Rishi Sunak Rishi Sunak (born 12 May 1980) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 2022 to 2024. Following his defeat to Keir Starmer's La ...

was

Leader of the Opposition The Leader of the Opposition is a title traditionally held by the leader of the Opposition (parliamentary), largest political party not in government, typical in countries utilizing the parliamentary system form of government. The leader of the ...

as Leader of the Conservative Party from 5 July to 2 November 2024, following his resignation as

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom The prime minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government of the United Kingdom. The prime minister Advice (constitutional law), advises the Monarchy of the United Kingdom, sovereign on the exercise of much of the Royal prerogative ...

in the aftermath of the Conservative Party's defeat in the

2024 general election This is a list of elections that were held in 2024. The National Democratic Institute also maintains a calendar of elections around the world. * 2024 United Nations Security Council election * 2024 national electoral calendar * 2024 local electo ...

. He formed his shadow cabinet on 8 July 2024. Sunak served as Leader of the Opposition in a caretaker capacity until his successor was elected in the 2024 Conservative leadership election; the result was announced on 2 November.

Overview

In his resignation speech,

announced that he would resign as the Conservative leader once the arrangements are in place for his successor to be elected in the 2024 Conservative leadership election. He formed his shadow cabinet on 8 July 2024. This was the party's first shadow cabinet since the

Shadow Cabinet of David Cameron David Cameron was Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition from his election as Leader on 6 December 2005 until he became Prime Minister on 11 May 2010. His tenure as opposition leader was characterised by opposition ...

, which was disbanded in 2010 after

Cameron Cameron may refer to: People * Clan Cameron, a Scottish clan * Cameron (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) * Cameron (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name) ;Mononym * Cam'ron (born 19 ...

formed a

coalition government A coalition government, or coalition cabinet, is a government by political parties that enter into a power-sharing arrangement of the executive. Coalition governments usually occur when no single party has achieved an absolute majority after an ...

with

Nick Clegg Sir Nicholas William Peter Clegg (born 7 January 1967) is a British retired politician and media executive who served as Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2010 to 2015 and as Leader of the Liberal Democrats from 2007 to 2015. H ...

's Liberal Democrats following that year's general election. Most members of Sunak's cabinet heading into the 2024 general election were given the same portfolios in the shadow cabinet, including former

chancellor Chancellor () is a title of various official positions in the governments of many countries. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the (lattice work screens) of a basilica (court hall), which separa ...

Jeremy Hunt Sir Jeremy Richard Streynsham Hunt (born 1 November 1966) is a British politician who served as Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2022 to 2024 and Foreign Secretary from 2018 to 2019, having previously served as Secretary of State for Health a ...

, who became

shadow chancellor The shadow chancellor of the exchequer in the British Parliamentary system is the member of the Shadow Cabinet who is responsible for shadowing the chancellor of the exchequer. The title is given at the gift of the leader of the Opposition an ...

, and former

Home Secretary The secretary of state for the Home Department, more commonly known as the home secretary, is a senior minister of the Crown in the Government of the United Kingdom and the head of the Home Office. The position is a Great Office of State, maki ...

James Cleverly Sir James Spencer Cleverly (born 4 September 1969) is a British politician and Army Reserve (United Kingdom), Army Reserve Commissioned officer, officer who served as Home Secretary from November 2023 to July 2024 and as Foreign Secretary (Unit ...

, who became

Shadow Home Secretary In British politics, the shadow home secretary (formally known as the shadow secretary of state for the home department) is the person within the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet (UK), shadow cabinet who shadows the home secretary; this effecti ...

. Cameron, who previously served as Foreign Secretary, chose to retire from frontline politics, with his former deputy

Andrew Mitchell Sir Andrew John Bower Mitchell Order of St Michael and St George, KCMG (born 23 March 1956) is a British politician who was Shadow Foreign Secretary from July to November 2024 and served as Foreign Secretary (United Kingdom), Deputy Foreign S ...

becoming

Shadow Foreign Secretary The shadow secretary of state for foreign, Commonwealth and development affairs, commonly called the shadow foreign secretary, is a position within the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet (United Kingdom), UK official opposition shadow cabinet th ...

instead. Richard Holden resigned as

party chairman In politics, a party chair (often party chairperson/-man/-woman or party president) is the presiding officer of a political party. The nature and importance of the position differs from country to country, and also between political parties. Th ...

