Leader of the House of Commons

Template:Short description Template:For Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox official post Template:Uk-gov-positions The Leader of the House of Commons is a minister of the Crown of the Government of the United Kingdom whose main role is organising government business in the House of Commons. The Leader is always a member or attendee of the cabinet of the United Kingdom.

The House of Commons devotes approximately three-quarters of its time to debating and explaining government business, such as bills introduced by the government and ministerial statements.Template:Citation needed The Leader of the House of Commons, with the parties' chief whips ("the usual channels"), is responsible for organising government business and providing time for non-government (backbench) business to be put before the House of Commons.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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

Responsibilities

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

• Planning and supervising the Government's Legislative Programme;
• Chairing the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Business and Legislation;
• Managing the business of the House of Commons and preparing weekly statements on upcoming business;
• Facilitating motions and debate in the Chamber;
• Serving as the Government's representative in the House, namely as a voting member of the House of Commons Commission, the Public Accounts Commission, the Members Estimate Committee, and the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority;
• Reforming parliamentary procedure and operations;
• Representing the House of Commons within Government, be it contributing to the Civil Service's efforts to build parliamentary capability or receiving MPs' requests for assistance on ministerial correspondence and questions; and
• Ministerial responsibility for the Privy Council Office.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The Osmotherly Rules, which set out guidance on how civil servants should respond to parliamentary select committees, are jointly updated by the Office of the Leader of the House of Commons and the Cabinet Office.<ref name="parlo">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

History

The title was not established until about the middle of the 19th century, although the institution is much older.<ref name=":1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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.<ref name=":1" />

The title holder is not formally appointed by the CrownTemplate:Clarify and the title alone does not attract a salary,<ref name=":1" /> so is now usually held in addition to a sinecure, currently Lord President of the Council.

