Global political history

Global political history from 3000 BC to the 21st century – political leaders, elections, and more.

Political parties of the United Kingdom

Placeholder text

Current political parties

Conservative Party

Placeholder text

Leader of the Conservative Party
Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet

Date of birth/date of death: b. February 5 1788; d. July 2 1850

Also known as: Robert Peel (1788 – 1815); Sir Robert Peel (1815 – 1830)

1834 – 1846

Edward George Geoffrey Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby

Date of birth/date of death: b. March 29 1799; d. October 23 1869

Titles of nobility: Baron Stanley of Bickerstaffe in the Peerage of the United Kingdom (1844 – 1869); Earl of Derby in the Peerage of England (1851 – 1869)

1846 – 1868

Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield

Date of birth/date of death: b. December 21 1804; d. April 19 1881

Noble titles: Earl of Beaconsfield (1876 – 1881)

1868 – 1881

Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury

Date of birth/date of death: b. February 3 1830; d. August 22 1903

Titles of nobility: Marquess of Salisbury in the Peerage of the United Kingdom (1868 – 1903)

1881 – 1902

Arthur James Balfour

Date of birth/date of death: b. July 25 1848; d. March 19 1930

Titles of nobility: Earl of Balfour in the Peerage of the United Kingdom (1922 – 1930)

1902 – 1911

Andrew Bonar Law

Date of birth/date of death: b. September 16 1858; d. October 30 1923

1911 – 1921

Henry Charles Keith Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne

Date of birth/date of death: b. January 14 1845; d. June 3 1927

Noble titles: Marquess of Lansdowne (1866 – 1927)

1911 – 1916

Andrew Bonar Law

Date of birth/date of death: b. September 16 1858; d. October 30 1923

1922 – 1923

Stanley Baldwin

Date of birth/date of death: b. August 3 1867; d. December 14 1947

Titles of nobility: Earl Baldwin of Bewdley in the Peerage of the United Kingdom (1937 – 1947); Viscount Corvedale in the Peerage of the United Kingdom (1937 – 1947).

1923 – 1937

Arthur Neville Chamberlain

Date of birth/date of death: b. March 18 1869; d. November 9 1940

1937 – 1940

Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill

Date of birth/date of death: b. November 30 1874; d. January 24 1965

1940 – 1955

Sir Robert Anthony Eden

Date of birth/date of death: b. June 12 1897; d. January 14 1977

Titles of nobility: Earl of Avon in the Peerage of the United Kingdom (1961 – 1977).

1955 – 1957

Maurice Harold Macmillan

Date of birth/date of death: b. February 10 1894; d. December 29 1986

Titles of nobility: Earl of Stockton in the Peerage of the United Kingdom (1984 – 1986); Viscount Macmillan of Ovenden in the Peerage of the United Kingdom (1984 – 1986)

1957 – 1963

Edward Richard George “Ted” Heath

Date of birth/date of death: b. July 9 1916; d. July 17 2005.

1965 – 1975

Margaret Hilda Thatcher

Date of birth/date of death: b. October 13 1925; d. April 8 2013.

1975 – 1990

John Major

Date of birth/date of death: b. March 29 1943.

1990 – 1997

William Jefferson Hague

Date of birth/date of death: b. March 26 1961.

1997 – 2001

George Iain Duncan Smith

Date of birth/date of death: b. April 9 1954.

2001 – 2003

David William Donald Cameron

Date of birth/date of death: b. October 9 1966.

2005 – 2016

Theresa Mary May

Date of birth/date of death: b. October 1 1956.

2016 – 2019

Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson

Date of birth/date of death: b. June 19 1964.

2019 – 2022

Mary Elizabeth “Liz” Truss

Date of birth/date of death: b. March 4 1973.

2022

Rishi Sunak

Date of birth/date of death: b. May 12 1980.

2022 – 2024


Chair of the Conservative Party
Arthur Neville Chamberlain

Date of birth/date of death: b. March 18 1869; d. November 9 1940

1930 – 1931

Peter Leonard Brooke

Date of birth/date of death: b. March 3 1934; d. May 13 2023.

1987 – 1989

Theresa Mary May

Date of birth/date of death: b. October 1 1956.

2002 – 2003

Grant Shapps

Date of birth/date of death: b. September 14 1968.

2012 – 2015

Oliver James Dowden

Date of birth/date of death: b. August 1 1978.

