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Leader of the Conservative Party (UK)

{{Short description|Head of the Conservative Party of the United Kingdom}}

{{Infobox Political post

| post = Leader

| insignia = Conservatives logo.svg

| insigniasize = 250px

| insigniacaption = Logo for the Conservative Party

| image = Official portrait of Kemi Badenoch MP, 2024.jpg

| type = Party leader

| status = Chief executive officer

| incumbent = Kemi Badenoch

| incumbentsince = 2 November 2024

| formation = 1834 (de facto)
1922 (de jure)

| inaugural = Robert Peel (de facto)
Bonar Law (de jure)

| body = the Conservative and Unionist Party

}}

The leader of the Conservative Party (officially the leader of the Conservative and Unionist Party) is the highest position within the United Kingdom's Conservative Party. The current holder of the position is Kemi Badenoch, who was elected to the position on 2 November 2024, following her victory against Robert Jenrick in the party's leadership election.{{Cite web |date=2024-11-02|title=Tory leadership election live: Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick await final results|url=

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2024/nov/02/tory-leadership-election-results-live-kemi-badenoch-robert-jenrick-new-conservative-leader|access-date=2024-11-02|website=The Guardian|language=en}}

From the party's formation in 1834 until 1922, the leader of the Conservative Party was not a formal position; instead, there was a party leader in each chamber of Parliament, and they were considered equal unless one took precedence over the other, such as when one was serving as prime minister. Following the passage of the Parliament Act 1911, the reduction of power in the House of Lords suggested that the Conservative leader in the House of Commons would be preeminent, but this fact was not formalised until 1922.

Since 1922, a leader of the Conservative Party has been formally elected, even when the party is in opposition. Originally, the party leader was appointed opaquely by other high-ranking members of the party. This process was gradually democratised in the late 20th century; in 1965, the appointment was linked to a vote by party MPs, and in 1998, the process was opened to all party members to decide between the last two candidates selected by parliamentarians.{{Cite web |date=January 2021 |title=Constitution of the Conservative Party |url=https://public.conservatives.com/organisation-department/202101/Conservative%20Party%20Constitution%20%20as%20amended%20January%202021.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210920212357/https://public.conservatives.com/organisation-department/202101/Conservative%20Party%20Constitution%20%20as%20amended%20January%202021.pdf |archive-date=20 September 2021 }}{{Cite web |last=Alexandre-Collier |first=Agnès |date=2018-11-01 |title=Brexit reveals the fractures of the British Conservatives |url=https://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/2018/11/ALEXANDRE_COLLIER/59245 |access-date=2022-09-05 |website=Le Monde diplomatique |language=fr}} Under the party's rules, a member can vote in its leadership elections even if they are not a British citizen, do not reside in the UK, and do not have the right to vote in British elections.{{Cite news|last=Nevett|first=Joshua|date=2022-08-12|title= Tory leadership election: Meet the overseas voters picking the next PM|work=BBC News |url= https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-62503218}}{{Cite web|last=Smith|first=Hannah|date=2022-08-10|title= Who can vote in the Conservative leadership contest? |url= https://fullfact.org/news/who-can-vote-in-Conservative-leadership-contest/}}

When the Conservative Party is in opposition, as it currently is, the leader of the Conservative Party usually acts (as the second-largest party) as the Leader of the Opposition, and chairs the shadow cabinet. Concordantly, when the party is in government, the leader would usually become Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Minister for the Union, as well as appointing the Cabinet. Four of the party's leaders have been women: Margaret Thatcher, Theresa May, Liz Truss and Kemi Badenoch, all of whom, except Badenoch, have served as prime minister. Rishi Sunak is the first British Indian party leader and prime minister.{{Cite news |date=2022-10-24 |title=Rishi Sunak: A quick guide to the UK's new prime minister |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-63345272 |access-date=2022-10-27}} The only Conservative leaders not to contest a general election (excluding temporary acting leaders) are Iain Duncan Smith and Truss (both of whom resigned before an election was called).

Selection process

Under the party's constitution, leaders are elected by serving MPs and party members whose membership started at least three months prior to the closing of a ballot. Candidates must be serving MPs. A former leader who has resigned may not stand in the contest triggered by their departure.

Those who wish to stand must notify the 1922 Committee, a body representing backbench Conservative Party MPs, which has broad powers to set the rules of the leadership race (e.g. the minimum number of nominees candidates need).

The party's practice is for MPs to eliminate candidates through multiple rounds of voting until two remain, from whom the winner is then chosen by a ballot of party members.

The 1922 Committee's chairman acts as the returning officer for all stages of the leadership election process.

Overall leaders of the party (1834–1922)

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

! rowspan="2" | Overall leader{{smalldiv|{{nowrap|(birth–death)}} }}

! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Portrait

! rowspan="2" | Constituency or title

! rowspan="2" | Took office

! rowspan="2" | Left office

! colspan="4" | Government

colspan="2" | Party

! Prime Minister

! Term

rowspan="3" data-sort-value="Peel" |Sir Robert Peel{{smalldiv|(1788–1850)}}

| rowspan="3" |80px

| rowspan="3" data-sort-value="Tamworth" |Tamworth

| rowspan="3" |18 December 1834{{efn|name = Tamworth|Date of the Tamworth Manifesto.}}

| rowspan="3" |29 June 1846

| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| Conservative Party (UK)

| himself

| {{small|1834–35}}

style="background-color: {{party color|British Whig Party}}" |

| British Whig Party

| Melbourne

| {{small|{{nowrap|1835–41}}}}

style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| Conservative Party (UK)

| himself

| {{small|1841–46}}

rowspan="8" data-sort-value="Smith-Stanley" |Edward Smith-Stanley {{smalldiv|(1799–1869)}}

| rowspan="8" |80px

| rowspan="1" data-sort-value="Stanley" |Baron Stanley {{smalldiv|(1846–1851)}}

| rowspan="8" |29 June 1846

| rowspan="8" |27 February 1868

| style="background-color: {{party color|British Whig Party}}" |

| British Whig Party

| Russell

| {{small|{{nowrap|1846–52}}}}

rowspan="7" data-sort-value="Derby" |14th Earl of Derby {{smalldiv|(1851–1868)}}

| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| Conservative Party (UK)