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

Leader Template:Small			Term of office		Other ministerial offices held as Leader	Party	Ministry
rowspan=2 style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford by Arthur Pond.jpg	Robert Walpole Template:Small	Template:Small 1721	Template:Small 1742	Prime Minister First Lord of the Treasury Chancellor of the Exchequer	Whig	style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Walpole–Townshend
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |							Walpole
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:1stLordSandys.jpg	Samuel Sandys Template:Small	Template:Small 1742	Template:Small 1743	Chancellor of the Exchequer		rowspan=2 style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Carteret
rowspan=2 style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Henry Pelham, Parliamentary Art Collection crop.jpg	Henry Pelham Template:Small	Template:Small 1743	Template:Small 1754	Prime Minister First Lord of the Treasury Chancellor of the Exchequer
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |							[[Broad Bottom ministry|Broad Bottom Template:Small]]
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Thomas Robinson, 1st Baron Grantham.jpg	Thomas Robinson Template:Small	Template:Small 1754	Template:Small 1755	Secretary of State for the Southern Department		rowspan=2 style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Newcastle I
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Henry Fox, 1st Baron Holland by John Giles Eccardt.jpg	Henry Fox Template:Small	Template:Small 1755	Template:Small 1756
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:William Pitt the Elder by William Hoare crop.jpg	William Pitt 'the Elder' Template:Small	Template:Small 1756	Template:Small 1757			style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Pitt–Devonshire
Vacant			Template:Small 1757	Template:Small 1757			style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	1757 Caretaker
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:William Pitt the Elder by William Hoare crop.jpg	William Pitt 'the Elder' Template:Small	Template:Small 1757	Template:Small 1761	Secretary of State for the Southern Department	Whig	rowspan=2 style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Pitt–Newcastle
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:George Grenville (1712–1770) by William Hoare (1707-1792) Cropped.jpg	George Grenville Template:Small	Template:Small 1761	Template:Small 1762	Treasurer of the Navy
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Henry Fox, 1st Baron Holland by John Giles Eccardt.jpg	Henry Fox Template:Small	Template:Small 1762	Template:Small 1763	Paymaster of the Forces			Bute Template:Small
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:George Grenville (1712–1770) by William Hoare (1707-1792) Cropped.jpg	George Grenville Template:Small	Template:Small 1763	Template:Small 1765	Prime Minister First Lord of the Treasury Chancellor of the Exchequer		style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Grenville
rowspan=2 style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Henryseymour.jpg	Henry Seymour Conway Template:Small	Template:Small 1765	Template:Small 1768	Secretary of State for the Southern Department Template:Small Secretary of State for the Northern Department Template:Small		style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Rockingham I
							Chatham Template:Small
rowspan=2 style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Nathaniel Dance Lord North.jpg	Frederick North Lord North Template:Small	Template:Small 1768	Template:Small 1782	Prime Minister Template:Small First Lord of the Treasury Template:Small Chancellor of the Exchequer	Tory		Grafton Template:Small
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |							North
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Charles James Fox00.jpg	Charles James Fox Template:Small	Template:Small 1782	Template:Small 1782	Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs	Whig	style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Rockingham II
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Viscount Sydney by Gilbert Stuart.jpg	Thomas Townshend Template:Small	Template:Small 1782	Template:Small 1783	Secretary of State for the Home Department			Shelburne Template:Small
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Charles James Fox00.jpg	Charles James Fox Template:Small	Template:Small 1783	Template:Small 1783	Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs			Fox–North
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Nathaniel Dance Lord North.jpg	Frederick North Lord North Template:Small			Secretary of State for the Home Department	Tory
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:William Pitt the Younger 2 cropped.jpg	William Pitt 'the Younger' Template:Small MP for Cambridge University Template:Small	Template:Small 1783	Template:Small 1801	Prime Minister First Lord of the Treasury Chancellor of the Exchequer		style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Pitt I
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Henry Addington by Beechey.jpg	Henry Addington Template:Small	Template:Small 1801	Template:Small 1804			style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Addington
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:William Pitt the Younger 2 cropped.jpg	William Pitt 'the Younger' Template:Small	Template:Small 1804	Template:Small 1806†			style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Pitt II
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Charles James Fox00.jpg	Charles James Fox Template:Small	Template:Small 1806	Template:Small 1806†	Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs	Whig		All the Talents
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey by Sir Thomas Lawrence.jpg	Charles Grey Viscount Howick Template:Small	Template:Small 1806	Template:Small 1807
rowspan=2 style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Spencerperceval.jpg	Spencer Perceval Template:Small	Template:Small 1807	Template:Small 1812†	Chancellor of the Exchequer Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Prime Minister Template:Small First Lord of the Treasury Template:Small	Tory	style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Portland II
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |							Perceval
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Lord Castlereagh Marquess of Londonderry.jpg	Robert Stewart Viscount Castlereagh Template:Small MP for Orford Template:Small The Marquess of Londonderry Template:Small	Template:Small 1812	Template:Small 1822†	Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs		rowspan=2 style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Liverpool
rowspan=2 style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:George Canning by Richard Evans - detail.jpg	George Canning Template:Small MP for Harwich Template:Small MP for Newport Template:Small MP for Seaford Template:Small	Template:Small 1822	Template:Small 1827†	Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Template:Small Prime Minister Template:Small First Lord of the Treasury Template:Small Chancellor of the Exchequer Template:Small
							Canning Template:Small
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:William Huskisson by Richard Rothwell.jpg	William Huskisson Template:Small	Template:Small 1827	Template:Small 1828	Secretary of State for War and the Colonies			Goderich Template:Small
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Robert Peel by RR Scanlan detail.jpg	Robert Peel Template:Small MP for Westbury Template:Small	Template:Small 1828	Template:Small 1830	Secretary of State for the Home Department		style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Wellington–Peel