2021 – 2022


Leader of the Conservative Party in the House of Lords
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington

Date of birth/date of death: b. May 1 1769; d. September 14 1852

Noble titles: Viscount Wellington in the peerage of the United Kingdom (1809 – 1852); Count of Vimeiro in the nobility of Portugal (1811 – 1852); Earl of Wellington in the peerage of the United Kingdom (1812 – 1852); Marquess of Wellington in the peerage of the United Kingdom (1812 – 1852); Duke of Vitória in the nobility of Portugal (1812 – 1852); Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo in the nobility of Spain (1812 – 1852); Duke of Wellington in the peerage of the United Kingdom (1814 – 1852); Prince of Waterloo in the nobility of the Netherlands (1815 – 1852)

Military ranks: Major-General (1802 – 1808); Lieutenant-General (1808 – 1811); General (1811 – 1813); Field Marshal (1813 – 1852)

1834 – 1846

Edward George Geoffrey Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby

Date of birth/date of death: b. March 29 1799; d. October 23 1869

Titles of nobility: Baron Stanley of Bickerstaffe in the Peerage of the United Kingdom (1844 – 1869); Earl of Derby in the Peerage of England (1851 – 1869)

1846 – 1868

Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield

Date of birth/date of death: b. December 21 1804; d. April 19 1881

Noble titles: Earl of Beaconsfield (1876 – 1881)

1876 – 1881

Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury

Date of birth/date of death: b. February 3 1830; d. August 22 1903

Titles of nobility: Marquess of Salisbury in the Peerage of the United Kingdom (1868 – 1903)

1881 – 1902

Spencer Compton Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire

Date of birth/date of death: b. July 23 1833; d. March 24 1908

Noble titles: Duke of Devonshire in the Peerage of England (1891 – 1908)

1902 – 1903

Henry Charles Keith Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne

Date of birth/date of death: b. January 14 1845; d. June 3 1927

Noble titles: Marquess of Lansdowne (1866 – 1927)

1903 – 1916

Charles Stewart Henry Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 7th Marquess of Londonderry

Date of birth/date of death: b. May 13 1878; d. February 10 1949

Noble titles: Marquess of Londonderry (1915 – 1949)

1935

Edward Frederick Lindley Wood, 2nd Viscount Halifax

Date of birth/date of death: b. April 16 1881; d. December 23 1959

Titles of nobility: Baron Irwin in the Peerage of the United Kingdom (1925 – 1959); Viscount Halifax in the Peerage of the United Kingdom (1934 – 1959); Earl of Halifax in the Peerage of the United Kingdom (1944 – 1959).

1935 – 1938

Thomas Walker Hobart Inskip, 1st Viscount Caldecote

Date of birth/date of death: b. March 5 1876; d. October 11 1947

Titles of nobility: Viscount Caldecote in the Peerage of the United Kingdom (1939 – 1947).

1940

Edward Frederick Lindley Wood, 2nd Viscount Halifax

Date of birth/date of death: b. April 16 1881; d. December 23 1959

Titles of nobility: Baron Irwin in the Peerage of the United Kingdom (1925 – 1959); Viscount Halifax in the Peerage of the United Kingdom (1934 – 1959); Earl of Halifax in the Peerage of the United Kingdom (1944 – 1959).

1940

Robert Arthur James Gascoyne-Cecil, 5th Marquess of Salisbury

Date of birth/date of death: b. August 27 1893; d. February 23 1972

Titles of nobility: Baron Cecil in the Peerage of England (1941 – 1972); Marquess of Salisbury in the Peerage of Great Britain (1947 – 1972).

1942 – 1957

Chief Whip of the Conservative Party in the House of Lords
Victor Christian William Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire

Date of birth/date of death: b. May 31 1868; d. May 6 1938

Titles of nobility: Duke of Devonshire in the Peerage of England (1908 – 1938)

1911 – 1916

Leader of the Conservative Party in the House of Commons
Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet

Date of birth/date of death: b. February 5 1788; d. July 2 1850

Also known as: Robert Peel (1788 – 1815); Sir Robert Peel (1815 – 1830)

1834 – 1846

Benjamin Disraeli

Date of birth/date of death: b. December 21 1804; d. April 19 1881

Noble titles: Earl of Beaconsfield (1876 – 1881)

1849 – 1876

Arthur James Balfour

Date of birth/date of death: b. July 25 1848; d. March 19 1930

Titles of nobility: Earl of Balfour in the Peerage of the United Kingdom (1922 – 1930)

1891 – 1906

Andrew Bonar Law

Date of birth/date of death: b. September 16 1858; d. October 30 1923

1911 – 1921


Chief Whip of the Conservative Party in the House of Commons
Edward Richard George “Ted” Heath

Date of birth/date of death: b. July 9 1916; d. July 17 2005.

