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InWales, ashadow cabinet (Welsh:cabinet cysgodol) is formed from members of theofficial opposition in theSenedd (Welsh Parliament;Senedd Cymru), the largest party not part of theWelsh Government, to scrutinise ministers in theWelsh Cabinet. It is led by theLeader of the Opposition, who typically appointsmembers of the Senedd (MSs) from their party asshadow ministers with portfolios which mirror ministerial posts in the Cabinet who scrutinise ministers and can propose their own alternative policies. Other opposition parties in the Senedd also appointfrontbench teams of spokespeople who perform the same function. These are also sometimes styled as "shadow cabinets" by their parties, though unlike the Shadow Cabinet they have no official recognition. Since 2021, the Shadow Cabinet has been formed from members of theWelsh Conservatives led byAndrew RT Davies, who have alternated withPlaid Cymru as the official opposition in the Senedd since its establishment as theNational Assembly for Wales in 1999.
Thefirst shadow cabinet of Wales was formed by Plaid Cymru'sDafydd Wigley in 1999. Its members were elected to shadow portfolios by members of the Plaid Cymru Group in the National Assembly for Wales. In 2000, Plaid Cymru'sIeuan Wyn Jones succeeded Wigley as Leader of the Opposition and formed anew shadow cabinet, this time personally appointing its members; since then, members of the Shadow Cabinet have usually been appointed by the Leader of the Opposition. Leaders mayreshuffle their shadow cabinet, swapping members' portfolios and appointing new members to the Shadow Cabinet. The official opposition can also appoint party staff and spokespeople to the Shadow Cabinet who haveno shadow ministerial portfolio.
The Shadow Cabinet presents itself as an alternative government-in-waiting. It is tasked with scrutinising government ministers, and its members are meant to lead the official opposition in challenging members of the Welsh Government and taking them to account. As party group spokespeople in the Senedd, shadow ministers are able to speak for their respective party and question their relevant ministerial counterparts atplenary sessions of the Senedd.
In December 2024,Darren Millar succeededAndrew RT Davies as leader of theWelsh Conservatives Senedd Group and announced his shadow cabinet.[1] It underwent a minor re-shuffle in April 2025.[2] The Welsh Conservatives form the second-largest group in the Senedd as of 2025, therefore its leader is deemed theleader of the opposition in the Senedd.
| Portfolio | Name | Constituency | Term | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leader of the Opposition | .jpg) | Darren Millar MS | Clwyd West | December 2024 - | |
| Deputy Leader of the Opposition Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Constitutional Affairs Chief Whip | .jpg) | Paul Davies MS | Preseli Pembrokeshire | December 2024 - | |
| Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Finance |  | Sam Rowlands MS | North Wales | December 2024 - | |
| Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Energy |  | Samuel Kurtz MS | Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire | December 2024 - | |
| Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care |  | James Evans MS | Brecon and Radnorshire | December 2024 - | |
| Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education |  | Natasha Asghar MS | South Wales East | December 2024 - | |
| Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Transport and Rural Affairs |  | Peter Fox MS | Monmouth | December 2024 - | |
| Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change |  | Janet Finch-Saunders MS | Aberconwy | March 2021 - | |
| Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Local Government, Housing and Armed Forces |  | Laura Anne Jones MS | South Wales East | December 2024 - | |
| Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Equalities and Social Justice |  | Altaf Hussain MS | South Wales West | December 2024 - | |
| Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Sport and North Wales |  | Gareth Davies MS | Vale of Clwyd | December 2024 - | |
| Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Children, Young People, Mental Health and Wellbeing |  | Joel James MS | South Wales Central | December 2024 - | |
| Shadow Counsel General Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Delivary, External Affairs and Welsh Language |  | Tom Giffard MS | South Wales West | April 2025 - | |
Rhun ap Iorwerth was announced as anew leader of Plaid Cymru on the 16 June 2023.[3] He announced his shadow cabinet on the 27 June.[4]
Plaid Cymru forms the third-largest grouping in the Senedd as of 2025, while not the leading opposition, also forms a team which they call a "shadow cabinet".
| Portfolio | Name | Constituency or electoral region | Term | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leader of Plaid Cymru Shadow Minister for the Constitution and International Affairs |  | Rhun ap Iorwerth MS | Ynys Môn | 2023– | |
| Deputy Leader and Shadow Minister for Climate Change |  | Delyth Jewell MS | South Wales East | 2023– | |
| Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Rural Affairs Chair of the Senedd Group |  | Llyr Huws Gruffydd MS | North Wales | 2023– | |
| Shadow Minister for Finance, Welsh Language and Culture Business Manager |  | Heledd Fychan MS | South Wales Central | 2023– | |
| Shadow Minister for Health and Social Care Chief Whip |  | Mabon ap Gwynfor MS | Dwyfor Meirionnydd | 2023– | |
| Shadow Minister for Justice and European Affairs Senedd Commissioner |  | Adam Price MS | Carmarthen East and Dinefwr | 2023– | |
| Shadow Minister for Local Government and Transport |  | Peredur Owen Griffiths MS | South Wales East | 2023– | |
| Shadow Minister for Social Justice and Early Years Deputy Whip |  | Sioned Williams MS | South Wales West | 2023– | |
| Shadow Minister for the Economy and Energy |  | Luke Fletcher MS | South Wales West | 2023– | |
| Shadow Minister for Housing and Planning |  | Siân Gwenllian MS | Arfon | 2023– | |
| Shadow Minister for Education |  | Cefin Campbell MS | Mid and West Wales | 2023– | |
At the 2016 election,Plaid Cymru, led byLeanne Wood, won 12 seats to the Welsh Conservatives' 11, and thus became the largest party not in government. On 14 October 2016Dafydd Elis-Thomas left Plaid Cymru to sit as an independent, so that Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Conservatives both held 11 seats. During this period, Wood was not referred to as Leader of the Opposition, but merely as leader of Plaid Cymru.[5] The Conservative group grew to 12 whenMark Reckless defected from UKIP to the Conservative group on 6 April 2017, and the Welsh Conservative leader,Andrew RT Davies at the time, was referred to as Leader of the Opposition once more.[6]
