# Lord President of the Council

The Lord President of the Council is the presiding officer of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom and the fourth of the Great Officers of State, ranking below the Lord High Treasurer but above the Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal. The Lord President usually attends and is responsible for chairing the meetings of the Privy Council, presenting business for the approval of the Sovereign.

## The office and its history

The Privy Council meets once a month, wherever the sovereign may be residing at the time, to give formal approval to Orders in Council. Only a few privy counsellors need attend such meetings, and only when invited to do so at the government's request. As the duties of the Lord President are not onerous, the post has often been given to a government minister whose responsibilities are not department-specific. In recent years it has been most typical for the Lord President also to serve as Leader of the House of Commons or Leader of the House of Lords. The Lord President has no role in the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.
In the history of British government, the President of the Council is a relatively recent creation. The first certain appointment to the office being that of the Duke of Suffolk in 1529. Although there is a reference to Edmund Dudley serving as 'president of the council' in 1497, it was only in 1529 that the role was given the style and precedence of a Great Officer of State by act of Parliament (21 Hen. 8. c. 20). Prior to 1679 there were several periods in which the office was left vacant. During coronations of the monarch, the Lord President carries the Sword of State.
In the 19th century, the Lord President was generally the cabinet member responsible for the education system, amongst his other duties. This role was gradually scaled back in the late 19th and early 20th centuries but remnants of it remain, such as the oversight of the governance of various universities.
During times of National or coalition government the office of Lord President has sometimes been held by the leader of a minority party (e.g. Baldwin 1931–1935, MacDonald 1935–1937, Attlee 1943–1945, Clegg 2010–2015). It has been suggested that the office has been intermittently used for Prime Ministerial deputies in the past.
A particularly vital role was played by the Lord President of the Council during the Second World War. The Lord President served as chairman of the Lord President's Committee. This committee acted as a central clearing house which dealt with the country's economic problems. This was vital to the smooth running of the British war economy and consequently the entire British war effort.
Winston Churchill, clearly believing that this wartime co-ordinating role was beneficial, introduced a similar but expanded system in the first few years of his post-war premiership. The so-called 'overlord ministers' included Frederick Leathers as Secretary of State for the Co-ordination of Transport, Fuel and Power and Lord Woolton as Lord President. Woolton's job was to co-ordinate the then separate ministries of agriculture and food. The historian Lord Hennessy of Nympsfield quotes a PhD thesis by Michael Kandiah saying that Woolton was "arguably the most successful of the Overlords" partly because his ministries were quite closely related; indeed, they were merged in 1955 as the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
On several occasions since 1954, non-British Ministers have served briefly as acting Lords President of the Council, solely to preside over a meeting of the Privy Council held in a Commonwealth realm. Examples of this practice are the meetings in New Zealand in 1990 and 1995, when Geoffrey Palmer and James Bolger respectively were acting Lords President.
Andrea Leadsom's appointment in June 2017 was the first in some time where the post holder was not a full Cabinet member.

## Role and responsibilities
### Routine functions

   "The Privy Council is the mechanism through which interdepartmental agreement is reached on those items of Government business which, for historical or other reasons, fall to Ministers as Privy Counsellors rather than as Departmental Ministers."
The routine functions of the lord president are as follows:
* Preside at Privy Council meetings, including any emergency meetings, and attend to both ministerial correspondence and parliamentary questions relating to Privy Council business.
* Consider for approval prerogative and statutory Orders in Council. Prerogative orders deal with the basic functioning of the British state and are thus applicable under a number of circumstances, including but not limited to the prorogation of Parliament, the granting, amendment, and revocation of royal charters, the appointment of high sheriffs, or the governance of British Overseas Territories. On the other hand, statutory orders are a form of delegated legislation conferred on His Majesty's Government by Parliament for the purposes of creating detailed regulations through rulemaking. Unlike prerogative orders, statutory Orders in Council are subject to parliamentary scrutiny. As a consequence, most Orders in Council operate on statutory footing as opposed to the common law authorities conferred by the royal prerogative.
* Consider for approval Orders of Council concerning various matters of state, namely appointments to and regulation of professional bodies and institutions of higher education. Unlike Orders in Council which are enacted by the sovereign on the advice of the Privy Council, Orders of Council are enacted by the Privy Council itself pursuant to statutory authority conferred by Parliament.
* As a member of the Privy Council's Committee for the Affairs of Jersey and Guernsey, review laws passed by the bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey, and make recommendations to the sovereign concerning their approval.

