Kemi Badenoch has served as the Leader of the Opposition as Leader of the Conservative Party since 2 November 2024, following her victory in the 2024 Conservative Leadership election. The election was triggered by Rishi Sunak's resignation as party leader following the 2024 general election, which the Labour Party under Keir Starmer won.
Formation Badenoch hinted in a speech after her election victory that Robert Jenrick, her opponent in the election, might be offered a senior job, telling him "you have a key role in our party for years to come". Subsequently, two days later, Jenrick was appointed both Shadow Lord Chancellor and Shadow Secretary of State for Justice. The first appointment, made a day after the leadership election result was announced, saw Dame Rebecca Harris installed as Chief Whip.
Shadow cabinet appointments + KeySits in the House of CommonsSits in the House of Lords
November 2024 – July 2025 PortfolioShadow MinisterConstituencyTermShadow cabinet ministersLeader of the OppositionLeader of the Conservative PartyKemi BadenochNorth West EssexNovember 2024presentShadow Chancellor of the ExchequerSir Mel StrideCentral DevonNovember 2024August 2026Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development AffairsDame Priti PatelWithamNovember 2024August 2026Shadow Home SecretaryChris PhilpCroydon SouthNovember 2024presentShadow Secretary of State for DefenceJames CartlidgeSouth SuffolkJuly 2024presentShadow Lord ChancellorShadow Secretary of State for JusticeRobert JenrickNewarkNovember 2024January 2026Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and TechnologyAlan MakHavantNovember 2024July 2025Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social CareEdward ArgarMelton and SystonNovember 2024July 2025Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentKevin HollinrakeThirsk and MaltonNovember 2024July 2025Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsVictoria AtkinsLouth and HorncastleNovember 2024presentShadow Leader of the House of CommonsJesse NormanHereford and South HerefordshireNovember 2024presentShadow Leader of the House of LordsThe Lord TrueMember of theHouse of LordsJuly 2024presentShadow Secretary of State for Business and TradeAndrew GriffithArundel and South DownsNovember 2024August 2026Shadow Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net ZeroShadow Minister for EqualitiesClaire CoutinhoEast SurreyJuly 2024August 2026Shadow Secretary of State for Work and PensionsHelen WhatelyFaversham and Mid KentNovember 2024presentShadow Secretary of State for EducationLaura TrottSevenoaksNovember 2024presentShadow Secretary of State for TransportGareth BaconOrpingtonNovember 2024July 2025Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and SportStuart AndrewDaventryNovember 2024July 2025Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of LancasterAlex BurghartBrentwood and OngarNovember 2024presentShadow Secretary of State for Northern IrelandJuly 2024presentShadow Secretary of State for ScotlandAndrew BowieWest Aberdeenshire and KincardineNovember 2024August 2026Shadow Secretary of State for WalesMims DaviesEast Grinstead and UckfieldNovember 2024presentShadow Minister for WomenJuly 2024August 2026Chairman of the Conservative PartyNigel HuddlestonDroitwich and EveshamNovember 2024July 2025The Lord Johnson of LainstonMember of theHouse of LordsNovember 2024July 2025Also attending shadow cabinet meetingsOpposition Chief Whip of the House of CommonsDame Rebecca HarrisCastle PointNovember 2024presentShadow Chief Secretary to the TreasuryRichard FullerNorth BedfordshireNovember 2024presentShadow Attorney GeneralThe Lord Wolfson of TredegarMember of theHouse of LordsNovember 2024 present Changes Changes from Sunak's shadow cabinet to Badenoch's Shadow Cabinet. Jeremy Hunt (Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer) returned to the backbenches and was succeeded by Mel Stride. James Cleverly (Shadow Home Secretary) returned to the backbenches and was succeeded by Chris Philp. Rishi Sunak (former Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Conservative Party) returned to the backbenches. Steve Barclay (Shadow Environment Secretary) returned to the backbenches and was succeeded by Victoria Atkins. Sir Oliver Dowden (former Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Leader of the Opposition/Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster) returned to the backbenches and was succeeded by Alex Burghart. Stuart Andrew (Opposition Chief Whip of the House of Commons) was succeeded by Dame Rebecca Harris. Damian Hinds (Shadow Education Secretary) was succeeded by Laura Trott. Andrew Mitchell (Shadow Foreign Secretary) was succeeded by Dame Priti Patel. Edward Argar (Shadow Secretary of State for Justice) was succeeded by Robert Jenrick. Byron Davies, Baron Davies of Gower (Shadow Secretary of State for Wales) became a junior Shadow Minister in the Home Office and was succeeded by Mims Davies.
