Who became Leader of the Opposition when John Smith died in 1994?
Shadow Cabinet of John Smith as Leader of the Opposition saw the Government's policies of the implementation of the Citizen's Charter, progress in the Northern Ireland peace negotiations, and the creation and centralisation of the European Union. Smith died suddenly on 12 May 1994, and was replaced as Acting Leader by Margaret Beckett, who served until 21 July 1994. On 18 July 1992, John Smith announced the following Shadow Cabinet: Smith reshuffled the Shadow Cabinet on 21 October 1993, following the 1993 Shadow Cabinet elections. Clwyd left the Shadow Cabinet. Mowlam replaced her as Shadow National Heritage Secretary, with Clare Short (who also lost in
Leader of the Opposition (New Zealand) this point. John Ballance, leader of the Liberals (and later Premier) is usually considered the first Leader of the Opposition in the modern sense. When Ballance led the Liberals into government in 1891, they faced no formal opposition in a party sense, though certain MPs were styled Leader of the Opposition. However, their opponents gradually coalesced around a leader, William Massey, who became Opposition leader in 1903, and in 1909 became the first leader of the new Reform Party. After this, the Leader of the Opposition would always be the parliamentary leader of the largest party in the House of