Leader of the Conservative Party (UK)
The Leader of the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom is the most senior politician of the Conservative Party. To date, two of the 28 leaders have been women: Baroness Thatcher and Theresa May. The post is currently held by Boris Johnson, elected in 2019 as May's successor.
Overall leaders of the Party (1834–1922)
Leaders of the Party (1922–present)
Living former party leaders
There are six living former party leaders. From oldest to youngest:Leader | Term of office | Date of birth |
The Lord Howard of Lympne | 2003–2005 | |
Sir John Major | 1990–1995 | |
Sir John Major | 1995–1997 | |
Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP | 2001–2003 | |
Theresa May MP | 2016–2019 | |
The Lord Hague of Richmond | 1997–2001 | |
David Cameron | 2005–2016 |
House of Lords and Commons leaders
Leaders in the House of Lords (1834–present)
Those asterisked were considered the overall leader of the party.- The Duke of Wellington: 1834–1846
- The Lord Stanley : 9 March 1846 – 27 February 1868*, elected at a party meeting
- The Earl of Malmesbury: 1868–1869, appointed by Prime Minister Disraeli
- The Lord Cairns: 1869–1870, elected at a party meeting
- The Duke of Richmond: 187021 August 1876, elected at a party meeting
- The Earl of Beaconsfield: 21 August 1876 – 19 April 1881*, became Leader on elevation to the peerage
- The 3rd Marquess of Salisbury: 9 May 1881 – 1902, elected at a party meeting
- The Duke of Devonshire: 1902–1903, appointed by Prime Minister Balfour
- The Marquess of Lansdowne: 1903–1916, appointed by Prime Minister Balfour
- The Earl Curzon of Kedleston : 1916–1925, appointed Leader of the House by Prime Minister Lloyd George
- The 4th Marquess of Salisbury: 1925–1931, appointed by Prime Minister Baldwin
- The 1st Viscount Hailsham: 1931–1935, took over post "at the request of Mr Baldwin"
- The Marquess of Londonderry: 1935
- The Viscount Halifax: 1935–1938
- The Earl Stanhope: 1938–1940
- The Viscount Caldecote: 1940
- The Viscount Halifax: 1940
- The Lord Lloyd: 1940–1941
- The Lord Moyne: 1941–1942
- Viscount Cranborne : 1942–1957
- The Earl of Home: 1957–1960
- The 2nd Viscount Hailsham: 1960–1963
- The Lord Carrington: 1963–1970
- The Earl Jellicoe: 1970–1973
- The Lord Windlesham: 1973–1974
- The Lord Carrington: 1974–1979
- The Lord Soames: 1979–1981
- The Baroness Young: 1981–1983
- The Viscount Whitelaw: 1983–1988
- The Lord Belstead: 1988–1990
- The Lord Waddington: 1990–1992
- The Lord Wakeham: 1992–1994
- Viscount Cranborne : 1994–1998
- The Lord Strathclyde: 1998–2013
- The Lord Hill of Oareford: 2013–2014
- The Baroness Stowell of Beeston: 2014–2016
- The Baroness Evans of Bowes Park: 2016–present
Leaders in the House of Commons (1834–1922)
- Sir Robert Peel: 18 December 18341846*
- Lord George Bentinck: 1846–1847
- The Marquess of Granby: 9 February 1848 – 4 March 1848, elected at a party meeting
- None: 1848–1849
- Jointly Benjamin Disraeli, the Marquess of Granby, and John Charles Herries: 1849–1852, elected at a party meeting
- Benjamin Disraeli: 185221 August 1876 '
- 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: 189113 January 1906, appointed by Prime Minister Salisbury '
- Joseph Chamberlain: 1906
- Arthur Balfour: 190613 November 1911*
- Bonar Law: 13 November 1911 – 21 March 1921, elected at a party meeting
- Austen Chamberlain: 21 March 1921 – 23 October 1922, elected at a party meeting
Elections of Conservative leaders by party meeting