Leader of the House of Commons

TheLeader of the House of Commonsis aminister of the Crownof theGovernment of the United Kingdomwhose main role is organising government business in theHouse of Commons.The Leader is always a member or attendee of thecabinet of the United Kingdom.

United Kingdom
Leader of the
House of Commons
Incumbent
Lucy Powell
since 5 July 2024
Cabinet Office
Office of the Leader of the House of Commons
StyleThe Right Honourable
Formation4 April 1721
First holderSir Robert Walpole
Salary£159,038 per annum(2022)[1]
(including £86,584MPsalary)[2]
Websitewww.gov.uk/leader-commons

The House of Commons devotes approximately three-quarters of its time to debating and explaining government business, such asbillsintroduced by the government and ministerial statements.[citation needed]The Leader of the House of Commons, with the parties'chief whips( "theusual channels"), is responsible for organising government business and providing time for non-government (backbench) business to be put before the House of Commons.[3]

The position of leader of the House of Commons is currently held byLucy Powell,who was appointed on 5 July 2024 byKeir Starmer.

Responsibilities

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The current responsibilities of the Leader of the House of Commons are as follows:

TheOsmotherly Rules,which set out guidance on how civil servants should respond toparliamentary select committees,are jointly updated by the Office of the Leader of the House of Commons and theCabinet Office.[5]

History

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The title was not established until about the middle of the 19th century, although the institution is much older.[6]

Until 1942, the title was usually held by the prime minister if he sat in the House of Commons, however, in more recent years, the title has been held by a separate politician.[6]

The title holder is not formally appointed by the Crown[clarification needed]and the title alone does not attract a salary,[6]so is now usually held in addition to asinecure,currentlyLord President of the Council.

List of Leaders of the House of Commons (1721–present)

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Leader
Constituency
Term of office Other ministerial offices held as Leader Party Ministry
Robert Walpole
MP forKing's Lynn
4 April
1721
6 February
1742
Whig Walpole–Townshend
Walpole
Samuel Sandys
MP forWorcester
12 February
1742
27 August
1743
Carteret
Henry Pelham
MP forSussex
27 August
1743
6 March
1754
Broad Bottom
(I & II)
Thomas Robinson
MP forChristchurch
23 March
1754
October
1755
Newcastle I
Henry Fox
MP forWindsor
14 November
1755
13 November
1756
William Pitt'the Elder'
MP forOkehampton
4 December
1756
6 April
1757
Pitt–Devonshire
Vacant April
1757
June
1757
1757 Caretaker
William Pitt'the Elder'
MP forBath
27 June
1757
6 October
1761
Whig Pitt–Newcastle
George Grenville
MP forBuckingham
October
1761
May
1762
Henry Fox
MP forDunwich
May
1762
April
1763
Bute
(ToryWhig)
George Grenville
MP forBuckingham
16 April
1763
13 July
1765
Grenville
Henry Seymour Conway
MP forThetford
July
1765
20 October
1768
Rockingham I
Chatham
(WhigTory)
Frederick North
Lord North

MP forBanbury
October
1768
22 March
1782
Tory Grafton
(WhigTory)
North
Charles James Fox
MP forWestminster
27 March
1782
July
1782
Whig Rockingham II
Thomas Townshend
MP forWhitchurch
10 July
1782
6 March
1783
Shelburne
(WhigTory)
Charles James Fox
MP forWestminster
2 April
1783
19 December
1783
Fox–North
Frederick North
Lord North

MP forBanbury
Tory
William Pitt'the Younger'
MP forApplebyuntil 1784
MP forCambridge Universityfrom 1784
19 December
1783
14 March
1801
Pitt I
Henry Addington
MP forDevizes
17 March
1801
10 May
1804
Addington
William Pitt'the Younger'
MP forCambridge University
10 May
1804
23 January
1806†
Pitt II
Charles James Fox
MP forWestminster
February
1806
13 September
1806†
Whig All the Talents
Charles Grey
Viscount Howick

MP forNorthumberland
September
1806
31 March
1807
Spencer Perceval
MP forNorthampton
April
1807
11 May
1812
Tory Portland II
Perceval
Robert Stewart
Viscount Castlereagh