| himself

| {{small|1852}}

style="background-color: {{party color|Peelite}}" |

| Peelite

| Aberdeen

| {{small|{{nowrap|1852–55}}}}

style="background-color: {{party color|British Whig Party}}" |

| British Whig Party

| Palmerston

| {{small|{{nowrap|1855–58}}}}

style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| Conservative Party (UK)

| himself

| {{small|1858–59}}

style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}" |

| Liberal Party (UK)

| Palmerston

| {{small|1859–65}}

style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}" |

| Liberal Party (UK)

| Russell

| {{small|1865–66}}

style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| Conservative Party (UK)

| himself

| {{small|1866–68}}

rowspan="5" data-sort-value="Disraeli" |Benjamin Disraeli{{smalldiv|(1804–1881)}}

| rowspan="5" |80px

| rowspan="3" data-sort-value="Buckinghamshire" |Buckinghamshire{{smalldiv|(1868–1876)}}

| rowspan="5" |27 February 1868

| rowspan="5" |19 April 1881{{efn |name=Disraeli |Died in office}}

| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| Conservative Party (UK)

| himself

| {{small|1868}}

style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}" |

| Liberal Party (UK)

| Gladstone

| {{small|{{nowrap|1868–74}}}}

style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| Conservative Party (UK)

| himself

| {{small|1874–80}}

rowspan="2" data-sort-value="Beaconsfield" | 1st Earl of Beaconsfield{{smalldiv|(1876–1881)}}

| style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}; height:20px;" |

| rowspan="3" | Liberal Party (UK)

| rowspan="3" |Gladstone

| rowspan="3" |{{small|1880–85}}

rowspan=2 style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}};" |
{{CNone|vacant}}

| colspan="2" data-sort-value="Z-1881" {{CNone|{{smalldiv|

;Leader in the House of Lords:Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury

;Leader in the House of Commons:Stafford Northcote

}}}}

| {{CNone|19 April 1881}}

| {{CNone|23 June 1885}}

rowspan="6" data-sort-value="Gascoyne-Cecil" |Robert Gascoyne-Cecil{{smalldiv|(1830–1903)}}

| rowspan="6" |80px

| rowspan="6" data-sort-value="Salisbury" |3rd Marquess of Salisbury

| rowspan="6" |23 June 1885

| rowspan="6" |11 July 1902

| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| Conservative Party (UK)

| himself

| {{small|1885–86}}

style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}" |

| Liberal Party (UK)

| Gladstone

| {{small|1886}}

style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| Conservative Party (UK)

| himself

| {{small|1886–92}}

style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}" |

| Liberal Party (UK)

| Gladstone

| {{small|1892–94}}

style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}" |

| Liberal Party (UK)

| Rosebery

| {{small|{{nowrap|1894–95}}}}

style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| Conservative Party (UK)

| himself

| {{small|1895–1902}}

rowspan="3" data-sort-value="Balfour" |Arthur Balfour{{smalldiv|(1848–1930)}}

| rowspan="3" |80px

| rowspan="1" data-sort-value="Manchester East" |Manchester East{{smalldiv|(1902–1906)}}

| rowspan="3" |11 July 1902

| rowspan="3" |13 November 1911

| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| Conservative Party (UK)

| himself

| {{small|1902–05}}

rowspan="2" data-sort-value="City of London" |City of London{{smalldiv|(1906–1911)}}

| style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}" |

| Liberal Party (UK)

| C.-Bannerman

| {{small|{{nowrap|1905–08}}}}

style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}; height:20px;" |

| rowspan="2" | Liberal Party (UK)

| rowspan="2" |Asquith

| rowspan="2" |{{small|{{nowrap|1908–16}}}}

rowspan=2 {{CNone|vacant}}

| rowspan=2 colspan="2" data-sort-value="Z-1881" {{CNone|{{smalldiv|

;Leader in the House of Lords:Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne

;Leader in the House of Commons:Bonar Law

}}}}

| rowspan=2 {{CNone|13 November 1911}}

| rowspan=2 {{CNone|10 December 1916}}{{efn |name=Law |Date on which Law became Leader of the House of Commons.}}

| style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}; height:30px;" |

style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}; height:10px;" |

| rowspan="4" | Liberal Party (UK)

| rowspan="4" |Lloyd George

| rowspan="4" |{{small|{{nowrap|1916–22}}}}

rowspan="2" data-sort-value="Law" | Andrew Bonar Law{{smalldiv|(1858–1923)}}

| rowspan="2" | 80px

| rowspan="1" data-sort-value="Bootle" | Bootle{{smalldiv|(1916–1918)}}

| rowspan="2" | 10 December 1916{{efn |name=Law}}

| rowspan="2" | 21 March 1921

| rowspan="4" style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}};" |

rowspan="1" data-sort-value="Glasgow" | Glasgow Central{{smalldiv|(1918–1921)}}
{{CNone|vacant}}

| colspan="2" data-sort-value="Z-1881" {{CNone|{{smalldiv|

;Leader in the House of Lords:George Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston

;Leader in the House of Commons:Austen Chamberlain

}}}}

| {{CNone|21 March 1921}}

| {{CNone|23 October 1922 }}{{efn |name=Law |Date on which Law became Leader of the House of Commons.}}

Leaders of the party (1922–present)