### Visitorial functions

In addition to his or her routine functions, the lord president also serves as the visitor for several English universities, including:
* University of Birmingham
* University of Bristol
* University of Hull
* Imperial College London
* Keele University
* University of Leeds
* University of Leicester
* University of Liverpool
* University of London (but not King's College London or University College London)
* University of Nottingham
* University of Reading
* University of Sheffield (but not Sheffield Hallam University)
* University of Southampton
* University of Sussex
* University of Wales

## Partial list of Lords President of the Council
### Lords President of the Council (c. 1530–1702)

Lord President of the Council :
| Lord President | Term of office | Term of office |
| Charles Brandon 1st Duke of Suffolk | 1530 | 14 August 1545 |
| William Paulet 1st Marquess of Winchester | January 1546 | February 1550 |
| John Dudley 1st Duke of Northumberland | February 1550 | July 1553 |
| Henry Montagu 1st Earl of Manchester | September 1621 | July 1628 |
| James Ley 1st Earl of Marlborough | July 1628 | 14 December 1628 |
| Edward Conway 1st Viscount Conway | 14 December 1628 | 3 January 1631 |
| Anthony Ashley-Cooper 1st Earl of Shaftesbury | 21 April 1679 | 15 October 1679 |
| John Robartes 1st Earl of Radnor | 24 October 1679 | 24 August 1684 |
| Laurence Hyde 1st Earl of Rochester | 24 August 1684 | 18 February 1685 |
| George Savile 1st Marquess of Halifax | 18 February 1685 | 4 December 1685 |
| Robert Spencer 2nd Earl of Sunderland | 4 December 1685 | October 1688 |
| Richard Graham 1st Viscount Preston | October 1688 | December 1688 |
| Thomas Osborne 1st Duke of Leeds | 14 February 1689 | 18 May 1699 |
| Thomas Herbert 8th Earl of Pembroke | 18 May 1699 | 29 January 1702 |
| Charles Seymour 6th Duke of Somerset | 29 January 1702 | 13 July 1702 |

### Lords President of the Council (1702–present)

| Lord President | Lord President | Term of office | Term of office | Other ministerial portfolios held during tenure | Party | Ministry | Monarch |
| | Thomas Herbert 8th Earl of Pembroke | 13 July 1702 | 25 November 1708 | | — | Godolphin–Marlborough (Tory–Whig) | Anne |
| | John Somers 1st Baron Somers | 25 November 1708 | 21 September 1710 | | Whig | Godolphin–Marlborough (Tory–Whig) | Anne |
| | Laurence Hyde 1st Earl of Rochester | 21 September 1710 | 13 June 1711 | | Tory | Oxford–Bolingbroke | Anne |
| | John Sheffield 1st Duke of Buckingham and Normanby | 13 June 1711 | 23 September 1714 | | — | Oxford–Bolingbroke | Anne |
| | John Sheffield 1st Duke of Buckingham and Normanby | 13 June 1711 | 23 September 1714 | | — | Oxford–Bolingbroke | George I |
| | Daniel Finch 2nd Earl of Nottingham | 23 September 1714 | 6 July 1716 | | Tory | Townshend | George I |
| | William Cavendish 2nd Duke of Devonshire | 6 July 1716 | 16 March 1718 | | Whig | Townshend | George I |
| | William Cavendish 2nd Duke of Devonshire | 6 July 1716 | 16 March 1718 | | Whig | Stanhope–Sunderland I | George I |
| | Charles Spencer 3rd Earl of Sunderland | 16 March 1718 | 6 February 1719 | First Lord of the Treasury | Whig | Stanhope–Sunderland II | George I |
| | Evelyn Pierrepont 1st Duke of Kingston-upon-Hull | 6 February 1719 | 11 June 1720 | | Whig | Stanhope–Sunderland II | George I |
| | Charles Townshend 2nd Viscount Townshend | 11 June 1720 | 25 June 1721 | Secretary of State for the Northern Department | Whig | Stanhope–Sunderland II | George I |
| | Charles Townshend 2nd Viscount Townshend | 11 June 1720 | 25 June 1721 | Secretary of State for the Northern Department | Whig | Walpole–Townshend | George I |
| | Henry Boyle 1st Baron Carleton | 25 June 1721 | 27 March 1725 | | Whig | Walpole–Townshend | George I |
| | William Cavendish 2nd Duke of Devonshire | 27 March 1725 | 4 June 1729 | | Whig | Walpole–Townshend | George I |