MP forDownuntil 1821
MP forOrfordfrom 1821
The Marquess of Londonderryfrom 1821
June
1812
12 August
1822†
Liverpool
George Canning
MP forLiverpooluntil 1823
MP forHarwich1823–1826
MP forNewport1826–1827
MP forSeafordfrom 1827
16 September
1822
8 August
1827†
Canning
(CanningiteWhig)
William Huskisson
MP forLiverpool
3 September
1827
21 January
1828
Goderich
(CanningiteWhig)
Robert Peel
MP forOxford Universityuntil 1829
MP forWestburyfrom 1829
26 January
1828
16 November
1830
Wellington–Peel
John Spencer
Viscount Althorp

MP forNorthamptonshireuntil 1832
MP forSouth Northamptonshirefrom 1832
22 November
1830
14 November
1834
Whig Grey
Melbourne I
Vacant 14 November
1834
10 December
1834
Wellington Caretaker
Robert Peel
MP forTamworth
10 December
1834
8 April
1835
Conservative Peel I
LordJohn Russell
MP forStroud
18 April
1835
30 August
1841
Whig Melbourne II
Robert Peel
MP forTamworth
30 August
1841
29 June
1846
Conservative Peel II
LordJohn Russell
MP forCity of London
30 June
1846
21 February
1852
Whig Russell I
Benjamin Disraeli
MP forBuckinghamshire
27 February
1852
17 December
1852
Conservative Who? Who?
LordJohn Russell
MP forCity of London
28 December
1852
30 January
1855
Whig Aberdeen
(PeeliteWhig)
Henry John Temple
The Viscount Palmerston

MP forTiverton
6 February
1855
19 February
1858
Palmerston I
Benjamin Disraeli
MP forBuckinghamshire
26 February
1858
11 June
1859
Conservative Derby–Disraeli II
Henry John Temple
The Viscount Palmerston

MP forTiverton
12 June
1859
18 October
1865†
Liberal Palmerston II
William Ewart Gladstone
MP forSouth Lancashire
October
1865
26 June
1866
Russell II
Benjamin Disraeli
MP forBuckinghamshire
6 July
1866
1 December
1868
Conservative Derby–Disraeli III
William Ewart Gladstone
MP forGreenwich
3 December
1868
17 February
1874
Liberal Gladstone I
Benjamin Disraeli
MP forBuckinghamshire
20 February
1874
21 August
1876
Conservative Disraeli II
Stafford Northcote
MP forDevonshire North
21 August
1876
21 April
1880
William Ewart Gladstone
MP forMidlothian
23 April
1880
9 June
1885
Liberal Gladstone II
Michael Hicks-Beach
MP forBristol West
24 June
1885
28 January
1886
Conservative Salisbury I
William Ewart Gladstone
MP forMidlothian
1 February
1886
2 July
1886
Liberal Gladstone III
LordRandolph Churchill
MP forPaddington South
3 August
1886
14 January
1887
Conservative Salisbury II
W. H. Smith
MP forStrand
17 January
1887
October
1891
Arthur Balfour
MP forManchester East
October
1891
11 August
1892
William Ewart Gladstone
MP forMidlothian
15 August
1892
2 March
1894
Liberal Gladstone IV
William Harcourt
MP forDerby
2 March
1894
21 June
1895
Rosebery
Arthur Balfour[7]
MP forManchester East
29 June
1895
4 December
1905
Conservative Salisbury
(III & IV)

(Con.Lib.U.)
Balfour
(Con.Lib.U.)
Henry Campbell-Bannerman[7]
MP forStirling Burghs
5 December
1905
5 April
1908
Liberal Campbell-Bannerman
H. H. Asquith[7]
MP forEast Fife
5 April
1908
5 December
1916
Asquith
(I–III)
Asquith Coalition
(Lib.Con.Lab.)
Bonar Law[7]
MP forBootleuntil 1918
MP forGlasgow Centralfrom 1918
10 December
1916
23 March
1921
Conservative Lloyd George
(I & II)

