Chairman of the Conservative Party

The Chairman of the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom is responsible for party administration and overseeing the Conservative Campaign Headquarters, formerly Conservative Central Office.

Chairman of the
Conservative Party
Logo for the Conservative Party
Incumbent
Richard Holden
since 13 November 2023
AppointerLeader of the Conservative Party
Term lengthAt the pleasure of the Leader of the Conservative Party
Inaugural holderArthur Steel-Maitland
Formation1911
DeputyJack Lopresti
Nickie Aiken
Jonathan Gullis
Matt Vickers

When the Conservatives are in government, the officeholder is usually a member of the Cabinet holding a sinecure position such as Minister without Portfolio. Deputy or Vice Chairmen of the Conservative Party may also be appointed, with responsibility for specific aspects of the party. The Chairman of the Conservative Party is Richard Holden who has been in the role since 13 November 2023.

The role of Deputy Chairman is currently held by eight Members of Parliament, they are: Sara Britcliffe, James Daly, Angela Richardson, Rachel Maclean (Women), Jack Lopresti, Nickie Aiken (Party Board), Jonathan Gullis and Matt Vickers.

The role was created in 1911 in response to the Conservative party's defeat in the second 1910 general election. The position is not subject to election, as it is given by the party leader.[1]

List

Key
Member of the House of Commons
Member of the House of Lords
Non-parliamentarian

