View source for Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

{{Short description|Member of the British Shadow Cabinet}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox Political post
|post            = Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
|body            = 
|nativename      =
|department      =
|image           = Official portrait of Alex Burghart.jpg
|alt             = 
|incumbent       = [[Alex Burghart]]
|incumbentsince  = 8 July 2024
|style           = 
|residence       =
|nominator       =
|nominatorpost   =
|appointer       = [[Leader of the Opposition (United Kingdom)|Leader of the Opposition]]
|appointerpost   = 
|termlength      = 
|inaugural       = [[Merlyn Rees]]
|formation       = 24 March 1972
|last            =
|abolished       =
|succession      = 
|deputy          = 
|salary          = 
|website         = [http://www.labour.org.uk/people/filter/c/shadow-cabinet#main-content The Shadow Cabinet]
}}

The '''shadow secretary of state for Northern Ireland''' is a member of the [[Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet (United Kingdom)|British Shadow Cabinet]] responsible for the scrutiny of the [[Secretary of State for Northern Ireland|secretary of state for Northern Ireland]] and their department, the [[Northern Ireland Office]]. The post is held by [[Alex Burghart]].

Until recently there had been a 'bi-partisan' attitude to [[Northern Ireland]] affairs in the [[British House of Commons|House of Commons]] but the role is influenced by the relationship between the main [[Official Opposition (UK)|Official Opposition]] and parties in the country. The [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]], for example, generally supports the [[Unionists (Ireland)|unionist]] cause and in 2008 re-formalised a (since ended) link with the [[Ulster Unionist Party]] and [[Conservative–DUP agreement|relied on the support]] of the [[Democratic Unionist Party]] until the [[2019 United Kingdom general election|2019 United Kingdom General Election]] in the House of Commons, while [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] has traditionally supported [[Irish nationalism]] and is loosely allied to the [[Social Democratic and Labour Party]] (SDLP). The [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]] are linked with the cross-community [[Alliance Party of Northern Ireland|Alliance Party]].

