Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union
Former political office in the UK Shadow Cabinet / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In British politics, the Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, or informally Shadow Brexit Secretary,[1] was a position within the opposition's shadow cabinet that dealt with issues surrounding the UK's withdrawal from the European Union. The position was only ever a part of Jeremy Corbyn's Shadow Cabinet between 2016 and 2020. If Corbyn had led Labour to an electoral victory, the shadow Secretary of State would have been a likely choice to serve as the new Secretary of State.
Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union | |
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Incumbent Abolished since 4 April 2020 | |
Appointer | Leader of the Opposition |
Inaugural holder | Emily Thornberry |
Formation | 20 July 2016 (2016-07-20) |
Final holder | Keir Starmer |
Abolished | 4 April 2020 |
Website | The Shadow Cabinet |
Keir Starmer held the position between October 2016 and April 2020, although the position became unusual, as the Department for Exiting the European Union was abolished on 31 January 2020, so there was no Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union to shadow. The shadow Brexit secretary's position was formally abolished on 4 April 2020, following Starmer's election as leader of the Labour Party.
During the period when this position existed, several shadow ministers for Brexit also served in the opposition's shadow cabinet and often deputised for the Shadow Secretary of State.