July 2025 – August 2026 + Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet of the United KingdomPortfolioShadow MinisterConstituencyTermShadow cabinet ministersLeader of the OppositionLeader of the Conservative PartyKemi BadenochNorth West EssexNovember 2024presentShadow Chancellor of the ExchequerSir Mel StrideCentral DevonNovember 2024 presentShadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development AffairsDame Priti PatelWithamNovember 2024August 2026Shadow Home SecretaryChris PhilpCroydon SouthNovember 2024presentShadow Secretary of State for DefenceJames CartlidgeSouth SuffolkJuly 2024presentShadow Lord ChancellorShadow Secretary of State for JusticeRobert JenrickNewarkNovember 2024January 2026Nick TimothyWest SuffolkJanuary 2026presentShadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and TechnologyJulia LopezHornchurch and UpminsterJuly 2025presentShadow Secretary of State for Health and Social CareStuart AndrewDaventryJuly 2025August 2026Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentSir James CleverlyBraintreeJuly 2025August 2026Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsVictoria AtkinsLouth and HorncastleNovember 2024presentShadow Leader of the House of CommonsJesse NormanHereford and South HerefordshireNovember 2024presentShadow Leader of the House of LordsThe Lord TrueMember of theHouse of LordsJuly 2024presentShadow Secretary of State for Business and TradeAndrew GriffithArundel and South DownsNovember 2024presentShadow Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net ZeroClaire CoutinhoEast SurreyJuly 2024presentShadow Minister for EqualitiesNovember 2024presentShadow Secretary of State for Work and PensionsHelen WhatelyFaversham and Mid KentNovember 2024presentShadow Secretary of State for EducationLaura TrottSevenoaksNovember 2024presentShadow Secretary of State for TransportRichard HoldenBasildon and BillericayJuly 2025presentShadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and SportNigel HuddlestonDroitwich and EveshamJuly 2025presentShadow Chancellor of the Duchy of LancasterAlex BurghartBrentwood and OngarNovember 2024presentShadow Secretary of State for Northern IrelandJuly 2024presentShadow Secretary of State for ScotlandAndrew BowieWest Aberdeenshire and KincardineNovember 2024presentShadow Secretary of State for WalesMims DaviesEast Grinstead and UckfieldNovember 2024presentShadow Minister for WomenJuly 2024August 2026Chairman of the Conservative PartyKevin HollinrakeThirsk and MaltonJuly 2025presentAlso attending shadow cabinet meetingsOpposition Chief Whip of the House of CommonsDame Rebecca HarrisCastle PointNovember 2024presentShadow Chief Secretary to the TreasuryRichard FullerNorth BedfordshireNovember 2024presentShadow Attorney GeneralThe Lord Wolfson of TredegarMember of theHouse of LordsNovember 2024 presentShadow Minister for Policy Renewal and DevelopmentNeil O'BrienHarborough, Oadby and WigstonJuly 2025present
Changes July 2025
Edward Argar (Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care) returned to the backbenches and was succeeded by Stuart Andrew. Stuart Andrew was succeeded as Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport by Nigel Huddleston. Nigel Huddleston was succeeded as Chairman of the Conservative Party by Kevin Hollinrake. Kevin Hollinrake was succeeded as Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government by Sir James Cleverly. Alan Mak (Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology) returned to the backbenches and was succeeded by Julia Lopez. Gareth Bacon (Shadow Secretary of State for Transport) was succeeded by Richard Holden. Neil O'Brien was promoted to the Shadow Cabinet in the new role of Shadow Minister for Policy Renewal and Development.
January 2026
Robert Jenrick (Shadow Lord Chancellor) was dismissed from the Shadow Cabinet and was suspended from the Conservative Party, after it was accurately alleged that he was plotting to defect to another party. He was succeeded by Nick Timothy (former Downing Street co-chief of Staff). August 2026 – present
+Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet of the United KingdomPortfolioShadow MinisterConstituencyTermShadow cabinet ministersLeader of the OppositionLeader of the Conservative PartyKemi BadenochNorth West EssexNovember 2024presentDeputy Leader of the Conservative PartyDeputy Leader of the OppositionAlex BurghartBrentwood and OngarSeptember 2026presentShadow Chancellor of the Duchy of LancasterNovember 2024presentShadow Secretary of State for Northern IrelandJuly 2024presentShadow Chancellor of the ExchequerAndrew GriffithArundel and South DownsAugust 2026 presentShadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development AffairsTom TugendhatTonbridgeAugust 2026presentShadow Home SecretaryChris PhilpCroydon SouthNovember 2024presentShadow Secretary of State for DefenceJames CartlidgeSouth SuffolkJuly 2024presentShadow Lord ChancellorShadow Secretary of State for JusticeNick TimothyWest SuffolkJanuary 2026presentShadow Secretary of State for Health and Social CareDamian HindsEast HampshireAugust 2026presentShadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentKatie LamWeald of KentAugust 2026presentShadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsVictoria AtkinsLouth and HorncastleNovember 2024presentShadow Leader of the House of CommonsJesse NormanHereford and South HerefordshireNovember 2024presentShadow Leader of the House of LordsThe Lord TrueMember of the House of LordsJuly 2024present Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and TradeClaire CoutinhoEast SurreyAugust 2026presentJulia LopezHornchurch and UpminsterAugust 2026January 2027 Shadow Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero Andrew BowieWest Aberdeenshire and KincardineAugust 2026presentShadow Secretary of State for Work and PensionsHelen WhatelyFaversham and Mid KentNovember 2024presentShadow Secretary of State for EducationLaura TrottSevenoaksNovember 2024presentShadow Secretary of State for TransportRichard HoldenBasildon and BillericayJuly 2025presentShadow Secretary of State for Digital Culture, Media and SportRebecca PaulReigateAugust 2026presentShadow Secretary of State for ScotlandHarriet CrossGordon and BuchanAugust 2026presentShadow Secretary of State for WalesMims DaviesEast Grinstead and UckfieldNovember 2024presentShadow Minister for Women and EqualitiesJoy MorrisseyBeaconsfieldAugust 2026 presentShadow Minister without PortfolioChairman of the Conservative PartyKevin HollinrakeThirsk and MaltonJuly 2025presentAlso attending shadow cabinet meetingsOpposition Chief Whip of the House of CommonsDame Rebecca HarrisCastle PointNovember 2024presentShadow Chief Secretary to the TreasuryRichard FullerNorth BedfordshireNovember 2024presentShadow Attorney GeneralThe Lord Wolfson of TredegarMember of the House of LordsNovember 2024 presentShadow Minister for Policy Renewal and DevelopmentNeil O'BrienHarborough, Oadby and WigstonJuly 2025present
Changes