# Liberal Democrat frontbench team

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Frontbench in the British Parliament of the Liberal Democrat Party

Frontbench Teams since 1997 Ashdown Team (1997–1999) Kennedy Team (1999–2006) Campbell Team (2006–2007) First Cable Team (2007) Clegg Team (2007–2010) General Election Cabinet (2015) Farron Team (2015–2017) Second Cable Team (2017–2019) Swinson Team (2019) Davey Team (2020–present)

The [Liberal Democrats](/source/Liberal_Democrats_(UK)) are a [political party](/source/Political_party) in the [United Kingdom](/source/United_Kingdom). While in [opposition](/source/Parliamentary_opposition), the [Leader of the Liberal Democrats](/source/Leader_of_the_Liberal_Democrats) appoints a frontbench team of [members of Parliament](/source/Member_of_Parliament_(United_Kingdom)) (MPs), [peers in the House of Lords](/source/List_of_current_members_of_the_House_of_Lords), [members of the Scottish Parliament](/source/Members_of_the_Scottish_Parliament) (MSPs), and [members of the Senedd](/source/Members_of_the_Senedd) (MSs) to speak for the party on different issues. Their areas of responsibility broadly corresponded to those of Government ministers. The frontbench team is divided into departmental sub-units, the principal ones being the [economy](/source/Economy), [foreign policy](/source/Foreign_policy), and [home affairs](/source/Home_affairs). Sometimes the frontbench team consists of more than just the principal positions.

## Status

Formerly, the Liberal Democrats' frontbench team did not use the term '[shadow cabinet](/source/Shadow_cabinet)', with assorted frontbench spokespeople covering areas (e.g., Defence and Foreign Affairs) rather than directly shadowing specific Cabinet portfolios. Under [Charles Kennedy](/source/Charles_Kennedy)'s leadership, and with the number of Liberal Democrat MPs growing following the [1997 general election](/source/1997_United_Kingdom_general_election), the senior members of the frontbench team began referring to themselves as a Shadow Cabinet. This was controversial, because in the two-party political system that dominated UK politics in the 20th century, the term 'Shadow Cabinet' referred to senior members of the frontbench team of the largest single opposition party in the [House of Commons](/source/House_of_Commons_of_the_United_Kingdom). This party, known as the [Official Opposition](/source/His_Majesty's_Most_Loyal_Opposition), has constitutional status, although its Shadow Cabinet does not. Following Kennedy's decision to change the nomenclature, the [UK Parliament](/source/UK_Parliament)'s website used for a time the term 'Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet' in place of the old term 'Frontbench Team'.[1][2]

This is not without contention, and was disputed by the [Conservative Party](/source/Conservative_Party_(UK)), who were then the Official Opposition to a [Labour](/source/Labour_Party_(UK)) government. However, the official listing at the Parliament website is explicit in using the term 'Shadow Cabinet'.[3] In 2001, [Chancellor of the Exchequer](/source/Chancellor_of_the_Exchequer) [Gordon Brown](/source/Gordon_Brown) said the following in the House of Commons:

The House of Commons is in the unique position of having two shadow Chancellors: one [Conservative [Michael Howard](/source/Michael_Howard)] sits in [Folkestone](/source/Folkestone_and_Hythe_(UK_Parliament_constituency)) and the other [Liberal Democrat [Matthew Taylor](/source/Matthew_Taylor%2C_Baron_Taylor_of_Goss_Moor)] in [Truro](/source/Truro_and_St_Austell_(UK_Parliament_constituency)). It is rather like the [mediaeval papacy](/source/Western_Schism): two hon. Members claim to hold the position of shadow Chancellor. I shall organise a play-off during the year.[4]

Later in his chancellorship, Brown returned to this theme, comparing his frosty relationship with the official Shadow Chancellor [George Osborne](/source/George_Osborne) with his apparently warm relationship with [Vince Cable](/source/Vince_Cable) (whom he referred to as "the Shadow Chancellor from [Twickenham](/source/Twickenham_(UK_Parliament_constituency))").[5]

The Official Opposition receives support for its official function which is denied to smaller opposition parties, although they, along with every parliamentary party, do receive [Short Money](/source/Short_Money). While the Opposition Leader and Chief Whips draw salaries, their counterparts in smaller opposition parties do not. The Official Opposition also has the exclusive use of facilities within Parliament.

