{{Short description|British cabinet secretary for the Ministry of Defence}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox official post | post = Shadow Secretary of State for Defence | body = | image = Official portrait of James Cartlidge MP, 2024.jpg | imagesize = | imagecaption = | incumbent = [[James Cartlidge]] | incumbentsince = 8 July 2024 | style = | type = | member_of = [[Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet (United Kingdom)|Opposition Shadow Cabinet]] | appointer = [[Leader of the Opposition (United Kingdom)|Leader of the Opposition]] | inaugural = [[Richard Stokes (politician)|Richard Stokes]] | first = | last = | deputy = | footnotes = }} The '''shadow secretary of state for defence''' is a member of the [[UK Shadow Cabinet]] responsible for the scrutiny of the [[secretary of state for defence]] and the department, the [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]]. The post is currently held by [[James Cartlidge]].
== List of shadow secretaries for defence== {| class="wikitable" ! colspan=7 |
=== Shadow ministers of defence=== |- ! colspan=3|Name ! Entered office ! Left office ! Political party ! Shadow Cabinet |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | rowspan=2 |[[Richard Stokes (politician)|Richard Stokes]] | rowspan=2 |[[File:Richard Stokes.jpg|70px]] | rowspan=2 |15 July 1955 | rowspan=2 |30 November 1956<ref>{{cite news |title=Labor Adds to "Cabinet" |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dio_AAAAIBAJ&dq=Richard+Stokes+shadow&pg=PA32&article_id=2928,5519475 |access-date=15 April 2025 |agency=Reuters |publisher=The Windsor Daily Star |date=30 November 1956 |location=London}}</ref> | {{Party shading/Labour}} rowspan=2 | Labour |{{Party shading/Labour Party (UK)}}| [[Shadow Cabinet of Clement Attlee|Clement Attlee]] |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | rowspan=3 {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of Hugh Gaitskell|Gaitskell]] |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | [[George Brown, Baron George-Brown|George Brown]] | [[File:George Brown 1967 (3x4 cropped).jpg|70px]] | 30 November 1956 | 30 November 1961 | {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | |rowspan=2 |[[Patrick Gordon Walker]] |rowspan=2 |[[File:Patrick Gordon Walker.jpg|70px]] |rowspan=2 | 30 November 1961 |rowspan=2 | 22 February 1963 |rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of George Brown|Brown]] |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | [[Denis Healey]] | [[File:Denis Healey.jpg|70px]] | 22 February 1963 | ''1 April 1964'' | {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour | {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[First Shadow Cabinet of Harold Wilson|Wilson I]] |- ! colspan=7 |
=== Shadow secretaries of state for defence=== |- ! colspan=3|Name ! Entered office ! Left office ! Political party ! Shadow Cabinet |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | [[Denis Healey]] | [[File:Denis Healey.jpg|70px]] | ''1 April 1964'' | 16 October 1964 | {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour | {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[First Shadow Cabinet of Harold Wilson|Wilson I]] |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | [[Peter Thorneycroft]] | [[File:Peter Thorneycroft cropped.png|70px]] | 16 October 1964 | 16 February 1965<ref>{{cite news |title=Sir Alec Reshuffles Shadow Cabinet |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7mJAAAAAIBAJ&dq=shadow+Anthony+Barber&pg=PA1&article_id=4366,2862204 |access-date=16 April 2025 |work=The Glasgow Herald |date=17 February 1965 |page=1}}</ref> | {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative | rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of Alec Douglas-Home|Douglas-Home]] |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | [[Christopher Soames]] | [[File:Christopher Soames.jpg|84x84px]] | 16 February 1965 | 4 August 1965<ref>{{cite news |title=Party unify seen factor in Heath "cabinet" choices |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fS9gAAAAIBAJ&dq=shadow+cabinet&pg=PA7&article_id=7119,451640 |access-date=16 April 2025 |work=Saskatoon Star-Phoenix |agency=Associated Press |date=5 August 1965 |location=London}}</ref> | {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | [[Enoch Powell]] | [[File:Enoch Powell 6 Allan Warren.jpg|70px]] | 4 August 1965 | 21 April 1968 | {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative | rowspan=3 {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[First Shadow Cabinet of Edward Heath|Heath I]] |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | [[Reginald Maudling]] | [[File:Reginald Maudling, 1969 (Brightned) (cropped).jpg|70px]] | 21 April 1968 | 14 November 1968<ref>{{cite news |title=Maudling Leads Tory General Election Drive |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tX9AAAAAIBAJ&dq=shadow+Defence+Geoffrey+Rippon&pg=PA1&article_id=4653,2776284 |access-date=16 April 2025 |work=The Glasgow Herald |date=15 November 1968 |page=1}}</ref> | {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | [[Geoffrey Rippon]] | [[File:Geoffrey Rippon (1970).jpg|70px]] | 14 November 1968 | 19 June 1970 | {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | [[Denis Healey]] | [[File:Denis Healey Davos.jpg|96x96px]] | 19 June 1970 | 24 July 1970 | {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour | rowspan=4 {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Second Shadow Cabinet of Harold