Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade

The Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade is an office within British politics held by a member of His Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition. The duty of the office holder is to scrutinise the actions of the government's Secretary of State for Business and Trade and develop alternative policies. The office holder is a member of the Shadow Cabinet. The position is currently held by Andrew Griffith.

Shadow Secretary of State
for Business and Trade
since 5 November 2024
AppointerLeader of the Opposition
Inaugural holderMichael Heseltine
WebsiteThe Shadow Cabinet

List of Shadow Secretaries

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Shadow Secretary of State for Industry

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Name Entered office Left office Political party Shadow Cabinet
Michael Heseltine   11 March 1974 19 November 1976 Conservative Edward Heath
Margaret Thatcher
John Biffen 19 November 1976 4 May 1979 Conservative
Eric Varley 4 May 1979 14 July 1979 Labour James Callaghan
John Silkin   14 July 1979 4 November 1980 Labour
Stan Orme 4 November 1980 31 October 1983 Labour Michael Foot

Shadow Secretary of State for Trade

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Name Entered office Left office Political party Shadow Cabinet
John Smith   4 May 1979 24 November 1982 Labour James Callaghan
Michael Foot
Peter Archer 24 November 1982 31 October 1983 Labour

Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry & President of the Board of Trade

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Name Entered office Left office Political party Shadow Cabinet
Peter Shore 31 October 1983 26 October 1984 Labour Neil Kinnock
John Smith 26 October 1984 13 July 1987 Labour
Bryan Gould   13 July 1987 2 November 1989 Labour
Gordon Brown   2 November 1989 18 July 1992 Labour
Robin Cook   18 July 1992 20 October 1994 Labour John Smith
Margaret Beckett
Jack Cunningham 20 October 1994 19 October 1995 Labour Tony Blair
Margaret Beckett   19 October 1995 2 May 1997 Labour
Michael Heseltine   2 May 1997 11 June 1997 Conservative John Major
John Redwood   11 June 1997 15 June 1999 Conservative William Hague
Angela Browning   15 June 1999 26 September 2000 Conservative
David Heathcoat-Amory   26 September 2000 18 September 2001 Conservative
John Whittingdale   18 September 2001 23 July 2002 Conservative Iain Duncan Smith
Tim Yeo   23 July 2002 11 November 2003 Conservative

Shadow Secretary of State for Industry

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Shadow Secretary of State for Trade

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Entered office Left office Political party Shadow Cabinet
Stephen O'Brien   James Arbuthnot   11 November 2003 6 May 2005 Conservative Michael Howard

Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry & President of the Board of Trade

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Name Entered office Left office Political party Shadow Cabinet
David Willetts   6 May 2005 8 December 2005 Conservative Michael Howard
Alan Duncan   8 December 2005 2 July 2007 Conservative David Cameron

Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform

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Alan Duncan   2 July 2007 19 January 2009 Conservative David Cameron

Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills

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Kenneth Clarke   19 January 2009 11 May 2010 Conservative David Cameron
Pat McFadden   11 May 2010 8 October 2010 Labour Harriet Harman
John Denham   8 October 2010 7 October 2011 Labour Ed Miliband
Chuka Umunna   7 October 2011 13 September 2015 Labour
Harriet Harman
Angela Eagle   13 September 2015 27 June 2016 Labour Jeremy Corbyn
Jon Trickett   5 July 2016 6 October 2016 Labour

Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

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Clive Lewis   6 October 2016 8 February 2017 Labour Jeremy Corbyn
Rebecca Long-Bailey   9 February 2017 6 April 2020 Labour
Ed Miliband   6 April 2020 29 November 2021 Labour Keir Starmer

Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Industrial Strategy

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Jonathan Reynolds   29 November 2021 7 February 2023 Labour Keir Starmer

Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade

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Jonathan Reynolds   7 February 2023 5 July 2024 Labour Keir Starmer
Kevin Hollinrake   8 July 2024 5 November 2024 Conservative Rishi Sunak
Andrew Griffith   5 November 2024 Incumbent Conservative Kemi Badenoch