Chairman of the Conservative Party
Encyclopedia
In the United Kingdom
, the Chairman of the Conservative Party
is responsible for running the party machine, overseeing Conservative Central Office. When the Conservatives are in power, the Chairman is usually a member of the Cabinet
being given a sinecure
position such as Minister without Portfolio
. Deputy or vice-chairmen may also be appointed, with responsibility for specific aspects of the Conservative Party (for example, local government, women or youth).
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, the Chairman of the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
is responsible for running the party machine, overseeing Conservative Central Office. When the Conservatives are in power, the Chairman is usually a member of the Cabinet
Cabinet of the United Kingdom
The Cabinet of the United Kingdom is the collective decision-making body of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom, composed of the Prime Minister and some 22 Cabinet Ministers, the most senior of the government ministers....
being given a sinecure
Sinecure
A sinecure means an office that requires or involves little or no responsibility, labour, or active service...
position such as Minister without Portfolio
Minister without Portfolio
A minister without portfolio is either a government minister with no specific responsibilities or a minister that does not head a particular ministry...
. Deputy or vice-chairmen may also be appointed, with responsibility for specific aspects of the Conservative Party (for example, local government, women or youth).
List
- Arthur Steel-MaitlandArthur Steel-MaitlandSir Arthur Herbert Drummond Ramsay Steel-Maitland, 1st Baronet PC was a British Conservative politician. He was the first Chairman of the Conservative Party from 1911 to 1916 and held junior office from 1915 to 1919 in David Lloyd George's coalition government...
(1911–1916) - Sir George YoungerGeorge Younger, 1st Viscount Younger of LeckieGeorge Younger, 1st Viscount Younger of Leckie Bt was a British politician.He was educated at Edinburgh Academy. In 1897, he became chairman of George Younger and Son, the family brewing business founded by his great-grandfather, George Younger , of Alloa, Clackmannanshire...
(1916–1923) - Stanley JacksonStanley JacksonSir Francis Stanley Jackson, GCSI, GCIE, PC, KStJ , known as the Honourable Stanley Jackson during his playing career, was an English cricketer, soldier and Conservative Party politician.-Early life:...
(1923–1926) - John DavidsonJ. C. C. Davidson, 1st Viscount DavidsonJohn Colin Campbell Davidson, 1st Viscount Davidson GCVO CH, CB, PC , known before his elevation to the peerage as J. C. C. Davidson, was a British civil servant and Conservative Party politician, best known for his close alliance with Stanley Baldwin...
(1926–1930) - Neville ChamberlainNeville ChamberlainArthur Neville Chamberlain FRS was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from May 1937 to May 1940. Chamberlain is best known for his appeasement foreign policy, and in particular for his signing of the Munich Agreement in 1938, conceding the...
(1930–1931) - Lord StonehavenJohn Baird, 1st Viscount StonehavenJohn Lawrence Baird, 1st Viscount Stonehaven, GCMG, DSO, PC, JP, DL , known as Sir John Baird, Bt, between 1920 and 1925 and as The Lord Stonehaven between 1925 and 1928, was a British Conservative politician, who served as a Member of Parliament, government minister, and was later the eighth...
(1931–1936) - Sir Douglas Hacking (1936–1942)
- Thomas DugdaleThomas DugdaleThomas Lionel Dugdale, 1st Baron Crathorne PC , known as Sir Thomas Dugdale, 1st Baronet, from 1945 to 1959, was a British Conservative Party politician...
(1942–1944) - Ralph AsshetonRalph Assheton, 1st Baron ClitheroeRalph Assheton, 1st Baron Clitheroe PC was a British Conservative Party politician.He was Member of Parliament for Rushcliffe from 1934 to 1945, for the City of London from 1945 to 1950, and for Blackburn West from 1950 to 1955.In the wartime government under Winston Churchill, he was Minister of...
(1944–1946) - Lord Woolton (1946–1955)
- Oliver PooleOliver Poole, 1st Baron PooleOliver Brian Sanderson Poole, 1st Baron Poole CBE, TD, PC , was a British Conservative politician, soldier and businessman.Poole was the eldest son of Donald Louis Poole, and was educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford...
(1955–1957) - Quintin McGarel Hogg, 2nd Viscount HailshamQuintin Hogg, Baron Hailsham of St MaryleboneFor the businessman and philanthropist, see Quintin Hogg Quintin McGarel Hogg, Baron Hailsham of St Marylebone, KG, CH, PC, QC, FRS , formerly 2nd Viscount Hailsham , was a British politician who was known for the longevity of his career, the vigour with which he campaigned for the Conservative...
(1957-1959) - Rab ButlerRab ButlerRichard Austen Butler, Baron Butler of Saffron Walden, KG CH DL PC , who invariably signed his name R. A. Butler and was familiarly known as Rab, was a British Conservative politician...
(1959–1961) - Iain MacleodIain MacleodIain Norman Macleod was a British Conservative Party politician and government minister.-Early life:...
(1961–1963)- Lord PooleOliver Poole, 1st Baron PooleOliver Brian Sanderson Poole, 1st Baron Poole CBE, TD, PC , was a British Conservative politician, soldier and businessman.Poole was the eldest son of Donald Louis Poole, and was educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford...
(1963, joint chairman)
- Lord Poole
- Lord BlakenhamJohn Hare, 1st Viscount BlakenhamJohn Hugh Hare, 1st Viscount Blakenham OBE, PC, DL , was a British Conservative politician.-Background and education:...