| | William Cavendish 2nd Duke of Devonshire | 27 March 1725 | 4 June 1729 | | Whig | Walpole–Townshend | George II |
| | Thomas Trevor 1st Baron Trevor | 8 May 1730 | 19 June 1730 | | Tory | Walpole–Townshend | George II |
| | Spencer Compton 1st Earl of Wilmington | 31 December 1730 | 13 February 1742 | | Whig | Walpole | George II |
| | William Stanhope 1st Earl of Harrington | 13 February 1742 | 3 January 1745 | Secretary of State for the Northern Department | Whig | Carteret | George II |
| | William Stanhope 1st Earl of Harrington | 13 February 1742 | 3 January 1745 | Secretary of State for the Northern Department | Whig | Broad Bottom (I & II) | George II |
| | Lionel Sackville 1st Duke of Dorset | 3 January 1745 | 17 June 1751 | Lord Lieutenant of Ireland | Whig | Broad Bottom (I & II) | George II |
| | John Carteret 2nd Earl Granville | 17 June 1751 | 2 January 1763 | | Whig | Broad Bottom (I & II) | George II |
| | John Carteret 2nd Earl Granville | 17 June 1751 | 2 January 1763 | | Whig | Newcastle I | George II |
| | John Carteret 2nd Earl Granville | 17 June 1751 | 2 January 1763 | | Whig | Pitt–Devonshire | George II |
| | John Carteret 2nd Earl Granville | 17 June 1751 | 2 January 1763 | | Whig | 1757 Caretaker | George II |
| | John Carteret 2nd Earl Granville | 17 June 1751 | 2 January 1763 | | Whig | Pitt–Newcastle | George II |
| | John Carteret 2nd Earl Granville | 17 June 1751 | 2 January 1763 | | Whig | Pitt–Newcastle | George III |
| | John Carteret 2nd Earl Granville | 17 June 1751 | 2 January 1763 | | Whig | Bute | George III |
| | John Russell 4th Duke of Bedford | 9 September 1763 | 12 July 1765 | | Whig | Grenville (Whig–Tory) | George III |
| | Daniel Finch 8th Earl of Winchilsea | 12 July 1765 | 30 July 1766 | | Whig | Rockingham I | George III |
| | Robert Henley 1st Earl of Northington | 30 July 1766 | 22 December 1767 | | Whig | Chatham (Whig–Tory) | George III |
| | Granville Leveson-Gower 2nd Earl Gower | 22 December 1767 | 24 November 1779 | | Tory | Chatham (Whig–Tory) | George III |
| | Granville Leveson-Gower 2nd Earl Gower | 22 December 1767 | 24 November 1779 | | Tory | Grafton (Whig–Tory) | George III |
| | Granville Leveson-Gower 2nd Earl Gower | 22 December 1767 | 24 November 1779 | | Tory | North | George III |
| | Henry Bathurst 2nd Earl Bathurst | 24 November 1779 | 27 March 1782 | | Tory | North | George III |
| | Charles Pratt 1st Baron Camden | 27 March 1782 | 2 April 1783 | | Whig | Rockingham II | George III |
| | Charles Pratt 1st Baron Camden | 27 March 1782 | 2 April 1783 | | Whig | Shelburne (Whig–Tory) | George III |
| | David Murray 7th Viscount Stormont | 2 April 1783 | 19 December 1783 | | Tory | Fox–North (Whig–Tory) | George III |
| | Granville Leveson-Gower 2nd Earl Gower | 19 December 1783 | 1 December 1784 | | Tory | Pitt I | George III |
| | Charles Pratt 1st Earl Camden | 1 December 1784 | 18 April 1794 | | Tory | Pitt I | George III |
| | William Wentworth-Fitzwilliam 4th Earl Fitzwilliam | 1 July 1794 | 17 December 1794 | | Whig | Pitt I | George III |
| | David Murray 2nd Earl of Mansfield | 17 December 1794 | 1 September 1796 | | Tory | Pitt I | George III |
| | John Pitt 2nd Earl of Chatham | 21 September 1796 | 30 July 1801 | Lord Privy Seal | — | Pitt I | George III |
| | John Pitt 2nd Earl of Chatham | 21 September 1796 | 30 July 1801 | Lord Privy Seal | — | Addington | George III |
| | William Cavendish-Bentinck 3rd Duke of Portland | 30 July 1801 | 14 January 1805 | | Tory | Addington | George III |
| | William Cavendish-Bentinck 3rd Duke of Portland | 30 July 1801 | 14 January 1805 | | Tory | Pitt II | George III |
| | Henry Addington 1st Viscount Sidmouth | 14 January 1805 | 10 July 1805 | | Tory | Pitt II | George III |
| | John Pratt 2nd Earl Camden | 10 July 1805 | 19 February 1806 | | Tory | Pitt II | George III |
| | William Wentworth-Fitzwilliam 4th Earl Fitzwilliam | 19 February 1806 | 8 October 1806 | | Whig | All the Talents (Whig–Tory) | George III |