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

! rowspan="2" | Leader
{{small|{{nowrap|(birth–death)}} }}

! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Portrait

! rowspan="2" | Constituency or title

! rowspan="2" | Took office

! rowspan="2" | Left office

! colspan="4" | Government

colspan="2" | Party

! Prime Minister

! Term

data-sort-value="Law" | Andrew Bonar Law {{smalldiv|(1858–1923)}}

| 80px

| data-sort-value="Glasgow" | Glasgow Central

| 23 October 1922 {{smalldiv|(Party meeting)}}

| 28 May 1923

| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| Conservative Party (UK)

| himself

| {{small|1922–23}}

rowspan="6"|Stanley Baldwin {{smalldiv|(1867–1947)}}

| rowspan="6"|80px

| rowspan="6"|Bewdley

| rowspan="6"|28 May 1923 {{smalldiv|(Party meeting)}}

| rowspan="6"|31 May 1937

| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| Conservative Party (UK)

| himself

| {{small|1923–24}}

style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

| Labour Party (UK)

| MacDonald

| {{small|1924}}

style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| Conservative Party (UK)

| himself

| {{small|1924–29}}

style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}};" |

| Labour Party (UK)

| rowspan="2"| MacDonald

| rowspan="2"|{{small|1929–35}}

style="background-color: {{party color|National Labour Party (UK)}}" |

| National Labour Party (UK)

style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| Conservative Party (UK)

| himself

| {{small|1935–37}}

rowspan="2"| Neville Chamberlain {{smalldiv|(1869–1940)}}

| rowspan="2"|80px

| rowspan="2"|Birmingham Edgbaston

| rowspan="2"|31 May 1937 {{smalldiv|(Party meeting)}}

| rowspan="2"| 9 October 1940

| rowspan="2" style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| rowspan="2"| Conservative Party (UK)

| himself

| {{small|1937–40}}

Churchill

| {{small|1940}}

rowspan="3"|Winston Churchill {{smalldiv|(1874–1965)}}

| rowspan="3"|80px

| rowspan="1"|Epping {{smalldiv|(1940–1945)}}

| rowspan="3"|9 October 1940 {{smalldiv|(Party meeting)}}

| rowspan="3"|21 April 1955

| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| Conservative Party (UK)

| himself

| {{small|1940–45}}

rowspan="2"|Woodford {{smalldiv|(1945–1955)}}

| style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

| Labour Party (UK)

| Attlee

| {{small|{{nowrap|1945–51}}}}

style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| Conservative Party (UK)

| himself

| {{small|1951–55}}

Anthony Eden {{smalldiv|(1897–1977)}}

| 80px

| Warwick and Leamington

| 21 April 1955 {{smalldiv|(Party meeting)}}

| 22 January 1957

| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| Conservative Party (UK)

|himself

| {{small|1955–57}}

Harold Macmillan {{smalldiv|(1894–1986)}}

| 80px

| Bromley

| 22 January 1957 {{smalldiv|(Party meeting)}}

| 11 November 1963

| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| Conservative Party (UK)

|himself

| {{small|1957–63}}

rowspan="3"|Alec Douglas-Home {{smalldiv|(1903–1995)}}

| rowspan="3"|80px

| rowspan="1"|Earl of Home {{smalldiv|(1963)}}

| rowspan="3"|11 November 1963 {{smalldiv|(Party meeting)}}

| rowspan="3"|27 July 1965

| rowspan="2" style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}; height: 60px;" |

| rowspan="2"| Conservative Party (UK)

| rowspan="2"| himself

| rowspan="2"| {{small|1963–64}}

rowspan="2"|Kinross and Western Perthshire {{smalldiv|(1963–1965)}}
rowspan="2" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}; height:60px;" |

| rowspan="2"| Labour Party (UK)

| rowspan="2"| Wilson

| rowspan="2"| {{small|{{nowrap|1964–70}}}}

rowspan="4"|Edward Heath {{smalldiv|(1916–2005)}}

| rowspan="4"|80px

| rowspan="2"|Bexley {{smalldiv|(1965 – 1974)}}

| rowspan="4"|27 July 1965 {{smalldiv|(Elected)}}

| rowspan="4"|11 February 1975

rowspan="2" style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}; height:50px;" |

| rowspan="2"| Conservative Party (UK)

| rowspan="2"| himself

| rowspan="2"| {{small|1970–74}}

rowspan="2"|Sidcup {{smalldiv|(1974–1975)}}
rowspan="2" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}; height:20px;" |

| rowspan="2"|Labour Party (UK)

| rowspan="2"|Wilson

| rowspan="2"|{{small|1974–76}}

rowspan="3"|Margaret Thatcher {{smalldiv|(1925–2013) }}

| rowspan="3"|80px

| rowspan="3"|Finchley

| rowspan="3"|11 February 1975 {{smalldiv|(Elected)}}

| rowspan="3"|27 November 1990

style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

| Labour Party (UK)

| Callaghan

| {{small|{{nowrap|1976–79}}}}

style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}; height:60px;" |

| Conservative Party (UK)

| herself

| {{small|1979–90}}

rowspan=3 | John Major {{smalldiv|(b. 1943)}}

| rowspan=3 | 80px

| rowspan=3 | Huntingdon

| rowspan=3 | 27 November 1990 {{smalldiv|(Opponents withdrew)}}

| rowspan=3 | 19 June 1997

style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}; height: 80px;" |

| Conservative Party (UK)

| himself

| {{small|1990–97}}

rowspan="5" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}; height: 370px;" |

| rowspan="5"|Labour Party (UK)

| rowspan="5"|Blair

| rowspan="5"|{{small|{{nowrap|1997–2007}}}}

William Hague {{smalldiv|(b. 1961)}}

| 80px

| Richmond (Yorks)

| 19 June 1997 {{smalldiv|(Elected)}}

| 13 September 2001

Iain Duncan Smith {{smalldiv|(b. 1954)}}

| 80px

| Chingford and Woodford Green

| 13 September 2001 {{smalldiv|(Elected)}}

| 6 November 2003

Michael Howard {{smalldiv|(b. 1941)}}

| 80px

| Folkestone and Hythe

| 6 November 2003 {{smalldiv|(Unopposed)}}

| 7 October 2005{{cite web |url=https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN01366/SN01366.pdf |title=Leadership elections: Conservative Party |publisher=House of Commons Library (UK) |last=Johnston |first=Neil |date=5 September 2022 |access-date=14 September 2022}}

rowspan="4"|David Cameron {{smalldiv|(b. 1966)}}

| rowspan="4"|80px

| rowspan="4"|Witney

| rowspan="4"|6 December 2005 {{smalldiv|(Elected)}}

| rowspan="4"|11 July 2016

style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}; height: 10px;" |

| Labour Party (UK)

| Brown

| {{small|{{nowrap|2007–10}}}}

style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}};" |

| Cameron–Clegg coalition

| rowspan="2" | himself

| {{small|2010–15}}

style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| Conservative Party (UK)