1955 – 1959

Gavin Alexander Williamson

Date of birth/date of death: b. June 25 1976.

2016 – 2017


Green Party of England and Wales

Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales
Carla Suzanne Denyer

Date of birth/date of death: b. September 24 1985.

2021 – present


Labour Party

Leader of the Labour Party
James Ramsay MacDonald

Date of birth/date of death: b. October 12 1866; d. November 9 1937

1922 – 1931

George Lansbury

Date of birth/date of death: b. February 22 1859; d. May 7 1940.

1932 – 1935

James Harold Wilson

Date of birth/date of death: b. March 11 1916; d. May 23 1995.

1963 – 1976

Neil Gordon Kinnock

Date of birth/date of death: b. March 28 1942.

1983 – 1992

Anthony Charles Lynton “Tony” Blair

Date of birth/date of death: b. May 6 1953.

1994 – 2007

James Gordon Brown

Date of birth/date of death: b. February 20 1951.

2007 – 2010

Jeremy Bernard Corbyn

Date of birth/date of death: b. May 26 1949.

2015 – 2020

Sir Keir Rodney Starmer

Date of birth/date of death: b. September 2 1962.

2020 – present


Deputy Leader of the Labour Party
George Alfred George-Brown

Date of birth/date of death: b. September 2 1914; d. June 2 1985.

1960 – 1970

Roy Harris Jenkins

Date of birth/date of death: b. November 11 1920; d. January 5 2003.

1970 – 1972

Angela Rayner

Date of birth/date of death: b. March 28 1980.

2020 – present


Chair of the Labour Party
James Ramsay MacDonald

Date of birth/date of death: b. October 12 1866; d. November 9 1937

1923 – 1924

George Lansbury

Date of birth/date of death: b. February 22 1859; d. May 7 1940.

1927 – 1928

James Harold Wilson

Date of birth/date of death: b. March 11 1916; d. May 23 1995.

1961 – 1962

Neil Gordon Kinnock

Date of birth/date of death: b. March 28 1942.

1987 – 1988

Angela Rayner

Date of birth/date of death: b. March 28 1980.

2020 – 2021


General Secretary of the Labour Party
James Ramsay MacDonald

Date of birth/date of death: b. October 12 1866; d. November 9 1937

1900 – 1912

Treasurer of the Labour Party
James Ramsay MacDonald

Date of birth/date of death: b. October 12 1866; d. November 9 1937

1912 – 1929


Chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party
James Ramsay MacDonald

Date of birth/date of death: b. October 12 1866; d. November 9 1937

1911 – 1914

John Robert Cryer

Date of birth/date of death: b. April 11 1964.

2015 – 2024


Leader of the Labour Party in the House of Commons
Rosalie “Rosie” Winterton

Date of birth/date of death: b. August 10 1958.

2010


Chief Whip of the Labour Party in the House of Commons
Winifred Ann Taylor

Date of birth/date of death: b. July 2 1947.

1998 – 2001

Rosalie “Rosie” Winterton

Date of birth/date of death: b. August 10 1958.

2010 – 2016


Leader of the Scottish Labour Party
Anas Sarwar*

Date of birth/date of death: b. March 14 1983.

2014

Anas Sarwar

Date of birth/date of death: b. March 14 1983.

2021 – present


Deputy Leader of the Scottish Labour Party
Anas Sarwar

Date of birth/date of death: b. March 14 1983.

2011 – 2014


Chair of the Fabian Society
James Harold Wilson

Date of birth/date of death: b. March 11 1916; d. May 23 1995.

1954 – 1955

Roy Harris Jenkins

Date of birth/date of death: b. November 11 1920; d. January 5 2003.

1957 – 1958

Benjamin John “Ben” Pimlott

Date of birth/date of death: b. July 4 1945; d. April 10 2004.

1993 – 1994

Edward Michael “Ed” Balls

Date of birth/date of death: b. February 25 1967.

2006 – 2007


Liberal Democrats

Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats
Daisy Cooper

Date of birth/date of death: b. October 29 1981.