Following the [2010 general election](/source/2010_United_Kingdom_general_election) and the confirmation of Conservative leader [David Cameron](/source/David_Cameron) as [Prime Minister](/source/Prime_Minister_of_the_United_Kingdom) on 11 May 2010, a [coalition cabinet](/source/Cameron%E2%80%93Clegg_coalition) was formed that included Liberal Democrat ministers, including Liberal leader [Nick Clegg](/source/Nick_Clegg) as [Deputy Prime Minister](/source/Deputy_Prime_Minister_of_the_United_Kingdom) and [Lord President of the Council](/source/Lord_President_of_the_Council). Thus, the Liberal Democrats entered the Cabinet for the first time since [the all-party War Government](/source/Churchill_war_ministry) led by [Winston Churchill](/source/Winston_Churchill) in the early 1940s.

Following the [2015 general election](/source/2015_United_Kingdom_general_election), the Liberal Democrats were reduced to just eight seats in the House of Commons, falling into joint fourth place with the [Democratic Unionist Party](/source/Democratic_Unionist_Party) behind the [Scottish National Party](/source/Scottish_National_Party) (SNP) for the first time. As a result of this, Parliament's website listed the SNP's frontbench team (in comparison with the Conservative Cabinet and Labour Shadow Cabinet) in lieu of the Liberal Democrat frontbench team. The Liberal Democrats returned as the third largest party following the [2024 general election](/source/2024_United_Kingdom_general_election), behind the Conservatives (the official opposition) and Labour (the governing party).

## Previous frontbench teams

Previous team key-members in summary:

Party Date Leader Treasury Foreign affairs Home affairs Liberal April 1966 Jo Grimond Richard Wainwright James Davidson Unknown January 1967 Jeremy Thorpe June 1970 John Pardoe Russell Johnston 1975 David Steel May 1976 Jo Grimond July 1976 David Steel Jeremy Thorpe 1977 Emlyn Hooson May 1979 Richard Wainwright Russell Johnston October 1981 Bill Pitt June 1983 1985 David Penhaligon Alan Beith January 1987 June 1987 Alan Beith Russell Johnston Liberal Democrats March 1988 David Steel and Robert Maclennan (co-leaders) Robert Maclennan July 1988 Paddy Ashdown July 1989 David Steel July 1994 Malcolm Bruce Menzies Campbell Alan Beith August 1999 Charles Kennedy Matthew Taylor Simon Hughes June 2003 Vince Cable Mark Oaten January 2006 Menzies Campbell (acting: Jan – Mar 2006) January 2006 Alistair Carmichael March 2006 Michael Moore Nick Clegg October 2007 Vince Cable (acting) December 2007 Nick Clegg (Deputy Prime Minister: May 2010 – May 2015) Ed Davey Chris Huhne May 2010 David Laws (Chief Secretary to the Treasury) Jeremy Browne (Minister of State for Foreign Affairs) The Lord McNally (Minister of State for Justice) May 2010 Danny Alexander (Chief Secretary to the Treasury) September 2012 Lynne Featherstone (Under Secretary of State for International Development) Jeremy Browne (Minister of State for Home Affairs) October 2013 Norman Baker (Minister of State for Home Affairs) November 2014 Menzies Campbell (Member of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee) Lynne Featherstone (Minister of State for Home Affairs) January 2015 Tim Farron July 2015 Tim Farron The Baroness Kramer Tom Brake Alistair Carmichael October 2016 The Lord Paddick May 2017 Vince Cable June 2017 Jo Swinson Ed Davey July 2017 Vince Cable Oct 2017 The Baroness Kramer June 2019 Chuka Umunna August 2019 Jo Swinson Ed Davey Chuka Umunna Christine Jardine December 2019 Ed Davey and Mark Pack (acting) Angela Smith (Int. Dev.) January 2020 Alistair Carmichael August 2020 Ed Davey Christine Jardine Layla Moran Alistair Carmichael July 2022 Sarah Olney September 2024 Daisy Cooper Calum Miller Lisa Smart September 2025 Max Wilkinson

