Leader of the House of Commons

The Leader of the House of Commons is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom who is responsible for arranging government business in the House of Commons. Although at one time the position was usually held by the Prime Minister if he was an MP, in recent years, the post has usually been combined with that of Lord President of the Council (i.e. of the Privy Council). As of June 2003, the Leader of the House is Peter Hain, who combines the job with those of Lord Privy Seal and Secretary of State for Wales.

The House of Commons devotes approximately three quarters of its time to "Government business" such as bills intoduced by the government and ministerial statements. The Leader of the House is responsible for organising the use of this time, and making regular announcements to the House as to what business the government will put before it. When there is no Deputy Prime Minister, the Leader of the House may stand in for an absent Prime Minister at Prime Minister's Questions.

Robin Cook was appointed as Leader of the House after the 2001 UK general election. He resigned from the post on March 17, 2003, as he could not accept the government's position on military action against Iraq. During his period in office he chaired the Select Committee on Modernisation of the House of Commons, which proposed significant reforms of the sitting hours of the House.

Leaders of the House of Commons since 1721

(presently incomplete)

• Robert Walpole 1721-1742

• Henry Pelham 1743-1754
• Thomas Robinson[?] 1754-1755
• Henry Fox[?] 1755-1756
• William Pitt the Elder 1756-1761

• George Grenville 1763-1765

• Charles Townshend[?] 1766-1767
• Frederick North, Lord North 1767-1782
• Charles James Fox 1782
• William Pitt the Younger 1782-1783
• Charles James Fox and Frederick North, Lord North 1783
• William Pitt the Younger 1783-1801
• Henry Addington 1801-1804
• William Pitt the Younger 1804-1806
• Charles James Fox 1806
• Charles Grey, Viscount Howick 1806-1807
• Spencer Perceval 1807-1812
• Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh 1812-1822
• George Canning 1822-1827

• Robert Peel 1828-1830
• John Charles Spencer, Viscount Althorp[?] 1830-1834
• Lord John Russell 1834
• Sir Robert Peel 1834-1835
• Lord John Russell 1835-1841
• Sir Robert Peel 1841-1846
• Lord John Russell 1846-1852
• Benjamin Disraeli 1852
• Lord John Russell 1852-1855
• Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston 1855-1858
• Benjamin Disraeli 1858-1859
• Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston 1859-1865
• William Ewart Gladstone 1865-1866
• Benjamin Disraeli 1866-1868
• William Ewart Gladstone 1868-1874
• Benjamin Disraeli 1874-1876
• Sir Stafford Northcote[?] 1876-1880
• William Ewart Gladstone 1880-1885
• Sir Stafford Northcote[?] 1885
• William Henry Smith 1885-1886
• William Ewart Gladstone 1886
• Lord Randolph Churchill[?] 1886-1887
• William Henry Smith 1887-1892
• William Ewart Gladstone 1892-1894
• Sir William Vernon Harcourt 1894-1895
• Arthur James Balfour 1895-1905
• Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman 1905-1908
• Herbert Henry Asquith 1908-1916
• Andrew Bonar Law 1916-1921
• Austen Chamberlain 1921-1922
• Andrew Bonar Law 1922-1923
• Stanley Baldwin 1923-1924
• Ramsay MacDonald 1924
• Stanley Baldwin 1924-1929
• Ramsay MacDonald 1929-1935
• Stanley Baldwin 1935-1937
• Neville Chamberlain 1937-1940

(here my knowledge peters out, but I'm pretty sure Churchill delegated this task.)

• Herbert Bowden[?] 1964-1966
• Richard Crossman[?] 1966-1968
• Fred Peart[?] 1968-1970
• William Whitelaw 1970-1972
• Robert Carr[?] 1972
• James Prior[?] 1972-1974
• Edward Short[?] 1974-1976
• Michael Foot 1976-1979
• Norman St. John-Stevas[?] 1979-1981
• Francis Pym[?] 1981-1982
• John Biffen[?] 1982-1987
• John Wakeham[?] 1987-1989
• Sir Geoffrey Howe[?] 1989-1990
• John MacGregor[?] 1990-1992
• Tony Newton[?] 1992-1997
• Ann Taylor[?] 1997-1998
• Margaret Beckett 1998-2001
• Robin Cook 2001-2003
• John Reid 2003
• Peter Hain 2003-