1972 – 1974 Shadow Minister of Fuel and Power Michael Foot 1970 – 1971 The Rt Hon. Harold Lever 1971 – 1972 The Rt Hon. Eric Varley 1972 – 1974 Shadow Minister for Europe The Rt Hon. Harold Lever 1970 – 1971 Peter Shore 1971 – 1972 Michael Foot 1972 – 1974 Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland The Rt Hon. Merlyn Rees 1972 – 1974Other frontbenchers Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food The Rt Hon. Cledwyn Hughes 1970 – 1971 Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland The Rt Hon. William Ross 1970 – 1974 Shadow Secretary of State for Wales George Thomas 1970 – 1974 Shadow President of the Board of Trade Roy Mason 1970 Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords The Rt Hon.The Lord Shackleton PC 1970 – 1974 Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Commons The Rt Hon. Bob Mellish 1970 – 1974 Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords The Rt Hon. Baron Beswick 1970 – 1973 The Rt Hon. Baroness Llewelyn-Davies 1973 – 1974
Initial Shadow Cabinet Wilson announced his new Shadow Cabinet on 22 July 1970, following the election of Roy Jenkins as Deputy Leader and the Shadow Cabinet election. It featured three members who were not in the former cabinet, Foot, Williams and Houghton.
Harold Wilson – Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party Roy Jenkins – Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer Fred Peart – Shadow Leader of the House of Commons Denis Healey – Shadow Foreign Secretary James Callaghan – Shadow Home Secretary George Thomson – Shadow Secretary of State for Defence Anthony Crosland – Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment Tony Benn – Shadow Secretary of State for Industry and Technology Michael Foot – Shadow Minister for Fuel and Power Barbara Castle – Shadow Secretary of State for Employment Shirley Williams – Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Services Edward Short – Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Science Douglas Houghton – Chair of the Parliamentary Labour Party William Ross – Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland Harold Lever – Shadow Minister for Europe
Junior Shadow Ministers Cledwyn Hughes – Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Andrew Faulds - Shadow Minister for the Arts George Thomas – Shadow Secretary of State for Wales Roy Mason – Shadow President of the Board of Trade Elwyn Jones – Shadow Attorney General Samuel Silkin – Shadow Solicitor General for England and Wales Robert Sheldon – Shadow Paymaster General The Lord Shackleton PC – Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords Bob Mellish – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Commons Baron Beswick – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords
Changes December 1971 James Callaghan replaces Barbara Castle as Shadow Secretary of State for Employment Barbara Castle replaces Shirley Williams as Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Services Shirley Williams replaces James Callaghan as Shadow Secretary of State for the Home Department Michael Foot replaces Fred Peart as Shadow Leader of the House of Commons Fred Peart replaces Cledwyn Hughes as Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Peter Shore joins the shadow cabinet as Shadow Minister for Europe
April 1972 Roy Jenkins resigns as Deputy Leader and Shadow Chancellor George Thomson resigns as Shadow Defence Secretary and is replaced by Roy Hattersley Harold Lever resigns is replaced as Shadow Minister of Fuel and Power by Eric Varley Denis Healey replaces Roy Jenkins as Shadow Chancellor James Callaghan replaces Denis Healey as Shadow Foreign Secretary Reg Prentice joins the shadow cabinet, replacing James Callaghan as Shadow Employment Secretary Edward Short replaces Roy Jenkins as Deputy Leader of the Opposition
December 1972 Edward Short becomes Shadow Leader of the House of Commons Roy Hattersley replaces Edward Short as Shadow Education Secretary Fred Peart replaces Roy Hattersley as Shadow Defence Secretary Norman Buchan replaces Fred Peart as Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Michael Foot replaces Peter Shore as Shadow Europe Minister Peter Shore becomes Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Harold Lever takes responsibility for shadowing the Trade and Industry affairs dealing with company law, mergers, competition and insurance Merlyn Rees joins the shadow cabinet with a newly created post: Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Barbara Castle is replaced as Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Services by John Silkin
November 1973 Roy Jenkins returns to the shadow cabinet, replacing Shirley Williams as Shadow Home Secretary Shirley Williams takes the newly created post of Shadow Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection
See also List of British shadow cabinets List of shadow holders of Great Offices of State Cabinet of the United Kingdom First Wilson Ministry Second Wilson Ministry
References