rowspan=2 style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:JC Spencer, Viscount Althorp by HP Bone cropped.jpg	John Spencer Viscount Althorp Template:Small MP for South Northamptonshire Template:Small	Template:Small 1830	Template:Small 1834	Chancellor of the Exchequer	Whig	style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Grey
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |							Melbourne I
Vacant			Template:Small 1834	Template:Small 1834			style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Wellington Caretaker
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Robert Peel by RR Scanlan detail.jpg	Robert Peel Template:Small	Template:Small 1834	Template:Small 1835	Prime Minister First Lord of the Treasury Chancellor of the Exchequer	Conservative	style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Peel I
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Lord john russell.jpg	Lord John Russell Template:Small	Template:Small 1835	Template:Small 1841	Secretary of State for the Home Department Template:Small Secretary of State for War and the Colonies Template:Small	Whig	style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Melbourne II
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Robert Peel by RR Scanlan detail.jpg	Robert Peel Template:Small	Template:Small 1841	Template:Small 1846	Prime Minister First Lord of the Treasury	Conservative	style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Peel II
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Lord john russell.jpg	Lord John Russell Template:Small	Template:Small 1846	Template:Small 1852	Prime Minister First Lord of the Treasury	Whig	style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Russell I
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Disraeli.jpg	Benjamin Disraeli Template:Small	Template:Small 1852	Template:Small 1852	Chancellor of the Exchequer	Conservative	style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Who? Who?
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Lord john russell.jpg	Lord John Russell Template:Small	Template:Small 1852	Template:Small 1855	Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Template:Small Minister without Portfolio Template:Small Lord President of the Council Template:Small	Whig		Aberdeen Template:Small
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Palmerston.jpg	Henry John Temple The Viscount Palmerston Template:Small	Template:Small 1855	Template:Small 1858	Prime Minister First Lord of the Treasury		style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Palmerston I
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Disraeli.jpg	Benjamin Disraeli Template:Small	Template:Small 1858	Template:Small 1859	Chancellor of the Exchequer	Conservative	style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Derby–Disraeli II
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Palmerston.jpg	Henry John Temple The Viscount Palmerston Template:Small	Template:Small 1859	Template:Small 1865†	Prime Minister First Lord of the Treasury	Liberal	style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Palmerston II
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Gladstone.jpg	William Ewart Gladstone Template:Small	Template:Small 1865	Template:Small 1866	Chancellor of the Exchequer		style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Russell II
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Disraeli.jpg	Benjamin Disraeli Template:Small	Template:Small 1866	Template:Small 1868	Chancellor of the Exchequer Template:Small Prime Minister Template:Small First Lord of the Treasury Template:Small	Conservative	style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Derby–Disraeli III
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Gladstone.jpg	William Ewart Gladstone Template:Small	Template:Small 1868	Template:Small 1874	Prime Minister First Lord of the Treasury Chancellor of the Exchequer Template:Small	Liberal	style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Gladstone I
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Disraeli.jpg	Benjamin Disraeli Template:Small	Template:Small 1874	Template:Small 1876	Prime Minister First Lord of the Treasury	Conservative	rowspan=2 style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Disraeli II
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Stafford Northcote, 1st Earl of Iddesleigh.jpg	Stafford Northcote Template:Small	Template:Small 1876	Template:Small 1880	Chancellor of the Exchequer
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Gladstone.jpg	William Ewart Gladstone Template:Small	Template:Small 1880	Template:Small 1885	Prime Minister First Lord of the Treasury Chancellor of the Exchequer Template:Small	Liberal	style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Gladstone II
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:St Aldwyn Michael Edward Hicks-Beach (1st Earl).jpg	Michael Hicks-Beach Template:Small	Template:Small 1885	Template:Small 1886	Chancellor of the Exchequer	Conservative	style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Salisbury I
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Gladstone.jpg	William Ewart Gladstone Template:Small	Template:Small 1886	Template:Small 1886	Prime Minister First Lord of the Treasury Lord Privy Seal	Liberal	style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Gladstone III
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Randolph churchill.jpg	Lord Randolph Churchill Template:Small	Template:Small 1886	Template:Small 1887	Chancellor of the Exchequer	Conservative	rowspan=3 style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Salisbury II
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:William Henry Smith (1825–1891).jpg	W. H. Smith Template:Small	Template:Small 1887	Template:Small 1891	First Lord of the Treasury
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Arthur-James-Balfour-1st-Earl-of-Balfour.jpg	Arthur Balfour Template:Small	Template:Small 1891	Template:Small 1892
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Gladstone.jpg	William Ewart Gladstone Template:Small	Template:Small 1892	Template:Small 1894	Prime Minister First Lord of the Treasury Lord Privy Seal	Liberal	style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Gladstone IV
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Sir William Harcourt.jpg	William Harcourt Template:Small	Template:Small 1894	Template:Small 1895	Chancellor of the Exchequer		style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Rosebery
rowspan=2 style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Arthur-James-Balfour-1st-Earl-of-Balfour.jpg	Arthur Balfour<ref name="BPF1900-1992">David Butler and Gareth Butler, British Political Facts 1900–1994 (7th edn, Macmillan 1994) 65.</ref> Template:Small	Template:Small 1895	Template:Small 1905	Prime Minister Template:Small First Lord of the Treasury Lord Privy Seal Template:Small	Conservative		[[Unionist government, 1895–1905|Salisbury Template:Small]] Template:Small
							Balfour Template:Small
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Sir-Henry-Campbell-Bannerman.jpg	Henry Campbell-Bannerman<ref name="BPF1900-1992"/> Template:Small	Template:Small 1905	Template:Small 1908	Prime Minister First Lord of the Treasury	Liberal	style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Campbell-Bannerman
rowspan=2 style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:H H Asquith 1908.jpg	H. H. Asquith<ref name="BPF1900-1992"/> Template:Small	Template:Small 1908	Template:Small 1916	Prime Minister First Lord of the Treasury Secretary of State for War Template:Small		style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	[[Liberal government, 1905–1915|Asquith Template:Small]]
							Asquith Coalition Template:Small
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Andrew Bonar Law 02.jpg	Bonar Law<ref name="BPF1900-1992"/> Template:Small MP for Glasgow Central Template:Small	Template:Small 1916	Template:Small 1921	Chancellor of the Exchequer Template:Small Lord Privy Seal Template:Small	Conservative		[[Lloyd George ministry|Lloyd George Template:Small]] Template:Small
