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The Lord President of the Council is the fourth of the Great Officers of State of the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord High Treasurer and above the Lord Privy Seal. The Lord President has the responsibility of presiding over meetings of the Privy Council. In the modern era, the holder is by convention always a member of one of the houses of Parliament and the office is a cabinet post.

The Privy Council meets once a month, wherever the Sovereign may be residing at the time, to give formal approval to Orders-in-Council. Only a few privy counsellors need attend such meetings, and only when invited to do so at the Government's request. As the duties of the Lord President are not onerous, the post has often been given to a government minister whose responsibilities are not departmental-specific. In recent years it has been most usual for the Lord President to also serve as Leader of the House of Commons. Since 2003 the office has been combined with that of Leader of the House of Lords. The current Lord President is The Baroness Royall of Blaisdon.

On several occasions non-British Ministers have served briefly as acting Lords President of the Council, solely to preside over a meeting of the Privy Council held in a Commonwealth realm. Examples of this practice are the meetings in New Zealand in 1990 and 1995, when Sir Geoffrey Palmer and James Bolger respectively were acting Lord Presidents.

In the 19th century, the Lord President was generally the cabinet member responsible for the educational system amongst their other duties. This role was gradually scaled back in the late 19th and early 20th centuries but remnants of it remain, such as the oversight of the governance of various universities.

A particularly vital role was played by the Lord President of the Council during the Second World War. The Lord President served as chairman of the Lord President's Committee. This committee acted as a central clearing house for dealing with economic problems that affected the country. As such, it was vital to the smooth running of the British war economy and consequently the entire British war effort.

The Lord President has no role in the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.

Visitorial role

The Lord President also serves as the Visitor for several British universities including:

• University of Birmingham
• University of Bristol
• University of East Anglia
• University of Hull
• Imperial College London
• Keele University
• University of Leeds
• University of Leicester
• University of Liverpool
• University of London (but not King's College London or University College London)
• University of Nottingham
• University of Reading
• University of Sheffield
• University of Southampton
• University of Sussex
• University of Wales (but not Lampeter)

Partial list of office holders

1530-1553

• Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk (1530–14 August 1545)
• William Paulet, 1st Baron St John (January 1546–February 1550)
• John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland (February 1550–July 1553)
• Henry FitzAlan, 19th Earl of Arundel (1553–?)

1621-1631

• Henry Montagu, 1st Earl of Manchester (September 1621–July 1628)
• James Ley, 1st Earl of Marlborough (July 1628–14 December 1628)
• Edward Conway, 1st Viscount Conway (14 December 1628–3 January 1631)