(Lib.Con.Lab.)
Austen Chamberlain[7]
MP forBirmingham West
23 March
1921
19 October
1922
Bonar Law[7]
MP forGlasgow Central
23 October
1922
20 May
1923
Law
Stanley Baldwin[7]
MP forBewdley
22 May
1923
22 January
1924
Baldwin I
Ramsay MacDonald[7]
MP forAberavon
22 January
1924
3 November
1924
Labour MacDonald I
Stanley Baldwin[7]
MP forBewdley
4 November
1924
4 June
1929
Conservative Baldwin II
Ramsay MacDonald[7]
MP forSeaham
5 June
1929
7 June
1935
Labour MacDonald II
National Labour National I
(N.Lab.Con.Lib.N.
Lib.
)
National II
(N.Lab.Con.Lib.N.
Lib.until 1932
)
Stanley Baldwin[7]
MP forBewdley
7 June
1935
28 May
1937
Conservative National III
(Con.N.Lab.Lib.N.)
Neville Chamberlain[7]
MP forBirmingham Edgbaston
28 May
1937
10 May
1940
National IV
(Con.N.Lab.Lib.N.)
Chamberlain War
(Con.N.Lab.Lib.N.)
Winston Churchill[7]
MP forEpping
10 May
1940
19 February
1942
Churchill War
(All parties)
Stafford Cripps[7]
MP forBristol East
19 February
1942
22 November
1942
Independent
Anthony Eden[7]
MP forWarwick and Leamington
22 November
1942
26 July
1945
Conservative
Churchill Caretaker
(Con.N.Lib.)
Herbert Morrison[7]
MP forLewisham Eastuntil 1950
MP forLewisham Southfrom 1950
27 July
1945
9 March
1951
Labour Attlee
(I & II)
James Chuter Ede[7]
MP forSouth Shields
9 March
1951
26 October
1951
Harry Crookshank[7]
MP forGainsborough
28 October
1951
20 December
1955
Conservative Churchill III
Eden
R. A. Butler[7]
MP forSaffron Walden
20 December
1955
9 October
1961
Macmillan
(I & II)
Iain Macleod[7]
MP forEnfield West
9 October
1961
20 October
1963
Selwyn Lloyd[7]
MP forWirral
20 October
1963
16 October
1964
Douglas-Home
Herbert Bowden[7]
MP forLeicester South West
16 October
1964
11 August
1966
Labour Wilson
(I & II)
Richard Crossman[7]
MP forCoventry East
11 August
1966
18 October
1968
Fred Peart[7]
MP forWorkington
18 October
1968
19 June
1970
William Whitelaw[7]
MP forPenrith and The Border
20 June
1970
7 April
1972
Conservative Heath
Robert Carr[7]
MP forMitcham
7 April
1972
5 November
1972
Jim Prior[7]
MP forLowestoft
5 November
1972
4 March
1974
Edward Short[7]
MP forNewcastle upon Tyne Central
5 March
1974
8 April
1976
Labour Wilson
(III & IV)
Michael Foot[7]
MP forEbbw Vale
8 April
1976
4 May
1979
Callaghan
Norman St John-Stevas[7]
MP forChelmsford
5 May
1979
5 January
1981
Conservative Thatcher I
Francis Pym[7]
MP forCambridgeshire
5 January
1981
5 April
1982
John Biffen[7]
MP forOswestryuntil 1983
MP forShropshire Northfrom 1983
5 April
1982
13 June
1987
Thatcher II
John Wakeham[7]
MP forSouth Colchester and Maldon
13 June
1987
24 July
1989
Thatcher III
Geoffrey Howe[7]
MP forEast Surrey
24 July
1989
2 November
1990
John MacGregor[7]
MP forSouth Norfolk
2 November
1990
10 April
1992
Major I
Tony Newton[8]
MP forBraintree
10 April
1992
2 May
1997
Major II
Ann Taylor[9]
MP forDewsbury
2 May
1997
27 July
1998
Labour Blair I
Margaret Beckett[10]
MP forDerby South
27 July
1998
8 June
2001
Robin Cook[11]
MP forLivingston
8 June
2001
17 March
2003
Blair II
John Reid[12]
MP forHamilton North and Bellshill
4 April
2003
13 June
2003
Peter Hain[13]
MP forNeath
11 June
2003
6 May
2005
Geoff Hoon[14]
MP forAshfield
6 May
2005
5 May
2006
Blair III
Jack Straw[15]
MP forBlackburn
5 May
2006
27 June
2007
Harriet Harman[16]
MP forCamberwell and Peckham
28 June
2007
11 May
2010
Brown
George Young[17]
MP forNorth West Hampshire
12 May
2010
3 September
2012
Conservative Cameron–Clegg
(Con.L.D.)
Andrew Lansley[18]
MP forSouth Cambridgeshire
4 September
2012
14 July
2014
William Hague[19]
MP forRichmond (Yorks)
14 July
2014
8 May
2015
Chris Grayling[20]
MP forEpsom and Ewell
9 May
2015
14 July
2016
Cameron II
David Lidington[21]
MP forAylesbury
14 July
2016
11 June
2017
May I
Andrea Leadsom[22]
MP forSouth Northamptonshire
11 June
2017
22 May
2019
May II
Mel Stride[23]
MP forCentral Devon
23 May
2019
24 July
2019
Jacob Rees-Mogg[24]
MP forNorth East Somerset
24 July
2019
8 February
2022
Johnson I
Johnson II
Mark Spencer[25]
MP forSherwood
8 February
2022
6 September
2022
Penny Mordaunt[26]
MP forPortsmouth North
6 September
2022
5 July
2024
Truss
Sunak
Lucy Powell
MP forManchester Central
5 July
2024
Incumbent Labour Starmer