| {{small|2015–16}}

rowspan="2" | Theresa May {{smalldiv|(b. 1956)}}

| rowspan="2" | 80px

| rowspan="2" | Maidenhead

| rowspan="1" | 11 July 2016 {{smalldiv|(Opponents withdrew)}}

| rowspan="1" | 7 June 2019

| rowspan="2" style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| rowspan="2" | Conservative Party (UK)

| rowspan="2" | herself

| rowspan="2" | {{small|2016–19}}

rowspan="1" | {{smalldiv|7 June 2019}} {{smalldiv|(Acting)}}

| rowspan="1" | {{smalldiv|23 July 2019}}

Boris Johnson {{smalldiv|(b. 1964)}}

| 80px

| Uxbridge and South Ruislip

| 23 July 2019 {{smalldiv|(Elected)}}

| 5 September 2022

| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| Conservative Party (UK)

| himself

| {{small|2019–22}}

Liz Truss {{smalldiv|(b. 1975)}}

| 80px

| South West Norfolk

| 5 September 2022 {{smalldiv|(Elected)}}

|24 October 2022

| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| Conservative Party (UK)

| herself

| {{Small| 2022}}

rowspan="2"|Rishi Sunak {{smalldiv|(b. 1980)}}

| rowspan="2"|108x108px

| Richmond (Yorks)
{{small|(2015–2024)}}

| 24 October 2022 {{smalldiv|(Unopposed)}}

| 24 July 2024

| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| Conservative Party (UK)

| himself

| {{Small|2022–24}}

Richmond and Northallerton
{{small|(2024)}}

| {{smalldiv|24 July 2024}} {{smalldiv|(Acting)}}

| {{smalldiv|2 November 2024}}

| rowspan="2" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

| rowspan="2"|Labour Party (UK)

| rowspan="2"|Starmer

| rowspan="2"|{{small|2024–present}}

Kemi Badenoch {{smalldiv|(b. 1980)}}

| 108x108px

| North West Essex

| 2 November 2024 {{smalldiv|(Elected)}}

| Incumbent

Timeline

{{#tag:timeline|

DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy

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id:leader value:rgb(0,0.53,0.86)

BarData =

bar:Peel

bar:Derby

bar:Disraeli

bar:Salisbury

bar:Balfour

bar:Law

bar:Baldwin

bar:Chamberlain

bar:Churchill

bar:Eden

bar:Macmillan

bar:Home

bar:Heath

bar:Thatcher

bar:Major

bar:Hague

bar:Smith

bar:Howard

bar:Cameron

bar:May

bar:Johnson

bar:Truss

bar:Sunak

bar:Badenoch

PlotData=

width:5 align:left fontsize:S shift:(5,-5) anchor:till

bar:Peel

from: 18/12/1834 till: 29/06/1846 color:leader text:"Robert Peel"

bar:Derby

from: 29/06/1846 till: 27/02/1868 color:leader text:"Earl of Derby"

bar:Disraeli

from: 27/02/1868 till: 19/04/1881 color:leader text:"Benjamin Disraeli"

bar:Salisbury

from: 23/06/1885 till: 11/07/1902 color:leader text:"Marquess of Salisbury"

bar:Balfour

from: 11/07/1902 till: 13/11/1911 color:leader text:"Arthur Balfour"

bar:Law

from: 10/12/1916 till: 21/03/1921 color:leader

from: 23/10/1922 till: 28/05/1923 color:leader text:"Bonar Law"

bar:Baldwin

from: 28/05/1923 till: 31/05/1937 color:leader text:"Stanley Baldwin"

bar:Chamberlain

from: 31/05/1937 till: 09/10/1940 color:leader text:"Neville Chamberlain"

bar:Churchill

from: 09/10/1940 till: 21/04/1955 color:leader text:"Winston Churchill"

bar:Eden

from: 21/04/1955 till: 22/01/1957 color:leader text:"Anthony Eden"

bar:Macmillan

from: 22/01/1957 till: 11/11/1963 color:leader text:"Harold Macmillan"

bar:Home

from: 11/11/1963 till: 27/07/1965 color:leader text:"Alec Douglas-Home"

bar:Heath

from: 27/07/1965 till: 11/02/1975 color:leader text:"Edward Heath"

bar:Thatcher

from: 11/02/1975 till: 28/11/1990 color:leader text:"Margaret Thatcher"

bar:Major

from: 28/11/1990 till: 19/06/1997 color:leader text:"John Major"

bar:Hague

from: 19/06/1997 till: 13/09/2001 color:leader text:"William Hague"

bar:Smith

from: 13/09/2001 till: 06/11/2003 color:leader text:"Iain Duncan Smith"

bar:Howard

from: 06/11/2003 till: 06/12/2005 color:leader text:"Michael Howard"

bar:Cameron

from: 06/12/2005 till: 11/07/2016 color:leader text:"David Cameron"

bar:May

from: 11/07/2016 till: 07/06/2019 color:leader text:"Theresa May"

bar:Johnson

from: 23/07/2019 till: 05/09/2022 color:leader text:"Boris Johnson"

bar:Truss

from: 05/09/2022 till: 24/10/2022 color:leader text:"Liz Truss"

bar:Sunak

from: 24/10/2022 till: 02/11/2024 color:leader text:"Rishi Sunak"

bar:Badenoch

from: 02/11/2024 till: end color:leader text:"Kemi Badenoch"

}}

Houses of Lords and Commons leaders

{{See also|Leader of the House of Lords|Leader of the House of Commons}}

{{more citations needed section|date=December 2017}}

=Leaders in the House of Lords (1834–present)=

Those asterisked were considered the overall leader of the party.

class="wikitable" style="text-align:Center;"

! Portrait

! Leader

! colspan=2|Term of office

! LOTO

! {{small|Other ministerial offices held as Leader of the House of Lords}}

75px

| The Duke of Richmond and Lennox

| {{small|26 February}}
1870

| {{small|21 August}}
1876

| 1870–1874

| style="text-align:left;" | – Lord President of the Council {{small|(21 February 1874 – 28 April 1880)}}

