The shadow secretary of state for culture, media and sport (DCMS), previously the shadow secretary of state for national heritage and shadow secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport, is a position in the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet. The shadow secretary of state is the opposite number to the

secretary of state for culture, media and sport The secretary of state for culture, media and sport, also referred to as the culture secretary, is a Secretary of State (United Kingdom), secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with overall responsibility for strategy and po ...

, holding them and the

Department for Culture, Media and Sport The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is a Departments of the Government of the United Kingdom, ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom. It holds the responsibility for Culture of the United Kingdom, culture a ...

to account. They are the lead opposition spokesperson on culture, media and sport issues. The post was created in 1992 after

John Major Sir John Major (born 29 March 1943) is a British retired politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990 to 1997. Following his defeat to Ton ...

established the

Department of National Heritage The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is a ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom. It holds the responsibility for culture and sport, and some aspects of the media throughout the UK, such as broadcasting. I ...

and

secretary of state for national heritage The secretary of state for culture, media and sport, also referred to as the culture secretary, is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with overall responsibility for strategy and policy across the Department for Cultu ...

. The National Heritage Department, and therefore the portfolio and title of the secretary of state and shadow secretary of state, was replaced by Culture, Media and Sport in 1997. In 2010, the government merged the offices of the shadow secretary of state for culture, media and sport and minister for the Olympics, establishing the secretary of state for culture, olympics, media and sport. Nevertheless, the opposition retained the shadow minister for the Olympics and left the shadow secretary of state portfolio and title unchanged. The department and secretary of state changed their titles to Digital, Culture, Media and Sport in 2017, and the opposition followed suit. The department reverted to the name Culture, Media and Sport in February 2023.

List of shadow secretaries of state

Shadow secretaries of state for national heritage (1992–97)

Shadow secretaries of state for culture, media and sport (1997–2017)

Shadow secretaries of state for digital, culture, media and sport (2017–2023)

Shadow secretaries of state for culture, media and sport (2023–present)

See also