Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change
The Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change is a post in the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet and, when the party is in opposition, the Liberal Democrat Frontbench Team. The Shadow Secretary helps hold the Energy and Climate Change Secretary and junior ministers to account and is the lead spokesperson on energy and climate change issues for his or her party. Should the relevant party take office, the Shadow Secretary would be a likely candidate to become Energy Secretary.
A previous Official Opposition post of Shadow Secretary of State for Energy existed until the Department of Energy was merged into the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in 1992. In 2008, the Department for Energy and Climate Change was split from the DTI's successor department, effectively reviving the former department and the need for an Opposition shadow.
Shadow Secretary of State for Energy (1974-1992)
| Name | Took office | Left office | Political party | Leader of the Opposition | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patrick Jenkin | 18 February 1975 | 15 January 1976 | Conservative | Margaret Thatcher | ||
| John Biffen | 15 January 1976 | 19 November 1976 | Conservative | |||
| Tom King | 19 November 1976 | 4 May 1979 | Conservative | |||
| David Owen |  |
4 May 1979 | 4 November 1980 | Labour | James Callaghan | |
| Merlyn Rees | 4 November 1980 | 24 November 1982 | Labour | Michael Foot | ||
| John Smith | 24 November 1982 | 2 October 1983 | Labour | |||
| Stanley Orme | 2 October 1983 | 13 July 1987 | Labour | Neil Kinnock | ||
| John Prescott |  |
13 July 1987 | 23 November 1988 | Labour | ||
| Tony Blair |  |
23 November 1988 | 2 November 1989 | Labour | ||
| Frank Dobson | 2 November 1989 | 18 July 1992 | Labour | |||
Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (2008-)
Official Opposition
| Name | Took office | Left office | Political party | Leader of the Opposition | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greg Clark |  |
6 October 2008 | 11 May 2010 | Conservative | David Cameron | |
| Ed Miliband |  |
11 May 2010 | 8 October 2010 | Labour | Harriet Harman | |
| Meg Hillier |  |
8 October 2010 | 7 October 2011 | Labour | Ed Miliband | |
| Caroline Flint |  |
7 October 2011 | Incumbent | Labour | ||
Liberal Democrats
| Name | Took office | Left office | Party Leader | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steve Webb |  |
7 October 2008 | 8 January 2009 | Nick Clegg | |
| Simon Hughes |  |
8 January 2009 | 11 May 2010 | ||
| Since May 2010, the Liberal Democrats have not shadowed the government,
being the junior party in a coalition government. | |||||