Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Humanities/2016 July 7

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July 7

Has there ever been a UK Prime Minister who hasn't held a Cabinet (or Shadow Cabinet) level job?

What with Andrea Leadsom being a contender and everything... — Preceding unsigned comment added by 94.194.212.8 (talk) 21:25, 7 July 2016 (UTC)

• You’re not the first person to wonder about this - someone posed the question on Twitter yesterday. Candidates mentioned include the Marquess of Rockingham and Henry Addington. And the Duke of Wellington, although he did have quite a bit of relevant experience what with being the leader of the British Army, hero of Waterloo and whatnot.
  An additional topic is people made Leader of the Opposition with minimal experience. David Cameron had only been shadow education secretary for a few months when he ran for leader. Jeremy Corbyn, of course, had never been a minister or shadow minister before becoming Leader of the Opposition. But leaders of the opposition of course normally get several years to grow into the role before the next election. In general, though, it looks like it would be fair to call Leadsom becoming Prime Minister more or less unprecedented in modern British politics. Blythwood (talk) 04:51, 8 July 2016 (UTC)

Isn't the Opposition Leader a Shadow Minister? He'd be primus inter pares vis a vis shadow ministers, wouldn't he? -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 07:17, 8 July 2016 (UTC)

I think that was offered as a parallel question, not an answer. —Tamfang (talk) 08:54, 8 July 2016 (UTC)

Ah, I think I see now. He's obviously a shadow minister now, but he had had no such experience at the time he became Leader of the Opposition. Carry on. -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 09:56, 8 July 2016 (UTC)

Exactly, yes (made some changes to clarify this). Straight into the top job of his political party. It also looks like Rhodri Morgan went straight in at First Minister of Wales without being in the Cabinet or Shadow Cabinet. This was apparently because while he was very popular in the Labour Party, Tony Blair wouldn't give him a cabinet position. But the FMoW isn't selected by the Prime Minister. Blythwood (talk) 17:52, 8 July 2016 (UTC)