List
Chairman Term of office Election Ministerial offices Leader Ref
Arthur Steel-Maitland
MP for Birmingham East		 1911 1916 — Bonar Law [2]
Sir George Younger, Bt.
MP for Ayr Burghs		 1916 1923 1918
1922
1923		 [3]
Stanley Baldwin
Stanley Jackson
MP for Howdenshire		 1923 1926 1924 [2]
John Davidson
MP for Hemel Hempstead		 1926 1930 1929 [2][3]
Neville Chamberlain
MP for Birmingham Edgbaston		 23 June
1930		 15 April
1931		 — [2][3]
John Baird
Viscount Stonehaven		 1931 1936 1931
1935
Sir Douglas Hacking
MP for Chorley		 1936 1942 —
Neville Chamberlain
Winston Churchill
Thomas Dugdale
MP for Richmond		 1942 29 October
1944		 —
Ralph Assheton
MP for City of London		 29 October
1944		 1 July
1946		 1945 [2]
Frederick Marquis
Earl of Woolton		 1 July
1946		 1 November
1955		 1950
1951
1955		 Lord President of the Council (1951–1952)
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1952–1955)
Minister of Materials (1952–1954)		 [2]
Anthony Eden
Oliver Poole 1 November
1955		 18 September
1957		 — [2][4]
Harold Macmillan
Quintin Hogg
Viscount Hailsham		 18 September
1957		 14 October
1959		 1959 Lord President of the Council (1957–1959) [2]
Rab Butler
MP for Saffron Walden		 14 October
1959		 10 October
1961		 — Home Secretary (1957–1962)
Leader of the House of Commons (1955–1961)		 [2]
Iain Macleod
MP for Saffron Walden		 10 October
1961		 21 October
1963		 — Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1961–1963)
Leader of the House of Commons (1961–1963)		 [lower-alpha 1]
Oliver Poole
Baron Poole		 17 April
1963
(Jointly)		 — [2][lower-alpha 1]
John Hare
Viscount Blakenham		 21 October
1963		 21 January
1965		 1964 Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1963–1964)
Alec Douglas-Home
Edward du Cann
MP for Taunton		 21 January
1965		 11 September
1967		 1966 [2]
Edward Heath
Anthony Barber
MP for Altrincham and Sale		 11 September
1967		 31 July
1970		 1970
Peter Thomas
MP for Hendon South		 31 July
1970		 7 April
1972		 — Secretary of State for Wales (1970–1974)
Peter Carington
Baron Carrington		 7 April
1972		 11 June
1974		 Feb 1974 Secretary of State for Defence (1970–1974)
Secretary of State for Energy (1974)
William Whitelaw
MP for Penrith and The Border		 11 June
1974		 27 February
1975		 Oct 1974
Peter Thorneycroft
Baron Thorneycroft		 27 February
1975		 14 September
1981		 1979 Margaret Thatcher [2]
Cecil Parkinson
MP for South Hertfordshire		 14 September
1981		 14 September
1983		 1983 Paymaster General (1981–1983)
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1982–1983)
Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1983)		 [2]
John Gummer
MP for Suffolk Coastal		 14 September
1983		 2 September
1985		 — Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State of Employment (1983)
Minister of State for Employment (1983–1985)
Paymaster General (1984–1985)
Norman Tebbit
MP for Chingford		 2 September
1985		 2 November
1987		 1987 Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1985–1987) [2]
Peter Brooke
MP for City of London
and Westminster South		 2 November
1987		 24 July
1989		 — Paymaster General (1987–1989)
Kenneth Baker
MP for Mole Valley		 24 July
1989		 28 November
1990		 — Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
Chris Patten
MP for Bath		 28 November
1990		 10 May
1992		 1992 Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster John Major [5]
Sir Norman Fowler
MP for Sutton Coldfield		 10 May
1992		 20 July
1994		 — Attended Cabinet
Jeremy Hanley
MP for Richmond and Barnes		 20 July
1994		 5 July
1995		 — Minister without portfolio
Brian Mawhinney
MP for Peterborough →
North West Cambridgeshire		 5 July
1995		 20 June
1997		 1997 Minister without portfolio
Cecil Parkinson
Baron Parkinson		 20 June
1997		 2 December
1998		 — William Hague
Michael Ancram
Earl of Ancram
MP for Devizes		 2 December
1998		 18 September
2001		 2001
David Davis
MP for Haltemprice and Howden		 18 September
2001		 23 July
2002		 — Iain Duncan Smith
Theresa May
MP for Maidenhead		 23 July
2002		 6 November
2003		 — [4]
Liam Fox
MP for Woodspring		 6 November
2003		 6 May
2005		 2005 Michael Howard [lower-alpha 2]
Maurice Saatchi
Baron Saatchi		 10 November
2003
(Jointly)		 [4][lower-alpha 2]
Francis Maude
MP for Horsham		 6 May
2005		 2 July
2007		 —
David Cameron
Caroline Spelman
MP for Meriden		 2 July
2007		 19 January
2009		 —
Eric Pickles
MP for Brentwood and Ongar		 19 January
2009		 12 May
2010		 2010
Andrew Feldman
Baron Feldman of Elstree		 12 May
2010
(Jointly 2010–15)		 14 July
2016		 2015 [2][lower-alpha 3][lower-alpha 4]
Sayeeda Warsi
Baroness Warsi		 12 May
2010
(Jointly)		 4 September
2012		 — Minister without portfolio [6][lower-alpha 3]
Grant Shapps
MP for Welwyn Hatfield		 4 September
2012
(Jointly)		 11 May
2015		 2015 Minister without portfolio [lower-alpha 4]
Sir Patrick McLoughlin
MP for Derbyshire Dales		 14 July
2016		 8 January
2018		 2017 Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Theresa May
Brandon Lewis
MP for Great Yarmouth		 8 January
2018		 24 July
2019		 — Minister without portfolio [7]
Ben Elliot 24 July
2019
(Jointly)		 5 September
2022		 2019 Boris Johnson [lower-alpha 5][lower-alpha 6][lower-alpha 7][lower-alpha 8]
James Cleverly
MP for Braintree		 13 February
2020		 Minister without portfolio [8][lower-alpha 5]
Amanda Milling
MP for Cannock Chase		 13 February
2020
(Jointly)		 15 September
2021		 — Minister without portfolio [9][lower-alpha 6]
Oliver Dowden
MP for Hertsmere		 15 September
2021
(Jointly)		 24 June
2022		 — Minister without portfolio [lower-alpha 7]
Andrew Stephenson
MP for Pendle		 7 July
2022
(Jointly)		 6 September
2022		 — Minister without portfolio [lower-alpha 8]
Sir Jake Berry
MP for Rossendale and Darwen		 6 September
2022		 25 October
2022		 — Minister without portfolio Liz Truss
Nadhim Zahawi
MP for Stratford-on-Avon		 25 October
2022		 29 January
2023		 — Minister without portfolio Rishi Sunak
Greg Hands
MP for Chelsea and Fulham		 7 February
2023		 13 November
2023		 — Minister without portfolio
Richard Holden
MP for North West Durham		 13 November
2023		 Incumbent — Minister without portfolio
  1. Iain Macleod and Baron Poole jointly held the chairmanship from 17 April to 10 October 1961.
  2. Liam Fox and Lord Saatchi jointly held the chairmanship from 11 November 2003 to 6 May 2005.
  3. Lord Feldman of Elstree and Baroness Warsi jointly held the chairmanship from 12 May 2010 to 4 September 2012.
  4. Lord Feldman of Elstree and Grant Shapps jointly held the chairmanship from 4 September 2012 to 11 May 2015.
  5. Ben Elliot and James Cleverly jointly held the chairmanship from 24 July 2019 to 13 February 2020.
  6. Ben Elliot and Amanda Milling jointly held the chairmanship from 13 February 2020 to 15 September 2021.
  7. Ben Elliot and Oliver Dowden jointly held the chairmanship from 15 September 2021 to 24 June 2022.
  8. Ben Elliot and Andrew Stephenson jointly held the chairmanship from 7 July 2022 to 5 September 2022.