| | Henry Addington 1st Viscount Sidmouth | 8 October 1806 | 26 March 1807 | | Tory | All the Talents (Whig–Tory) | George III |
| | John Pratt 2nd Earl Camden | 26 March 1807 | 8 April 1812 | | Tory | Portland II | George III |
| | John Pratt 2nd Earl Camden | 26 March 1807 | 8 April 1812 | | Tory | Perceval | George III |
| | Henry Addington 1st Viscount Sidmouth | 8 April 1812 | 11 June 1812 | | Tory | Perceval | George III |
| | Dudley Ryder 1st Earl of Harrowby | 11 June 1812 | 17 August 1827 | | Tory | Liverpool | George III |
| | Dudley Ryder 1st Earl of Harrowby | 11 June 1812 | 17 August 1827 | | Tory | Liverpool | George IV |
| | Dudley Ryder 1st Earl of Harrowby | 11 June 1812 | 17 August 1827 | | Tory | Canning (Canningite–Whig) | George IV |
| | William Cavendish-Scott-Bentinck 4th Duke of Portland DCL | 17 August 1827 | 28 January 1828 | | Tory | Goderich (Canningite–Whig) | George IV |
| | Henry Bathurst 3rd Earl Bathurst | 28 January 1828 | 22 November 1830 | | Tory | Wellington–Peel | George IV |
| | Henry Bathurst 3rd Earl Bathurst | 28 January 1828 | 22 November 1830 | | Tory | Wellington–Peel | William IV |
| | Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne | 22 November 1830 | 15 November 1834 | | Whig | Grey | William IV |
| | Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne | 22 November 1830 | 15 November 1834 | | Whig | Melbourne I | William IV |
| | James St Clair-Erskine 2nd Earl of Rosslyn | 15 December 1834 | 18 April 1835 | | Conservative | Peel I | William IV |
| | Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne | 18 April 1835 | 3 September 1841 | | Whig | Melbourne II | William IV |
| | Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne | 18 April 1835 | 3 September 1841 | | Whig | Melbourne II | Victoria |
| | James Stuart-Wortley 1st Baron Wharncliffe | 3 September 1841 | 19 December 1845 | | Conservative | Peel II | Victoria |
| | Walter Montagu Douglas Scott 5th Duke of Buccleuch | 21 January 1846 | 6 July 1846 | | Conservative | Peel II | Victoria |
| | Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne | 6 July 1846 | 27 February 1852 | Leader of the House of Lords | Whig | Russell I | Victoria |
| | William Lowther 2nd Earl of Lonsdale | 27 February 1852 | 28 December 1852 | | Conservative | Who? Who? | Victoria |
| | Granville Leveson-Gower 2nd Earl Granville | 28 December 1852 | 12 June 1854 | | Whig | Aberdeen (Peelite–Whig) | Victoria |
| | Lord John Russell MP for City of London | 12 June 1854 | 8 February 1855 | Leader of the House of Commons | Whig | Aberdeen (Peelite–Whig) | Victoria |
| | Granville Leveson-Gower 2nd Earl Granville | 8 February 1855 | 26 February 1858 | Leader of the House of Lords | Whig | Palmerston I | Victoria |
| | James Gascoyne-Cecil 2nd Marquess of Salisbury | 26 February 1858 | 18 June 1859 | | Conservative | Derby–Disraeli II | Victoria |
| | Granville Leveson-Gower 2nd Earl Granville | 18 June 1859 | 6 July 1866 | Leader of the House of Lords | Liberal | Palmerston II | Victoria |
| | Granville Leveson-Gower 2nd Earl Granville | 18 June 1859 | 6 July 1866 | Leader of the House of Lords | Liberal | Russell II | Victoria |
| | Richard Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Grenville 3rd Duke of Buckingham and Chandos | 6 July 1866 | 8 March 1867 | | Conservative | Derby–Disraeli III | Victoria |
| | John Spencer-Churchill 7th Duke of Marlborough | 8 March 1867 | 9 December 1868 | | Conservative | Derby–Disraeli III | Victoria |
| | George Robinson 1st Marquess of Ripon | 9 December 1868 | 9 August 1873 | | Liberal | Gladstone I | Victoria |
| | Henry Bruce 1st Baron Aberdare | 9 August 1873 | 21 February 1874 | | Liberal | Gladstone I | Victoria |
| | Charles Gordon-Lennox 6th Duke of Richmond | 21 February 1874 | 28 April 1880 | Leader of the House of Lords | Conservative | Disraeli II | Victoria |
| | John Spencer 5th Earl Spencer | 28 April 1880 | 19 March 1883 | Lord Lieutenant of Ireland | Liberal | Gladstone II | Victoria |
