30 September 2015
Briefing:
The Government and the Opposition
An outline of the key figures in the Government and Opposition
1. Introduction
This briefing provides members with an analysis of the key figures in the Government and the Opposition after the General Election and the Opposition’s leadership election.
It is designed to be a members’ guide to who’s who in relevant government departments and their opposition counterparts.
2.1 The Government
Overall, the Prime Minister’s first Cabinet aimed to reflect a “down to earth” Conservative agenda, which will offer people "the chance to get on, with the dignity of a job, the pride of a pay cheque, a home of their own and the security and peace of mind that comes from being able to support a family". We are, of course, pleased that David Cameron referenced housing in his first speech following the election. This clearly follows on from the focus housing was afforded by all the political parties during the General Election campaign, which was in large part down to the dedication of housing associations and others during the Homes for Britain campaign.
At the time, some media outlets speculated that the new Cabinet reflects David Cameron’s wish to position the Conservatives more strongly as the party of working people, with 43% of new ministers having attended comprehensive schools (compared to 21% in 2010). Others have also pointed out that promotions for ethnic minority MPs Priti Patel and Sajid Javid and a third of Cabinet appointments being awarded to women could reflect a wish to be seen as inclusive and moderate in political style.
Brandon Lewis retains his role as Housing Minister at the Department for Communities and Local Government with Eric Pickles being replaced as Secretary of State by Greg Clark. Mr Clark’s promotion is thought to suggest a move towards greater devolution. The new Secretary of State held a series of ministerial posts under the coalition government, all of which were built around his knowledge of decentralisation and economic growth in cities. Mr Clark will be supported by Mark Francois as Minister for Portsmouth and Minister for Communities and Resilience, James Wharton as Minister for Local Growth and the Northern Powerhouse and Marcus Jones as Minister for Local Government.
2.2 The Opposition
The new Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, managed to secure 59.5% of the vote out of an electorate of over 500,000. Mr Corbyn is a veteran left-wing backbencher, representing Islington North, London, and frequently rebelled against the party whip. However, he is now firmly on the frontbench as Leader of the Opposition. His election signals that Labour may adopt a more aggressive opposition to Conservative policies, particularly on welfare reform.
In the Shadow Department of Communities and Local Government team there are both familiar faces and relative newcomers, but the commitment to housing is demonstrated through the creation of an entire shadow housing team, including a Minister reporting to Shadow Cabinet. Housing is a high priority for the new Opposition and in his first appearance at Prime Minister’s Questions, Mr Corbyn opened with a question about social housing. The Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Jon Trickett, MP for Hemsworth, is described as an ‘influential fixer behind the scenes’ and will likely set his stall firmly against cuts to local government budgets, which Mr Corbyn regularly attacked during the leadership campaign. The Shadow Cabinet Minister for Housing and Planning is John Healey, MP for Wentworth and Dearne, who previously served as Housing Minister under the last Labour government. Healey has vowed not only to build more homes, but also to make Labour’s housing policy “credible and radical” and recognise the public’s desire for home ownership.
Joining Mr Trickett are Shadow Minister for Local Government Steve Reed (Croydon North) and Shadow Minister with responsibility for the Northern Powerhouse Liz McInnes (Heywood and Middleton). The shadow housing team is a group of five, with Dr Roberta Blackman-Woods (City of Durham) and Teresa Pearce (Erith and Thamesmead) supporting John Healey as Shadow Housing Ministers. Joining them will be Lord Kennedy of Southwark and Lord Beecham. This team will be responsible for delivering Jeremy Corbyn’s vision of truly affordable housing and mixed communities.
1. Department for Communities and Local Government
Government
· Greg Clark (Tunbridge Wells) is promoted to Secretary of State. This is not his first stint in the department, having previously served as a Minister of State from 2010-12 with responsibility for decentralisation.
· Brandon Lewis (Great Yarmouth) continues as Housing Minister. A former lawyer, Mr Lewis was leader of Brentwood Council from 2004-2009.
· Mark Francois (Rayleigh and Wickford) joins the Department as Minister of State for Communities and Resilience, with responsibility for the Devolution Bill. He has also been appointed as Minister for Portsmouth and moves from his previous role as Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence.
· Marcus Jones (Nuneaton) has been appointed junior minister with responsibility for local government. He previously served as PPS to Sajid Javid.
