Shadow Secretary of State for Defence facts for kids

The Shadow Secretary of State for Defence is an important job in the UK Shadow Cabinet. Think of it like a team of people who are not in charge of the government right now, but they are ready to be. Their main task is to watch over the actual Secretary of State for Defence and the Ministry of Defence. This means they check what the government is doing about the country's defence and security. They make sure everything is being handled well. This position is currently empty as of July 5, 2024.

What is the Shadow Defence Secretary's Job?

The Shadow Secretary of State for Defence leads the opposition's team on defence matters. They speak for their party on military issues, national security, and how the armed forces are run. Their job is to question the government's decisions and suggest different ideas. They also help to create their own party's plans for defence. This role is key to making sure the government is always accountable for its actions.

Who Has Held This Role?

Many different politicians have been the Shadow Secretary of State for Defence since the role was created. They come from different political parties, mainly the Labour Party and the Conservative Party. Each person in this role has worked to challenge the government of the day. They also helped to shape their own party's ideas on defence. This table shows some of the people who have held this important position.

Name			Started Job	Left Job	Political Party	Shadow Cabinet
	Denis Healey		1 April 1964	16 October 1964	Labour	Wilson I
	Peter Thorneycroft		16 October 1964	7 July 1965	Conservative	Douglas-Home
	Enoch Powell		7 July 1965	21 April 1968	Conservative	Heath I
	Reginald Maudling		21 April 1968	1969	Conservative
	Geoffrey Rippon		1969	8 July 1970	Conservative
	George Thomson		8 July 1970	10 April 1972	Labour	Wilson II
	Fred Peart		10 April 1972	4 March 1974	Labour
	Ian Gilmour		4 March 1974	29 October 1974	Conservative	Heath II
	Peter Walker		29 October 1974	18 February 1975	Conservative
	George Younger		18 February 1975	15 January 1976	Conservative	Thatcher
	Ian Gilmour		15 January 1976	4 May 1979	Conservative
	Fred Mulley		4 May 1979	14 June 1979	Labour	Callaghan
	William Rodgers		14 June 1979	8 December 1980	Labour
	Brynmor John		8 December 1980	24 November 1981	Labour	Foot
	John Silkin		24 November 1981	26 October 1984	Labour
						Kinnock
	Denzil Davies		26 October 1984	14 June 1988	Labour
	Martin O'Neill		14 June 1988	18 July 1992	Labour
	David Clark		18 July 1992	2 May 1997	Labour	Smith
						Beckett
						Blair
	John Major		2 May 1997	11 June 1997	Conservative	Major
	George Young		11 June 1997	1 June 1998	Conservative	Hague
	John Maples		1 June 1998	15 June 1999	Conservative
	Iain Duncan Smith		15 June 1999	18 September 2001	Conservative
	Bernard Jenkin		18 September 2001	6 November 2003	Conservative	Duncan Smith
	Nicholas Soames		6 November 2003	10 May 2005	Conservative	Howard
	Michael Ancram		10 May 2005	6 December 2005	Conservative
	Liam Fox		7 December 2005	6 May 2010	Conservative	Cameron
	Bob Ainsworth		12 May 2010	8 October 2010	Labour	Harman I
	Jim Murphy		8 October 2010	7 October 2013	Labour	Miliband
	Vernon Coaker		7 October 2013	14 September 2015	Labour
						Harman II
	Maria Eagle		14 September 2015	5 January 2016	Labour	Corbyn
	Emily Thornberry		5 January 2016	27 June 2016	Labour
	Clive Lewis		27 June 2016	6 October 2016	Labour
	Nia Griffith		6 October 2016	6 April 2020	Labour
	John Healey		6 April 2020	5 July 2024	Labour	Starmer

See also

• Secretary of State for Defence
• Ministry of Defence
• UK Shadow Cabinet