Wilson|Wilson II]] |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | [[George Thomson, Baron Thomson of Monifieth|George Thomson]] | [[File:George Thomson (1973).jpg|70px]] | 24 July 1970 | 10 April 1972<ref>{{cite news |author1=John Warden |title=Wilson acts to sten defections |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R-s9AAAAIBAJ&dq=shadow&pg=PA1&article_id=2221,1906881 |access-date=17 April 2025 |work=The Glasgow Herald |date=12 April 1972 |page=1}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author1=Peter Long |title=Wilson patches up front ranks |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OoRWAAAAIBAJ&dq=shadow&pg=PA3&article_id=1067,4332349 |access-date=17 April 2025 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=13 April 1972 |location=London |page=5}}</ref> | {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | [[Roy Hattersley]] | [[File:Roy Hattersley 2012 cropped 2.jpg|92x92px]] | 11 April 1972 | 7 December 1972<ref>{{cite news |author1=William Russell |title=Wilson gives Shore key prices post |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N9A9AAAAIBAJ&dq=shadow+Agriculture&pg=PA16&article_id=3294,1441937 |access-date=17 April 2025 |work=The Glasgow Herald |date=7 December 1972 |page=16}}</ref> | {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | [[Fred Peart]] | [[File:No image.svg|70px]] | 7 December 1972 | 4 March 1974 | {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | [[Ian Gilmour]] | [[File:No image.svg|70px]] | 4 March 1974 | 19 June 1974 | {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative | rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Second Shadow Cabinet of Edward Heath|Heath II]] |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | [[Peter Walker, Baron Walker of Worcester|Peter Walker]] | [[File:No image.svg|70px]] | 19 June 1974 | 18 February 1975 | {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative |- | style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | [[George Younger]] | [[File:George Younger.JPEG|70px]] | 18 February 1975 | 15 January 1976 | {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative | rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of Margaret Thatcher|Thatcher]] |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | [[Ian Gilmour]] | [[File:No image.svg|70px]] | 15 January 1976 | 4 May 1979 | {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | [[Fred Mulley]] | [[File:Fred Mulley.PNG|70px]] | 4 May 1979 | 14 June 1979 | {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour | rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of James Callaghan|Callaghan]] |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | [[William Rodgers, Baron Rodgers of Quarry Bank|William Rodgers]] | [[File:Official portrait of Lord Rodgers of Quarry Bank crop 2.jpg|70px]] | 14 June 1979 | 8 December 1980 | {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | [[Brynmor John]] | [[File:No image.svg|70px]] | 8 December 1980 | 24 November 1981 | {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour | rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of Michael Foot|Foot]] |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}; border-bottom:solid 1px red" height=30 | | rowspan=2 |[[John Silkin]] | rowspan=2 | [[File:John Silkin.png|70px]] | rowspan=2 | 24 November 1981 | rowspan=2 | 26 October 1984 | rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | rowspan=3 {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of Neil Kinnock|Kinnock]] |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | [[Denzil Davies]] | [[File:No image.svg|70px]] | 26 October 1984 | 14 June 1988 | {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | [[Martin O'Neill, Baron O'Neill of Clackmannan|Martin O'Neill]] | [[File:Official portrait of Lord O'Neill of Clackmannan crop 2.jpg|70px]] | 14 June 1988 | 18 July 1992 | {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour |- ! rowspan="3" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | rowspan=3 |[[David Clark, Baron Clark of Windermere|David Clark]] | rowspan=3 |[[File:Official portrait of Lord Clark of Windermere crop 2, 2019.jpg|70px]] | rowspan=3 |18 July 1992 | rowspan=3 |2 May 1997 | rowspan=3 {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour | {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of John Smith|Smith]] |- | {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of Margaret Beckett|Beckett]] |- | {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of Tony Blair|Blair]] |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | [[John Major]] | [[File:John Major 1996.jpg|93x93px]] | 2 May 1997 | 11 June 1997 | {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative | {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of John Major|Major]] |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | [[George Young, Baron Young of Cookham|George Young]] | [[File:Sir George Young2 cropped.jpg|94x94px]] | 11 June 1997 | 1 June 1998 | {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative | rowspan=3 {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of William Hague|Hague]] |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | [[John Maples]] | [[File:No image.svg|70px]] | 1 June 1998 | 15 June 1999 | {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | [[Iain Duncan Smith]] | [[File:Iain Duncan Smith Nightingale 1 (cropped).JPG|87x87px]] | 15 June 1999 | 18 September 2001 | {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | [[Bernard