== Shadow secretaries of state ==
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan=3|Name
! Entered office
! Left office
!Length of Term
! Political party
! Shadow Cabinet
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | 
| [[Merlyn Rees]]
| [[File:Merlyn Rees appearing on After Dark , 16 July 1988 - (cropped).jpg|60px]]
| 24 March 1972
| 4 March 1974
|{{Ayd|24 March 1972|4 March 1974}}
| Labour
| [[Shadow Cabinet of Harold Wilson (1970–1974)|Harold Wilson]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | 
| [[Francis Pym]]
| [[File:Francis Leslie Pym.jpg|60px]]
| 4 March 1974
| 29 October 1974
|{{Ayd|4 March 1974|29 October 1974}}
| rowspan="5" | Conservative
| rowspan=3 | &nbsp;<br />&nbsp;<br />[[Second Shadow Cabinet of Edward Heath|Edward Heath]]<br />&nbsp;<br />&nbsp;
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | 
| [[Ian Gilmour, Baron Gilmour of Craigmillar|Ian Gilmour]]
| [[File:No image.svg|60px]]
| 29 October 1974
| 18 February 1975
|{{Ayd|29 October 1974|18 February 1975}}
|-
! rowspan=3 style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | 
| rowspan="3" | &nbsp;<br />[[Airey Neave]]<br />&nbsp;
| rowspan="3" | [[File:AireyNeave (cropped).jpg|60px]]
| rowspan="3" | 18 February 1975
| rowspan="3" | 30 March 1979
| rowspan="3" |{{Ayd|18 February 1975|30 March 1979}}
|-
| [[Second Shadow Cabinet of Edward Heath|Edward Heath]]
|-
|[[Shadow Cabinet of Margaret Thatcher|Margaret Thatcher]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Roy Mason]]
| [[File:No image.svg|60px]]
| 4 May 1979
| 14 July 1979
|{{Ayd|4 May 1979|14 July 1979}}
| rowspan="8" | Labour
| rowspan="2" | [[Shadow Cabinet of James Callaghan|James Callaghan]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Brynmor John]]
| [[File:No image.svg|60px]]
| 14 July 1979
| 8 December 1980
|{{Ayd|14 July 1979|8 December 1980}}
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Don Concannon]]
|[[File:No image.svg|60px]]
| 8 December 1980
| 31 October 1983
|{{Ayd|8 December 1980|31 October 1983}}
| [[Shadow Cabinet of Michael Foot|Michael Foot]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Peter Archer, Baron Archer of Sandwell|Peter Archer]]
| [[File:No image.svg|60px]]
| 31 October 1983
| 13 July 1987
|{{Ayd|31 October 1983|13 July 1987}}
| rowspan="2" | &nbsp;<br />[[Shadow Cabinet of Neil Kinnock|Neil Kinnock]]<br />&nbsp;
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}; border-bottom:solid 1px {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" height="30" |
| rowspan="3" | &nbsp;<br />[[Kevin McNamara (politician)|Kevin McNamara]]<br />&nbsp;
| rowspan="3" | [[File:No image.svg|60px]]
| rowspan="3" | 13 July 1987
| rowspan="3" | 20 October 1994
| rowspan="3" |'''{{Ayd|13 July 1987|20 October 1994}}'''
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}; border-bottom:solid 1px {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Shadow Cabinet of John Smith|John Smith]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Shadow Cabinet of Margaret Beckett|Margaret Beckett]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | 
| [[Mo Mowlam]]
| [[File:Mo Mowlam official portrait 2 (cropped).jpg|60px]]
| 20 October 1994
| 2 May 1997
|{{Ayd|20 October 1994|2 May 1997}}
| [[Shadow Cabinet of Tony Blair|Tony Blair]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | 
| [[Andrew MacKay (British politician)|Andrew Mackay]]
| [[File:No image.svg|60px]]
| 23 June 1997
| 14 September 2001
|{{Ayd|23 June 1997|14 September 2001}}
| rowspan="5" | Conservative
| [[Shadow Cabinet of William Hague|William Hague]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | 
| [[Quentin Davies]]
| [[File:Lord Davies of Stamford 2015.jpg|60px]]
| 14 September 2001
| 11 November 2003
|{{Ayd|14 September 2001|11 November 2003}}
| [[Shadow Cabinet of Iain Duncan Smith|Iain Duncan Smith]]
|-
! rowspan=2 style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | 
| rowspan=2 | [[David Lidington]]
| rowspan=2 | [[Image:Official portrait of Mr David Lidington crop 2.jpg|60px]]
| rowspan=2 | 11 November 2003
| rowspan=2 | 2 July 2007
| rowspan="2" |{{Ayd|11 November 2003|2 July 2007}}
| [[Shadow Cabinet of Michael Howard|Michael Howard]]
|-
| rowspan=2 | [[Shadow Cabinet of David Cameron|David Cameron]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | 
| [[Owen Paterson]]
| [[File:Official portrait of Rt Hon Owen Paterson MP crop 2.jpg|60px]] 
| 2 July 2007
| 11 May 2010
|{{Ayd|2 July 2007|11 May 2010}}
|-