75px

| The Earl of Beaconsfield*

| {{small|21 August}}
1876

| {{small|19 April}}
1881

| 1880–1881

| style="text-align:left;" | – Prime Minister {{small|(20 February 1874 – 21 April 1880)}}
– Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal {{small|(12 August 1876 – 4 February 1878)}}

75px

| The Marquess of Salisbury*

| {{small|9 May}}
1881

| {{small|12 July}}
1902

| 1881–1885
1886
1892–1895

| style="text-align:left;" | – Prime Minister {{small|(23 June 1885 – 28 January 1886)}}
– Foreign Secretary {{small|(24 June 1885 – 6 February 1886)}}
– Prime Minister {{small|(25 July 1886 – 11 August 1892)}}
– Foreign Secretary {{small|(14 January 1887 – 11 August 1892)}}
– Prime Minister {{small|(25 June 1895 – 11 July 1902)}}
– Foreign Secretary {{small|(29 June 1895 – 12 November 1900)}}
– Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal {{small|(12 November 1900 – 11 July 1902)}}

75px

| The Duke of Devonshire

| {{small|12 July}}
1902

| {{small|10 October}}
1903

|

| style="text-align:left;" | – Lord President of the Council {{small|(29 June 1895 – 19 October 1903)}}
– President of the Board of Education {{small|(3 March 1900 – 8 August 1902)}}

75px

| The Marquess of Lansdowne

| {{small|10 October}}
1903

| {{small|10 December}}
1916

| 1905–1915

| style="text-align:left;" | – Foreign Secretary {{small|(12 November 1900 – 4 December 1905)}}
– Minister without Portfolio {{small|(25 May 1915 – 10 December 1916)}}

75px

| The Earl Curzon of Kedleston
{{small|(1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston from 1921)}}

| {{small|10 December}}
1916

| {{small|20 March}}
1925

| 1924

| style="text-align:left;" | – President of the Air Board {{small|(15 May 1916 – 3 January 1917)}}
– Lord President of the Council {{small|(10 December 1916 – 23 October 1919)}}
– Foreign Secretary {{small|(23 October 1919 – 22 January 1924)}}
– Lord President of the Council {{small|(3 November 1924 – 20 March 1925)}}

75px

| The Marquess of Salisbury

| {{small|27 April}}
1925

| {{small|17 June}}
1931

| 1929–1931

| style="text-align:left;" | – Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal {{small|(6 November 1924 – 4 June 1929)}}

75px

| The Viscount Hailsham

| {{small|17 June}}
1931

| {{small|7 June}}
1935

| 1931

| style="text-align:left;" | – War Secretary {{small|(5 November 1931 – 7 June 1935)}}

75px

| The Marquess of Londonderry

| {{small|7 June}}
1935

| {{small|22 November}}
1935

|

| style="text-align:left;" | – Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal

75px

| The Viscount Halifax

| {{small|22 November}}
1935

| {{small|21 February}}
1938

|

| style="text-align:left;" | – Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal {{small|(22 November 1935 – 28 May 1937)}}
– Lord President of the Council {{small|(22 May 1937 – 9 March 1938)}}

75px

| The Earl Stanhope

| {{small|21 February}}
1938

| {{small|14 May}}
1940

|

| style="text-align:left;" | – President of the Board of Education {{small|(28 May 1937 – 27 October 1938)}}
– First Lord of the Admiralty {{small|(27 October 1938 – 3 September 1939)}}
– Lord President of the Council {{small|(3 September 1939 – 10 May 1940)}}

75px

| The Viscount Caldecot

| {{small|14 May}}
1940

| {{small|3 October}}
1940

|

| style="text-align:left;" | – Dominions Secretary

75px

| The Viscount Halifax

| {{small|3 October}}
1940

| {{small|22 December}}
1940

|

| style="text-align:left;" | – Foreign Secretary {{small|(21 February 1938 – 22 December 1940)}}

75px

| The Lord Lloyd

| {{small|22 December}}
1940

| {{small|8 February}}
1941

|

| style="text-align:left;" | – Colonial Secretary {{small|(12 May 1940 – 4 February 1941)}}

75px

| The Lord Moyne

| {{small|8 February}}
1941

| {{small|22 February}}
1942

|

| style="text-align:left;" | – Colonial Secretary

75px

| Viscount Cranborne
{{small|(5th Marquess of Salisbury from 1947)}}

| {{small|21 February}}
1942

| {{small|29 March}}
1957

| 1945–1951

| style="text-align:left;" | – Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal {{small|(21 February 1942 – 24 September 1943)}}
– Colonial Secretary {{small|(21 February 1942 – 22 November 1942)}}
– Dominions Secretary {{small|(24 September 1943 – 26 July 1945)}}
– Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal {{small|(28 October 1951 – 7 May 1952)}}
– Commonwealth Relations Secretary {{small|(12 March 1952 – 24 November 1952)}}
– Lord President of the Council {{small|(25 November 1952 – 29 March 1957)}}

75px

| The Earl of Home

| {{small|29 March}}
1957

| {{small|27 July}}
1960

|

| style="text-align:left;" | – Commonwealth Relations Secretary {{small|(7 April 1955 – 27 July 1960)}}
– Lord President of the Council {{small|(until 17 September 1957, from 14 October 1959)}}

75px

| The Viscount Hailsham

| {{small|27 July}}
1960

| {{small|20 October}}
1963

|

| style="text-align:left;" | – Lord President of the Council
– Minister for Science {{small|(14 October 1959 – 20 October 1963)}}

75px

| The Lord Carrington

| {{small|20 October}}
1963

| {{small|20 June}}
1970

| 1964–1970

| style="text-align:left;" | – Minister without Portfolio {{small|(20 October 1963 – 16 October 1964)}}

75px

| The Earl Jellicoe

| {{small|20 June}}
1970

| {{small|23 May}}
1973

|

| style="text-align:left;" | – Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal

| The Lord Windlesham

| {{small|23 May}}
1973

| {{small|4 March}}
1974

|

| style="text-align:left;" | – Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal