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Austen Chamberlain nobel.jpg	Austen Chamberlain<ref name="BPF1900-1992"/> Template:Small	Template:Small 1921	Template:Small 1922	Lord Privy Seal
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Andrew Bonar Law 02.jpg	Bonar Law<ref name="BPF1900-1992"/> Template:Small	Template:Small 1922	Template:Small 1923	Prime Minister First Lord of the Treasury		style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Law
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Stanley Baldwin ggbain.35233.jpg	Stanley Baldwin<ref name="BPF1900-1992"/> Template:Small	Template:Small 1923	Template:Small 1924	Prime Minister First Lord of the Treasury Chancellor of the Exchequer Template:Small		style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Baldwin I
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Ramsay MacDonald ggbain.29588.jpg	Ramsay MacDonald<ref name="BPF1900-1992"/> Template:Small	Template:Small 1924	Template:Small 1924	Prime Minister First Lord of the Treasury Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs	Labour	style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	MacDonald I
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Stanley Baldwin ggbain.35233.jpg	Stanley Baldwin<ref name="BPF1900-1992"/> Template:Small	Template:Small 1924	Template:Small 1929	Prime Minister First Lord of the Treasury	Conservative	style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Baldwin II
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Ramsay MacDonald ggbain.29588.jpg	Ramsay MacDonald<ref name="BPF1900-1992"/> Template:Small	Template:Small 1929	Template:Small 1935		Labour	style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	MacDonald II
rowspan=2 style="background-color:Template:Party color" |						National Labour		National I Template:Small
							National II Template:Small
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Stanley Baldwin ggbain.35233.jpg	Stanley Baldwin<ref name="BPF1900-1992"/> Template:Small	Template:Small 1935	Template:Small 1937		Conservative		National III Template:Small
rowspan=2 style="background-color:Template:Party color" |		Neville Chamberlain<ref name="BPF1900-1992"/> Template:Small	Template:Small 1937	Template:Small 1940				National IV Template:Small
							Chamberlain War Template:Small
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Churchill portrait NYP 45063.jpg	Winston Churchill<ref name="BPF1900-1992"/> Template:Small	Template:Small 1940	Template:Small 1942	Prime Minister First Lord of the Treasury Minister of Defence			Churchill War Template:Small
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Stafford Cripps 1947.jpg	Stafford Cripps<ref name="BPF1900-1992"/> Template:Small	Template:Small 1942	Template:Small 1942	Lord Privy Seal	Independent
style="background-color:Template:Party color; border:none" |	File:Anthony Eden (retouched).jpg	Anthony Eden<ref name="BPF1900-1992"/> Template:Small	Template:Small 1942	Template:Small 1945	Foreign Secretary	Conservative
style="background-color:Template:Party color; border:none" |								Churchill Caretaker Template:Small
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |		Herbert Morrison<ref name="BPF1900-1992"/> Template:Small Template:Small Template:Small	Template:Small 1945	Template:Small 1951	Deputy Prime Minister Lord President of the Council	rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Labour Party (UK)| Labour	rowspan=2 style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Labour Party (UK)| [[Attlee ministry|Attlee Template:Small]]
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:James Chuter Ede (minister van Binnenlandse Zaken (Home Secretary)), Bestanddeelnr 900-7223.jpg	James Chuter Ede<ref name="BPF1900-1992"/> Template:Small	Template:Small 1951	Template:Small 1951	Secretary of State for the Home Department
rowspan=2 style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Crookshank1932.png	Harry Crookshank<ref name="BPF1900-1992"/> Template:Small	Template:Small 1951	Template:Small 1955	Minister of Health Template:Small Lord Privy Seal Template:Small	rowspan=6 Template:Party shading/Conservative Party (UK)| Conservative	style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Template:Party shading/Conservative Party (UK)|Churchill III
rowspan=2 style="background-color:Template:Party color" |						rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Conservative Party (UK)|Eden
rowspan=2 style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Rab Butler.png	R. A. Butler<ref name="BPF1900-1992"/> Template:Small	Template:Small 1955	Template:Small 1961	Lord Privy Seal Template:Small Secretary of State for the Home Department Template:Small
rowspan=2 style="background-color:Template:Party color" |						rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Conservative Party (UK)| [[Conservative government, 1957–1964|Macmillan Template:Small]]
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Iain Macleod crop.jpg	Iain Macleod<ref name="BPF1900-1992"/> Template:Small	Template:Small 1961	Template:Small 1963	Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Selwyn Lloyd cropped.jpg	Selwyn Lloyd<ref name="BPF1900-1992"/> Template:Small	Template:Small 1963	Template:Small 1964	Lord Privy Seal	style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Template:Party shading/Conservative Party (UK)|Douglas-Home
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |		Herbert Bowden<ref name="BPF1900-1992"/> Template:Small	Template:Small 1964	Template:Small 1966	Lord President of the Council	rowspan=3 Template:Party shading/Labour Party (UK)| Labour	rowspan=3 style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	rowspan=3 Template:Party shading/Labour Party (UK)| [[Labour government, 1964–1970|Wilson Template:Small]]
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Crossland MP.jpg	Richard Crossman<ref name="BPF1900-1992"/> Template:Small	Template:Small 1966	Template:Small 1968
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |		Fred Peart<ref name="BPF1900-1992"/> Template:Small	Template:Small 1968	Template:Small 1970
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |		William Whitelaw<ref name="BPF1900-1992"/> Template:Small	Template:Small 1970	Template:Small 1972		rowspan=3 Template:Party shading/Conservative Party (UK)| Conservative	rowspan=3 style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	rowspan=3 Template:Party shading/Conservative Party (UK)| Heath
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |		Robert Carr<ref name="BPF1900-1992"/> Template:Small	Template:Small 1972	Template:Small 1972
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |		Jim Prior<ref name="BPF1900-1992"/> Template:Small	Template:Small 1972	Template:Small 1974
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:No image.svg	Edward Short<ref name="BPF1900-1992"/> Template:Small	Template:Small 1974	Template:Small 1976		rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Labour Party (UK)| Labour	style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Template:Party shading/Labour Party (UK)|[[Labour government, 1974–1979|Wilson Template:Small]]
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Michael Foot (1981).jpg	Michael Foot<ref name="BPF1900-1992"/> Template:Small	Template:Small 1976	Template:Small 1979		style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Template:Party shading/Labour Party (UK)|Callaghan
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |		Norman St John-Stevas<ref name="BPF1900-1992"/> Template:Small	Template:Small 1979	Template:Small 1981	Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Minister for the Arts	rowspan=9 Template:Party shading/Conservative Party (UK)| Conservative	rowspan=3 style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	rowspan=3 Template:Party shading/Conservative Party (UK)| Thatcher I
