Junior Ministers and Whips Appointments of December 2005
In December 2005, a significant restructuring of the frontbench took place, resulting in a wide array of appointments to junior ministerial roles and whip positions. These roles are essential for the frontbench—the senior members of a political party who lead its parliamentary activities and challenge the government's policies.
Among the most notable shifts was the return of Boris Johnson to the frontbench as the shadow minister for higher education, a move that required him to resign from his position at The Spectator.
Key Facts
- Date of Appointments: December 2005.
- Key Leadership: Andrew Mackay served as the senior parliamentary and political adviser to David Cameron.
- Strategic Roles: John Redwood led the policy group on economic competitiveness.
- Party Management: Angela Browning and Bernard Jenkin were appointed as deputy party chairmen.
- Whip Structure: A comprehensive team of whips was appointed to maintain party discipline in both the Commons and the Lords.
Detailed Junior Ministerial Appointments
The appointments covered a broad spectrum of government portfolios, ensuring that every major department had a dedicated shadow minister to provide oversight and alternative policy proposals.
Specialized Ministerial Roles
Several ministers were appointed to specific, high-priority areas of governance. These included Greg Barker for the environment, Paul Goodman for childcare, and Nick Herbert for police reform. In the legal and equality spheres, Dominic Grieve took on the role of shadow attorney general, while Eleanor Laing became the shadow minister for women and equality.
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Departmental Shadow Ministers
The frontbench was further bolstered by ministers assigned to core departments. Michael Gove was appointed as the shadow minister for housing, and Mike Penning took the lead as the shadow health minister. Other key appointments included Graham Brady for Europe and Alistair Burt for communities and local government.
The administration of the party was supported by Andrew Robathan as the deputy chief whip in the House of Commons and Lord Cope of Berkeley as the chief whip in the House of Lords.
Comprehensive Frontbench Roster
The following table provides a detailed overview of the shadow ministers and their respective portfolios as of December 2005.
| Minister | Portfolio / Role |
|---|---|
| John Baron | Health |
| Tim Boswell | Work and Pensions / PPS to Party Chairman |
| Julian Brazier | Transport |
| Geoffrey Clifton-Brown | Foreign Affairs |
| Jonathan Djanogly | Solicitor General / Trade and Industry / Constitutional Affairs |
| Mark Field | Culture |
| Mark Francois | Treasury |
| Edward Garnier | Home Affairs |
| Damian Green | Immigration |
| Nick Gibb | Schools |
| Stephen Hammond | Transport |
| Mark Harper | Defence |
| Charles Hendry | Trade and Industry |
| Mark Hoban | Treasury |
| Gerald Howarth | Defence |
| Jeremy Hunt | Disabled People |
| Jacqui Lait | London |
| Julian Lewis | Defence |
| Tim Loughton | Children |
| Anne McIntosh | Work and Pensions |
| Patrick Mercer | Homeland Security |
| Maria Miller | Education |
| Malcolm Moss | Culture, Media and Sport |
| Andrew Murrison | Health |
| James Paice | Agriculture |
| Eric Pickles | Local Government / Deputy Party Chairman |
| Mark Prisk | Small Businesses |
| Hugh Robertson | Sport and the Olympics |
| Laurence Robertson | Northern Ireland |
| David Ruffley | Work and Pensions |
| Mark Simmonds | International Development |
| Keith Simpson | Foreign Affairs |
| Robert Syms | Local Government |
| Andrew Turner | Charities |
| Nigel Waterson | Work and Pensions |
| Bill Wiggin | Environment, Food and Rural Affairs |
Party Discipline: The Whips
Whips are members of the party responsible for ensuring that fellow MPs attend votes and support the party line. The December 2005 appointments included a robust team of whips to manage parliamentary discipline.
The whip team consisted of:
- John Randall (Assistant Chief Whip)
- Henry Bellingham
- Crispin Blunt
- Simon Burns
- Tobias Ellwood
- David Evennett
- Michael Fabricant
- Andrew Rosindell
- Andrew Selous
- Angela Watkinson
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was the senior adviser to David Cameron in December 2005?
Andrew Mackay was appointed as the senior parliamentary and political adviser to David Cameron.
Which role did Boris Johnson take upon returning to the frontbench?
Boris Johnson became the shadow minister for higher education, which led to his resignation from The Spectator.
Who served as the Chief Whip in the House of Lords?
Lord Cope of Berkeley was appointed as the Chief Whip in the House of Lords.
Who were the deputy party chairmen appointed in December 2005?
The deputy party chairmen were Angela Browning and Bernard Jenkin.
Which ministers were assigned to the Treasury portfolio?
Mark Francois and Mark Hoban both served as shadow ministers for the Treasury.