Liberal Democrat Frontbench Team

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The Liberal Democrats are the third-largest political party in the United Kingdom. The Liberal Democrat leader appoints a team of Members of Parliament (MPs) and Peers to speak for the party on different issues. Their areas of responsibility broadly correspond to those of Government ministers. The party calls its frontbench the Liberal Democrat shadow ministerial team. The shadow ministerial team are divided into departmental sub-units, such as Education, Health and Foreign Affairs. The leader of each departmental team is a member of the Liberal Democrat 'Shadow Cabinet'.

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Formerly, the Liberal Democrats frontbench team did not use the term 'Shadow Cabinet', with a number of front bench spokespeople covering areas (e.g., Defence and Foreign Affairs) rather than directly shadowing specific Cabinet portfolios. Under Charles Kennedy's leadership, and with the increase in numbers of Liberal Democrat MPs, the senior members of the front bench team referred to themselves as a Shadow Cabinet. This is controversial, because in the two-party political system that dominated UK politics in the 20th Century, the term 'Shadow Cabinet' referred to senior members of the frontbench team of the largest opposition party in the House of Commons. This party, known as the Official Opposition, has constitutional status, although its Shadow Cabinet does not.

Following Charles Kennedy's decision to change the nomenclature, the UK Parliament's website now uses the term 'Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet' and does not use the old term 'Frontbench Team'.[1][2]

This is not without contention, and is disputed by the Conservative Party, who are currently the Official Opposition. Gordon Brown also made a notable remark that in the House of Commons:

"The House of Commons is in the unique position of having two shadow Chancellors: one sits in Folkestone and the other in Truro. It is rather like the mediaeval papacy: two hon. Members claim to hold the position of shadow Chancellor. I shall organise a play-off during the year."[3]

This is a theme to which Gordon Brown has returned recently, comparing and contrasting his frosty relationship with the official Shadow Chancellor George Osborne with his apparently warm relationship with Vince Cable (whom he refers to as 'the Shadow Chancellor from Twickenham').

The Conservative Official Opposition receives support for its official function which is denied to the Liberal Democrats, although they, along with every parliamentary party, do receive Short money. Salaries are paid to the Opposition Leader and the Chief Whips but not to the leader of the Liberal Democrats. Moreover, the Official Opposition has the exclusive use of facilities within Parliament. There is a great deal of resistance within Parliament to the use of 'Shadow' titles by the third party.

Liberal Democrat peers are also organised into teams broadly corresponding to the areas of Government departments.

  1. ^ Directory of MPs, Peers, Offices and Overseas Delegations (en). House of Commons Information Office. Retrieved on 2006-09-04.
  2. ^ Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet and Parliamentary Team (en). House of Commons Information Office. Retrieved on 2006-09-04.
  3. ^ House of Commons Hansard Debates for 27 Nov 2001 (pt 8) (en). The Stationery Office Ltd (2001). Retrieved on 2006-09-04.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_Democrat_Frontbench_Team"
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