Timeline

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Lucy PowellPenny MordauntMark Spencer (British politician)Jacob Rees-MoggMel StrideAndrea LeadsomDavid LidingtonChris GraylingWilliam HagueAndrew LansleyGeorge Young, Baron Young of CookhamHarriet HarmanJack StrawGeoff HoonPeter HainJohn Reid, Baron Reid of CardowanRobin CookMargaret BeckettAnn Taylor, Baroness Taylor of BoltonTony Newton, Baron Newton of BraintreeJohn MacGregor, Baron MacGregor of Pulham MarketGeoffrey HoweJohn WakehamJohn BiffenFrancis PymNorman St John-StevasMichael FootEdward Short, Baron GlenamaraJim PriorRobert CarrWilliam WhitelawFred PeartRichard CrossmanHerbert BowdenSelwyn LloydIain MacleodRab ButlerHarry CrookshankJames Chuter EdeHerbert MorrisonAnthony EdenStafford CrippsWinston ChurchillNeville ChamberlainRamsay MacDonaldStanley BaldwinAusten ChamberlainBonar LawH. H. AsquithHenry Campbell-BannermanWilliam Hardcourt (politician)Arthur BalfourWilliam Henry SmithLord Randolph ChurchillMichael Hicks-BeachStafford NorthcoteWilliam Ewart GladstoneHenry John TempleBenjamin DisraeliJohn Russell, 1st Earl RussellJohn Spencer, Viscount AlthorpRobert PeelWilliam HuskissonGeorge CanningRobert Stewart, Viscount CastlereaghSpencer PercevalCharles Grey, 2nd Earl GreyHenry AddingtonWilliam Pitt the YoungerThomas TownshendCharles James FoxFrederick North, Lord NorthHenry Seymour ConwayGeorge GrenvilleWilliam Pitt the ElderHenry Fox, 1st Baron HollandThomas Robinson, 1st Baron GranthamHenry PelhamSamuel SandysRobert Wapole

Deputy Leader of the House of Commons

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From 1922, when the prime minister was also Leader of the House of Commons, day-to-day duties were frequently carried out by aDeputy Leader of the House of Commons.[6]At other times, a Deputy Leader of the House of Commons was appointed merely to enhance an individual politician's standing within the government.[citation needed]

The title has been in use since 1942, but was not used from the 2019 dissolution of theSecond May ministryto 2022, when it was revived byBoris Johnson.[27]This was shortlived however, as it was abolished by Liz Truss after she became Prime Minister a few months later.[28]