· James Wharton (Stockton South) will be the second junior minister in the department, with responsibility for the Northern Powerhouse, the Government’s plan to close the economic gap between the North and the South of the country.
· Richard Harrington (Watford) is the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Office, Department for International Development and Department of Communities and Local Government. He is responsible for co-ordinating the resettlement of Syrian Refugees.
· Baroness Williams of Trafford has also been appointed as a junior minister. Her responsibilities include local government finance and policy, integration and faith, HS2, Travellers and supporting the Secretary of State on City Deals and Troubled Families.
Opposition Communities and Local Government
· Jon Trickett (Hemsworth) is the new Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and Minister for Constitutional Convention. He has expressed a commitment to decentralisation and was formerly a senior adviser to Ed Miliband when he was Leader of the Opposition.
· Steve Reed (Croydon North) is Shadow Minister for Local Government and is a former local councillor in Lambeth.
· Liz McInnes (Heywood and Middleton) is Shadow Minister for Communities and Local Government. She is responsible for Labour’s policy on the Northern Powerhouse.
Opposition Housing
· John Healey (Wentworth and Deane) is Shadow Minister for Housing and Planning, a role he is familiar with, as he was Minister of State for Communities and Local Government from 2007-10, and Minister for Housing reporting to Cabinet from 2009-10. He has also held a number of other ministerial roles, including at the Treasury.
· Dr Roberta Blackman-Woods (City of Durham) remains Shadow Minister for Housing. Her responsibilities include home ownership, affordable housing, high streets, sustainability, planning, housing for older people and liaising with the Treasury.
· Teresa Pearce (Erith and Thamesmead) is another Shadow Minister for Housing.
· Lord Kennedy of Southwark is Opposition Spokesperson for Communities and Local Government, Housing and the Home Office. He is also an Opposition Whip.
· Lord Beecham is Opposition Spokesperson for Communities and Local Government, Housing and Justice. He has a strong background in local government having been Local Government Association Chair from 1995-2004.
2. Work and Pensions
Government
· Iain Duncan Smith (Chingford and Woodford Green) continues in his role as Secretary of State and will oversee the roll out of Universal Credit.
· Priti Patel (Witham) will take on the role of Employment Minister, which was previously held by Esther McVey. Ms Patel will be attending Cabinet, a reflection of the importance of the role to the Government.
· Lord Freud also stays in the department, but is promoted to Minister of State, continuing to hold responsibility for welfare reform.
· Justin Tomlinson (North Swindon) has been appointed Minister for Disabled People, with responsibility for child poverty, independent living and disability benefits.
· Baroness Altmann has been appointed as Minister of State for Pensions.
· Shailesh Vara (North West Cambridgeshire) is Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Work and Pensions and at the Ministry of Justice. He is the lead on social rents for the Welfare Reform and Work Bill.
Opposition
The responsibilities of shadow ministers will be updated once this information becomes available.
· Owen Smith (Pontypridd) is Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.
· Emily Thornberry (Islington South) is Shadow Minister for Employment.
· Debbie Abrahams (Saddleworth and Oldham) is Shadow Minister for Work and Pensions.
· Nick Thomas-Symonds (Torfaen) is Shadow Minister for Work and Pensions.
· Baroness (Maeve) Sherlock is Shadow Minister for Work and Pensions.
· Lord (Bill) McKenzie is Shadow Minister for Work and Pensions.
3. Treasury
Government
· George Osborne (Tatton) continues as Chancellor.
· Greg Hands (Chelsea and Fulham) has been given the role of Chief Secretary to the Treasury, which was previously held by Danny Alexander.
· Harriet Baldwin (West Worcestershire) becomes the City Minister.
· Damian Hinds (East Hampshire) is the new Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury.
· Jim O’Neill has been given a Peerage and a new role replacing Lord Deighton as Commercial Secretary to the Treasury. Previously Chair of the Cities Growth Commission in 2014, O’Neill’s responsibilities will include city devolution and infrastructure.
Opposition
The responsibilities of shadow ministers will be updated once this information becomes available.
· John McDonnell (Hayes and Harlington) is Shadow Chancellor. He is anti-austerity and plans to tackle the deficit through economic growth. Central to these plans are borrowing to invest in infrastructure and potentially quantitative easing.