2020 – present


Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords
Roy Harris Jenkins

Date of birth/date of death: b. November 11 1920; d. January 5 2003.

1988 – 1997


Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats
Lembit Öpik

Date of birth/date of death: b. March 2 1965.

2001 – 2007


Plaid Cymru

Leader of Plaid Cymru
Rhun ap Iorweth

Date of birth/date of death: b. August 27 1972.

2023 – present


Deputy Leader of Plaid Cymru
Rhun ap Iorweth

Date of birth/date of death: b. August 27 1972.

2018 – 2023


Reform UK

Leader of the Brexit Party
Nigel Paul Farage

Date of birth/date of death: b. April 3 1964.

2019 – 2021


Leader of Reform UK
Nigel Paul Farage

Date of birth/date of death: b. April 3 1964.

2024 – present


Scottish National Party

Leader of the Scottish National Party in the House of Commons
Stephen Mark Flynn

Date of birth/date of death: b. October 13 1988.

2022 – present


UK Independence Party

Leader of the UK Independence Party
Nigel Paul Farage

Date of birth/date of death: b. April 3 1964.

2006 – 2009

Nigel Paul Farage

Date of birth/date of death: b. April 3 1964.

2010 – 2016

Nigel Paul Farage

Date of birth/date of death: b. April 3 1964.

2016


Chairman of the UK Independence Party
Nigel Paul Farage

Date of birth/date of death: b. April 3 1964.

1998 – 2000




Defunct political parties

Independent Labour Party

Chairman of the Independent Labour Party
Philip Snowden

Date of birth/date of death: b. July 18 1864; d. May 15 1937.

1903 – 1906

James Ramsay MacDonald

Date of birth/date of death: b. October 12 1866; d. November 9 1937

1906 – 1909

Philip Snowden

Date of birth/date of death: b. July 18 1864; d. May 15 1937.

1917 – 1920


Liberal Party

Placeholder text

Leader of the Liberal Party
Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston

Date of birth/date of death: b. October 20 1784; d. October 18 1865

1859 – 1865

John Russell, 1st Earl Russell

Date of birth/date of death: b. August 18 1792; d. May 28 1878

Titles of nobility: Earl Russell in the Peerage of the United Kingdom (1861 – 1878)

1865 – 1866

William Ewart Gladstone

Date of birth/date of death: b. December 29 1809; d. May 19 1898

1866 – 1875

William Ewart Gladstone

Date of birth/date of death: b. December 29 1809; d. May 19 1898

1880 – 1894

Archibald Philip Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery

Date of birth/date of death: b. May 7 1847; d. May 21 1929

Noble titles: Earl of Rosebery in the Peerage of Scotland (1868 – 1929); Baron Rosebery in the Peerage of the United Kingdom (1868 – 1929); Earl of Midlothian in the Peerage of the United Kingdom (1911 – 1929)

1894 – 1896

Herbert Henry Asquith, 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith

Date of birth/date of death: b. September 12 1852; d. February 15 1928

Titles of nobility: Earl of Oxford and Asquith in the Peerage of the United Kingdom (1925 – 1928)

1908 – 1926

David Lloyd George

Date of birth/date of death: b. January 17 1863; d. March 26 1945

Titles of nobility: Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor in the Peerage of the United Kingdom (1945)

1926 – 1931

Leader of the Liberal Party in the House of Lords
John Russell, 1st Earl Russell

Date of birth/date of death: b. August 18 1792; d. May 28 1878

Titles of nobility: Earl Russell in the Peerage of the United Kingdom (1861 – 1878)

1865 – 1868

Archibald Philip Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery

Date of birth/date of death: b. May 7 1847; d. May 21 1929

Noble titles: Earl of Rosebery in the Peerage of Scotland (1868 – 1929); Baron Rosebery in the Peerage of the United Kingdom (1868 – 1929); Earl of Midlothian in the Peerage of the United Kingdom (1911 – 1929)

1894 – 1896

George Frederick Samuel Robinson, 1st Marquess of Ripon

Date of birth/date of death: b. October 24 1827; d. July 9 1909

Noble titles: Earl of Ripon (1859 – 1909); Marquess of Ripon (1871 – 1909)

1905 – 1908

Leader of the Liberal Party in the House of Commons
Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston

