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Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care

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Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Incumbent
Ed Argar
since 5 November 2024
AppointerLeader of the Opposition
WebsiteThe Shadow Cabinet

The shadow secretary of state for health and social care is an office within British politics held by a member of His Majesty's Loyal Opposition. The duty of the office holder is to scrutinise the actions of the government's secretary of state for health and social care and develop alternative policies. The office holder is a member of the Shadow Cabinet and appointed by the leader of the opposition.

It is currently held by Ed Argar.

List of shadow secretaries

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Shadow Minister for Health

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Name Entered office Left office Political party Shadow Cabinet Notes Ref
Edith Summerskill 15 July 1955 November 1961 Labour Gaitskell [1]
Kenneth Robinson November 1961 16 October 1964 Labour Minister of Health (1964–1968)
Wilson

Shadow Minister for Social Services

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Name Entered office Left office Political party Shadow Cabinet Notes Ref
Bernard Braine 16 October 1964 29 October 1964 Conservative Douglas-Home Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health (1962–1964)
Keith Joseph 29 October 1964 19 April 1966 Secretary of State for Health and Social Services (1970–1974)
Heath
Mervyn Pike 19 April 1966 10 October 1967 [2]
Robert Lindsay 10 October 1967 1 November 1968

Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Services

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Name Entered office Left office Political party Shadow Cabinet Notes Ref
Robert Lindsay 1 November 1968 19 June 1970 Conservative Heath
Richard Crossman 19 June 1970 23 July 1970 Labour Wilson II Secretary of State for Health and Social Services (1968–1970)
Shirley Williams 23 July 1970 19 October 1971 Later SDP Founder and Liberal Democrats Leader in House of Lords [3]
Barbara Castle 19 October 1971 6 December 1972 Secretary of State for Health and Social Services (1974–1976)
John Silkin 6 December 1972 4 March 1974 [4]
Keith Joseph 4 March 1974 11 March 1974 Conservative Heath II Secretary of State for Health and Social Services (1970–1974)
Geoffrey Howe 11 March 1974 18 February 1975
Norman Fowler 18 February 1975 19 November 1976 Thatcher
Patrick Jenkin 19 November 1976 4 May 1979
David Ennals 4 May 1979 14 June 1979 Labour Callaghan Secretary of State for Health and Social Services (1976–1979)
Stanley Orme 14 June 1979 8 December 1980 [5]
Gwyneth Dunwoody 8 December 1980 31 October 1983 Foot
Michael Meacher 31 October 1983 13 July 1987 Kinnock
Robin Cook 13 July 1987 25 July 1988 [6]

Shadow Secretary of State for Health

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Name Entered office Left office Political party Shadow Cabinet Notes Ref
Robin Cook 25 July 1988 18 July 1992 Labour Kinnock
David Blunkett 18 July 1992 20 October 1994 Smith [7]
Beckett
Margaret Beckett 20 October 1994 19 October 1995 Blair [8]
Harriet Harman 19 October 1995 1 July 1996 [9]
Chris Smith 1 July 1996 2 May 1997
Stephen Dorrell 2 May 1997 11 June 1997 Conservative Major Secretary of State for Health (1995–1997)
John Maples 11 June 1997 1 June 1998 Hague [10][11]
Ann Widdecombe 1 June 1998 13 January 1999 [12]
Liam Fox 13 January 1999 6 November 2003 [13]
Duncan Smith
Tim Yeo 6 November 2003 19 June 2004 Howard Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Education [14]
Andrew Lansley 19 June 2004 12 May 2010 Secretary of State for Health (2010–2012) [15][16]
Cameron
Andy Burnham 12 May 2010 8 October 2010 Labour Harman Secretary of State for Health (2009–2010)
John Healey 8 October 2010 6 October 2011 Miliband
Andy Burnham 7 October 2011 13 September 2015 Secretary of State for Health (2009–2010)
Harman II
Heidi Alexander 13 September 2015 26 June 2016 Corbyn
Diane Abbott 27 June 2016 6 October 2016 [17]
Jonathan Ashworth 7 October 2016 8 January 2018 [18]

Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care

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Name Entered office Left office Political party Shadow Cabinet Notes Ref
Jonathan Ashworth 8 January 2018 29 November 2021 Labour Corbyn
Starmer
Wes Streeting 29 November 2021 5 July 2024 Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (2024-present) [19]
Victoria Atkins 8 July 2024 5 November 2024 Conservative Sunak Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (2023-2024)
Ed Argar 5 November 2024 Incumbent Badenoch Shadow Secretary of State for Justice (2024)
Shadow Lord Chancellor (2024)

References

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  1. ^ Robert Malcolm Punnett (1973). Front-bench opposition; the role of the Leader of the Opposition, the Shadow Cabinet and Shadow Government in British politics. London. pp. 458–467. Retrieved 18 April 2025.
  2. ^ "Younger Tories In Shadow Cabinet". The Glasgow Herald. 11 October 1967. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
  3. ^ John Warden (23 July 1970). "No Surprises in Wilson's Shadow Cabinet". The Glasgow Herald. p. 19. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
  4. ^ William Russell (7 December 1972). "Wilson gives Shore key prices post". The Glasgow Herald. p. 16. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
  5. ^ "Parliamentary career for Lord Orme". Parliament of the United Kingdom.
  6. ^ "Former minister Robin Cook dies". BBC News. British Broadcasting Corporation. 6 August 2005. Retrieved 29 September 2008.
  7. ^ Brown, Colin (21 March 2005). "David Blunkett: 'I'd like to come back but I have to earn it. That means the graft of getting round the country'". The Independent. London: Independent News & Media. Retrieved 29 September 2008.
  8. ^ "Hunting a second term". BBC News. British Broadcasting Corporation. 7 December 2000. Retrieved 29 September 2008.
  9. ^ "Politics 97; Harriet Harman". BBC Political Research Unit. British Broadcasting Corporation. 1997. Retrieved 30 September 2008.
  10. ^ "John Maples; Biographical details". Ask Aristotle. London: guardian.co.uk. Archived from the original on 13 November 2005. Retrieved 25 September 2008.
  11. ^ Maples, John. "John Maples: Political Biography". John Maples. Retrieved 25 September 2008.
  12. ^ "Opposition front bench team as at 5 June 1998". House of Commons Weekly Information Bulletin. Parliament of the United Kingdom. 6 June 1998. Retrieved 25 September 2008.
  13. ^ "Opposition front bench team". House of Commons Weekly Information Bulletin. Parliament of the United Kingdom. 19 June 1999. Retrieved 25 September 2008.
  14. ^ "Tim Yeo; Biographical details". Ask Aristotle. London: guardian.co.uk. Archived from the original on 13 May 2008. Retrieved 25 September 2008.
  15. ^ "House of Commons Weekly Information Bulletin Noticeboard". House of Commons Weekly Information Bulletin. Parliament of the United Kingdom. 19 June 2004. Retrieved 25 September 2008.
  16. ^ "Her Majesty's Official Opposition". Parliament of the United Kingdom. 7 October 2008. Archived from the original on 20 October 2008. Retrieved 14 November 2008.
  17. ^ Turnbull, Alex (27 June 2016). "Diane Abbott appointed shadow health secretary". www.independentnurse.co.uk. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  18. ^ Jamie Grierson; Anushka Asthana (27 June 2016). "Jeremy Corbyn unveils new shadow cabinet after raft of resignations". The Guardian.
  19. ^ Launder, Mimi (30 November 2021). "Wes Streeting appointed as shadow health secretary in reshuffle". Nursing in Practice. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
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