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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
Rishi Sunak Rishi Sunak (; born 12 May 1980) is a British politician who has served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party since October 2022. He previously held two cabinet positions under Boris Johnson, lastly as ...
, who was elected to the position on 24 October, following his unopposed victory in the party's leadership election. 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 In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. ...
, 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 of 1911 The Parliament Act 1911 (1 & 2 Geo. 5 c. 13) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is constitutionally important and partly governs the relationship between the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two Houses of Pa ...
, the reduction of power in the
House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by appointment, heredity or official function. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster ...
suggested that the Conservative leader in the
House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...
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. Under party rules, members can vote in the Conservative leadership even if they are not British citizens, do not live in the UK and do not have the right to vote in a UK general election. When the Conservative Party is in
government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government ...
, as it currently is, the leader would usually become the
prime minister of the United Kingdom The prime minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government of the United Kingdom. The prime minister advises the sovereign on the exercise of much of the royal prerogative, chairs the Cabinet and selects its ministers. As moder ...
,
first lord of the Treasury The first lord of the Treasury is the head of the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury exercising the ancient office of Lord High Treasurer in the United Kingdom, and is by convention also the prime minister. This office is not equivalent to t ...
and minister for the civil service, as well as appointing the
cabinet Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to: Furniture * Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers * Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets * Filing ...
. Concordantly, when the Party is in opposition, the leader of the Conservative Party usually acts (as the second largest party) as the
Leader of the Opposition The Leader of the Opposition is a title traditionally held by the leader of the largest political party not in government, typical in countries utilizing the parliamentary system form of government. The leader of the opposition is typically se ...
, and chairs the shadow cabinet. As of October 2022, three of the party's leaders have been women:
Margaret Thatcher Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. She was the first female British prime ...
,
Theresa May Theresa Mary May, Lady May (; née Brasier; born 1 October 1956) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2016 to 2019. She previously served in David Cameron's cabi ...
, and
Liz Truss Mary Elizabeth Truss (born 26 July 1975) is a British politician who briefly served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from September to October 2022. On her fiftieth day in office, she stepped down ...
, all of whom have served as prime minister. Rishi Sunak is the first
British Asian British Asians (also referred to as Asian Britons) are British citizens of Asian descent. They constitute a significant and growing minority of the people living in the United Kingdom, with 6.9% of the population identifying as Asian/Asian Bri ...
party leader and prime minister.


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)


Leaders of the party (1922–present)


Timeline


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 * Lord Stanley (14th
Earl of Derby Earl of Derby ( ) is a title in the Peerage of England. The title was first adopted by Robert de Ferrers, 1st Earl of Derby, under a creation of 1139. It continued with the Ferrers family until the 6th Earl forfeited his property toward the e ...
from 1851): 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


Leaders in the House of Commons (1834–1922)

Those asterisked were considered the overall leader of the party. * Sir Robert Peel: 18 December 18341846* *
Lord George Bentinck Lord William George Frederick Cavendish-Scott-Bentinck (27 February 180221 September 1848), better known as Lord George Bentinck, was an English Conservative politician and racehorse owner noted for his role (with Benjamin Disraeli) in unseat ...
: 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 ''(overall leader from 27 February 1868)'' * Sir Stafford Northcote: 21 August 1876 – 24 June 1885, appointed by Prime Minister Beaconsfield *
Sir Michael Hicks Beach Michael Edward Hicks Beach, 1st Earl St Aldwyn, (23 October 1837 – 30 April 1916), known as Sir Michael Hicks Beach, Bt, from 1854 to 1906 and subsequently as The Viscount St Aldwyn to 1915, was a British Conservative politician. Known as " ...
: 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 Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour, (, ; 25 July 184819 March 1930), also known as Lord Balfour, was a British Conservative statesman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1902 to 1905. As foreign secretary in the L ...
: 189113 January 1906, appointed by Prime Minister Salisbury ''(overall leader from 1902)'' *
Joseph Chamberlain Joseph Chamberlain (8 July 1836 – 2 July 1914) was a British statesman who was first a radical Liberal, then a Liberal Unionist after opposing home rule for Ireland, and eventually served as a leading imperialist in coalition with the ...
: 1906 *
Arthur Balfour Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour, (, ; 25 July 184819 March 1930), also known as Lord Balfour, was a British Conservative statesman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1902 to 1905. As foreign secretary in the L ...
: 190613 November 1911* * Bonar Law: 13 November 1911 – 21 March 1921, elected at a party meeting ''(overall leader from 1916)'' *
Austen Chamberlain Sir Joseph Austen Chamberlain (16 October 1863 – 16 March 1937) was a British statesman, son of Joseph Chamberlain and older half-brother of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain. He served as Chancellor of the Exchequer (twice) and was briefly ...
: 21 March 1921 – 23 October 1922, elected at a party meeting


Elections of Conservative leaders by party meeting


House of Commons


House of Lords


See also

* 1922 Committee * Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party (UK) * Leader of the Labour Party (UK) * Leader of the Liberal Democrats


Notes


References

{{Use dmy dates, date=July 2019 Organisation of the Conservative Party (UK) Conservative UK Leader