Frontbench Team of Paddy Ashdown

The list that follows is the Lib Dem Frontbench Team/Shadow Cabinet led by Paddy Ashdown, who was Party leader from 1988 to 1999. The Party formed a Shadow Cabinet following the 1997 general election having doubled its number of MPs at that election. Initially known as a Frontbench Team, the Lib Dems began to refer to their Frontbench Team as a Shadow Cabinet during the leadership of Ashdown's successor, Charles Kennedy, although some controversy exists over whether or not it should be referred to as a Shadow Cabinet.

Liberal Democrat Frontbench team

• Leader of the Liberal Democrats - Paddy Ashdown
• Deputy Leader with responsibility for the strategic direction of the Party in Parliament - Alan Beith
• Chief Whip and Shadow Leader of the House - Paul Tyler
• Deputy Whip - Andrew Stunell
• Whips -
  • Edward Davey
  • Donald Gorrie
  • Adrian Sanders
• Party President - Robert Maclennan
• Agriculture and Rural Affairs - Charles Kennedy
• Food - Paul Tyler
• Fisheries - Andrew George
• Constitution - Robert Maclennan
• Spokesman for English Regions - Nick Harvey
• Scotland - Jim Wallace
• Wales - Richard Livsey
• Culture, Media and Sport/Civil Service - Robert Maclennan
• Arts and Broadcasting - Robert Maclennan
• Tourism - Ronnie Fearn
• Sport - Nigel Jones
• Disabled People - Paul Burstow
• Education and Employment - Don Foster
• Nursery Education and Schools; Labour market statistics - Don Foster
• Further, higher and adult education - Phil Willis
• Employment and training - Paul Keetch
• Environment and Transport -
  • Matthew Taylor
  • Norman Baker
  • Tom Brake
  • Sir Robert Smith
  • Andrew Stunell
• Foreign Affairs, Defence and Europe - Menzies Campbell
• Foreign and Commonwealth, Europe and Defence - Menzies Campbell
• Defence - Mike Hancock
• Europe - David Heath
• International Development - Jenny Tonge
• Health - Simon Hughes
• Future of the NHS - Simon Hughes
• Public Health - Peter Brand
• NHS Staff, organisation and planning - Evan Harris
• Home and Legal Affairs - Alan Beith
• Home Affairs - Alan Beith
• Community relations and urban affairs - Richard Allan
• Legal Affairs (Attorney General; Solicitor General; Lord Chancellor) -
  • John Burnett
  • Bob Russell
• Local Government and Housing - Paul Burstow
• Local Government (Social Services and Community Care) - Paul Burstow
• Local Council Liaison - Paul Burstow
  • Jackie Ballard
  • Adrian Sanders
• Trade and Industry - David Chidgey
• Employment, Social Chapter and Minimum Wage - David Chigley
• Science and Technology - David Chigley
• Competition - Nigel Jones
• Small Business -
  • Colin Breed
  • Brian Cotter
• Treasury -
  • Malcolm Bruce
  • Edward Davey
  • Vince Cable
• Wales -
  • Richard Livsey
  • Lembit Opik
• Women - Jackie Ballard
• Young People - Lembit Opik

Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords

• Leader in the Lords - Roy Jenkins, Lord Jenkins of Hillhead
• Chief Whip - Lord Rodgers of Quarrybank

External links

• Weekly Information Bulletin: 28 November 1998, www.parliament.uk

Shadow Cabinets of the United Kingdom
Official Opposition	Heath I (1965–1970) Wilson II (1970–1974) Heath II (1974–1975) Thatcher (1975–1979) Callaghan (1979–1980) Foot (1980–1983) Kinnock (1983–1992) Smith (1992–1994) Beckett (1994) Blair (1994–1997) Major (1997) Hague (1997–2001) Duncan Smith (2001–2003) Howard (2003–2005) Cameron (2005–2010) Harman I (2010) Miliband (2010–2015) Harman II (2015) Corbyn (2015–present)
Liberal Democrats	Ashdown (1997–1999) Kennedy (1999–2006) Campbell (2006–2007) Cable (2007) Clegg (2007–2010) Farron (2015–present)
Scottish National Party	Robertson (2015–present)
1965 to Present