Timeline
Richard Holden (British politician)Greg HandsNadhim ZahawiJake BerryAndrew StephensonOliver DowdenAmanda MillingJames CleverlyBen ElliotBrandon LewisPatrick McLoughlinSayeeda Warsi, Baroness WarsiAndrew Feldman, Baron Feldman of ElstreeEric PicklesCaroline SpelmanFrancis MaudeMaurice Saatchi, Baron SaatchiLiam FoxTheresa MayDavid Davis (British politician)Michael AncramBrian MawhinneyJeremy HanleyNorman FowlerChris PattenKenneth Baker, Baron Baker of DorkingPeter Brooke, Baron Brooke of Sutton MandevilleNorman TebbitJohn GummerCecil ParkinsonPeter ThorneycroftWilliam WhitelawPeter Carington, 6th Baron CarringtonPeter Thomas, Baron Thomas of GwydirAnthony BarberEdward du CannIain MacleodRab ButlerQuintin Hogg, Baron Hailsham of St MaryleboneOliver Poole, 1st Baron PooleFrederick Marquis, 1st Earl of WooltonRalph Assheton, 1st Baron ClitheroeThomas Dugdale, 1st Baron CrathorneJohn Baird, 1st Viscount StonehavenNeville ChamberlainJ. C. C. DavidsonGeorge Younger, 1st Viscount Younger of Leckie

See also
  • 1922 Committee – the parliamentary body of the Conservative Party, which has its own Chairman

References

Notes
  1. Harris, Robin (2011). The Conservatives - A History. London: Bantam Press. ISBN 9780593065112. (p. 249) After the second election defeat of 1910 there was an unstoppable pressure for an enquiry into the party's failures. A committee recommended that two new posts be created - that of party treasurer and that of chairman of the party (enjoying 'Cabinet rank'). ... Balfour accepted the changes but tried to reduce the status of the chairman, a position which he significantly (and permanently) re-titled 'chairman of the party organization'. He also concealed, as long as he could, the 'Cabinet rank' pledge. Finally he appointed a rather junior but, as it turned out, vigorous and assertive Birmingham member of parliament, Arthur Steel-Maitland, to the chairmanship.
  2. Harris, Robin (2011). The Conservatives - A History. London: Bantam Press. ISBN 9780593065112.
  3. Stewart, Graham (1999). Burying Caesar - Churchill, Chamberlain and the Battle for the Tory Party. London: Phoenix. ISBN 9780753810606.
  4. Sampson, Anthony (2004). Who Runs This Place?. London: John Murray. ISBN 0719565642.
  5. Patten, Chris (2005). Not Quite the Diplomat. London: Allen Lane. ISBN 0713998555.
  6. "Baroness Warsi". UK Parliament. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  7. "Rt Hon Brandon Lewis MP". UK Parliament. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  8. "Rt Hon James Cleverly MP". UK Parliament. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  9. "Rt Hon Amanda Milling MP". UK Parliament. Retrieved 26 July 2021.

Bibliography
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