Shadow Secretary of State for Education

Shadow Cabinet office

The shadow secretary of state for education, also called the shadow education secretary, is an office in the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet responsible for Opposition policy on education.

Shadow Secretary of State for Education
Damian Hinds
Incumbent
Laura Trott

since 4 November 2024
AppointerLeader of the Opposition
Inaugural holderRoy Hattersley
WebsiteHis Majesty's Official Opposition: The Shadow Cabinet

List of shadow secretaries of state

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Shadow Secretaries of State for Education and Science

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Shadow Secretary Took office Left office Political party Shadow Cabinet
Roy Hattersley   4 May 1973 5 March 1974 Labour Wilson II
Norman St John-Stevas 28 February 1974 6 November 1978 Conservative Thatcher
Mark Carlisle 6 November 1978 4 May 1979
Gordon Oakes[n 1] 4 May 1979 14 July 1979 Labour Callaghan
Neil Kinnock   14 July 1979 2 October 1983
Foot
Giles Radice   2 October 1983 13 July 1987 Kinnock
Jack Straw   13 July 1987 18 July 1992

Shadow Secretaries of State for Education

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Shadow Secretary Took office Left office Political party Shadow Cabinet
Ann Taylor   18 July 1992 20 October 1994 Labour Smith
Beckett
David Blunkett   20 October 1994 19 October 1995 Blair

Shadow Secretaries of State for Education and Employment

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Shadow Secretary Took office Left office Political Party Shadow Cabinet
David Blunkett   19 October 1995 2 May 1997 Labour Blair
Gillian Shephard   2 May 1997 11 June 1997 Conservative Major
Stephen Dorrell   11 June 1997 15 June 1998 Hague
David Willetts   1 June 1998 15 June 1999
Theresa May   15 June 1999 18 September 2001

Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Skills

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Shadow Secretary Took office Left office Political party Shadow Cabinet
Damian Green   18 September 2001 11 November 2003 Conservative Duncan Smith
Tim Yeo   11 November 2003 14 July 2004 Howard
Tim Collins[1] 14 July 2004 5 May 2005
David Cameron[2]   10 May 2005 6 December 2005
David Willetts[3]   8 December 2005 3 July 2007 Cameron

Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families

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Shadow Secretary Took office Left office Political party Shadow Cabinet
Michael Gove[4]   3 July 2007 6 May 2010 Conservative Cameron

Shadow Secretaries of State for Education

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Shadow Secretary Took office Left office Political party Shadow Cabinet
Ed Balls[5]   12 May 2010 8 October 2010 Labour Harman I
Andy Burnham[6]   8 October 2010 7 October 2011 Miliband
Stephen Twigg[7]   7 October 2011 7 October 2013
Tristram Hunt[8]   7 October 2013 14 September 2015
Harman II
Lucy Powell[9]   14 September 2015 26 June 2016 Corbyn
Pat Glass[10]   27 June 2016 29 June 2016
Angela Rayner[11]   1 July 2016 5 April 2020
Rebecca Long-Bailey[12]   6 April 2020 25 June 2020 Starmer
Kate Green[13]   27 June 2020 29 November 2021
Bridget Phillipson[14]   29 November 2021 5 July 2024
Damian Hinds[15]   8 July 2024 4 November 2024 Conservative Sunak
Laura Trott[16]   4 November 2024 Incumbent Badenoch
  1. Secretary of State for Education and Science Shirley Williams lost her seat in the General Election.

References

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  1. "Mr Tim Collins". UK Parliament. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  2. "Mr David Cameron". UK Parliament. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  3. "Lord Willetts". UK Parliament. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  4. "Michael Gove". UK Parliament. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  5. "Ed Balls". UK Parliament. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  6. "Andy Burnham". UK Parliament. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  7. "Stephen Twigg". UK Parliament. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  8. "Tristram Hunt". UK Parliament. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  9. "Lucy Powell". UK Parliament. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  10. "Pat Glass". UK Parliament. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  11. "Angela Rayner". UK Parliament. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  12. "Rebecca Long Bailey". UK Parliament. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  13. "Kate Green". UK Parliament. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  14. "Bridget Phillipson". UK Parliament. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  15. "UK politics live: Lord Cameron resigns as Rishi Sunak announces interim shadow cabinet". BBC News. Retrieved 2024-07-08.
  16. "Politics latest: New Tory leader makes key shadow cabinet appointment". Sky News. Retrieved 2024-11-04.