, and was succeeded by Richard Fuller in an interim capacity outside shadow cabinet. Sunak appointed new officeholders to the portfolios held by the eleven cabinet ministers who lost their seats in the election, including

Edward Argar Edward John Comport Argar (born 9 December 1977) is a British politician who was Shadow Secretary of State for Justice and Shadow Lord Chancellor from July to November 2024. He most recently served as Minister of State for Prisons, Parole and Pr ...

, who became shadow justice secretary after the outgoing justice secretary

Alex Chalk Alexander John Gervase Chalk (born 8 August 1976) is a British politician and barrister. He served as Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice from April 2023 to July 2024. A member of the Conservative Party, he served as the Memb ...

lost his seat, as well as

Helen Whately Helen Olivia Bicknell Whately (''née'' Lightwood; born 23 June 1976) is a British Conservative Party politician who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Faversham and Mid Kent since 2015 and Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pens ...

, who became shadow transport secretary after the outgoing

transport secretary The secretary of state for transport, also referred to as the transport secretary, is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with overall responsibility for the policies of the Department for Transport. The incumbent is ...

Mark Harper Mark James Harper, Baron Harper (born 26 February 1970) is a British politician who served in the Cabinet as Chief Whip of the House of Commons from 2015 to 2016 and as Secretary of State for Transport from 2022 to 2024. A member of the Cons ...

also lost his seat. Among other noteworthy appointments,

Kemi Badenoch Olukemi Olufunto Adegoke Badenoch (' Adegoke; born 2 January 1980) is a British politician who has served as Leader of the Opposition (United Kingdom), Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservati ...

became the shadow housing, communities and local government secretary and former

deputy prime minister A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some countries, a Minister (government), government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to th ...

Oliver Dowden Sir Oliver James Dowden, (born 1 August 1978) is a British politician who served as Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2023 to 2024. A member of the Conservative Party, he previously held various ministerial positions under Prime ...

became

deputy leader of the opposition The Leader of the Opposition is a title traditionally held by the leader of the largest political party not in government, typical in countries utilizing the parliamentary system form of government. The leader of the opposition is typically se ...

. Sunak served as Leader of the Opposition in a caretaker capacity until his successor was elected in the 2024 Conservative leadership election; the result was announced on 2 November.

Shadow cabinet appointments

Junior roles

On 18 July, further junior frontbench roles were appointed.

Changes

:''Changes from Sunak's final Cabinet to Shadow Cabinet.'' *

David Cameron David William Donald Cameron, Baron Cameron of Chipping Norton (born 9 October 1966) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2010 to 2016. Until 2015, he led the first coalition government in the UK s ...

( Foreign Secretary) resigned and was succeeded by

. *Mitchell was Deputy Foreign Secretary for question time in the Commons and attended Cabinet as

Minister of State for Development and Africa The minister of state for development, formerly the minister of state for development and Africa and the secretary of state for international development, is a senior minister of the Crown within the Government of the United Kingdom H ...

Harriett Baldwin Dame Harriett Mary Morison Baldwin (; born 2 May 1960), is a British Conservative Party (UK), Conservative Party politician who has served as Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP) for West Worcestershire since 2010 Un ...

was later announced as Shadow Development Minister, but does not attend Shadow Cabinet.https://x.com/pauljholmes/status/1814365536538493070 *

Grant Shapps Sir Grant Shapps (born 14 September 1968) is a British politician who served as Secretary of State for Defence from August 2023 to July 2024. Shapps previously served in various Cabinet of the United Kingdom, cabinet posts, including Chairman of ...

(

Defence Secretary A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and military forces, found in states where the government is divided ...

) lost his seat and was succeeded by

James Cartlidge James Roger Cartlidge (born 30 April 1974) is a British politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP) for South Suffolk since 2015 United Kingdom general election, 2015. A member of the Conserv ...

. *

( Justice Secretary and

Lord Chancellor The Lord Chancellor, formally titled Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, is a senior minister of the Crown within the Government of the United Kingdom. The lord chancellor is the minister of justice for England and Wales and the highest-ra ...

