Neil Kinnock was Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition from 2 October 1983 to 18 July 1992. He convincingly defeated Roy Hattersley, Eric Heffer, and Peter Shore in the 1983 leadership election, which was prompted by Michael Foot's resignation following the disastrous general election result earlier that year. Kinnock's period as Leader encompassed the bulk of the Thatcher years and the first two years of Major premiership. Kinnock resigned in 1992 after losing his second election as Leader.
Initial Shadow Cabinet
Kinnock announced his first Shadow Cabinet on 31 October 1983.
Neil Kinnock – Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Labour PartyRoy Hattersley – Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and Shadow Chancellor of the ExchequerDenis Healey – Shadow Foreign SecretaryGerald Kaufman – Shadow Home SecretaryJohn Silkin – Shadow Secretary of State for DefencePeter Shore – Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and Shadow Leader of the House of CommonsEric Heffer – Shadow Secretary of State for Housing and Construction and Labour Party ChairMichael Meacher – Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social ServicesGiles Radice – Shadow Secretary of State for Education and ScienceJohn Prescott – Shadow Secretary of State for TransportJohn Smith – Shadow Secretary of State for EmploymentStanley Orme – Shadow Secretary of State for EnergyBob Hughes – Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and FoodJack Cunningham – Shadow Secretary of State for the EnvironmentDonald Dewar – Shadow Secretary of State for ScotlandBarry Jones – Shadow Secretary of State for WalesPeter Archer – Shadow Secretary of State for Northern IrelandRobin Cook – Shadow Minister for EuropeJo Richardson – Shadow Minister responsible for Women's RightsJohn Morris – Shadow Attorney General and principal frontbench spokesman for Legal AffairsDenzil Davies – Shadow Minister for DefenceThe Lord Elwyn-Jones – Shadow Lord ChancellorThe Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos – Leader of the Opposition in the House of LordsMichael Cocks – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of CommonsThe Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of LordsOn 26 October 1984, Kinnock reshuffled his team in the wake of the 1984 Shadow Cabinet elections. Peter Shore remained Shadow Leader of the House, but Trade and Industry was transferred to John Smith, who was replaced as Shadow Employment Secretary by John Prescott. Gwyneth Dunwoody took over as Shadow Transport Secretary, having previously sat in the Shadow Cabinet without portfolio. Denzil Davies replaced Silkin as Shadow Defence Secretary Eric Heffer's was dropped from the Shadow Cabinet, as, it appears, his portfolio was as well. Brynmor John replaced Hughes as Shadow Agriculture Minister.
Neil Kinnock – Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Labour PartyRoy Hattersley – Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and Shadow Chancellor of the ExchequerDenis Healey – Shadow Foreign SecretaryGerald Kaufman – Shadow Home SecretaryDenzil Davies – Shadow Secretary of State for DefenceJohn Smith – Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and IndustryPeter Shore – Shadow Leader of the House of CommonsMichael Meacher – Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social ServicesGiles Radice – Shadow Secretary of State for Education and ScienceGwyneth Dunwoody – Shadow Secretary of State for TransportJohn Prescott – Shadow Secretary of State for EmploymentStanley Orme – Shadow Secretary of State for EnergyBrynmor John – Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and FoodJack Cunningham – Shadow Secretary of State for the EnvironmentDonald Dewar – Shadow Secretary of State for ScotlandBarry Jones – Shadow Secretary of State for WalesPeter Archer – Shadow Secretary of State for Northern IrelandRobin Cook – Shadow Minister for Europe and Campaign co-ordinatorJo Richardson – Shadow Minister responsible for Women's RightsJohn Morris – Shadow Attorney General and principal frontbench spokesman for Legal AffairsThe Lord Elwyn-Jones – Shadow Lord ChancellorThe Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos – Leader of the Opposition in the House of LordsMichael Cocks – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of CommonsThe Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of LordsEntering the 1985/86 session of Parliament, Michael Cocks stepped down as Chief Whip, and Derek Foster, who had been Kinnock's Parliamentary Private Secretary, defeated the favourite, Norman Hogg, by one vote in the second round of the resulting election among Commons members of the Parliamentary Labour Party.Gwyneth Dunwoody lost in the 1985 Shadow Cabinet elections and was replaced by Robert Hughes as Shadow Transport Secretary.At the 1986 Shadow Cabinet elections, Bryan Gould and David Clark joined the shadow cabinetKinnock reshuffled his Shadow Cabinet on 13 July 1987 in the aftermath of the general election loss. Denis Healey retired from the front bench and was replaced as Shadow Foreign Secretary by Kaufman, who was in turn replaced by Hattersley as Shadow Home Secretary. John Smith replaced the latter Shadow Chancellor. Bryan Gould replaced Smith as Shadow Trade and Industry Secretary, Alan Williams replaced Barry Jones as Shadow Welsh Secretary, and Kevin McNamara replaced Archer as Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary. Robin Cook replaced Meacher as Shadow Health Secretary, and Meacher took over Employment from Prescott, who in turn took the Energy portfolio, with Orme leaving Shadow Cabinet. Shore (Shadow Leader of the House), Radice (Shadow Education Secretary), and Brynmor John (Shadow Agriculture Minister) also left the front bench, being replaced by Frank Dobson, Jack Straw and David Clark, respectively. Gordon Brown was appointed Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
