A member of the Opposition who has responsibility for a particular area of policy; the member is said to `shadow' the appropriate Minister.

a member of the opposition party, not in power, who provides a counterpoint to the minister of

An Opposition frontbencher who is the party spokesperson for an area of responsibility that matches a Minister's portfolio.

The MP of an opposition party assigned the task of acting as the party's critic for a specific government ministry.

a member of the shadow ministry. Shadow ministers "shadow" or look closely at what the government Ministers are doing.