## See also

- [Cabinet of the United Kingdom](/source/Cabinet_of_the_United_Kingdom)

- [Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet (United Kingdom)](/source/Official_Opposition_Shadow_Cabinet_(United_Kingdom))

- [List of British shadow cabinets](/source/List_of_British_shadow_cabinets)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Directory of MPs, Peers, Offices and Overseas Delegations"](https://web.archive.org/web/20060902002439/http://www.parliament.uk/directories/directories.cfm). House of Commons Information Office. Archived from [the original](http://www.parliament.uk/directories/directories.cfm) on 2 September 2006. Retrieved 4 September 2006.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet and Parliamentary Team"](https://web.archive.org/web/20060821191732/http://www.parliament.uk/directories/hciolists/libdems.cfm). House of Commons Information Office. Archived from [the original](http://www.parliament.uk/directories/hciolists/libdems.cfm) on 21 August 2006. Retrieved 4 September 2006.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["UK Parliament"](https://web.archive.org/web/20080802212323/http://www.parliament.uk/directories/hciolists/libdems.cfm). House of Commons Information Office – libdems. Archived from [the original](http://www.parliament.uk/directories/hciolists/libdems.cfm) on 2 August 2008. Retrieved 25 September 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Hansard-BrownShadow_4-0)** ["House of Commons Hansard Debates for 27 Nov 2001 (pt 8)"](https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200102/cmhansrd/vo011127/debtext/11127-08.htm#11127-08_spnew2). The Stationery Office Ltd. 27 November 2001. Retrieved 4 September 2006.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["House of Commons Hansard Debates for 16 Oct 2003 (pt 2)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110605032925/http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200203/cmhansrd/vo031016/debtext/31016-02.htm). 16 October 2003. Archived from [the original](http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200203/cmhansrd/vo031016/debtext/31016-02.htm) on 5 June 2011.

## External links

- [The Liberal Democrats – Frontbench team](http://www.libdems.org.uk/spokespeople)

- [UK Parliament – Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet](https://web.archive.org/web/20131007064254/http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20080806123404/http%3A//www.parliament.uk/directories/hciolists/libdems.cfm)

v t e Frontbenches in the Parliament of the United Kingdom Government Government frontbench Opposition Official Opposition frontbench Liberal Democrat frontbench team Scottish National Party frontbench team Opposition frontbenches Cameron (2005-2010) Miliband (2010-2015) Corbyn (2015-2020) Starmer (2020-2024) Sunak (2024) Badenoch (since 2024) Other Frontbench Team

v t e Shadow Cabinets of the United Kingdom Official Opposition MacDonald I (1923–1924) Baldwin I (1924) MacDonald II (1924–1929) Churchill (1945–1951) Attlee (1951–1955) Gaitskell (1955–1963) Brown (1963) Wilson I (1963–1964) Douglas-Home (1964–1965) Heath I (1965–1970) Wilson II (1970–1974) Heath II (1974–1975) Thatcher (1975–1979) Callaghan (1979–1980) Foot (1980–1983) Kinnock (1983–1992) Smith (1992–1994) Beckett (1994) Blair (1994–1997) Major (1997) Hague (1997–2001) Duncan Smith (2001–2003) Howard (2003–2005) Cameron (2005–2010) Harman I (2010) Miliband (2010–2015) Harman II (2015) Corbyn (2015–2020) Starmer (2020–2024) Sunak (2024) Badenoch (2024–present) Liberal Democrats Ashdown (1997–1999) Kennedy (1999–2006) Campbell (2006–2007) Cable I (2007) Clegg (2007–2010) 2015 election (2015) Farron (2015–2017) Cable II (2017–2019) Swinson (2019) Davey (2020–present) Scottish National Party Robertson (2015–2017) Blackford (2017–2022) Flynn (2022–2026) Doogan (2026–present) Reform UK Farage (2026–present) 1964 to Present