| | Chichester Parkinson-Fortescue 1st Baron Carlingford | 19 March 1883 | 24 June 1885 | Lord Privy Seal | Liberal | Gladstone II | Victoria |
| | Gathorne Gathorne-Hardy 1st Viscount Cranbrook | 24 June 1885 | 6 February 1886 | Secretary of State for War | Conservative | Salisbury I | Victoria |
| | John Spencer 5th Earl Spencer | 6 February 1886 | 3 August 1886 | | Liberal | Gladstone III | Victoria |
| | Gathorne Gathorne-Hardy 1st Viscount Cranbrook | 3 August 1886 | 18 August 1892 | | Conservative | Salisbury II | Victoria |
| | John Wodehouse 1st Earl of Kimberley | 18 August 1892 | 10 March 1894 | Secretary of State for India | Liberal | Gladstone IV | Victoria |
| | Archibald Primrose 5th Earl of Rosebery | 10 March 1894 | 29 June 1895 | Prime MinisterFirst Lord of the TreasuryLeader of the House of Lords | Liberal | Rosebery | Victoria |
| | Spencer Cavendish 8th Duke of Devonshire | 29 June 1895 | 19 October 1903 | President of the Board of EducationLeader of the House of Lords | Liberal Unionist | Salisbury (III & IV) (Con.–Lib.U.) | Victoria |
| | Spencer Cavendish 8th Duke of Devonshire | 29 June 1895 | 19 October 1903 | President of the Board of EducationLeader of the House of Lords | Liberal Unionist | Salisbury (III & IV) (Con.–Lib.U.) | Edward VII |
| | Spencer Cavendish 8th Duke of Devonshire | 29 June 1895 | 19 October 1903 | President of the Board of EducationLeader of the House of Lords | Liberal Unionist | Balfour (Con.–Lib.U.) | Edward VII |
| | Charles Vane-Tempest-Stewart 6th Marquess of Londonderry | 19 October 1903 | 11 December 1905 | President of the Board of Education | Conservative | Balfour (Con.–Lib.U.) | Edward VII |
| | Robert Crewe-Milnes 1st Earl of Crewe | 11 December 1905 | 16 April 1908 | | Liberal | Campbell-Bannerman | Edward VII |
| | Edward Marjoribanks 2nd Baron Tweedmouth | 16 April 1908 | 19 October 1908 | | Liberal | Asquith (I–III) | Edward VII |
| | Henry Fowler 1st Viscount Wolverhampton | 19 October 1908 | 21 June 1910 | | Liberal | Asquith (I–III) | Edward VII |
| | Henry Fowler 1st Viscount Wolverhampton | 19 October 1908 | 21 June 1910 | | Liberal | Asquith (I–III) | George V |
| | William Lygon 7th Earl Beauchamp | 21 June 1910 | 7 November 1910 | | Liberal | Asquith (I–III) | George V |
| | John Morley 1st Viscount Morley of Blackburn | 7 November 1910 | 5 August 1914 | Secretary of State for India | Liberal | Asquith (I–III) | George V |
| | William Lygon 7th Earl Beauchamp | 5 August 1914 | 25 May 1915 | | Liberal | Asquith (I–III) | George V |
| | Robert Crewe-Milnes 1st Marquess of Crewe | 25 May 1915 | 10 December 1916 | Leader of the House of LordsPresident of the Board of Trade | Liberal | Asquith Coalition (Lib.–Con.–Lab.) | George V |
| | George Curzon 1st Earl Curzon of Kedleston | 10 December 1916 | 23 October 1919 | Leader of the House of Lords | Conservative | Lloyd George (I & II) (Lib.–Con.–Lab.) | George V |
| | Arthur Balfour 1st Earl of Balfour | 23 October 1919 | 19 October 1922 | | Conservative | Lloyd George (I & II) (Lib.–Con.–Lab.) | George V |
| | James Gascoyne-Cecil 4th Marquess of Salisbury | 24 October 1922 | 22 January 1924 | Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | Conservative | Law | George V |
| | James Gascoyne-Cecil 4th Marquess of Salisbury | 24 October 1922 | 22 January 1924 | Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | Conservative | Baldwin I | George V |
| | Charles Cripps 1st Baron Parmoor | 22 January 1924 | 3 November 1924 | | Labour | MacDonald I | George V |
| | George Curzon 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston | 6 November 1924 | 27 April 1925 | Leader of the House of Lords | Conservative | Baldwin II | George V |
| | Arthur Balfour 1st Earl of Balfour | 27 April 1925 | 4 June 1929 | | Conservative | Baldwin II | George V |
| | Charles Cripps 1st Baron Parmoor | 7 June 1929 | 24 August 1931 | Leader of the House of Lords | Labour | MacDonald II | George V |
