John Smith was Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Official Opposition from 18 July 1992 until his death on 12 May 1994. Smith became leader upon succeeding Neil Kinnock, who had resigned following the 1992 general election—for the fourth successive time, the Conservatives had won and Labour lost.
Prior to being Leader of the Opposition, Smith had been a member of the Government of James Callaghan as President of the Board of Trade (1978–1979), and served under his predecessor Neil Kinnock's Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer (1987–1992).
Smith's tenure as Leader of the Opposition saw the Government's policies of the implementation of the Citizen's Charter, progress in the Northern Ireland peace negotiations, and the creation and centralisation of the European Union. Smith died suddenly on 12 May 1994, and was replaced as Acting Leader by Margaret Beckett, who served until 21 July 1994.
Shadow Cabinet list PortfolioShadow Minister Term Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal OppositionLeader of the Labour Party The Rt Hon. John Smith 1992–1994 Deputy Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal OppositionDeputy Leader of the Labour PartyShadow Leader of the House of CommonsElection Co-ordinator Margaret Beckett 1992–1994 Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords The Lord Richard 1992–1997 Labour Chief Whip in the House of Commons Derek FosterPrivy Counsellor from 1993. 1985–1995 Labour Chief Whip in the House of Lords The Lord Graham of Edmonton 1990–1994 Shadow Lord Chancellor The Lord Irvine of Lairg 1992–1997 Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown 1992–1994 Shadow Foreign Secretary Jack Cunningham 1992–1994 Shadow Home Secretary Tony Blair 1992–1994 Shadow Secretary of State for Defence David Clark 1992–1994 Shadow Secretary of State for Education Ann Taylor 1992–1994 Shadow Secretary of State for Employment Frank Dobson 1992–1993 John Prescott 1993–1994 Shadow Minister for Local Government and Housing Jack Straw 1992–1994 Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment Chris Smith 1992–1994 Shadow Secretary of State for Health David Blunkett 1992–1994 Shadow Secretary of State for Social Security Donald Dewar 1992–1994 Shadow Secretary of State for National Heritage Bryan Gould 1992Ann Clwyd 1992–1993 Mo Mowlam 1993–1994 Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry Robin Cook 1992–1994 Shadow Secretary of State for Transport John Prescott 1992–1993 Frank Dobson 1993–1994 Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland Tom Clarke 1992–1993 George Robertson 1993–1994 Shadow Secretary of State for Wales Ann Clwyd 1992 Ron Davies 1992–1994 Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Kevin McNamara 1992–1994 Shadow Minister for Overseas Development Michael Meacher 1992–1993 Tom Clarke 1993–1994 Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of LancasterShadow Spokesperson for the Citizen's Charter Mo Mowlam 1992–1993 Michael Meacher 1993–1994 Shadow Minister for the Status of Women Mo Mowlam 1992–1993 Clare Short 1993–1994 Shadow Spokesperson for Children and Families Joan Lestor 1993–1994 Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury Harriet Harman 1992–1994 Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Ron Davies 1992–1993 Gavin Strang 1993–1994 Shadow Minister for London Chris Smith 1992–1993 Frank Dobson 1993–1994
Initial Shadow Cabinet On 24 July 1992, John Smith announced the following Shadow Cabinet: John Smith – Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party Margaret Beckett – Deputy Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, Shadow Leader of the House of Commons, and Elections Co-ordinator Gordon Brown – Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer. Jack Cunningham – Shadow Foreign Secretary Tony Blair – Shadow Home Secretary David Clark – Shadow Secretary of State for Defence Ann Taylor – Shadow Secretary of State for Education Frank Dobson – Shadow Secretary of State for Employment Jack Straw – Shadow Minister for Local Government and Housing Chris Smith – Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment and Shadow Minister for London David Blunkett – Shadow Secretary of State for Health Donald Dewar – Shadow Secretary of State for Social Security Bryan Gould – Shadow Secretary of State for National Heritage Robin Cook – Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry John Prescott – Shadow Secretary of State for Transport Tom Clarke – Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland Ann Clwyd – Shadow Secretary of State for Wales Kevin McNamara – Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Michael Meacher – Shadow Minister for Overseas Development Mo Mowlam – Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Shadow Minister for the Citizen's Charter, and Shadow Minister for the Status of Women Harriet Harman – Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury Ron Davies – Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Lord Richard – Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords Derek Foster – Labour Chief Whip in the House of Commons Lord Graham of Edmonton – Labour Chief Whip in the House of Lords Lord Irvine of Lairg – Shadow Lord Chancellor
Changes 29 September 1992: Gould resigned over the Party's stance on the Maastricht Treaty. and was replaced as Shadow National Heritage Secretary by Ann Clwyd, who retained her position as Shadow Welsh Secretary.
1993 reshuffle Smith reshuffled the Shadow Cabinet on 21 October 1993, following the 1993 Shadow Cabinet elections. Clwyd left the Shadow Cabinet. Mowlam replaced her as Shadow National Heritage Secretary, with Clare Short (who also lost in the Shadow Cabinet elections) replacing her as Shadow Minister for the Status of Women. Meacher replaced Mowlam as Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Shadow Minister for the Citizen's Charter. He was in turn replaced by Clarke at the Overseas Development portfolio, and Clarke was replaced as Scottish Spokesperson by new Shadow Cabinet minister George Robertson. Clwyd was replaced as Shadow Welsh Secretary by Davies, who was replaced at Agriculture by Gavin Strang. Prescott and Dobson exchanged portfolios (receiving Employment and Transport, respectively), with Dobson also taking London from Chris Smith. Blunkett became Chair of the Labour Party while retaining the Health portfolio.
John Smith – Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party Margaret Beckett – Deputy Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, Shadow Leader of the House of Commons, and Elections Co-ordinator Gordon Brown – Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer Jack Cunningham – Shadow Foreign Secretary Tony Blair – Shadow Home Secretary David Clark – Shadow Secretary of State for Defence Ann Taylor – Shadow Secretary of State for Education Frank Dobson – Shadow Secretary of State for Transport and Shadow Minister for London Jack Straw – Shadow Minister for Local Government and Housing Chris Smith – Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment David Blunkett – Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Chair of the Labour Party Donald Dewar – Shadow Secretary of State for Social Security Mo Mowlam – Shadow Secretary of State for National Heritage Robin Cook – Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry John Prescott – Shadow Secretary of State for Employment George Robertson – Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland Ron Davies – Shadow Secretary of State for Wales Kevin McNamara – Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Tom Clarke – Shadow Minister for Overseas Development Michael Meacher – Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Shadow Minister for the Citizen's Charter Clare Short – Shadow Minister for the Status of Women Harriet Harman – Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury Gavin Strang – Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Lord Richard – Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords Derek Foster – Labour Chief Whip in the House of Commons Lord Graham of Edmonton – Labour Chief Whip in the House of Lords Lord Irvine of Lairg – Shadow Lord Chancellor
See also 1992 Labour Party leadership election 1992 Labour Party Shadow Cabinet election 1993 Labour Party Shadow Cabinet election
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