Since 1678

• Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury (21 April 1679–15 October 1679)
• John Robartes, 1st Earl of Radnor (24 October 1679–24 August 1684)
• Laurence Hyde, 1st Earl of Rochester (24 August 1684–18 February 1685)
• George Savile, 1st Marquess of Halifax (18 February 1685–4 December 1685)
• Robert Spencer, 2nd Earl of Sunderland (4 December 1685–October 1688)
• Richard Graham, 1st Viscount Preston (February, 1688–February 1689)
• Thomas Osborne, 1st Marquess of Carmarthen, 1st Duke of Leeds (1694) (14 February 1689–18 May 1699)
• Thomas Herbert, 8th Earl of Pembroke (18 May 1699–29 January 1702)
• Charles Seymour, 6th Duke of Somerset (29 January 1702–13 July 1702)
• Thomas Herbert, 8th Earl of Pembroke (13 July 1702–25 November 1708)
• John Somers, 1st Baron Somers (25 November 1708–21 September 1710)
• Laurence Hyde, 1st Earl of Rochester (21 September 1710–13 June 1711)
• John Sheffield, 1st Duke of Buckingham and Normanby (13 June 1711–23 September 1714)
• Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham (23 September 1714–6 July 1716)
• William Cavendish, 2nd Duke of Devonshire (6 July 1716–16 March 1718)
• Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland (16 March 1718–6 February 1719)
• Evelyn Pierrepont, 1st Duke of Kingston-upon-Hull (6 February. 1719–11 June 1720)
• Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend (11 June 1720–25 June 1721)
• Henry Boyle, 1st Baron Carleton (25 June 1721–27 March 1725)
• William Cavendish, 2nd Duke of Devonshire (27 March 1725–8 May 1730)
• Thomas Trevor, 1st Baron Trevor (8 May 1730–19 June 1730)
• Spencer Compton, 1st Earl of Wilmington (31 December 1730–13 February 1742)
• William Stanhope, 1st Earl of Harrington (13 February 1742–3 January 1745)
• Lionel Cranfield Sackville, 1st Duke of Dorset (3 January 1745–17 June 1751)
• John Carteret, 2nd Earl Granville (17 June 1751–2 January 1763)
• John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford (9 September 1763–12 July 1765)
• Daniel Finch, 8th Earl of Winchilsea and 3rd Earl of Nottingham (12 July 1765–30 July 1766)
• Robert Henley, 1st Earl of Northington (30 July 1766–22 December 1767)
• Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Gower (22 December 1767–24 November 1779)
• Henry Bathurst, 2nd Earl Bathurst (24 November 1779–27 March 1782)
• Charles Pratt, 1st Baron Camden (27 March 1782–2 April. 1783)
• David Murray, 7th Viscount Stormont (2 April 1783–19 December 1783)
• Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Gower (19 December 1783–1 December 1784)
• Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden (1 December 1784–18 April 1794)
• William Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, 4th Earl Fitzwilliam (1 July 1794–17 December 1794)
• David Murray, 2nd Earl of Mansfield (17 December 1794–21 September 1796)
• John Pitt, 2nd Earl of Chatham (21 September 1796–30 July 1801)
• William Henry Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland (30 July 1801–14 January 1805)
• Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth (14 January 1805–10 July 1805)
• John Jeffreys Pratt, 2nd Earl Camden (10 July 1805–19 February 1806)
• William Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, 4th Earl Fitzwilliam (19 February 1806–8 October 1806)
• Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth (8 October 1806–26 March 1807)
• John Jeffreys Pratt, 2nd Earl Camden (26 March 1807–8 April 1812)
• Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth (8 April 1812–11 June 1812)
• Dudley Ryder, 1st Earl of Harrowby (11 June 1812–17 August 1827)
• William Cavendish-Scott-Bentinck, 4th Duke of Portland (17 August 1827–28 January 1828)
• Henry Bathurst, 3rd Earl Bathurst (28 January 1828–22 November 1830)
• Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne (22 November 1830–15 December 1834)
• James St Clair Erskine, 2nd Earl of Rosslyn (15 December 1834–18 April 1835)
• Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne (18 April 1835–3 September 1841)
• James Stuart-Wortley-Mackenzie, 1st Baron Wharncliffe (3 September 1841–21 January 1846)
• Walter Montagu-Douglas-Scott, 5th Duke of Buccleuch (21 January 1846–6 July 1846)
• Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne (6 July 1846–27 February 1852)
• William Lowther, 2nd Earl of Lonsdale (27 February 1852–28 December 1852)
• Granville George Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville (28 December 1852–12 June 1854)
• Lord John Russell (12 June 1854–8 February 1855)
• Granville George Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville (8 February 1855–26 February 1858)
• James Brownlow William Gascoyne-Cecil, 2nd Marquess of Salisbury (26 February 1858–18 June 1859)
• Granville George Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville (18 June 1859–6 July 1866)
• Richard Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Grenville, 3rd Duke of Buckingham and Chandos (6 July 1866–8 March 1867)
• John Winston Spencer-Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough (8 March 1867–9 December 1868)
