Editing William Hague (section)

===Return to the Shadow Cabinet===
Following the [[2005 United Kingdom general election|2005 general election]], the Conservative Party Leader [[Michael Howard]] apparently offered Hague the post of [[Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer]], which he turned down citing that his business commitments would make it difficult for him to take on such a high-profile job.<ref>{{cite news | title = Hague rejects post of Shadow Chancellor | work = The Guardian | date = 12 May 2005 | url = https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2005/may/12/conservatives.whitehal | access-date =4 May 2008 | location=London | first=Nicholas | last=Watt}}</ref>

On 6 December 2005, [[David Cameron]] was elected Leader of the Conservative Party. Hague was offered and accepted the role of [[Shadow Foreign Secretary]] and Senior Member of the [[Shadow cabinet]], effectively serving as Cameron's deputy (though not formally, unlike previous Deputy Conservative Leaders [[Willie Whitelaw]], [[Peter Lilley]] and [[Michael Ancram]]). He had been widely tipped to return to the [[frontbench]] under either Cameron or leadership contest runner-up [[David Davis (British politician)|David Davis]].

On 30 January 2006, by Cameron's instructions, Hague travelled to [[Brussels]] for talks to pull Conservative Party [[MEPs]] out of the [[European People's Party–European Democrats]] Group (EPP-ED) in the [[European Parliament]]. (''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'', 30 January 2006). Further, on 15 February 2006, Hague deputed, during David Cameron's [[paternity leave]], at [[Prime Minister's Questions]] (PMQs). This appearance gave rise to jokes at the expense of Blair, that all three parties that day were being led by 'stand-ins', with the Liberal Democrats represented by Acting Leader [[Sir Menzies Campbell]], the Labour Party by the departing Blair, and the Conservatives by Hague. Hague again deputised for Cameron for several [[Legislative session|sessions]] in 2006.