Working to make government more effective

Working to make government more effective

Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge, shadow Secretary of State for Wales and shadow Minister for Women Mims Davies, shadow chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Alex Burghart, Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch, shadow Minister for Women and Equalities Claire Coutinho, Co-Chairman of the Party Nigel Huddleston, shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade Andrew Griffith, shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury Richard Fuller and Commonwealth and Development Affairs Dame Priti Patel at the launc

Shadow ministers

Shadow ministers provide parliamentary opposition to the government front bench.

Shadow ministers are members of the official opposition party who act as a ‘government in waiting’, scrutinising the work of their counterparts in government and developing policies that they would take forward if elected.

We look at who shadow ministers are, how they are appointed to their roles and the experience they bring to the job. We also look at how they can prepare for government.

The current shadow frontbench

Preparing a shadow ministerial team for office: Lessons from 1997 and 2010

What the last two changes of government tell us about effective transitions.

Read the report
No.10 Downing Street

How do shadow ministers prepare for government?

Support for opposition parties

Through the IfG Academy, we offer practical advice and support – based on IfG research – to opposition politicians and their teams, to help them think through the transition into government.

Find out more
Shadow cabinet members including Kemi Badenoch on the opposition benches in the House of Commons.