75px

| The Lord Carrington

| {{small|4 March}}
1974

| {{small|4 May}}
1979

| 1974–1979

| style="text-align:left;" | –

75px

| The Lord Soames

| {{small|5 May}}
1979

| {{small|14 September}}
1981

|

| style="text-align:left;" | – Lord President of the Council

| The Baroness Young

| {{small|14 September}}
1981

| {{small|11 June}}
1983

|

| style="text-align:left;" | – Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster {{small|(14 September 1981 – 7 April 1982)}}
– Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal {{small|(7 April 1982 – 11 June 1983)}}

| The Viscount Whitelaw

| {{small|11 June}}
1983

| {{small|10 January}}
1988

|

| style="text-align:left;" | – Lord President of the Council

| The Lord Belstead

| {{small|10 January}}
1988

| {{small|28 November}}
1990

|

| style="text-align:left;" | – Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal

| The Lord Waddington

| {{small|28 November}}
1990

| {{small|11 April}}
1992

|

| style="text-align:left;" | – Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal

75px

| The Lord Wakeham

| {{small|11 April}}
1992

| {{small|20 July}}
1994

|

| style="text-align:left;" | – Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal

75px

| Viscount Cranborne
{{small|(7th Marquess of Salisbury from 2003)}}

| {{small|20 July}}
1994

| {{small|3 December}}
1998

| 1997–1998

| style="text-align:left;" | – Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal {{small|(20 July 1994 – 2 May 1997)}}

75px

| The Lord Strathclyde

| {{small|3 December}}
1998

| {{small|7 January}}
2013

| 1998–2010

| style="text-align:left;" | – Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster {{small|(12 May 2010 – 7 January 2013)}}

75px

| The Lord Hill of Oareford

| {{small|7 January}}
2013

| {{small|15 July}}
2014

|

| style="text-align:left;" | – Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

75px

| The Baroness Stowell of Beeston

| {{small|15 July}}
2014

| {{small|14 July}}
2016

|

| style="text-align:left;" | – Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal

75px

| The Baroness Evans of Bowes Park

| {{small|14 July}}
2016

| {{small|6 September}}
2022

|

| style="text-align:left;" | – Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal

75px

| The Lord True

| {{small|6 September}}
2022

| Incumbent

|

| style="text-align:left;" | – Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal

=Leaders in the House of Commons (1834–1922)=

Those asterisked were considered the overall leader of the party.

  • Sir Robert Peel: 18 December 1834{{efn|name = Tamworth}}{{snd}}1846*
  • Lord George Bentinck: 1846–1847
  • The Marquess of Granby: 9 February 1848 – 4 March 1848, elected at a party meeting {{See below|{{section link||House of Commons}}, below}}
  • None: 1848–1849
  • Jointly Benjamin Disraeli, the Marquess of Granby, and John Charles Herries: 1849–1852,{{efn|Granby resigned "either in the end of December [1851] or on one of the first days of January [1852]".{{Cite book |last1=Monypenny |first1=William Flavelle |url=https://archive.org/stream/cu31924088010446#page/n341/mode/2up/search/Granby |title=The life of Benjamin Disraeli, earl of Beaconsfield, Volume III |last2=Buckle |first2=George Earle |date=1914 |publisher=The Macmillan Company |location=New York |pages=312–3}}}} elected at a party meeting {{See below|House of Commons}}
  • Benjamin Disraeli: 1852{{snd}}21 August 1876 (overall leader from 27 February 1868)
  • Sir Stafford Northcote: 21 August 1876 – 24 June 1885, appointed by Prime Minister Beaconsfield
  • Sir Michael Hicks Beach: 24 June 1885 – 3 August 1886, appointed by Prime Minister Salisbury
  • Lord Randolph Churchill: 3 August 1886 – 14 January 1887, appointed by Prime Minister Salisbury
  • William Henry Smith: 17 January 1887 – 6 October 1891, appointed by Prime Minister Salisbury
  • Arthur Balfour: 1891{{snd}}13 January 1906,{{efn|Date on which Balfour failed to be elected in Manchester East.}} appointed by Prime Minister Salisbury (overall leader from 1902)
  • Joseph Chamberlain: 1906
  • Arthur Balfour: 1906{{snd}}13 November 1911*
  • Bonar Law: 13 November 1911 – 21 March 1921, elected at a party meeting {{See below|House of Commons}} (overall leader from 1916)
  • Austen Chamberlain: 21 March 1921 – 23 October 1922, elected at a party meeting {{See below|House of Commons}}

Elections of Conservative leaders by party meeting

=House of Commons=

class="wikitable sortable"

! {{No.}}

! Date of meeting

! Name of leader elected

! Category attending meeting

! Location of meeting

! Chair

! Proposer

! Seconder

! Refs

1

| 9 February 1848

| The Marquess of Granby

| Protectionist commoners

| Residence of George Bankes

| {{n/a}}

| {{n/a}}

| {{n/a}}

| "A Cabinet Council was held at half-past 2 o'clock." Times [London, England] 10 Feb. 1848: 4. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 25 July 2014.
{{Cite book |last=Malmesbury |first=The Right Hon. [James Howard Harris,] the [3rd] Earl of |url=https://archive.org/stream/cu31924028316879#page/n155/mode/2up |title=Memoirs of an Ex-Minister |date=1885 |publisher=Longmans, Green, and Co |location=London |pages=151–2}}

rowspan=3 | 2

| rowspan=3 | 1 February 1849

| Benjamin Disraeli

| rowspan=3 {{n/a}}

| rowspan=3 | Residence of the Lord Stanley of Bickerstaffe

| rowspan=3 {{n/a}}

| rowspan=3 {{n/a}}

| rowspan=3 {{n/a}}

| rowspan=3 | {{Cite book |last1=Monypenny |first1=William Flavelle |url=https://archive.org/stream/cu31924088010446#page/n157/mode/2up |title=The life of Benjamin Disraeli, earl of Beaconsfield, Volume III |last2=Buckle |first2=George Earle |date=1914 |publisher=The Macmillan Company |location=New York |pages=138–9}}

The Marquess of Granby
John Charles Herries
3

| 13 November 1911

| Bonar Law

| Unionist Members of Parliament

| Carlton Club, Pall Mall

| Henry Chaplin, senior Privy Councillor on the Unionist benches (appointed 1885)

| Walter Long

| Austen Chamberlain

| "The Unionist Leadership." Times [London, England] 14 Nov. 1911: 9. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 19 July 2014.