Date of birth/date of death: b. October 20 1784; d. October 18 1865

1859 – 1865

William Ewart Gladstone

Date of birth/date of death: b. December 29 1809; d. May 19 1898

1865 – 1875

Spencer Compton Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington

Date of birth/date of death: b. July 23 1833; d. March 24 1908

Noble titles: Duke of Devonshire in the Peerage of England (1891 – 1908)

1875 – 1880

William Ewart Gladstone

Date of birth/date of death: b. December 29 1809; d. May 19 1898

1880 – 1894

Herbert Henry Asquith

Date of birth/date of death: b. September 12 1852; d. February 15 1928

Titles of nobility: Earl of Oxford and Asquith in the Peerage of the United Kingdom (1925 – 1928)

1908 – 1924

David Lloyd George

Date of birth/date of death: b. January 17 1863; d. March 26 1945

Titles of nobility: Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor in the Peerage of the United Kingdom (1945)

1924 – 1931

President of the Liberal Party
Joseph Chamberlain

Date of birth/date of death: b. July 8 1836; d. July 2 1914

1877 – 1881


Liberal Unionist Party

Leaders of the Liberal Unionist Party
Spencer Compton Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire

Date of birth/date of death: b. July 23 1833; d. March 24 1908

Noble titles: Duke of Devonshire in the Peerage of England (1891 – 1908)

1886 – 1903


National Labour Party

Leader of the National Labour Party
James Ramsay MacDonald

Date of birth/date of death: b. October 12 1866; d. November 9 1937

1931 – 1937


Social Democratic Party

Leader of the Social Democratic Party
Roy Harris Jenkins

Date of birth/date of death: b. November 11 1920; d. January 5 2003.

1982 – 1983


Tory Party

Placeholder text

Leader of the Tory Party
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington

Date of birth/date of death: b. May 1 1769; d. September 14 1852

Noble titles: Viscount Wellington in the peerage of the United Kingdom (1809 – 1852); Count of Vimeiro in the nobility of Portugal (1811 – 1852); Earl of Wellington in the peerage of the United Kingdom (1812 – 1852); Marquess of Wellington in the peerage of the United Kingdom (1812 – 1852); Duke of Vitória in the nobility of Portugal (1812 – 1852); Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo in the nobility of Spain (1812 – 1852); Duke of Wellington in the peerage of the United Kingdom (1814 – 1852); Prince of Waterloo in the nobility of the Netherlands (1815 – 1852)

Military ranks: Major-General (1802 – 1808); Lieutenant-General (1808 – 1811); General (1811 – 1813); Field Marshal (1813 – 1852)

1828 – 1834

Leader of the Tory Party in the House of Lords
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington

Date of birth/date of death: b. May 1 1769; d. September 14 1852

Noble titles: Viscount Wellington in the peerage of the United Kingdom (1809 – 1852); Count of Vimeiro in the nobility of Portugal (1811 – 1852); Earl of Wellington in the peerage of the United Kingdom (1812 – 1852); Marquess of Wellington in the peerage of the United Kingdom (1812 – 1852); Duke of Vitória in the nobility of Portugal (1812 – 1852); Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo in the nobility of Spain (1812 – 1852); Duke of Wellington in the peerage of the United Kingdom (1814 – 1852); Prince of Waterloo in the nobility of the Netherlands (1815 – 1852)

Military ranks: Major-General (1802 – 1808); Lieutenant-General (1808 – 1811); General (1811 – 1813); Field Marshal (1813 – 1852)

1828 – 1834


Whig Party

Leader of the Whig Party
Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey

Date of birth/date of death: b. March 13 1764; d. July 17 1845

Titles of nobility: Earl Grey in the Peerage of the United Kingdom (1807 – 1845)

1830 – 1834

Lord John Russell

Date of birth/date of death: b. August 18 1792; d. May 28 1878

Titles of nobility: Earl Russell in the Peerage of the United Kingdom (1861 – 1878)

1842 – 1855

Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston

Date of birth/date of death: b. October 20 1784; d. October 18 1865

1855 – 1859

Leader of the Whig Party in the House of Lords
Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey

Date of birth/date of death: b. March 13 1764; d. July 17 1845

Titles of nobility: Earl Grey in the Peerage of the United Kingdom (1807 – 1845)

1830 – 1834

Leader of the Whig Party in the House of Commons
Lord John Russell

Date of birth/date of death: b. August 18 1792; d. May 28 1878

Titles of nobility: Earl Russell in the Peerage of the United Kingdom (1861 – 1878)

1834 – 1855