Jenkin]] | [[File:Official portrait of Mr Bernard Jenkin crop 2.jpg|93x93px]] | 18 September 2001 | 6 November 2003 | {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative | {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of Iain Duncan Smith|Duncan Smith]] |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | [[Nicholas Soames]] | [[File:Nicholas Soames in Prague (1) (cropped).jpg|93x93px]] | 6 November 2003 | 10 May 2005 | {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative | rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of Michael Howard|Howard]] |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | [[Michael Ancram]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/259/career |title=The Marquess of Lothian |work=UK Parliament |access-date=20 December 2022}}</ref> | [[File:Global Strategy Forum (6963381142) cropped.jpg|85x85px]] | 10 May 2005 | 6 December 2005 | {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | [[Liam Fox]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/223/career |title=Dr Liam Fox |work=UK Parliament |access-date=20 December 2022}}</ref> | [[File:Liam Fox MP, 2007 (cropped).jpg|93x93px]] | 7 December 2005 | 6 May 2010 | {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative | {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of David Cameron|Cameron]] |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | [[Bob Ainsworth]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/306/career |title=Mr Bob Ainsworth |work=UK Parliament |access-date=20 December 2022}}</ref> | [[File:Bob Ainsworth cropped.jpg|70px]] | 12 May 2010 | 8 October 2010 | {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour | {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[First Shadow Cabinet of Harriet Harman|Harman I]] |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | [[Jim Murphy]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/595/career |title=Mr Jim Murphy |work=UK Parliament |access-date=20 December 2022}}</ref> | [[File:JimMurphyMP.jpg|121x121px]] | 8 October 2010 | 7 October 2013 | {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour | rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of Ed Miliband|Miliband]] |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}; border-bottom:solid 1px red" height=30 | | rowspan=2 | [[Vernon Coaker]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/360/career |title=Lord Coaker |work=UK Parliament |access-date=20 December 2022}}</ref> | rowspan=2 | [[File:Official portrait of Vernon Coaker crop 2.jpg|70px]] | rowspan=2 | 7 October 2013 | rowspan=2 | 14 September 2015 | rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Second Shadow Cabinet of Harriet Harman|Harman II]] |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | [[Maria Eagle]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/483/career |title=Maria Eagle |work=UK Parliament |access-date=20 December 2022}}</ref> | [[File:Official portrait of Maria Eagle crop 2.jpg|93x93px]] | 14 September 2015 | 5 January 2016 | {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour | rowspan=4 {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of Jeremy Corbyn|Corbyn]] |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | [[Emily Thornberry]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/1536/career |title=Emily Thornberry |work=UK Parliament |access-date=20 December 2022}}</ref> | [[File:Emily Thornberry, 2016 Labour Party Conference 4.jpg|93x93px]] | 5 January 2016 | 27 June 2016 | {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | [[Clive Lewis (politician)|Clive Lewis]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/4500/career |title=Clive Lewis |work=UK Parliament |access-date=20 December 2022}}</ref> | [[File:Clive Lewis, 2016 Labour Party Conference 2 (cropped).jpg|93x93px]] | 27 June 2016 | 6 October 2016 | {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | [[Nia Griffith]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/1541/career |title=Dame Nia Griffith |work=UK Parliament |access-date=20 December 2022}}</ref> | [[File:Official portrait of Nia Griffith crop 2.jpg|93x93px]] | 6 October 2016 | 6 April 2020 | {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | [[John Healey]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/400/career |title=John Healey |work=UK Parliament |access-date=20 December 2022}}</ref> | [[File:John Healey Official Cabinet Portrait, July 2024 (cropped) 2.jpg|93x93px]] | 6 April 2020 | 5 July 2024 | {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour | {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of Keir Starmer|Starmer]] |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | rowspan="2" | [[James Cartlidge]] | rowspan="2" | [[File:Official portrait of James Cartlidge MP crop 2, 2024.jpg|70px]] | rowspan="2" | 8 July 2024 | rowspan="2" | Incumbent | rowspan="2" {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative | {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of Rishi Sunak|Sunak]] |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} |[[Shadow Cabinet of Kemi Badenoch|Badenoch]] |}
== See also ==
* [[Secretary of State for Defence]] * [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]] * [[UK Shadow Cabinet]]
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links ==
{{Shadow Defence Secretaries}} {{UK Parliament Opposition Cabinet Offices}}
[[Category:British defence policymaking]] [[Category:Official Opposition (United Kingdom)]]