4

| 21 March 1921

| Austen Chamberlain

| Unionist Members of Parliament

| Carlton Club, Pall Mall

| Lord Edmund Talbot, Conservative Chief Whip

| Captain Ernest George Pretyman

| Sir Edward Coates: "a back bencher and one of the rank and file"

| "Unionist M.P.s' New Leader." Times [London, England] 22 Mar. 1921: 12. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 19 July 2014.

5

| 23 October 1922

| Bonar Law

| Unionist peers, MPs, and candidates

| Hotel Cecil, The Strand

| The Marquess Curzon of Kedleston, Leader of the House of Lords

| The Marquess Curzon of Kedleston

| Stanley Baldwin: "chosen ... to be the spokesman for the House of Commons"

| "Unionists Elect Mr. Bonar Law." Times [London, England] 24 Oct. 1922: 18. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 25 July 2014.

6

| 28 May 1923

| Stanley Baldwin

| "Conservative Party"

| Hotel Cecil, The Strand

| The Marquess Curzon of Kedleston, Leader of the House of Lords

| The Earl of Derby

| Captain Ernest George Pretyman: "a member of the House of Commons who [had] been a colleague in that House of Mr Bonar Law for something over 25 years"

| "Conservative Leader." Times [London, England] 29 May 1923: 19. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 19 July 2014.

7

| 31 May 1937

| Neville Chamberlain

| "peers and MPs who receive the Conservative whip, ... prospective candidates who have been adopted by constituency associations, and ... members of the executive committee of the National Union of Conservative and Unionist associations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland."

| Caxton Hall, Caxton Street

| The Viscount Halifax, Leader of the House of Lords

| The Earl of Derby

| Winston Churchill (Privy Councillor since 1907)

| "The New Leader And The Old." Times [London, England] 1 June 1937: 17+. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 19 July 2014.

8

| 9 October 1940

| Winston Churchill

| "Peers and MPs who receive the Conservative whip, ... prospective candidates who have been adopted by constituency associations, and ... members of the Executive Committee of the National Union of Conservative and Unionist Associations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland."

| London

| The Viscount Halifax, Leader of the House of Lords

| The Viscount Halifax

| Sir George Courthope: "one of the senior back benchers of the party"

| "Conservative Leader." Times [London, England] 10 Oct. 1940: 2. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 19 July 2014.

9

| 21 April 1955

| Sir Anthony Eden

| "Conservative and National Liberal members of the two Houses of Parliament, Conservative and National Liberal parliamentary candidates and members of the executive committee of the National Union of Conservative and Unionist Associations"

| Church House, Dean's Yard, Westminster

| The Marquess of Salisbury, Leader of the House of Lords

| The Marquess of Salisbury

| Rab Butler (Privy Councillor since 1939)

| Our Political Correspondent. "Sir A. Eden as Leader." Times [London, England] 22 Apr. 1955: 12. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 19 July 2014.

10

| 22 January 1957

| Harold Macmillan

| "Conservative and Unionist members of the House of Lords and the House of Commons, ... prospective parliamentary candidates and ... members of the executive committee of the National Union of Conservative and Unionist Associations. National Liberal members of both Houses of Parliament and adopted prospective candidates were also present"

| {{n/a}}

| The Marquess of Salisbury, Leader of the House of Lords

| The Marquess of Salisbury

| Rab Butler (Privy Councillor since 1939)

| {{Cite news |date=23 January 1957 |title=Mr. Macmillan states Party philosophy |location=London |newspaper=The Times}}

11

| 11 November 1963

| Sir Alec Douglas-Home

| "members of both Houses of Parliament taking the Conservative whip, prospective candidates who [had] been adopted by constituency associations, members of the executive of the mass party, and National Liberal MPs and adopted prospective candidates"

| Church House, Dean's Yard, Westminster

| The Lord Carrington, Leader of the House of Lords

| The Lord Carrington

| Geoffrey Lloyd: "the senior Conservative Privy Councillor in the Commons next in line to Sir Winston Churchill" (appointed 1943)

| {{Cite news |last= |date=12 November 1963 |title=Prime Minister is Ageless |location=London |page=12 |newspaper=The Times}}

=House of Lords=

class="wikitable sortable"

! {{No.}}

! Date of meeting

! Name of leader elected

! Category attending meeting

! Location of meeting

! Chair

! Proposer

! Seconder

! Notes

1

| 9 March 1846

| The Lord Stanley of Bickerstaffe

| Peers

| Residence of the Duke of Richmond

| The Earl of Eglinton

| {{n/a}}

| {{n/a}}

| {{Cite book |last=Malmesbury |first=The Right Hon. [James Howard Harris,] the [3rd] Earl of |url=https://archive.org/stream/cu31924028316879#page/n129/mode/2up |title=Memoirs of an Ex-Minister |date=1885 |publisher=Longmans, Green, and Co |location=London |page=124}}

2

| 15 February 1869

| The Earl Cairns

| 23 peers

| {{n/a}}

| The Earl of Malmesbury

| The Earl of Malmesbury

| {{n/a}}

| {{Cite book |last=Malmesbury |first=The Right Hon. [James Howard Harris,] the [3rd] Earl of |url=https://archive.org/stream/cu31924028316879#page/n649/mode/2up |title=Memoirs of an Ex-Minister |date=1885 |publisher=Longmans, Green, and Co |location=London |page=645}}

3

| 26 February 1870

| The Duke of Richmond

| Peers

| Carlton Club

| {{n/a}}

| The Marquess of Salisbury

| The Earl of Derby

| "We are enabled to state that, in compliance with." Times [London, England] 28 Feb. 1870: 9. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 26 July 2014.

4

| 9 May 1881

| The Marquess of Salisbury

| Conservative members of the House of Lords

| Residence of the Marquess of Abergavenny

| The Marquess of Abergavenny

| The Duke of Richmond

| The Earl Cairns

| "Meeting Of The Conservative Peers." Times [London, England] 10 May 1881: 10. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 25 July 2014.

Deputy Leaders of the Conservative Party

Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party is sometimes an official title of a senior Conservative politician of the United Kingdom.