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Francis Leslie Pym.jpg	Francis Pym<ref name="BPF1900-1992"/> Template:Small	Template:Small 1981	Template:Small 1982	Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Template:Small Lord President of the Council Template:Small
rowspan=2 style="background-color:Template:Party color" |		John Biffen<ref name="BPF1900-1992"/> Template:Small MP for Shropshire North Template:Small	Template:Small 1982	Template:Small 1987	Lord President of the Council Template:Small Lord Privy Seal Template:Small
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |						Template:Party shading/Conservative Party (UK)|Thatcher II
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Official portrait of Lord Wakeham crop 2.jpg	John Wakeham<ref name="BPF1900-1992"/> Template:Small	Template:Small 1987	Template:Small 1989	Lord Privy Seal Template:Small Lord President of the Council Template:Small	rowspan=3 style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	rowspan=3 Template:Party shading/Conservative Party (UK)| Thatcher III
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Geoffrey Howe (1985).jpg	Geoffrey Howe<ref name="BPF1900-1992"/> Template:Small	Template:Small 1989	Template:Small 1990	Lord President of the Council Deputy Prime Minister
rowspan=2 style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Official portrait of Lord MacGregor of Pulham Market crop 2.jpg	John MacGregor<ref name="BPF1900-1992"/> Template:Small	Template:Small 1990	Template:Small 1992	Lord President of the Council
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |						Template:Party shading/Conservative Party (UK)|Major I
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Tony Newton 1995.png	Tony Newton<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Small	Template:Small 1992		Template:Small 1997	style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Template:Party shading/Conservative Party (UK)|Major II
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Official portrait of Baroness Taylor of Bolton crop 2, 2019.jpg	Ann Taylor<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Small	Template:Small 1997		Template:Small 1998	rowspan=8 Template:Party shading/Labour Party (UK)| Labour	rowspan=2 style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Labour Party (UK)| Blair I
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Official portrait of Rt Hon Margaret Beckett MP crop 2.jpg	Margaret Beckett<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Small	Template:Small 1998		Template:Small 2001
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Robin Cook-close crop.jpg	Robin Cook<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Small	Template:Small 2001		Template:Small 2003	rowspan=3 style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	rowspan=3 Template:Party shading/Labour Party (UK)| Blair II
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Official portrait of Lord Reid of Cardowan, 2020.jpg	John Reid<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Small	Template:Small 2003		Template:Small 2003
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Official portrait of Lord Hain crop 2, 2019.jpg	Peter Hain<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Small	Template:Small 2003	Template:Small 2005	Lord Privy Seal Secretary of State for Wales
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Geoff Hoon Headshot.jpg	Geoff Hoon<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Small	Template:Small 2005	[[2006 British cabinet reshuffle|Template:Small 2006]]	Lord Privy Seal	rowspan=2 style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Labour Party (UK)| Blair III
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Jack Straw 2.jpg	Jack Straw<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Small	[[2006 British cabinet reshuffle|Template:Small 2006]]	Template:Small 2007
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Official portrait of Rt Hon Harriet Harman QC MP crop 2.jpg	Harriet Harman<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Small	Template:Small 2007	Template:Small 2010	Lord Privy Seal Minister for Women and Equality	style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Template:Party shading/Labour Party (UK)|Brown
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Official portrait of Lord Young of Cookham, 2020.jpg	George Young<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Small	Template:Small 2010	[[2012 British cabinet reshuffle|Template:Small 2012]]	Lord Privy Seal	rowspan=12 Template:Party shading/Conservative Party (UK)| Conservative		Cameron–Clegg Template:Small
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Official portrait of Lord Lansley crop 2, 2025.jpg	Andrew Lansley<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Small	[[2012 British cabinet reshuffle|Template:Small 2012]]	[[2014 British cabinet reshuffle|Template:Small 2014]]
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:William Hague Foreign Secretary (2010).jpg	William Hague<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Small	[[2014 British cabinet reshuffle|Template:Small 2014]]	Template:Small 2015	First Secretary of State
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Official portrait of Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP crop 2.jpg	Chris Grayling<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Small	9 May 2015	14 July 2016	Lord President of the Council	style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Template:Party shading/Conservative Party (UK)|Cameron II
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Official portrait of Mr David Lidington crop 2.jpg	David Lidington<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Small	14 July 2016	11 June 2017		style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Template:Party shading/Conservative Party (UK)|May I
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Official portrait of Rt Hon Andrea Leadsom MP crop 2.jpg	Andrea Leadsom<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Small	11 June 2017	22 May 2019		rowspan=2 style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Conservative Party (UK)|May II
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Official portrait of Rt Hon Mel Stride MP crop 2.jpg	Mel Stride<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Small	23 May 2019	24 July 2019
rowspan=2 style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Jacob Rees-Mogg official portrait (cropped).jpg	Jacob Rees-Mogg<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Small	24 July 2019	8 February 2022		rowspan=2 style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Template:Party shading/Conservative Party (UK)|Johnson I
rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Conservative Party (UK)|Johnson II
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Official portrait of Rt Hon Mark Spencer MP crop 2.jpg	Mark Spencer<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Small	8 February 2022	6 September 2022		style="background-color:Template:Party color" |
rowspan=2 style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Penny Mordaunt Official Cabinet Portrait, September 2022 (cropped).jpg	Penny Mordaunt<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Small	6 September 2022	5 July 2024		style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Template:Party shading/Conservative Party (UK)|Truss
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |			Template:Party shading/Conservative Party (UK)|Sunak
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	File:Official portrait of Lucy Powell MP crop 2, 2024.jpg	Lucy Powell Template:Small	5 July 2024	Incumbent	Template:Party shading/Labour Party (UK)| Labour		style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	Template:Party shading/Labour Party (UK)|Starmer

