Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Incumbent
Thangam Debbonaire
since 4 September 2023
StyleShadow Culture Secretary (informal)
Member ofOfficial Opposition Shadow Cabinet
AppointerLeader of the Opposition
Inaugural holderBryan Gould
Formation18 July 1992

The Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), previously Shadow Secretary of State for National Heritage and Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, is a position in the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet.

The Shadow Secretary of State is the opposite number to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, holding them and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to account. They are the lead opposition spokesperson on culture, media and sport issues.

The post was created in 1992 after John Major established the Department of National Heritage and Secretary of State for National Heritage. The National Heritage Department, and therefore the portfolio and title of the Secretary of State and Shadow Secretary of State, was replaced by Culture, Media and Sport in 1997.

In 2010, the government merged the offices of the Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and Minister for the Olympics, establishing the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport. Nevertheless, the opposition retained the Shadow Minister for the Olympics and left the Shadow Secretary of State portfolio and title unchanged. The department and Secretary of State changed their titles to Digital, Culture, Media and Sport in 2017, and the opposition followed suit. The department reverted to the name Culture, Media and Sport in February 2023.

List of Shadow Secretaries of State

Shadow Secretaries of State for National Heritage (1992–97)

Name Portrait Term of office Party Shadow Cabinet
Bryan Gould 18 July 1992 29 September 1992 Labour Smith
Ann Clwyd 29 September 1992 21 October 1993
Mo Mowlam 21 October 1993 21 July 1994
Beckett
Chris Smith 21 July 1994 19 October 1995 Blair
Jack Cunningham 19 October 1995 2 May 1997
Virginia Bottomley 2 May 1997 11 June 1997 Conservative Major

Shadow Secretaries of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1997–2017)

Name Portrait Term of office Party Shadow Cabinet
Francis Maude 11 June 1997 1 June 1998 Conservative Hague
Peter Ainsworth 1 June 1998 18 September 2001
Tim Yeo 18 September 2001 23 July 2002 Duncan Smith
John Whittingdale 23 July 2002 6 November 2003
Julie Kirkbride 6 November 2003 19 June 2004 Howard
John Whittingdale 19 June 2004 6 May 2005
Theresa May 6 May 2005 8 December 2005
Hugo Swire 8 December 2005 2 July 2007 Cameron
Jeremy Hunt 2 July 2007 11 May 2010
Ben Bradshaw 11 May 2010 8 October 2010 Labour Harman I
Ivan Lewis 8 October 2010 7 October 2011 Miliband
Harriet Harman 7 October 2011 11 May 2015
Chris Bryant 11 May 2015 13 September 2015 Harman II
Michael Dugher 13 September 2015 5 January 2016 Corbyn
Maria Eagle 6 January 2016 27 June 2016
Kelvin Hopkins 28 June 2016 7 October 2016
Tom Watson 7 October 2016 3 July 2017

Shadow Secretaries of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (2017–2023)

Name Portrait Term of office Party Shadow Cabinet
Tom Watson 3 July 2017 12 December 2019 Labour Corbyn
Tracy Brabin 7 January 2020 6 April 2020
Jo Stevens 6 April 2020 29 November 2021 Starmer
Lucy Powell 29 November 2021 4 September 2023

Shadow Secretaries of State for Culture, Media and Sport (2023-)

Name Portrait Term of office Party Shadow Cabinet
Thangam Debbonaire 4 September 2023 Incumbent Labour Starmer

See also

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