| | Stanley Baldwin MP for Bewdley | 25 August 1931 | 7 June 1935 | Lord Privy Seal | Conservative | National I (N.Lab.–Con.–Lib.N. –Lib. | George V |
| | Stanley Baldwin MP for Bewdley | 25 August 1931 | 7 June 1935 | Lord Privy Seal | Conservative | National II (N.Lab.–Con.–Lib.N. –Lib. until 1932) | George V |
| ‍ | Ramsay MacDonald MP for Combined Scottish Universities | 7 June 1935 | 28 May 1937 | | National Labour | National III (Con.–N.Lab.–Lib.N.) | George V |
| | Ramsay MacDonald MP for Combined Scottish Universities | 7 June 1935 | 28 May 1937 | | National Labour | National III (Con.–N.Lab.–Lib.N.) | Edward VIII |
| | Ramsay MacDonald MP for Combined Scottish Universities | 7 June 1935 | 28 May 1937 | | National Labour | National III (Con.–N.Lab.–Lib.N.) | George VI |
| | Edward Wood 3rd Viscount Halifax | 28 May 1937 | 9 March 1938 | Leader of the House of LordsSecretary of State for Foreign Affairs | Conservative | National IV (Con.–N.Lab.–Lib.N.) | George VI |
| | Douglas Hogg 1st Viscount Hailsham | 9 March 1938 | 31 October 1938 | | Conservative | National IV (Con.–N.Lab.–Lib.N.) | George VI |
| | Walter Runciman 1st Viscount Runciman of Doxford | 31 October 1938 | 3 September 1939 | | National Liberal | National IV (Con.–N.Lab.–Lib.N.) | George VI |
| | James Stanhope 7th Earl Stanhope | 3 September 1939 | 11 May 1940 | Leader of the House of Lords | Conservative | Chamberlain War (Con.–N.Lab.–Lib.N.) | George VI |
| | Neville Chamberlain MP for Birmingham Edgbaston | 11 May 1940 | 3 October 1940 | | Conservative | Churchill War (All parties) | George VI |
| | John Anderson MP for Combined Scottish Universities | 3 October 1940 | 24 September 1943 | | National | Churchill War (All parties) | George VI |
| | Clement Attlee MP for Limehouse | 24 September 1943 | 23 May 1945 | Deputy Prime Minister | Labour | Churchill War (All parties) | George VI |
| | Frederick Marquis 1st Baron Woolton | 25 May 1945 | 26 July 1945 | | National | Churchill Caretaker (Con.–Lib.N.) | George VI |
| | Herbert Morrison MP for Lewisham South | 27 July 1945 | 9 March 1951 | Deputy Prime MinisterLeader of the House of Commons | Labour | Attlee (I & II) | George VI |
| | Christopher Addison 1st Viscount Addison | 9 March 1951 | 26 October 1951 | Leader of the House of Lords | Labour | Attlee (I & II) | George VI |
| | Frederick Marquis 1st Baron Woolton | 28 October 1951 | 25 November 1952 | | Conservative | Churchill III | George VI |
| | Frederick Marquis 1st Baron Woolton | 28 October 1951 | 25 November 1952 | | Conservative | Churchill III | Elizabeth II |
| | Robert Gascoyne-Cecil 5th Marquess of Salisbury | 25 November 1952 | 29 March 1957 | Leader of the House of Lords | Conservative | Churchill III | Elizabeth II |
| | Robert Gascoyne-Cecil 5th Marquess of Salisbury | 25 November 1952 | 29 March 1957 | Leader of the House of Lords | Conservative | Eden | Elizabeth II |
| | Robert Gascoyne-Cecil 5th Marquess of Salisbury | 25 November 1952 | 29 March 1957 | Leader of the House of Lords | Conservative | Macmillan (I & II) | Elizabeth II |
| | Alec Douglas-Home 14th Earl of Home | 29 March 1957 | 17 September 1957 | Leader of the House of Lords | Conservative | Macmillan (I & II) | Elizabeth II |
| | Quintin Hogg 2nd Viscount Hailsham | 17 September 1957 | 14 October 1959 | | Conservative | Macmillan (I & II) | Elizabeth II |
| | Alec Douglas-Home 14th Earl of Home | 14 October 1959 | 27 July 1960 | Leader of the House of Lords | Conservative | Macmillan (I & II) | Elizabeth II |
| | Quintin Hogg MP for St Marylebone | 27 July 1960 | 16 October 1964 | Leader of the House of LordsMinister for ScienceSecretary of State for Education and Science | Conservative | Macmillan (I & II) | Elizabeth II |
| | Quintin Hogg MP for St Marylebone | 27 July 1960 | 16 October 1964 | Leader of the House of LordsMinister for ScienceSecretary of State for Education and Science | Conservative | Douglas-Home | Elizabeth II |