) lost his seat and was succeeded by Ed Argar. *

Michelle Donelan Michelle Emma May Elizabeth Donelan (born 8 April 1984) is a British former politician who served as Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology from July 2023 to July 2024, having previously served in the position from February to ...

( Science Secretary) lost her seat and was succeeded by

Andrew Griffith Andrew John Griffith (born 23 February 1971) is a British Conservative Party politician and former senior media executive who has been Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade since November 2024 and Member of Parliament (MP) for Aru ...

. *

Michael Gove Michael Andrew Gove, Baron Gove (; born Graeme Andrew Logan, 26 August 1967) is a British politician and journalist who served in various Cabinet of the United Kingdom, Cabinet positions under David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Rish ...

( Housing and Communities Secretary and

Minister for Intergovernmental Relations The minister for Intergovernmental relations is a ministerial position for the intergovernmental relations in the United Kingdom. It was created by Boris Johnson in the 2021 British cabinet reshuffle, second substantive reshuffle of his Second ...

) stood down and was succeeded in the former role by

; the latter role did not have a successor named. *Badenoch (

Business Secretary The secretary of state for business and trade (business secretary), is a Secretary of State (United Kingdom), secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with responsibility for the Department for Business and Trade. The incumb ...

and

Minister for Women and Equalities Minister for Women and Equalities is a ministerial position in the United Kingdom in the Department for Education. Prior to July 2024, the position led the Government Equalities Office. Its counterpart in the shadow cabinet is the shadow minis ...

) was succeeded by

Kevin Hollinrake Kevin Paul Hollinrake (born 28 September 1963) is a British Conservative Party politician and businessman who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Thirsk and Malton since 2015. He has served as Shadow Secretary of State for Levellin ...

in the former role and

Mims Davies Miriam Jane Alice Davies (born 2 June 1975), known as Mims Davies, is a British Conservative Party politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for East Grinstead and Uckfield since 2024. She previously served as MP for Eastle ...

in the latter role. *

Penny Mordaunt Dame Penelope Mary "Penny" Mordaunt (; born 4 March 1973) is a British former Conservative Party (UK), Conservative politician who served as Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons from 2022 until 2024. She was the Memb ...

(

Leader of the House of Commons The Leader of the House of Commons is a minister of the Crown of the Government of the United Kingdom whose main role is organising government business in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons. The Leader is always a memb ...

and

Lord President of the Council The Lord President of the Council is the presiding officer of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom and the fourth of the Great Officers of State, ranking below the Lord High Treasurer but above the Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal. The Lor ...

) lost her seat and was succeeded by

Chris Philp Christopher Ian Brian Mynott Philp (born 6 July 1976) is a British politician who has served as Shadow Home Secretary since November 2024. He held the post of Minister of State for Crime, Policing and Fire from October 2022 to July 2024. He w ...

. *

Gillian Keegan Gillian Keegan (née Gibson; born 13 March 1968) is a British politician who served as Secretary of State for Education from 2022 to 2024. She previously served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Apprenticeships and Skills from 2020 to ...

( Education Secretary) lost her seat and was succeeded by

Damian Hinds Damian Patrick George Hinds (born 27 November 1969) is a British Conservative Party politician who has been Member of Parliament (MP) for East Hampshire since 2010. He previously served as Secretary of State for Education under Theresa May fro ...

. *

(

Transport Secretary The secretary of state for transport, also referred to as the transport secretary, is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with overall responsibility for the policies of the Department for Transport. The incumbent is ...

) lost his seat and was succeeded by

. *

Lucy Frazer Lucy Claire Frazer (born 17 May 1972) is a British politician and barrister who served as Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport from February 2023 to July 2024. A member of the Conservative Party, she served as the Member of Parli ...

(

Culture Secretary 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 ...

) lost her seat and was succeeded by Julia Lopez. * Richard Holden (

Minister without Portfolio A minister without portfolio is a government minister without specific responsibility as head of a government department. The sinecure is particularly common in countries ruled by coalition governments and a cabinet with decision-making authorit ...

and

party chair In politics, a party chair (often party chairperson/-man/-woman or party president) is the presiding officer of a political party. The nature and importance of the position differs from country to country, and also between political parties. Th ...