Timeline

<timeline> ImageSize = width:1000 height:auto barincrement:12 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal AlignBars = late PlotArea = left:20 top:10 bottom:90 right:100 Legend = columns:4 left:120 top:55 columnwidth:160

DateFormat = yyyy Period = from:1720 till:{{#time:Y}} TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal

Colors =

 id:tory           value:rgb(0.2,0.2,0.8)      legend: Tory_faction
 id:whig           value:rgb(1,0.5,0)          legend: Whig_faction
 id:conservative   value:rgb(0,0.53,0.86)      legend: Conservative_Party
 id:peelite        value:rgb(0.6,1,0.6)        legend: Peelite_faction
 id:liberal        value:rgb(1,0.84,0)         legend: Liberal_Party
 id:libunionist    value:rgb(0,0.2,0.56)       legend: Liberal_Unionist_Party
 id:labour         value:rgb(0.86,0.08,0.18)   legend: Labour_Party
 id:natlabour      value:rgb(0,0.5,0)          legend: National_Labour_Party
 id:natliberal     value:rgb(0.3,0.73,0.96)    legend: National_Liberal_Party
 id:independent    value:rgb(0.6,0.6,0.6)      legend: Independent_or_no_party
 id:liteline       value:gray(0.8)
 id:line           value:rgb(0.3,0.3,0.3)

ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:20 start:1720 ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:4 start:1720

Define $now = {{#time:Y}}

TextData =

 pos:(20,60) textcolor:black fontsize:M
 text:"Political parties:"

BarData =

bar:Wapole
bar:Sandys
bar:Pelham
bar:Robinson
bar:HFox
bar:Pitt
bar:Grenville
bar:Seymour_Conway
bar:North
bar:CJFox
bar:Townshend
bar:Pitt2
bar:Addington
bar:Howick
bar:Perceval 
bar:Castlereagh 
bar:Canning
bar:Huskisson
bar:Peel
bar:Althorp
bar:Russell
bar:Disraeli
bar:Palmerston
bar:Gladstone
bar:Northcote
bar:Hicks-Beach
bar:RChurchill
bar:Smith
bar:Balfour
bar:Hardcourt
bar:Campbell-Bannerman
bar:Asquith
bar:Law
bar:AChamberlain
bar:Baldwin
bar:MacDonald
bar:NChamberlain
bar:WChurchill
bar:Cripps
bar:Eden
bar:Morrison
bar:Chuter_Ede
bar:Crookshank
bar:Butler
bar:Macleod
bar:Lloyd
bar:Bowden
bar:Crossman
bar:Peart
bar:Whitelaw
bar:Carr 
bar:Prior
bar:Short
bar:Foot
bar:St_John_Stevas
bar:Pym
bar:Biffen
bar:Wakeham
bar:Howe
bar:MacGregor
bar:Newton
bar:Taylor
bar:Beckett
bar:Cook
bar:Reid
bar:Hain
bar:Hoon
bar:Straw
bar:Harman
bar:Young
bar:Lansley
bar:Hague
bar:Grayling
bar:Lidington
bar:Leadsom
bar:Stride
bar:Rees-Mogg
bar:Spencer
bar:Mordaunt
bar: Powell