| | Herbert Bowden MP for Leicester South West | 16 October 1964 | 11 August 1966 | Leader of the House of Commons | Labour | Wilson (I & II) | Elizabeth II |
| | Richard Crossman MP for Coventry East | 11 August 1966 | 18 October 1968 | Leader of the House of Commons | Labour | Wilson (I & II) | Elizabeth II |
| | Fred Peart MP for Workington | 18 October 1968 | 19 June 1970 | Leader of the House of Commons | Labour | Wilson (I & II) | Elizabeth II |
| | William Whitelaw MP for Penrith and The Border | 20 June 1970 | 7 April 1972 | Leader of the House of Commons | Conservative | Heath | Elizabeth II |
| | Robert Carr MP for Mitcham | 7 April 1972 | 5 November 1972 | Leader of the House of Commons | Conservative | Heath | Elizabeth II |
| | Jim Prior MP for Lowestoft | 5 November 1972 | 4 March 1974 | Leader of the House of Commons | Conservative | Heath | Elizabeth II |
| | Edward Short MP for Newcastle upon Tyne Central | 5 March 1974 | 8 April 1976 | Leader of the House of Commons | Labour | Wilson (III & IV) | Elizabeth II |
| | Michael Foot MP for Ebbw Vale | 8 April 1976 | 4 May 1979 | Leader of the House of Commons | Labour | Callaghan | Elizabeth II |
| | Christopher Soames Baron Soames | 5 May 1979 | 14 September 1981 | Leader of the House of Lords | Conservative | Thatcher I | Elizabeth II |
| | Francis Pym MP for Cambridgeshire | 14 September 1981 | 7 April 1982 | Leader of the House of Commons | Conservative | Thatcher I | Elizabeth II |
| | John Biffen MP for Oswestry | 7 April 1982 | 11 June 1983 | Leader of the House of Commons | Conservative | Thatcher I | Elizabeth II |
| | William Whitelaw 1st Viscount Whitelaw | 11 June 1983 | 10 January 1988 | Leader of the House of Lords | Conservative | Thatcher II | Elizabeth II |
| | William Whitelaw 1st Viscount Whitelaw | 11 June 1983 | 10 January 1988 | Leader of the House of Lords | Conservative | Thatcher III | Elizabeth II |
| | John Wakeham MP for South Colchester and Maldon | 10 January 1988 | 24 July 1989 | Leader of the House of Commons | Conservative | Thatcher III | Elizabeth II |
| | Geoffrey Howe MP for East Surrey | 24 July 1989 | 1 November 1990 | Deputy Prime MinisterLeader of the House of Commons | Conservative | Thatcher III | Elizabeth II |
| | John MacGregor MP for South Norfolk | 2 November 1990 | 10 April 1992 | Leader of the House of Commons | Conservative | Thatcher III | Elizabeth II |
| | John MacGregor MP for South Norfolk | 2 November 1990 | 10 April 1992 | Leader of the House of Commons | Conservative | Major I | Elizabeth II |
| | Tony Newton MP for Braintree | 10 April 1992 | 2 May 1997 | Leader of the House of Commons | Conservative | Major II | Elizabeth II |
| | Ann Taylor MP for Dewsbury | 2 May 1997 | 27 July 1998 | Leader of the House of Commons | Labour | Blair I | Elizabeth II |
| | Margaret Beckett MP for Derby South | 27 July 1998 | 8 June 2001 | Leader of the House of Commons | Labour | Blair I | Elizabeth II |
| | Robin Cook MP for Livingston | 8 June 2001 | 18 March 2003 | Leader of the House of Commons | Labour | Blair II | Elizabeth II |
| | John Reid MP for Hamilton North and Bellshill | 4 April 2003 | 13 June 2003 | Leader of the House of Commons | Labour | Blair II | Elizabeth II |
| | Gareth Williams Baron Williams of Mostyn | 13 June 2003 | 20 September 2003 | Leader of the House of Lords | Labour | Blair II | Elizabeth II |
| | Valerie Amos Baroness Amos (born 1954) | 6 October 2003 | 27 June 2007 | Leader of the House of Lords | Labour | Blair II | Elizabeth II |
| | Valerie Amos Baroness Amos (born 1954) | 6 October 2003 | 27 June 2007 | Leader of the House of Lords | Labour | Blair III | Elizabeth II |
| | Catherine Ashton Baroness Ashton of Upholland (born 1956) | 28 June 2007 | 3 October 2008 | Leader of the House of Lords | Labour | Brown | Elizabeth II |
| | Janet Royall Baroness Royall of Blaisdon (born 1955) | 3 October 2008 | 5 June 2009 | Leader of the House of Lords | Labour | Brown | Elizabeth II |
