View source for Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer

{{Short description|Member of the British Shadow Cabinet}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{one source|date=April 2011}}
{{Infobox Political post
| post = Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
| body =
| nativename =
| department =
| image = File:Official portrait of Mel Stride MP, 2024.jpg
| alt = Portrait of Mel Stride
| incumbent = [[Mel Stride]]
| incumbentsince = 4 November 2024
| style = Shadow Chancellor (informal)
| member_of = [[Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet (United Kingdom)|Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet]]
| residence =
| nominator =
| nominatorpost =
| appointer = [[Leader of the Opposition (United Kingdom)|Leader of the Opposition]]
| termlength =
| inaugural = [[Rab Butler]]
| formation =
| last =
| abolished =
| succession =
| deputy = [[Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury]]
| website =
}}

The '''shadow chancellor of the exchequer''' in the British Parliamentary system is the member of the [[Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet (United Kingdom)|Shadow Cabinet]] who is responsible for shadowing the [[Chancellor of the Exchequer|chancellor of the exchequer]]. The title is given at the gift of the [[leader of the Opposition]] and has no formal constitutional role, but is generally considered the second-most senior position, unless a [[Shadow Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|shadow deputy prime minister]] is chosen, on the [[Official Opposition frontbench|opposition frontbench]], after the leader. Past shadow chancellors include [[Harold Wilson]], [[James Callaghan]], [[Edward Heath]], [[Geoffrey Howe]], [[Kenneth Clarke]], [[Gordon Brown]], [[John McDonnell]] and [[Rachel Reeves]].

The name for the position has a mixed history. It is used to designate the lead economic spokesman for the Opposition. The name 'Shadow Chancellor' has also been used for the corresponding position for the [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]], the [[Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Parker |first=George |date=18 October 2014 |title=Alexander to replace Cable as LibDem shadow chancellor |url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f4dda16c-5610-11e4-bbd6-00144feab7de.html#axzz3f2UP4sqV |newspaper=[[Financial Times]] |location=London |access-date=5 July 2015 }}</ref> This was a source of humour for [[Chancellor of the Exchequer|Chancellor]] [[Gordon Brown]], who in 2005 played the two off against one another in Parliament, saying, "I, too, have a great deal of time for the shadow chancellor who resides in Twickenham [Liberal Democrat [[Vince Cable]]], rather than the shadow chancellor for the Conservative Party."<ref>{{cite web|author=Department of the Official Report (Hansard), House of Commons, Westminster |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/vo051205/debtext/51205-08.htm |title=House of Commons Hansard Debates for 5 Dec 2005 (pt 8) |publisher=Publications.parliament.uk |date=2005-12-05 |access-date=2019-09-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161028044727/https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/vo051205/debtext/51205-08.htm |archive-date=2016-10-28}}</ref>

