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: Margaret 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:

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 (14th Earl of Derby 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 
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  (overall leader from 1885)
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 (1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston from 1921): 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 (born 1893) (5th Marquess of Salisbury from 1947): 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 (born 1946): 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)
Those asterisked were considered the overall leader of the party.

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 (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: 189113 January 1906, appointed by Prime Minister Salisbury (overall leader from 1902)
Joseph Chamberlain: 1906
Arthur Balfour: 190613 November 1911*
Bonar Law: 13 November 1911 – 21 March 1921, elected at a party meeting  (overall leader from 1916)
Austen Chamberlain: 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

 
Category:Organisation of the Conservative Party (UK)
Conservative UK
Leader