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 Kemi Badenoch, whom the party elected on 2 November 2024 when she outpolled Robert Jenrick.
From the party's formation in 1834 until 1922, the leader of the Conservative Party was not a formal position; instead, separate individuals led the party within each chamber of Parliament, 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 1911, the reduction of power in the House of Lords suggested that the Conservative leader in the House of Commons would become preeminent, but this situation was not formalised until 1922.
Since 1922, leaders of the Conservative Party have 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 top two candidates selected by parliamentarians.
When the Conservative Party is in opposition, as is the case , the leader of the Conservative Party usually acts (as the head of second-largest party) as the Leader of the Opposition, and chairs the shadow cabinet. Concordantly, when the party is in government, the leader usually becomes Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Minister for the Union, as well as selecting members of the Cabinet. Four of the party's leaders have been women: Margaret Thatcher, Theresa May, Liz Truss and Kemi Badenoch, all of whom, except Badenoch, have served as prime minister. Rishi Sunak was the first British Indian party leader and prime minister. The only Conservative leaders (excluding temporary acting-leaders) not to contest a general election have been Neville Chamberlain, Iain Duncan Smith and Truss (each of whom resigned before the calling of an election). 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 nominations that 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) Overall leader Portrait Constituency or title Took office Left office Government Party Prime Minister TermSir Robert PeelTamworth 2nd Baronet18 December 183429 June 1846 himself Melbourne himself Edward Smith-Stanley Baron Stanley 29 June 184627 February 1868 Russell 14th Earl of Derby himself Aberdeen Palmerston himself Palmerston Russell himself Benjamin DisraeliBuckinghamshire27 February 186819 April 1881 himself Gladstone himself 1st Earl of Beaconsfield Gladstone colspan="2" data-sort-value="Z-1881" Robert Gascoyne-Cecil3rd Marquess of Salisbury23 June 188511 July 1902 himself Gladstone himself Gladstone Rosebery himself Arthur BalfourManchester East11 July 190213 November 1911 himself City of London C.-Bannerman Asquith rowspan=2 rowspan=2 colspan="2" data-sort-value="Z-1881" rowspan=2 rowspan=2 Lloyd George Andrew Bonar Law Bootle 10 December 1916 21 March 1921 Glasgow Central colspan="2" data-sort-value="Z-1881"
Leaders of the party (1922–present) Leader Portrait Constituency or title Took office Left office Government Party Prime Minister Term Andrew Bonar Law Glasgow Central 23 October 1922 28 May 1923 himself Stanley Baldwin Bewdley28 May 1923 31 May 1937 himself MacDonald himself MacDonald himself Neville Chamberlain Birmingham Edgbaston31 May 1937 9 October 1940 himself Churchill Winston Churchill Epping 9 October 1940 21 April 1955 himself Woodford Attlee himself Anthony Eden Warwick and Leamington 21 April 1955 22 January 1957 himself Harold Macmillan Bromley 22 January 1957 11 November 1963 himself Alec Douglas-Home 14th Earl of Home 11 November 1963 27 July 1965 himself Kinross and Western Perthshire Wilson Edward Heath Bexley 27 July 1965 11 February 1975 himself Sidcup Wilson Margaret Thatcher Finchley11 February 1975 27 November 1990 Callaghan herself John Major Huntingdon 27 November 1990 19 June 1997 himself Blair William Hague Richmond (Yorks) 19 June 1997 13 September 2001 Iain Duncan Smith Chingford and Woodford Green 13 September 2001 6 November 2003 Michael Howard Folkestone and Hythe 6 November 2003 7 October 2005David Cameron Witney6 December 2005 11 July 2016 Brown himself Theresa May Maidenhead 11 July 2016 7 June 2019 herself Boris Johnson Uxbridge and South Ruislip 23 July 2019 5 September 2022 himself Liz Truss South West Norfolk 5 September 2022 24 October 2022 herself Rishi Sunak Richmond (Yorks) 24 October 2022 24 July 2024 himself Richmond and Northallerton StarmerKemi BadenochNorth West Essex2 November 2024 IncumbentBurnham
Timeline
Houses of Lords and Commons leaders
Leaders in the House of Lords (1834–present)
Leaders in the House of Commons (1834–present) 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 From 1922, the role of the Conservative Party Leader in the House of Commons goes to the newly created role of the Leader of the Conservative Party.
Bonar Law: 23 October 1922 – 28 May 1923* Stanley Baldwin: 28 May 1923 – 31 May 1937* Neville Chamberlain: 31 May 1937 – 9 October 1940* Winston Churchill: 9 October 1940 – 21 April 1955* Sir Anthony Eden: 21 April 1955 – 22 January 1957* Harold Macmillan: 22 January 1957 – 11 November 1963* Sir Alec Douglas-Home: 11 November 1963 – 2 August 1965* Edward Heath: 2 August 1965 – 11 February 1975* Margaret Thatcher: 11 February 1975 – 28 November 1990* John Major: 28 November 1990 – 19 June 1997* William Hague: 19 June 1997 – 13 September 2001* Iain Duncan Smith: 13 September 2001 – 6 November 2003* Michael Howard: 6 November 2003 – 6 December 2005* David Cameron: 6 December 2005 – 11 July 2016* Theresa May: 11 July 2016 – 24 July 2019* Boris Johnson: 24 July 2019 – 5 September 2022* Liz Truss: 5 September 2022 – 24 October 2022* Rishi Sunak: 24 October 2022 – 2 November 2024* Kemi Badenoch: 2 November 2024 – present*
Elections of Conservative leaders by party meeting House of Commons