| | Peter Mandelson Baron Mandelson (born 1953) | 5 June 2009 | 11 May 2010 | First Secretary of StateSecretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills | Labour | Brown | Elizabeth II |
| | Nick Clegg MP for Sheffield Hallam | 11 May 2010 | 8 May 2015 | Deputy Prime Minister | Liberal Democrat | Cameron–Clegg (Con.–Lib.Dem.) | Elizabeth II |
| | Chris Grayling MP for Epsom and Ewell | 9 May 2015 | 14 July 2016 | Leader of the House of Commons | Conservative | Cameron II | Elizabeth II |
| | David Lidington MP for Aylesbury | 14 July 2016 | 11 June 2017 | Leader of the House of Commons | Conservative | May I | Elizabeth II |
| | Andrea Leadsom MP for South Northamptonshire | 11 June 2017 | 22 May 2019 | Leader of the House of Commons | Conservative | May II | Elizabeth II |
| | Mel Stride MP for Central Devon | 23 May 2019 | 24 July 2019 | Leader of the House of Commons | Conservative | May II | Elizabeth II |
| | Jacob Rees-Mogg MP for North East Somerset | 24 July 2019 | 8 February 2022 | Leader of the House of Commons | Conservative | Johnson I | Elizabeth II |
| | Jacob Rees-Mogg MP for North East Somerset | 24 July 2019 | 8 February 2022 | Leader of the House of Commons | Conservative | Johnson II | Elizabeth II |
| | Mark Spencer MP for Sherwood | 8 February 2022 | 6 September 2022 | Leader of the House of Commons | Conservative | Johnson II | Elizabeth II |
| ‍ | Penny Mordaunt MP for Portsmouth North | 6 September 2022 | 5 July 2024 | Leader of the House of Commons | Conservative | Truss | Elizabeth II |
| | Penny Mordaunt MP for Portsmouth North | 6 September 2022 | 5 July 2024 | Leader of the House of Commons | Conservative | Truss | Charles III |
| | Penny Mordaunt MP for Portsmouth North | 6 September 2022 | 5 July 2024 | Leader of the House of Commons | Conservative | Sunak | Charles III |
| ‍ | Lucy Powell MP for Manchester Central | 5 July 2024 | Incumbent | Leader of the House of Commons | Labour | Starmer | Charles III |
* ↑ Marquess of Carmarthen from 1689, created Duke of Leeds in 1694
* ↑ Served as Secretary of State for the Northern Department from February 1721
* ↑ Served as Secretary of State for the Northern Department from November 1744
* ↑ Lord Lieutenant of Ireland from December 1750
* ↑ Baron Camden from 1765; created Earl Camden and Viscount Bayham in 1786
* ↑ Lord Privy Seal until February 1798
* ↑ Earl of Ripon and Earl de Grey from 1859; created Marquess of Ripon in 1871
* ↑ Served Leader of the House of Lords until August 1876
* ↑ Served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland from May 1882
* ↑ Served as Lord Privy Seal until March 1885
* ↑ Served as Secretary of State for War from January 1886
* ↑ Served as President of the Board of Education March 1900 – July 1902
* ↑ Served as Leader of the House of Lords from July 1902
* ↑ Served as Secretary of State for India March 1911– May 1911
* ↑ Served as President of the Board of Trade from August 1916
* ↑ MP for City of London until 1922; thereafter created Earl of Balfour and Viscount Traprain and joined the House of Lords
* ↑ Served as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster until May 1923
* ↑ Served as Lord Privy Seal September 1932 – December 1933
* ↑ MP for Seaham until 1935; returned to Parliament as MP for Combined Scottish Universities in 1936
* ↑ Served as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs from February 1938
* ↑ MP for Lewisham East until 1950; MP for Lewisham South thereafter.
* ↑ Viscount Hailsham until 1963 when disclaimed under the Peerage Act 1963; returned to Parliament as MP for St. Marylebone in 1963
* ↑ Served as Leader of the House of Lords until October 1963
* ↑ Served as Minister for Science from October 1963 – April 1964
* ↑ Served as Secretary of State for Education and Science from April 1964
* ↑ With special responsibility for political and constitutional reform