Nick Clegg appoints new Shadow Cabinet

7.08.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 20th Dec 2007

Ed Davey is the new Lib Dem Shadow Foreign Secretary

Nick Clegg, the new Leader of the Liberal Democrats, has appointed his first Shadow Cabinet. Key appointments include Chris Huhne as Shadow Home Secretary and Ed Davey as Shadow Foreign Secretary.

The reshuffle sees promotions for many of the party's talented younger MPs and a focus on issues that matter to people, such as delivering high quality public services, inequality, families and taking power back from Whitehall. The Shadow Cabinet has also been grouped into teams such as Economy and Business; Home Affairs; and Public Services with an MP taking the lead in each area.

Nick Clegg said "I am hugely excited by the team I am announcing today, it demonstrates the vast talent in the Liberal Democrat party. I look forward to working with them to take forward my agenda and my messages to engage with the real concerns of the public."

The full Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet appointed on 20 December 2007 is:

Leader: Nick Clegg

Deputy Leader and Shadow Chancellor: Vince Cable

Shadow Home Secretary: Chris Huhne

Shadow Foreign Secretary: Ed Davey

Children, Schools and Families: David Laws

Environment, Energy, Food and Rural Affairs: Steve Webb

Communities and Local Government: Julia Goldsworthy

Justice and Lord Chancellor: David Heath

Work and Pensions: Danny Alexander

Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform: Sarah Teather

Health: Norman Lamb

International Development: Michael Moore

Innovation, Universities and Skills: Stephen Williams

Defence: Nick Harvey

Transport: Norman Baker

Culture, Media and Sport: Don Foster

Scotland and Northern Ireland: Alistair Carmichael

Families, Cabinet Office and Duchy of Lancaster: Susan Kramer

Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury: Jeremy Browne

Shadow Leader of the House of Commons: Simon Hughes

Chief Whip: Paul Burstow*

Shadow Attorney General: Lord Thomas

Shadow Solicitor General: David Howarth

Housing: Lembit Opik

Countryside: Tim Farron

Youth and Equality: Lynne Featherstone

Wales: Roger Williams

Leader in the House of Lords: Lord McNally*

Lords Chief Whip: Lord Shutt*

Parliamentary Campaigns Chair: Willie Rennie

Other appointments announced today are:

Leader's Chief of Staff: Danny Alexander

Leader's Parliamentary Private Secretary: Mark Hunter

Chair of the Parliamentary Party: Lorely Burt*

Chair of Campaigns and Communications: Ed Davey

Sir Menzies Campbell will join the Foreign Affairs Select Committee and conduct a full review of Britain's future military capability.

Charles Kennedy, as President of the European Movement, will campaign on European issues and will contribute to major European debates from the front bench.

*The Chief Whip and Chair of the Parliamentary Party in the House of Commons are elected by the Liberal Democrat MPs. The Leader in the House of Lords and the Lords Chief Whip are elected by the Liberal Democrat members of the House of Lords.