PlotData=

 width:5 align:left fontsize:S shift:(5,-4) anchor:till

bar:Wapole
 from: 1721 till: 1742 color:Whig         text:"Robert Wapole"
bar:Sandys
 from: 1742 till: 1743 color:Whig         text:"Samuel Sandys"
bar:Pelham
 from: 1743 till: 1754 color:Whig         text:"Henry Pelham"
bar:Robinson
 from: 1754 till: 1755 color:Whig         text:"Thomas Robinson"
bar:HFox
 from: 1755 till: 1756 color:Whig
 from: 1762 till: 1763 color:Whig         text:"Henry Fox"
bar:Pitt
 from: 1756 till: 1757 color:Whig
 from: 1757 till: 1761 color:Whig         text:"William Pitt the Elder"
bar:Grenville
 from: 1761 till: 1762 color:Whig
 from: 1763 till: 1765 color:Whig         text:"George Grenville"
bar:Seymour_Conway
 from: 1765 till: 1768 color:Whig         text:"Henry Seymour Conway"
bar:North 
 from: 1768 till: 1782 color:Tory
 from: 1783 till: 1783 color:Tory         text:"Frederick North"
bar:CJFox
 from: 1782 till: 1782 color:Whig
 from: 1783 till: 1783 color:Whig
 from: 1806 till: 1806 color:Whig         text:"Charles James Fox"
bar:Townshend
 from: 1782 till: 1783 color:Whig         text:"Thomas Townshend"
bar:Pitt2
 from: 1783 till: 1801 color:Tory
 from: 1804 till: 1806 color:Tory         text:"William Pitt the Younger"
bar:Addington
 from: 1801 till: 1804 color:Tory         text:"Henry Addington"
bar:Howick
 from: 1806 till: 1807 color:Whig         text:"Charles Grey"
bar:Perceval 
 from: 1807 till: 1812 color:Tory         text:"Spencer Perceval"
bar:Castlereagh 
 from: 1812 till: 1822 color:Tory         text:"Robert Stewart"
bar:Canning
 from: 1822 till: 1827 color:Tory         text:"George Canning"
bar:Huskisson
 from: 1827 till: 1828 color:Tory         text:"William Huskisson"
bar:Peel
 from: 1828 till: 1830 color:Tory
 from: 1834 till: 1835 color:Conservative
 from: 1841 till: 1846 color:Conservative text:"Robert Peel"
bar:Althorp
 from: 1830 till: 1834 color:Whig         text:"John Spencer"
bar:Russell
 from: 1835 till: 1841 color:Whig
 from: 1846 till: 1852 color:Whig
 from: 1852 till: 1855 color:Whig         text:"John Russell
bar:Disraeli
 from: 1852 till: 1852 color:Conservative
 from: 1858 till: 1859 color:Conservative
 from: 1866 till: 1868 color:Conservative
 from: 1874 till: 1876 color:Conservative text:"Benjamin Disraeli"
bar:Palmerston
 from: 1855 till: 1858 color:Whig
 from: 1859 till: 1865 color:Liberal      text:"Henry John Temple"
bar:Gladstone
 from: 1865 till: 1866 color:Liberal
 from: 1868 till: 1874 color:Liberal
 from: 1880 till: 1885 color:Liberal
 from: 1886 till: 1886 color:Liberal
 from: 1892 till: 1894 color:Liberal      text:"William Ewart Gladstone"
bar:Northcote
 from: 1876 till: 1880 color:Conservative text:"Stafford Northcote"
bar:Hicks-Beach
 from: 1885 till: 1886 color:Conservative text:"Michael Hicks-Beach"
bar:RChurchill
 from: 1886 till: 1887 color:Conservative text:"Randolph Churchill"
bar:Smith
 from: 1887 till: 1891 color:Conservative text:"William Henry Smith
bar:Balfour
 from: 1891 till: 1892 color:Conservative
 from: 1895 till: 1905 color:Conservative text:"Arthur Balfour"
bar:Hardcourt
 from: 1894 till: 1895 color:Liberal      text:"William Hardcourt
bar:Campbell-Bannerman
 from: 1905 till: 1908 color:Liberal      text:"Henry Campbell-Bannerman"
bar:Asquith
 from: 1908 till: 1916 color:Liberal      text:"H. H. Asquith"
bar:Law
 from: 1916 till: 1921 color:Conservative
 from: 1922 till: 1923 color:Conservative text:"Bonar Law"
bar:AChamberlain
 from: 1921 till: 1922 color:Conservative text:"Austen Chamberlain"
bar:Baldwin
 from: 1923 till: 1924 color:Conservative
 from: 1924 till: 1929 color:Conservative
 from: 1935 till: 1937 color:Conservative text:"Stanley Baldwin"
bar:MacDonald
 from: 1924 till: 1924 color:Labour
 from: 1929 till: 1931 color:Labour
 from: 1931 till: 1935 color:NatLabour    text:"Ramsay MacDonald"
bar:NChamberlain
 from: 1937 till: 1940 color:Conservative text:"Neville Chamberlain"
bar:WChurchill
 from: 1940 till: 1942 color:Conservative text:"Winston Churchill"
bar:Cripps
 from: 1942 till: 1942 color:Independent  text:"Stafford Cripps"
bar:Eden
 from: 1942 till: 1945 color:Conservative text:"Anthony Eden"
bar:Morrison