Neil Kinnock – Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Labour PartyRoy Hattersley – Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and Shadow Home SecretaryGerald Kaufman – Shadow Foreign SecretaryJohn Smith – Shadow Chancellor of the ExchequerDenzil Davies – Shadow Secretary of State for DefenceBryan Gould – Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and IndustryFrank Dobson – Shadow Leader of the House of Commons and Campaign co-ordinatorRobin Cook – Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social ServicesMichael Meacher – Shadow Secretary of State for EmploymentJack Straw – Shadow Secretary of State for Education and ScienceRobert Hughes – Shadow Secretary of State for TransportJohn Prescott – Shadow Secretary of State for EnergyDavid Clark – Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and FoodJack Cunningham – Shadow Secretary of State for the EnvironmentGordon Brown – Shadow Chief Secretary to the TreasuryDonald Dewar – Shadow Secretary of State for ScotlandAlan Williams – Shadow Secretary of State for WalesKevin McNamara – Shadow Secretary of State for Northern IrelandJo Richardson – Shadow Minister responsible for Women's RightsJohn Morris – Shadow Attorney General and principal frontbench spokesman for Legal AffairsThe Lord Elwyn-Jones – Shadow Lord ChancellorThe Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos – Leader of the Opposition in the House of LordsDerek Foster – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of CommonsThe Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of LordsOn 14 June 1988, Martin O'Neill replaced Denzil Davies as Shadow Defence Secretary after the latter resigned in protest over inadequate consultation over a change in the party's defence policy.After the 1988 Shadow Cabinet elections in autumn, Tony Blair replaced Prescott at Energy, and Prescott returned to Transport. Hughes seems to have left the Shadow Cabinet.Following the 1989 Shadow Cabinet elections, Kinnock on 2 November reshuffled the Shadow Cabinet. Dobson replaced Blair as Shadow Energy Secretary. Joining the Shadow Cabinet, Tony Blair took Meacher's portfolio, Employment. Robin Cook's portfolio was divided in two after a Government reshuffle; he retained Health, but Meacher took Social Security. Cunningham took Shadow Leader of the House, being replaced by at Environment by Gould. Brown took the latter's Trade and Industry, being replaced himself by Margaret Beckett as Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury. Barry Jones returned to Wales portfolio, bumping Alan Williams from the front bench. Joan Lestor joined the Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Children's minister, and Ann Clwyd joined as Shadow Minister for International Development and Co-operation.
Neil Kinnock – Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Labour PartyRoy Hattersley – Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and Shadow Home SecretaryGerald Kaufman – Shadow Foreign SecretaryJohn Smith – Shadow Chancellor of the ExchequerMartin O'Neill – Shadow Secretary of State for DefenceGordon Brown – Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and IndustryFrank Dobson – Shadow Secretary of State for EnergyJack Cunningham – Shadow Leader of the House of Commons and Campaign co-ordinatorRobin Cook – Shadow Secretary of State for HealthMichael Meacher – Shadow Secretary of State for Social SecurityTony Blair – Shadow Secretary of State for EmploymentJack Straw – Shadow Secretary of State for Education and ScienceJohn Prescott – Shadow Secretary of State for TransportDavid Clark – Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and FoodBryan Gould – Shadow Secretary of State for the EnvironmentMargaret Beckett – Shadow Chief Secretary to the TreasuryDonald Dewar – Shadow Secretary of State for ScotlandBarry Jones – Shadow Secretary of State for WalesKevin McNamara – Shadow Secretary of State for Northern IrelandJo Richardson – Shadow Minister for Women's RightsJoan Lestor – Shadow Minister for ChildrenAnn Clwyd – Shadow Minister for International Development and co-operationJohn Morris – Shadow Attorney General and principal frontbench spokesman for Legal AffairsThe Lord Elwyn-Jones – Shadow Lord ChancellorThe Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos – Leader of the Opposition in the House of LordsDerek Foster – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of CommonsThe Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede – Opposition Chief Whip in the House of LordsLord Elwyn-Jones died on 4 December 1989, and he was replaced by Lord Mishcon.Lord Ponsonby died on 13 June 1990; he was replaced by Lord Graham of Edmonton.