! rowspan=2 style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | 
| rowspan=2 | [[Shaun Woodward]]
| rowspan=2 |[[File:Shaun Woodward, June 2009 cropped.jpg|60px]]
| rowspan=2 | 11 May 2010
| rowspan=2 | 7 October 2011
| rowspan="2" |{{Ayd|11 May 2010|7 October 2011}}
| rowspan="13" | Labour
| [[First Shadow Cabinet of Harriet Harman|Harriet Harman]]
|-
| rowspan=3 | [[Shadow Cabinet of Ed Miliband|Ed Miliband]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | 
| [[Vernon Coaker]]
| [[File:Official portrait of Vernon Coaker crop 2.jpg|60px]]
| 7 October 2011
| 7 October 2013
|{{Ayd|7 October 2011|7 October 2013}}
|-
! rowspan=3 style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| rowspan="3" | [[Ivan Lewis]]
| rowspan="3" | [[File:Official portrait of Mr Ivan Lewis crop 2.jpg|60px]]
| rowspan="3" | 7 October 2013
| rowspan="3" | 13 September 2015
| rowspan="3" |{{Ayd|7 October 2013|13 September 2015}}
|-
| [[Shadow Cabinet of Ed Miliband|Ed Miliband]]
|-
|[[Second Shadow Cabinet of Harriet Harman|Harriet Harman]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Vernon Coaker]]
| [[File:Official portrait of Vernon Coaker crop 2.jpg|60px]]
| 13 September 2015
| [[June 2016 British shadow cabinet resignations|26 June 2016]]
|{{Ayd|13 September 2015|26 June 2016}}
| rowspan="4" | [[Shadow Cabinet of Jeremy Corbyn|Jeremy Corbyn]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[David Anderson (British politician)|Dave Anderson]]
| [[File:Dave_Anderson_MP_outside_his_Blaydon_office.jpg|60px]]
| [[June 2016 British shadow cabinet resignations|26 June 2016]]
| 14 June 2017
|{{Ayd|26 June 2016|14 June 2017}}
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Owen Smith]]
| [[File:Official portrait of Owen Smith crop 2.jpg|60px]]
| 14 June 2017
| 23 March 2018
|{{Ayd|14 June 2017|23 March 2018}}
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Tony Lloyd]]
| [[File:Official_portrait_of_Tony_Lloyd_crop_2.jpg|60px]]
| 23 March 2018
| 6 April 2020
|{{Ayd|23 March 2018|6 April 2020}}
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Louise Haigh]]
| [[File:Official_portrait_of_Louise_Haigh_MP_crop_2.jpg|60px]]
| 6 April 2020
| [[November 2021 British shadow cabinet reshuffle|29 November 2021]]
|{{Ayd|6 April 2020|29 November 2021}}
| rowspan="3" | Sir [[Shadow Cabinet of Keir Starmer|Keir Starmer]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Peter Kyle]]
| [[File:Official_portrait_of_Peter_Kyle_MP_crop_2.jpg|60px]]
| [[November 2021 British shadow cabinet reshuffle|29 November 2021]]
|4 September 2023
|{{Ayd|29 November 2021|4 September 2023}}
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Hilary Benn]]
|| [[File:Official portrait of Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP crop 2.jpg|60px]]
|4 September 2023
| [[2024_United_Kingdom_general_election|5 July 2024]]
|{{Ayd|4 September 2023|5 July 2024}}
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Alex Burghart]]<ref name="bbc-shadow-2024">{{cite web |last1=Morton |first1=Becky |title=Sunak names interim shadow cabinet as David Cameron resigns |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crgm3g37klko |website=BBC News |access-date=8 July 2024 |date=8 July 2024}}</ref>
|| [[File:Official_portrait_of_Alex_Burghart_crop_2.jpg|60px]]
| 8 July 2024
| ''Incumbent''
| {{Ayd|8 July 2024}}
| Conservative
| [[Shadow Cabinet of Rishi Sunak|Rishi Sunak]]
|}

== See also ==

* [[Secretary of State for Northern Ireland]]
* [[Northern Ireland Office]]
* [[Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet (UK)|UK Shadow Cabinet]] 
* [[Liberal Democrat Frontbench Team]]
* [[Northern Ireland Affairs Committee]]
* [[Northern Ireland Grand Committee]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.conservativesni.com/ Conservative Northern Ireland branch]
* [http://www.conservatives.com/tile.do?def=news.topic.page&topic=NIRELAND Conservative Northern Ireland news]{{dead link|date=May 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
* [http://www.jeffpeel.com/index.html Conservative Northern Ireland Education Spokesman]
* [http://www.davidlidington.co.uk/ David Lidington MP]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060515093724/http://www.libdems.org.uk/party/people/mr-lembit-opik.html Lembit Öpik MP]

{{Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland}}

{{UK Parliament Opposition Cabinet Offices}}

[[Category:Official Opposition (United Kingdom)]]
[[Category:Government of Northern Ireland]]