) resigned and was succeeded by Richard Fuller in an interim capacity outside Shadow Cabinet. *

Chris Heaton-Harris Christopher Heaton-Harris (born 28 November 1967) is a British former politician who served in the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland from September 2022 to July 2024, and as Chief Whip of the House of Commons and Parliament ...

(

Northern Ireland Secretary The secretary of state for Northern Ireland (; ), also referred to as Northern Ireland Secretary or SoSNI, is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with overall responsibility for the Northern Ireland Office. The offi ...

) stood down and was succeeded by

Alex Burghart Michael Alex Burghart (born 7 September 1977) is a British politician, academic and former teacher who has served as Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland since 8 July 2024, and Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster since 5 Novemb ...

. *

Alister Jack Alister William Jack, Baron Jack of Courance (born 7 July 1963) is a Scottish politician who served as Secretary of State for Scotland from 2019 to 2024. A member of the Scottish Conservatives, he served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for ...

( Scotland Secretary) stood down and was succeeded by

John Lamont John Robert Lamont (born 15 April 1976) is a Scottish Conservative Party politician and solicitor who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk since 2017, and was Shadow Secretary of State for Scotlan ...

. *

David T. C. Davies David Thomas Charles Davies (born 27 July 1970) is a British politician who was Secretary of State for Wales from 2022 to 2024. He was the Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP) for Monmouth (UK Parliament constituency ...

( Wales Secretary) lost his seat and was succeeded by The Lord Davies of Gower. No Conservative MPs were elected in Wales. *

Simon Hart Simon Anthony Hart, Baron Hart of Tenby (born 15 August 1963) is a British Conservative politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire from 2010 to 2024. He served as the Chief Whip of the H ...

(

Chief Whip of the House of Commons The Chief Whip is a political leader whose task is to enforce the whipping system, which aims to ensure that legislators who are members of a political party attend and vote on legislation as the party leadership prescribes. United Kingdom I ...

and

Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury The Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury is the official title of the most senior whip of the governing party in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Today, any official links between the Treasury and this office are nominal and the title ...

), who attended Cabinet, lost his seat and was succeeded by

Stuart Andrew Stuart James Andrew (born 25 November 1971) is a British Conservative Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Daventry in Northamptonshire since 2024. He was previously MP for Pudsey in West Yorkshire from 2010 until ...

. *

Victoria Prentis Victoria Mary Prentis, Baroness Prentis of Banbury, ( Boswell; born 24 March 1971) is a British politician and barrister. A member of the Conservative Party, Prentis served as the Member of Parliament for Banbury from 2015 until her defeat i ...

(

Attorney General In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general (: attorneys general) or attorney-general (AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have executive responsibility for law enf ...

), who attended Cabinet, lost her seat and was succeeded by

Jeremy Wright Sir Jeremy Paul Wright (born 24 October 1972) is a British lawyer and politician who served as Attorney General for England and Wales from 2014 to 2018 and as Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport from 2018 to 2019. A memb ...

. *

Johnny Mercer John Herndon Mercer (November 18, 1909 – June 25, 1976) was an American lyricist, songwriter, and singer, as well as a record label executive who co-founded Capitol Records with music industry businessmen Buddy DeSylva and Wallichs Music Cit ...

(

Minister of State for Veterans' Affairs The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Veterans and People is a ministerial position in the Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom), Ministry of Defence in British government, currently held by Alistair Carns. From 2022 to 2024, the role was ...

), who attended Cabinet, lost his seat and was succeeded by Andrew Bowie. *

Michael Tomlinson Michael James Tomlinson-Mynors (born 1 October 1977) is a British politician and barrister who served in the Cabinet as Minister of State for Countering Illegal Migration from December 2023 to July 2024. A member of the Conservative Party, ...

(

Minister of State for Countering Illegal Migration The minister of state for Border Security and Asylum is a senior role in the British Home Office with responsibility for tackling irregular migration. It was previously known as the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice and Tacklin ...

), who attended Cabinet, lost his seat and was not succeeded by anybody.

References

{{Rishi Sunak 2024 establishments in the United Kingdom 2024 disestablishments in the United Kingdom 2024 in British politics Sunak, Rishi Sunak, Rishi Rishi Sunak