• George Robinson, 1st Marquess of Ripon (9 December 1868–9 August 1873)
• Henry Austin Bruce, 1st Baron Aberdare (9 August 1873–21 February 1874)
• Charles Gordon-Lennox, 6th Duke of Richmond and Lennox (21 February 1874–28 April 1880)
• John Poyntz Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer (28 April 1880–19 March 1883)
• Chichester Parkinson-Fortescue, 1st Baron Carlingford (19 March 1883–24 June 1885)
• Gathorne Gathorne-Hardy, 1st Viscount Cranbrook (24 June 1885–6 February 1886)
• John Poyntz Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer (6 February 1886–3 August 1886)
• Gathorne Gathorne-Hardy, 1st Viscount Cranbrook (3 August 1886–18 August 1892)
• John Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley (18 August 1892–10 March 1894)
• Archibald Philip Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery (10 March 1894–29 June 1895)
• Spencer Compton Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire (29 June 1895–19 October 1903)
• Charles Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 6th Marquess of Londonderry (19 October 1903–11 December 1905)
• Robert Crewe-Milnes, 1st Earl of Crewe (11 December 1905–16 April 1908)
• Edward Marjoribanks, 2nd Baron Tweedmouth (16 April 1908–19 October 1908)
• Henry Hartley Fowler, 1st Viscount Wolverhampton (19 October 1908–21 June 1910)
• William Lygon, 7th Earl Beauchamp (21 June 1910–7 November 1910)
• John Morley, 1st Viscount Morley (7 November 1910–5 August 1914)
• William Lygon, 7th Earl Beauchamp (5 August 1914–25 May 1915)
• Robert Offley Ashburton Crewe-Milnes, 1st Marquess of Crewe (25 May 1915–10 December 1916)
• George Nathaniel Curzon, 1st Earl Curzon of Kedleston (10 December 1916–23 October 1919)
• Arthur James Balfour (23 October 1919–19 October 1922)
• James Gascoyne-Cecil, 4th Marquess of Salisbury (24 October 1922–22 January 1924)
• Charles Alfred Cripps, 1st Baron Parmoor (22 January 1924–3 November 1924)
• George Nathaniel Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston (6 November 1924–27 April 1925)
• Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour (27 April 1925–4 June 1929)
• Charles Alfred Cripps, 1st Baron Parmoor (7 June 1929–24 August 1931)
• Stanley Baldwin (25 August 1931–7 June 1935)
• Ramsay MacDonald (7 June 1935–28 May 1937)
• Edward Frederick Lindley Wood, 3rd Viscount Halifax (28 May 1937–9 March 1938)
• Douglas Hogg, 1st Viscount Hailsham (9 March 1938–31 October 1938)
• Walter Runciman, 1st Viscount Runciman of Doxford (31 October 1938–3 September 1939)
• James Stanhope, 7th Earl Stanhope (3 September 1939–11 May 1940)
• Neville Chamberlain (11 May 1940–3 October 1940)
• Sir John Anderson (3 October 1940–24 September 1943)
• Clement Attlee (24 September 1943–23 May 1945)
• Frederick Marquis, 1st Baron Woolton (25 May 1945–26 July 1945)
• Herbert Stanley Morrison (27 July 1945–9 March 1951)
• Christopher Addison, 1st Viscount Addison (9 March 1951 -26 October 1951)
• Frederick Marquis, 1st Baron Woolton (28 October 1951–25 November 1952)
• Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 5th Marquess of Salisbury (25 November 1952–29 March 1957)
• Alexander Douglas-Home, 14th Earl of Home (29 March 1957–17 September 1957)
• Quintin McGarel Hogg, 2nd Viscount Hailsham (17 September 1957–14 October 1959)
• Alexander Douglas-Home, 14th Earl of Home (14 October 1959–27 July 1960)
• Quintin McGarel Hogg, 2nd Viscount Hailsham (27 July 1960–16 October 1964) (disclaimed peerage late 1963)
• Herbert Bowden (16 October 1964–11 August 1966)
• Richard Crossman (11 August 1966–18 October 1968)
• Fred Peart (18 October 1968–19 June 1970)
• William Whitelaw (20 June 1970–7 April 1972)
• Robert Carr (7 April 1972–5 November 1972)
• James Prior (5 November 1972–4 March 1974)
• Edward Short (5 March 1974–8 April 1976)
• Michael Foot (8 April 1976–4 May 1979)
• Christopher Soames, Baron Soames (5 May 1979–14 September 1981)
• Francis Pym (14 September 1981–7 April 1982)
• John Biffen (7 April 1982–11 June 1983)
• William Whitelaw, 1st Viscount Whitelaw (11 June 1983–10 January 1988)
• John Wakeham (10 January 1988–24 July 1989)
• Sir Geoffrey Howe (24 July 1989–1 November 1990) (Resigned)
• John MacGregor (2 November 1990–10 April 1992)
• Tony Newton (10 April 1992–2 May 1997)
• Ann Taylor (3 May 1997–27 July 1998)
• Margaret Beckett (27 July 1998–8 June 2001)
• Robin Cook (8 June 2001–18 March 2003) (Resigned)
• John Reid (4 April 2003–13 June 2003)
• Gareth Wyn Williams, Lord Williams of Mostyn (13 June 2003–20 September 2003) (Died in office)
• Valerie Amos, Baroness Amos (6 October 2003 - 27 June 2007)
• Catherine Ashton, Baroness Ashton of Upholland (28 June 2007 – 3 October 2008)
• Janet Royall, Baroness Royall of Blaisdon (3 October 2008 —)

See also

• Privy Council Office
• Vice-President of the Executive Council
• President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada

Wikipedia content modification information:

• This page was last modified on 12 November 2008, at 07:28.

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