(1963–1965) - Edward du CannEdward du CannSir Edward Dillon Lott du Cann is a retired politician from the United Kingdom. He was a Member of Parliament from 1956–87, and served as Chairman of the Conservative Party from 1965–67, and Chairman of party's 1922 Committee from 1972-84.Du Cann was educated at Colet Court, Woodbridge School and...
(1965–1967) - Anthony Barber (1967–1970)
- Peter Thomas (1970–1972)
- Lord Carrington (1972–1974)
- William Whitelaw (1974–1975)
- Peter ThorneycroftPeter ThorneycroftGeorge Edward Peter Thorneycroft, Baron Thorneycroft CH, PC , was a British Conservative Party politician. He served as Chancellor of the Exchequer between 1957 and 1958.-Biography:...
(1975–1981) - Cecil ParkinsonCecil ParkinsonCecil Parkinson, Baron Parkinson, PC , is a British Conservative politician and former Cabinet Minister.-Early life:...
(1981–1983) - John GummerJohn GummerJohn Selwyn Gummer, Baron Deben, PC is a British Conservative Party politician, formerly Member of Parliament for Suffolk Coastal, now a member of the House of Lords. He is Chairman of the environmental consultancy company Sancroft International and Chairman of Veolia Water...
(1983–1985) - Norman TebbitNorman TebbitNorman Beresford Tebbit, Baron Tebbit, CH, PC , is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he served in the Cabinet from 1981 to 1987 as Secretary of State for Employment...
(1985–1987) - Peter BrookePeter BrookePeter Leonard Brooke, Baron Brooke of Sutton Mandeville, CH, PC , is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he served in the Cabinet under Prime Ministers Margaret Thatcher and John Major, and was a Member of Parliament representing the Cities of London and Westminster from...
(1987–1989) - Kenneth BakerKenneth BakerKenneth Wilfred Baker, Baron Baker of Dorking, CH, PC , is a British politician, a former Conservative MP and a Life Member of the Tory Reform Group.-Early life:...
(1989–1990) - Chris PattenChris PattenChristopher Francis Patten, Baron Patten of Barnes, CH, PC , is the last Governor of British Hong Kong, a former British Conservative politician, and the current chairman of the BBC Trust....
(1990–1992) - Sir Norman FowlerNorman FowlerNorman Fowler, Baron Fowler, PC is a British Conservative politician who was from 1981 to 1990 a member of Margaret Thatcher's Cabinet.-Early life:...
(1992-1994) - Jeremy HanleyJeremy HanleySir Jeremy James Hanley, KCMG , is a politician and chartered accountant from the United Kingdom. He served as the Chairman of the Conservative Party from 1994-95, and as a Member of Parliament representing the constituency of Richmond and Barnes from 1983-97.Hanley was educated at Rugby School,...
(1994–1995) - Brian MawhinneyBrian MawhinneyBrian Stanley Mawhinney, Baron Mawhinney PC is a British Conservative Party politician. He was a member of the Cabinet from 1994 until 1997 and a Member of Parliament from 1979 until 2005.-Early life:...
(1995–1997) - Cecil ParkinsonCecil ParkinsonCecil Parkinson, Baron Parkinson, PC , is a British Conservative politician and former Cabinet Minister.-Early life:...
(1997–1998) - Michael AncramMichael AncramMichael Andrew Foster Jude Kerr, 13th Marquess of Lothian, PC, QC , known as Michael Ancram, is a United Kingdom Conservative Party politician. He is a member of the House of Lords, former Member of Parliament, and a former member of the Shadow Cabinet...
(1998–2001) - David DavisDavid Davis (British politician)David Michael Davis is a British Conservative Party politician who is the Member of Parliament for the constituency of Haltemprice and Howden...
(2001–2002) - Theresa MayTheresa MayTheresa Mary May is a British Conservative politician who is Home Secretary in the Conservative – Liberal Democrat Coalition government. She was elected to Parliament in 1997 as the Member of Parliament for Maidenhead, and served as the Chairman of the Conservative Party, 2003–04...
(2002–2003) - Liam FoxLiam FoxLiam Fox MP is a British Conservative politician, Member of Parliament for North Somerset, and former Secretary of State for Defence....
and Maurice SaatchiMaurice Saatchi, Baron SaatchiMaurice Nathan Saatchi, Baron Saatchi is the co-founder, with his brother Charles, of the advertising agencies Saatchi and Saatchi and M&C Saatchi, where he currently serves as Executive Director.- Early life :...
(2003–2005) - Francis MaudeFrancis MaudeFrancis Anthony Aylmer Maude is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he currently serves as the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, and as a Member of Parliament representing the constituency of Horsham...
(2005–2007) - Caroline SpelmanCaroline SpelmanCaroline Alice Spelman is a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom who has served as the Member of Parliament for Meriden in the West Midlands since 1997...
(2007–2009) - Eric PicklesEric PicklesEric Jack Pickles is a British Conservative Party politician. Pickles was appointed Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government of the coalition government headed by Prime Minister David Cameron on 12 May 2010....
(2009–2010) - Lady Warsi and Lord Feldman of Elstree (2010–) - both as Co-Chairs of the Conservative Party
See also
- 1922 Committee1922 CommitteeIn British politics, the 1922 Committee is a committee of Conservative Members of Parliament. Voting membership is limited to backbench MPs although frontbench Conservative MPs have an open invitation to attend meetings. While the party was in opposition, frontbench MPs other than the party leader...
- the parliamentary body of the Conservative Party, which has its own Chairman
Sources
- http://www.conservativehistory.org.uk/key.html#chairmen
- The Conservative Party Archive