Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Royal Arms of His Majesty's Government
Incumbent
Angela Rayner
since 5 July 2024
Government of the United Kingdom
StyleDeputy Prime Minister
(informal)
The Right Honourable
(within the UK and Commonwealth)
His Excellency
(diplomatic)
StatusSecond highest in executive branch
Member of
Reports toPrime Minister
ResidenceNone, may use Grace and favour residences
SeatWestminster, London
NominatorPrime Minister
AppointerThe Crown
(on the advice of the Prime Minister)
Term lengthNo fixed term
Formation19 February 1942; 82 years ago (1942-02-19)
First holderClement Attlee
Websitewww.gov.uk

The Deputy Prime Minister (or DPM) is, when appointed, the second highest ranking executive officer of the government of the United Kingdom. He or she would be the deputy chief of the Cabinet.

Unlike other countries, the position of Deputy Prime Minister is not always needed or appointed. The Prime Minister chooses whether or not they want to have a deputy.

The position was created in 1942: Clement Attlee was the first Deputy Prime Minister. The present holder of this position is Angela Rayner since 5 July 2024. There have been times when the post has been very important.

List of deputy prime ministers

In addition to the many unofficial deputies, some people have been formally appointed deputy prime minister. Ministers are appointed by the monarch, on the advice of the prime minister.[1] Six people can be described as definitely having been appointed deputy prime minister.[Note 1][Note 2][2][3][4][5]

Deputy prime ministers
Deputy Prime Minister Term of office Other ministerial portfolios held during tenure Party Ministry
Michael Heseltine
MP for Henley 		5 July
1995 		2 May
1997 		Conservative Major II
John Prescott
MP for Kingston upon Hull East 		2 May
1997 		27 June
2007 		Labour Blair I
Blair II
Blair III
Vacant (2007 - 2010)
Nick Clegg
MP for Sheffield Hallam 		11 May
2010 		8 May
2015 		Liberal Democrat Cameron–Clegg
Vacant (2015 - 2021)
Dominic Raab
MP for Esher and Walton 		15 September
2021 		6 September
2022 		Conservative Johnson II
Thérèse Coffey
MP for Suffolk Coastal 		6 September
2022 		25 October
2022 		Truss
Dominic Raab
MP for Esher and Walton 		25 October
2022 		21 April
2023 		Sunak
Oliver Dowden
MP for Hertsmere 		21 April
2023 		5 July
2024
Angela Rayner
MP for Ashton-under-Lyne 		5 July
2024 		Incumbent Labour Starmer
  1. ↑ Both Brazier and Norton include Clement Attlee in their lists. However, Hennessy says that Attlee's inclusion in the 1942 minute signed off by The King simply read "Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs" and that it was on separate paper that Winston Churchill wrote "Deputy Prime Minister". Bogdanor similarly asserts that the change was in form rather than fact and that Attlee was never formally appointed deputy prime minister.
  2. ↑ In his list of official deputy prime ministers, Brazier includes Geoffrey Howe. However, Norton doesn't in his. Norton explains that Buckingham Palace took issue with appointing Howe "Deputy Prime Minister" and proposed "Sir Geoffrey will act as Deputy Prime Minister". On the other hand, in a 1995 (rather than 2020) publication, Bogdanor asserts that no application to the Palace to appoint Howe deputy prime minister was made at all.

References

  1. ↑ Britchfield, Colm; Devine, Dan; Durrant, Tim (8 April 2021). "Government ministers". Institute for Government. Archived from the original on 8 December 2019. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  2. ↑ Brazier 2020, p. 77.
  3. ↑ Norton 2020, p. 143-144.
  4. ↑ Hennessy 1995, p. 16.
  5. ↑ Bogdanor 1995, p. 87.