== List of shadow chancellors ==
{| class="wikitable"
!colspan=2 |Name
!width=50 |Portrait
!Entered office
!Left office
!Party
!Shadow Cabinet
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Oliver Stanley]]
| [[File:Oliver Stanley MP (cropped).jpg|72px]]
| Unknown
| 10 December 1950
| rowspan="2" {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| rowspan="2" {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} |[[Shadow Cabinet of Winston Churchill|Churchill]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Rab Butler]]
| [[File:Rab Butler.jpg|72px]]
| 10 December 1950
| 26 October 1951
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| rowspan="2" | [[Hugh Gaitskell]]
| rowspan="2" | [[File:Hugh Todd Naylor Gaitskell.jpg|72px]]
| rowspan="2" | 26 October 1951
| rowspan="2" | 15 February 1956
| rowspan="5" {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
| {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of Clement Attlee|Attlee]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| rowspan="3" {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of Hugh Gaitskell|Gaitskell]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Harold Wilson]]
| [[File:Harold Wilson.jpg|72px]]
| 15 February 1956
| 30 November 1961<ref>{{cite news |title=Wilson - Foreign Spokesman |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GuVAAAAAIBAJ&dq=shadow+Harold+Wilson&pg=PA1&article_id=3644,3759254 |access-date=28 April 2025 |work=Evening Times |date=30 November 1961 |page=1}}</ref>
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}; border-bottom:solid 1px {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" height=30 |
| rowspan="2" | [[James Callaghan]]
| rowspan="2" | [[File:James Callaghan (1975).jpg|72px]]
| rowspan="2" | 30 November 1961<ref>{{cite news |title=Wilson - Foreign Spokesman |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GuVAAAAAIBAJ&dq=shadow+Harold+Wilson&pg=PA1&article_id=3644,3759254 |access-date=28 April 2025 |work=Evening Times |date=30 November 1961 |page=1}}</ref>
| rowspan="2" | 16 October 1964
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[First Shadow Cabinet of Harold Wilson|Wilson I]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Reginald Maudling]]
|[[File:Reginald Maudling, 1969 (Brightned) (cropped).jpg|72px]]
| 16 October 1964
| 16 February 1965<ref>Baston 2004, 246</ref>
| rowspan="3" {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative
| rowspan="2" {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of Alec Douglas-Home|Douglas-Home]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Edward Heath]]
| [[File:Sir Edward Heath (cropped).jpg|72px]]
| 16 February 1965<ref>Baston 2004, 246</ref>
| 28 July 1965
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Iain Macleod]]
| [[File:The National Archives UK - CO 1069-166-17 Macleod crop.jpg|72px]]
| 28 July 1965
| 20 June 1970
| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[First Shadow Cabinet of Edward Heath|Heath]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Roy Jenkins]]
| [[File:Roy Jenkins 1977 (cropped).jpg|72px]]
| 20 June 1970
| 19 April 1972
| rowspan="2" {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour
| rowspan="2" {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Second Shadow Cabinet of Harold Wilson|Wilson II]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Denis Healey]]
| [[File:Denis Healey.jpg|72px]]
| 19 April 1972
| 4 March 1974
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Anthony Barber]]
| [[File:3x4.svg|72px]]
| 4 March 1974
| 11 March 1974<ref>{{cite news |title=Barber Prepares to Quit |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sOk9AAAAIBAJ&dq=Shadow+Cabinet&pg=PA1&article_id=2079,2274899 |access-date=16 April 2025 |work=The Glasgow Herald |date=12 March 1974 |pages=1, 30}}</ref>
| rowspan="3" {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative
| rowspan="2" {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Second Shadow Cabinet of Edward Heath|Heath II]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Robert Carr]]
| [[File:Robert Carr2.jpg|72px]]
| 11 March 1974
| 11 February 1975
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Geoffrey Howe|Sir Geoffrey Howe]]
| [[File:Geoffrey Howe (1985).jpg|72px]]
| 11 February 1975
| 4 May 1979
| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of Margaret Thatcher|Thatcher]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Denis Healey]]
| [[File:Denis Healey.jpg|72px]]
| 4 May 1979
| 8 December 1980
| rowspan="7" {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour
| {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of James Callaghan|Callaghan]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Peter Shore]]
| [[File:3x4.svg|72px]]
| 8 December 1980
| 31 October 1983
| {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of Michael Foot|Foot]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Roy Hattersley]]
| [[File:Roy Hattersley 2012 cropped 2.jpg|72px]]
| 31 October 1983
| 13 July 1987