List of Deputy Leaders of the House of Commons

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Deputy Leader Term Start Term End
Paddy Tipping 23 December 1998 11 June 2001
Stephen Twigg 11 June 2001 29 May 2002
Ben Bradshaw 29 May 2002 13 June 2003
Phil Woolas 13 June 2003 9 May 2005
Nigel Griffiths 10 May 2005 13 March 2007
Paddy Tipping 28 March 2007 27 June 2007
Helen Goodman 28 June 2007 5 October 2008
Chris Bryant 5 October 2008 9 June 2009
Barbara Keeley 9 June 2009 11 May 2010
David Heath 14 May 2010 4 September 2012
Tom Brake 4 September 2012 8 May 2015
Thérèse Coffey 11 May 2015 17 July 2016
Michael Ellis 17 July 2016 9 January 2018
Chris Heaton-Harris 9 January 2018 9 July 2018
Mark Spencer 15 July 2018 24 July 2019
Peter Bone 8 July 2022 27 September 2022

See also

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References

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  1. ^"Salaries of Members of His Majesty's Government – Financial Year 2022–23"(PDF).15 December 2022.
  2. ^"Pay and expenses for MPs".parliament.uk.Retrieved15 December2022.
  3. ^"Leader of the House of Commons – GOV.UK".gov.uk.Retrieved2 January2021.
  4. ^"Leader of the House of Commons".Government of the United Kingdom.Retrieved22 January2023.
  5. ^Gay, Oonagh (4 August 2005)."The Osmotherly Rules (Standard Note: SN/PC/2671)"(PDF).Parliament and Constitution Centre, House of Commons Library.Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 30 May 2009.Retrieved22 May2009.
  6. ^abcd"Leader of the House of Commons".parliament.uk.Retrieved28 September2020.
  7. ^abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzaaabacadaeafagahaiDavid Butler and Gareth Butler, British Political Facts 1900–1994 (7th edn, Macmillan 1994) 65.
  8. ^"Lord Newton of Braintree".UK Parliament.Retrieved10 December2017.
  9. ^"Baroness Taylor of Bolton".UK Parliament.Retrieved10 December2017.
  10. ^"Rt Hon Margaret Beckett MP".UK Parliament.Retrieved10 December2017.
  11. ^"Rt Hon Robin Cook".UK Parliament.Retrieved10 December2017.
  12. ^"Lord Reid of Cardowan".UK Parliament.Retrieved10 December2017.
  13. ^"Lord Hain".UK Parliament.Retrieved10 December2017.
  14. ^"Mr Geoffrey Hoon".UK Parliament.Retrieved10 December2017.
  15. ^"Rt Hon Jack Straw".UK Parliament.Retrieved10 December2017.
  16. ^"Rt Hon Harriet Harman QC MP".UK Parliament.Retrieved10 December2017.
  17. ^"Lord Young of Cookham".UK Parliament.Retrieved10 December2017.
  18. ^"Lord Lansley".UK Parliament.Retrieved10 December2017.
  19. ^"Lord Hague of Richmond".UK Parliament.Retrieved10 December2017.
  20. ^"Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP".UK Parliament.Retrieved10 December2017.
  21. ^"Rt Hon David Lidington MP".UK Parliament.Retrieved10 December2017.
  22. ^"Rt Hon Andrea Leadsom MP".UK Parliament.Retrieved10 December2017.
  23. ^"Rt Hon Mel Stride MP".UK Parliament.Retrieved23 May2019.
  24. ^"Rt Hon Jacob Rees-Mogg MP".UK Parliament.Retrieved29 July2019.
  25. ^"Rt Hon Mark Spencer MP".UK Parliament.Retrieved5 July2022.
  26. ^"Penny Mordaunt".UK Parliament.Retrieved6 September2022.
  27. ^"Parliamentary Secretary of State (Deputy Leader of the House of Commons) – GOV.UK".gov.uk.
  28. ^Commentator, Tim Shipman, Chief Political."The rebels' smartphone spreadsheet that means Liz Truss is still in deep trouble".The Times.ISSN0140-0460.Retrieved8 October2022.{{cite news}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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