 from: 1945 till: 1951 color:Labour       text:"Herbert Morrison"
bar:Chuter_Ede
 from: 1951 till: 1951 color:Labour       text:"James Chuter Ede"
bar:Crookshank
 from: 1951 till: 1955 color:Conservative text:"Harry Crookshank"
bar:Butler
 from: 1955 till: 1961 color:Conservative text:"Rab Butler"
bar:Macleod
 from: 1961 till: 1963 color:Conservative text:"Iain Macleod"
bar:Lloyd
 from: 1963 till: 1964 color:Conservative text:"Selwyn Lloyd"
bar:Bowden
 from: 1964 till: 1966 color:Labour       text:"Herbert Bowden"
bar:Crossman
 from: 1966 till: 1968 color:Labour       text:"Richard Crossman"
bar:Peart
 from: 1968 till: 1970 color:Labour       text:"Fred Peart"
bar:Whitelaw
 from: 1970 till: 1972 color:Conservative text:"William Whitelaw"
bar:Carr 
 from: 1972 till: 1972 color:Conservative text:"Robert Carr"
bar:Prior
 from: 1972 till: 1974 color:Conservative text:"Jim Prior"
bar:Short
 from: 1974 till: 1976 color:Labour       text:"Edward Short"
bar:Foot
 from: 1976 till: 1979 color:Labour       text:"Michael Foot"
bar:St_John_Stevas
 from: 1979 till: 1981 color:Conservative text:"Norman St John-Stevas"
bar:Pym
 from: 1981 till: 1982 color:Conservative text:"Francis Pym"
bar:Biffen
 from: 1982 till: 1987 color:Conservative text:"John Biffen"
bar:Wakeham
 from: 1987 till: 1989 color:Conservative text:"John Wakeham"
bar:Howe
 from: 1989 till: 1990 color:Conservative text:"Geoffrey Howe"
bar:MacGregor
 from: 1990 till: 1992 color:Conservative text:"John MacGregor"
bar:Newton
 from: 1992 till: 1997 color:Conservative text:"Tony Newton"
bar:Taylor
 from: 1997 till: 1998 color:Labour       text:"Ann Taylor"
bar:Beckett
 from: 1998 till: 2001 color:Labour       text:"Margaret Beckett"
bar:Cook
 from: 2001 till: 2003 color:Labour       text:"Robin Cook"
bar:Reid
 from: 2003 till: 2003 color:Labour       text:"John Reid"
bar:Hain
 from: 2003 till: 2005 color:Labour       text:"Peter Hain"
bar:Hoon 
 from: 2005 till: 2006 color:Labour       text:"Geoff Hoon"
bar:Straw
 from: 2006 till: 2007 color:Labour       text:"Jack Straw"
bar:Harman
 from: 2007 till: 2010 color:Labour       text:"Harriet Harman"
bar:Young
 from: 2010 till: 2012 color:Conservative text:"George Young"
bar:Lansley
 from: 2012 till: 2014 color:Conservative text:"Andrew Lansley"
bar:Hague
 from: 2014 till: 2015 color:Conservative text:"William Hague"
bar:Grayling
 from: 2015 till: 2016 color:Conservative text:"Chris Grayling"
bar:Lidington
 from: 2016 till: 2017 color:Conservative text:"David Lidington"
bar:Leadsom
 from: 2017 till: 2019 color:Conservative text:"Andrea Leadsom"
bar:Stride
 from: 2019 till: 2019 color:Conservative text:"Mel Stride"
bar:Rees-Mogg
 from: 2019 till: 2022 color:Conservative text:"Jacob Rees-Mogg"
bar:Spencer
 from: 2022 till: 2022 color:Conservative text:"Mark Spencer
bar:Mordaunt
 from: 2022 till: 2024 color:Conservative text:"Penny Mordaunt"
bar:Powell
 from: 2024 till: $now color:Labour text:"Lucy Powell"

</timeline>

Deputy Leader of the House of Commons

From 1922, when the prime minister was also Leader of the House of Commons, day-to-day duties were frequently carried out by a Deputy Leader of the House of Commons.<ref name=":1" /> At other times, a Deputy Leader of the House of Commons was appointed merely to enhance an individual politician's standing within the government.Template:Citation needed

The title has been in use since 1942, but was not used from the 2019 dissolution of the Second May ministry to 2022, when it was revived by Boris Johnson.<ref name=":2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This was shortlived however, as it was abolished by Liz Truss after she became Prime Minister a few months later.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

List of Deputy Leaders of the House of Commons

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

• Leader of the House of Lords
• Speaker of the House of Commons
• Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
• Minister for Parliamentary Business, the equivalent cabinet post in the Scottish Government

External links

• Official website
• Deputy Leader of the House of Commons
• Parliamentary website