· Seema Malhotra (Feltham and Heston) is Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
· Rob Marris (Wolverhampton South West) is Shadow Minister for Treasury.
· Rebecca Long Bailey (Salford and Eccles) is Shadow Minister for Treasury.
· Richard Burgon (Leeds East) is Shadow Minister for Treasury.
· Rt Hon Lord (Bryan) Davies of Oldham continues to be an Opposition Spokesperson for the Treasury in the House of Lords.
· Lord (Denis) Tunnicliffe of Bracknell continues as an Opposition Spokesperson for the Treasury in the House of Lords.
· Lord (Neil) Davidson of Glen Cova continues as an Opposition Spokesperson for the Treasury in the House of Lords.
4. Cabinet Office
Government
· Oliver Letwin (West Dorset) is promoted to take overall control at the Cabinet Office in his role as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, having served as Minister for Government Policy under the previous administration.
· Matthew Hancock (West Suffolk) takes on the Minister of State role, with responsibility for efficiency and civil service reform.
· Rob Wilson (Reading East) continues in his role as Minister for Civil Society, with responsibility for social enterprise and social investment.
· John Penrose (Weston-super-Mare) will be the Parliamentary Secretary in the department, having previously served as Government Whip.
· Chris Grayling (Epsom and Ewell) also moves to this department as Lord President of the Council, having previously held the role of Pensions Minister.
Opposition
The responsibilities of shadow ministers will be updated once this information becomes available.
· Tom Watson (West Bromwich, East) Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office
· Gloria De Piero (Ashfield) Shadow Minister for Young People and Voter Registration
· Jon Ashworth (Leicester South) Shadow Minister without Portfolio
· Ian Lavery (Wansbeck) Shadow Minister for Cabinet Office
· Wayne David (Caerphilly) Shadow Minister for Cabinet Office, Scotland and Justice
· Anna Turley (Redcar) Shadow Minister for Cabinet Office
· Louise Haigh (Sheffield Heeley) Shadow Minister for Cabinet Office
· Baroness (Dianne) Hayter continues her role as Opposition Spokesperson for the Cabinet Office in the House of Lords
5. Health
Government
· Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey) continues in his role as Secretary of State for Health.
· Jane Ellison (Battersea) continues as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health.
· Alistair Burt (North East Bedfordshire) is appointed to the role of Minister of State for Community and Social Care, with his specific responsibilities including adult social care, mental health and older people.
· Ben Gummer (Ipswich) is Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Care Quality, whose responsibilities include end of life care and failing hospitals.
· George Freeman (Mid-Norfolk) continues as junior minister for life sciences, a role that is shared with BIS.
· Lord (David) Prior of Brampton has been appointed as a junior minister, with responsibility for NHS productivity. Prior was previously Chairman of the Care Quality Commission.
Opposition
The responsibilities of shadow ministers will be updated once this information becomes available.
· Heidi Alexander (Lewisham East) is Shadow Secretary of State for Health. She was previously a member of the Communities and Local Government Committee. At Labour Conference she spoke of her plans for health and housing to work more closely together.
· Luciana Berger (Liverpool Wavertree) has been appointed in the newly created role of Shadow Minister for Mental Health, following on from her role as Shadow Minister for Public Health.
· Andrew Gwynne (Denton and Reddish) continues his role as Shadow Minister for Health.
· Barbara Keeley (Worsley and Eccles South) is another Shadow Minister for Health, returning to a role she held briefly in 2010 before moving to shadow Communities and Local Government and then acting as PPS to Ed Balls.
· Justin Madders (Ellesmere Port and Neston) is also Shadow Minister for Health.
· Rt Hon Lord (Philip) Hunt continues as the Opposition Spokesperson for Health and now also leads on constitutional affairs in the House of Lords, as well as acting as Shadow Deputy Leader in the House of Lords.
6. Business, Innovation and Skills
Government
· Sajid Javid (Bromsgrove) takes on the Secretary of State brief, having previously served as Culture Secretary.
· Anna Soubry (Broxtowe) is Minister of State for the department, with responsibility for small business, industry and enterprise.
· Nick Boles (Grantham and Stamford) is Minister of State for Skills.
· Lord (Francis) Maude of Horsham (former MP for Horsham) is the Minister of State for trade and investment.