Some are given this title officially by the party, such as Peter Lilley,{{cite web |url=https://www.conservatives.com/OurTeam/Members-of-Parliament/Lilley-Peter |title=Peter Lilley, Member of Parliament for Hitchin and Harpenden |publisher=The Conservative Party |access-date=17 July 2016 |quote=He stood for the Conservative Leadership in 1997; becoming Shadow Chancellor then Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party Responsible for Policy Renewal until 2000. |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160806200733/https://www.conservatives.com/OurTeam/Members-of-Parliament/Lilley-Peter |archive-date=6 August 2016 }} while others are given the title as an unofficial description by the media, such as William Hague.{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/conservative/4231139/David-Cameron-anoints-William-Hague-as-his-deputy.html |title=David Cameron anoints William Hague as his deputy |publisher=The Telegraph |author=Andrew Porter|date=14 January 2009 |access-date=17 July 2016}} The first politician to hold the office as such was Reginald Maudling, appointed by Edward Heath in 1965.{{cite news|last=Blake|first=Robert|newspaper=The Illustrated London News|volume=247|date=14 August 1965|page=20|title=A Watershed in English Politics|quote=The most striking feature, however, of Mr. Heath's reconstruction is the appointment of a Deputy Leader. This is the first time that such a position has been created in the Conservative hierarchy [...]}} Distinct from being "second-in-command", there is formally no current position of deputy party leader in the party's hierarchy.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jun/17/guardian-view-on-party-deputy-leaders-job-about-nothing |title=The Guardian view on party deputy leaders: a job about nothing |work=The Guardian |author=Guardian editorial |date=17 June 2015 |access-date=17 July 2016}}

The term has sometimes been mistakenly used to refer to the party's deputy chair.{{cite news |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/david-camerons-2015-cabinet-meet-5672632|title=David Cameron's 2015 cabinet: Meet the ministers appointed in all Conservative post-election reshuffle |work=Daily Mirror|author=Ann Gripper |date=11 May 2015 |access-date=17 July 2016 |quote=Robert Halfon will become deputy leader of the Conservative Party.}}

=List of deputy leaders=

class="wikitable"
Name

!Term began

!Term ended

!Concurrent office(s)

!Leader

Reginald Maudling

|4 August 1965{{cite book|last=Ball|first=Stuart|year=1998|title=The Conservative Party Since 1945|place=Manchester|publisher=Manchester University Press|page=187}}

|18 July 1972{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2002&dat=19720724&id=yW0lAAAAIBAJ&pg=1055,1899486&hl=en |title=Heath Faces Cabinet Reshuffle |date=1972-07-24 |access-date=2019-07-03}}

|Deputy Leader of the Opposition {{small|(1965–1970)}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xpG90n8YLOwC&q=%22deputy+leader+of+the+opposition%22&pg=PA159 |title=A Matter of Weeks Rather Than Months: The Impasse between Harold Wilson and Ian Smith |date=1966-12-24 |isbn=9781466934092 |access-date=2019-07-03|last1=Wood |first1=J. R. T. }}
Shadow Foreign Secretary {{small|(1965)}}
Shadow Defence Secretary {{small|(1968–1969)}}
Home Secretary {{small|(1970–1972)}}

|Edward Heath

colspan=5 {{n/a|Not in use from 1972 to 1975}}
rowspan=2 |The Viscount Whitelaw

|rowspan=2 |12 February 1975{{cite book|title=Report on World Affairs|year=1975|volume=56|page=71|publisher=Commonwealth Parliamentary Association|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WsKOAAAAMAAJ&q=%22On+February+12%22+%22deputy+leader%22}}

|rowspan=2 |7 August 1991{{cite news |agency=Press Association |title=Willie Whitelaw dies aged 81 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/1999/jul/01/uk.politicalnews6 |date=1 July 1991 |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=28 June 2017}}

|rowspan=2 |Deputy Leader of the Opposition {{small|(1975–1979)}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sDRTfk95CzIC&q=%22whitelaw%22+%22deputy+leader+of+the+opposition%22&pg=PT68 |title=The Hugo Young Papers: Thirty Years of British Politics – Off the Record |date=2008-11-18 |isbn=9780141903606 |access-date=2019-07-03|last1=Young |first1=Hugo }}
Shadow Home Secretary {{small|(1976–1979)}}
Home Secretary {{small|(1979–1983)}}
Leader of the House of Lords {{small|(1983–1988)}}{{cite web|url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1988/01/10/Thatchers-No-2-Cabinet-minister-resigns/4375568789200/ |title=Thatcher's No. 2 Cabinet minister resigns |publisher=Upi.com |date=1988-01-10 |access-date=2019-07-03}}

|Margaret Thatcher

John Major
colspan=5 {{n/a|Not in use from 1991 to 1998}}
Peter Lilley

|2 June 1998{{cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/68/career|title=Parliamentary career for Lord Lilley|website=parliament.uk|accessdate=15 May 2021}}

|15 June 1999

|Deputy Leader of the Opposition {{small|(1998–1999)}}{{cite web|author=Mark D'Arcy |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/representatives/profiles/25184.stm |title=Democracy Live – Peter Lilley MP |work=BBC News |access-date=2019-07-03}}

|William Hague

colspan=5 {{n/a|Not in use from 1999 to 2001}}
rowspan=2 |Michael Ancram

|rowspan=2 |18 September 2001{{cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/259/career|title=Parliamentary career for The Marquess of Lothian|website=parliament.uk|accessdate=15 May 2021}}

|rowspan=2 |6 December 2005

|rowspan=2 |Deputy Leader of the Opposition {{small|(2001–2005)}}{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/peerage-for-the-rt-hon-michael-ancram |title=Peerage for the Rt Hon Michael Ancram |publisher=Gov.uk |date=2010-10-21 |access-date=2019-07-03}}
Shadow Foreign Secretary {{small|(2001–2005)}}
Shadow Defence Secretary {{small|(2005)}}

|Iain Duncan Smith

Michael Howard
colspan=5 {{n/a|Not in use since 2005}}

See also

{{Portal|Politics|United Kingdom|Conservatism|Lists}}

Notes

{{Notelist}}

References

{{Reflist}}

{{UK Conservative Party}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}

Category:Organisation of the Conservative Party (UK)

Conservative UK

Leader