Shadow Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Shadow Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is a position in the United Kingdom's Shadow Cabinet that was created on 11 May 2015 by the Leader of the Opposition, Harriet Harman for her interim shadow cabinet. From 2005 to 2010, the office was known as Senior Member of the Shadow Cabinet, and from 2015 to 2023, the office was known as Shadow First Secretary of State.
| Shadow Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | |
|---|---|
| Shadow Cabinet | |
| Appointer | Leader of the Opposition |
| Formation | 11 May 2015 |
| First holder | William Hague (as Senior Member of the Shadow Cabinet) |
| Website | Shadow Cabinet |
Even though the role has no specific responsibilities attached to it, the holder of the position shadows the First Secretary of State and/or Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and deputises for the Leader of the Opposition in Prime Minister's Questions when the First Secretary or Deputy PM is deputising for the Prime Minister.
The incumbent is Deputy Leader of the Labour Party Angela Rayner, who succeeded Emily Thornberry as Shadow First Secretary of State in April 2020. Rayner continued to serve as Shadow First Secretary until 2023, despite Dominic Raab's promotion to Deputy Prime Minister in September 2021. She continued to shadow Raab and his successor, Oliver Dowden, until her elevation to Shadow Deputy Prime Minister in September 2023.