Leader of the Labour Party (UK)

most senior politician within the Labour Party in the United Kingdom

The Leader of the Labour Party is the leading politician within the Labour Party in the United Kingdom. Since 4 April 2020, Keir Starmer is leader. He represents the constituency of Holborn and St Pancras.

Leader of the Labour Party
Incumbent
Keir Starmer MP

since 4 April 2020
PrecursorChair of the PLP
Inaugural holderKeir Hardie
Formation17 January 1906
DeputyAngela Rayner MP

The post of Leader of the Labour Party was officially created in 1922. Before this time, between when Labour MPs were first elected in 1906 and the election in 1922, when substantial gains were made, the post was known as Chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party.[1]

Leaders of the Labour Party 2007-Present change

A list of leaders (including acting leaders) since 1906.[2][3][4][5]

No. Leader

(birth–death)

Constituency Took office Left office Prime Minister (term) Monarch

(Reign)

1 Keir Hardie(1856–1915)   Merthyr Tydfil 17 February 1906 22 January 1908 Henry Campbell-Bannerman 1905–1908 Edward VII (1901–1910)
2 Arthur Henderson(1863–1935)(1st time)   Barnard Castle 22 January 1908 14 February 1910
Herbert Asquith 1908–1916
3 George Barnes

(1859–1940)

  Glasgow Blackfriars and Hutchesontown 14 February 1910 6 February 1911 George V (1910–1936)
4 Ramsay MacDonald(1866–1937)(1st time)   Leicester 6 February 1911 5 August 1914
(2) Arthur Henderson(1863–1935)(2nd time)   Barnard Castle 5 August 1914 24 October 1917
David Lloyd George 1916–1922
5 William Adamson

(1863–1936)

  West Fife 24 October 1917 14 February 1921
6 J. R. Clynes

(1869–1949)

  Manchester Platting 14 February 1921 21 November 1922
Bonar Law 1922–1923
(4) Ramsay MacDonald(1866–1937)(2nd time)   Aberavon 21 November 1922

(elected)

28 August 1931
Stanley Baldwin 1923–1924
Himself 1924
Stanley Baldwin 1924–1929
Himself 1929–1931
(2) Arthur Henderson(1863–1935)(3rd time)   Burnley(1931)None

(1931–1932)

28 August 1931

(unopposed)

25 October 1932 Ramsey MacDonald 1931–1935
7 George Lansbury

(1859–1940)

  Bow and Bromley 25 October 1932

(unopposed)

8 October 1935
Stanley Baldwin 1935–1937
8 Clement Attlee(1883–1967)   Limehouse(1935–1950)Walthamstow West

(1950–1955)

8 October 1935

(elected)

7 December 1955[6]
Neville Chamberlain 1937–1940
Winston Churchill 1940–1945
Himself 1945–1951 Edward VIII 
(1936)
Winston Churchill 1951–1955 George VI 
(1936–1952)
Anthony Eden 1955–1957 Elizabeth II 
(1952–2022)
Herbert Morrison(1888–1965)   Lewisham South 7 December 1955 14 December 1955
9 Hugh Gaitskell(1906–1963)   Leeds South 14 December 1955

(elected)

18 January 1963

(died in office)

Harold Macmillan 1957–1963
George Brown

(1914–1985)

  Belper 18 January 1963 14 February 1963
10 Harold Wilson(1916–1995)
 
Huyton 14 February 1963

(elected)

5 April 1976
Alec Douglas-Home 1963–1964
Himself 1964–1970
Edward Heath 1970–1974
Himself 1974–1976
11 James Callaghan(1912–2005)   Cardiff South East 5 April 1976

(elected)

10 November 1980 Himself 1976–1979
Margaret Thatcher 1979–1990
12 Michael Foot(1913–2010)   Ebbw Vale 10 November 1980

(elected)

2 October 1983
13 Neil Kinnock(b. 1942)   Islwyn 2 October 1983

(elected)

18 July 1992
John Major 1990–1997
14 John Smith(1938–1994) Monklands East 18 July 1992

(elected)

12 May 1994

(died in office)

Margaret Beckett(b. 1943)(acting)   Derby South 12 May 1994 21 July 1994
15 Tony Blair(b. 1953)   Sedgefield 21 July 1994

(elected)

24 June 2007
Himself 1997–2007
16 Gordon Brown(b. 1951)   Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath 24 June 2007

(unopposed)

11 May 2010 Himself 2007–2010
Harriet Harman(b. 1950)(acting: 1st time)   Camberwell and Peckham 11 May 2010 25 September 2010 David Cameron 2010–2016
17 Ed Miliband(b. 1969)   Doncaster North 25 September 2010

(elected)

8 May 2015
Harriet Harman(b. 1950)(acting: 2nd time)   Camberwell and Peckham 8 May 2015 12 September 2015
18 Jeremy Corbyn(b. 1949)   Islington North 12 September 2015

(elected)

4 April 2020
Theresa May 2016–2019
Boris Johnson 2019–2022
19 Keir Starmer(b. 1962)   Holborn and St Pancras 4 April 2020

(elected)

Incumbent
Liz Truss 2022
Rishi Sunak 2022 – present Charles III  
(2022–present)

References change

  1. Thorpe, Andrew. (2001) A History Of The British Labour Party, Palgrave, ISBN 0-333-92908-X
  2. Priddy, Sarah (16 June 2022). "Labour Party leaders and officials since 1975". House of Commons Library. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  3. "A quick guide to Labour's leaders". BBC News. 23 September 2016. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  4. Boothroyd, David. "Leaders of the Labour Party". election.demon.co.uk. United Kingdom Election Results. Archived from the original on 6 August 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  5. Akehurst, Luke (15 December 2019). "Labour's most and least successful leaders, now including Corbyn". Labour List. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  6. Nicklaus Thomas-Symonds (2010), Attlee: A Life in Politics, London: I B Tauris, p. 260