| rowspan="2" {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of Neil Kinnock|Kinnock]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[John Smith (Labour Party leader)|John Smith]]
| [[File:3x4.svg|72px]]
| 13 July 1987
| 24 July 1992
|-
! rowspan=3 style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| rowspan=3 |[[Gordon Brown]]
| rowspan=3 |[[File:Gordon Brown official.jpg|72px]]
| rowspan=3 |24 July 1992
| rowspan=3 |2 May 1997
| {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of John Smith|Smith]]
|-
| {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of Margaret Beckett|Beckett]]
|-
| {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of Tony Blair|Blair]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Kenneth Clarke|Ken Clarke]]
| [[File:Official portrait of Mr Kenneth Clarke crop 2.jpg|72px]]
| 2 May 1997
| 11 June 1997
| rowspan="8" {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative
| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of John Major|Major]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Peter Lilley]]
| [[File:Official portrait of Lord Lilley crop 2.jpg|72px]]
| 11 June 1997
| 2 June 1998
| rowspan="3" {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of William Hague|Hague]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Francis Maude]]
| [[File:Francis Maude, Minister for the Cabinet Office.jpg|72px]]
| 2 June 1998
| 1 February 2000
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Michael Portillo]]
| [[File:Michael Portillo by Regents College cropped.jpg|72px]]
| 1 February 2000
| nowrap | 18 September 2001
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Michael Howard]]
| [[File:Official portrait of Lord Howard of Lympne crop 2.jpg|72px]]
| nowrap | 18 September 2001
| 6 November 2003
| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of Iain Duncan Smith|Duncan Smith]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Oliver Letwin]]
| [[File:Oliver Letwin Official.jpg|72px]]
| 6 November 2003
| 10 May 2005
| rowspan="2" {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of Michael Howard|Howard]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}; border-bottom:solid 1px {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" height=30 |
| rowspan="2"| [[George Osborne]]
| rowspan="2"| [[File:Osborne 2015.jpg|72px]]
| rowspan="2"| 10 May 2005
| rowspan="2"| 11 May 2010
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of David Cameron|Cameron]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Alistair Darling]]
| [[File:AlistairDarlingABr cropped.jpg|72px]]
| 11 May 2010
| 8 October 2010
| rowspan="7" {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour
| {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[First Shadow Cabinet of Harriet Harman|Harman I]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Alan Johnson]]
| [[File:Alan Johnson MP.jpg|72px]]
| 8 October 2010
| 20 January 2011
| rowspan="2" {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of Ed Miliband|Miliband]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Ed Balls]]
| [[File:Ed Balls 2.jpg|72px]]
| 20 January 2011
| 11 May 2015
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Chris Leslie]]
| [[File:Official portrait of Mr Chris Leslie crop 2.jpg|72px]]
| 11 May 2015
| 12 September 2015
| {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Second Shadow Cabinet of Harriet Harman|Harman II]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[John McDonnell]]
| [[File:Official portrait of Rt Hon John McDonnell MP crop 2.jpg|72px]]
| 13 September 2015
| 5 April 2020
| {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of Jeremy Corbyn|Corbyn]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Anneliese Dodds]]
| [[File:Official portrait of Anneliese Dodds MP crop 2.jpg|72px]]
| 5 April 2020
| [[May 2021 British shadow cabinet reshuffle|9 May 2021]]
| rowspan="2" {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of Keir Starmer|Starmer]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Rachel Reeves]]
| [[File:Official portrait of Rachel Reeves crop 2.jpg|72px]]
| 9 May 2021
| 5 July 2024
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Jeremy Hunt]]
|[[File:Jeremy Hunt Official Cabinet Portrait, October 2022 (cropped).jpg|72px]]
|8 July 2024
|4 November 2024
| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} rowspan="2"| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of Rishi Sunak|Sunak]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Mel Stride]]
|[[File:Official portrait of Mel Stride MP crop 2, 2024.jpg|72px]]
|4 November 2024
|Incumbent
| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Shadow Cabinet of Kemi Badenoch|Badenoch]]
|}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Book ==
* Lewis Baston (2004) ''Reggie: The Life of Reginald Maudling''. Sutton Publishing. {{ISBN|0-7509-2924-3}}

{{Shadow Chancellors of the Exchequer}}
{{Shadow Great Officers of State}}
{{UK Parliament Opposition Cabinet Offices}}

[[Category:Official Opposition (United Kingdom)]]