v t e Liberal Democrats Leadership Leaders Steel (Liberal) (1988) Maclennan (SDP) (1988) Ashdown (1988–1999) Kennedy (1999–2006) Campbell (2006–2007) Clegg (2007–2015) Farron (2015–2017) Cable (2017–2019) Swinson (2019) Davey (from 2020) Deputy Leaders Johnston (1988–1992) Beith (1992–2003) Campbell (2003–2006) Cable (2006–2010) Hughes (2010–2014) Bruce (2014–2015) Swinson (2017–2019) Davey (2019–2020) Cooper (from 2020) Leaders in the Lords Seear (Liberal) (1988) Diamond (SDP) (1988) Jenkins (1988–1997) Rodgers (1997–2001) Williams (2001–2004) McNally (2004–2013) Wallace (2013–2016) Newby (from 2016) Presidents Wrigglesworth (1989–1990) Kennedy (1991–1994) Maclennan (1995–1998) Maddock (1999–2000) Dholakia (2001–2004) Hughes (2005–2008) Scott (2009–2010) Farron (2011–2014) Brinton (2015–2019) Pack (2020–2025) Babarinde (2026–present) Chair of Parliamentary Party Beith Bruce (1999–2001) Oaten (2001–2003) Taylor (2003–2005) Holmes (2005–2007) Burt (2007–2012) Burstow (2012–2013) Brooke (2013–2015) Smart (2024–2025) Aquarone (2025– ) Leadership elections Leadership 1988 (Ashdown) 1999 (Kennedy) 2006 (Campbell) 2007 (Clegg) 2015 (Farron) 2017 (Cable) 2019 (Swinson) 2020 (Davey) 2024 (Davey) Deputy leadership 2003 (Campbell) 2006 (Cable) 2010 (Hughes) 2014 (Bruce) 2017 (Swinson) 2019 (Davey) Frontbench team Leader of the Liberal Democrats Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesperson Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs spokesperson Structure MPs and Frontbench Current members of Parliament Frontbench team Chief whip Frontbench in opposition Frontbench Team of Paddy Ashdown (1997–1999) Frontbench Team of Charles Kennedy (1999–2006) Frontbench Team of Menzies Campbell (2006–2007) First Frontbench Team of Vince Cable (2007) Frontbench Team of Nick Clegg (2007–2010) Frontbench Team of Tim Farron (2015–2017) Second Frontbench Team of Vince Cable (2017–2019) Frontbench Team of Jo Swinson (2019) Frontbench Team of Ed Davey (2020-present) State parties English Liberal Democrats Scottish Liberal Democrats Welsh Liberal Democrats Regional parties London Liberal Democrats Northern Ireland Liberal Democrats Conference Liberal Democrat Conference Committees Federal Board SAOs LGBT+ Liberal Democrats Young Liberals Related organisations Alliance Party of Northern Ireland Beveridge Group Christian Forum Friends of Israel Friends of Turkey History Group Liberal Reform Social Liberal Forum History and related topics Liberal Democrat Headquarters List of MPs (past and present) General election manifestos Gang of Four Limehouse Declaration Glee Club (UK politics) The Land (song) Liberator (magazine) National Liberal Club Whig Party Peelites Liberal Party Scottish Liberal Party Coalition Coupon Independent Liberal Party (Asquith) National Liberal Party (Lloyd George) Independent Liberals (Lloyd George) National Liberal Party ("Simonites") Lib–Lab pact Liberal Leave One more heave Social Democratic Party SDP–Liberal Alliance Southport Resolution The Orange Book Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition agreement For a Fair Deal Breakaway parties Liberal Party (UK, 1989)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Liberal Democrat frontbench team](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_Democrat_frontbench_team) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_Democrat_frontbench_team?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.