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Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

Updated: Wikipedia source

Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

The deputy prime minister of the United Kingdom is an honorific title given to a minister of the Crown and a member of the British Cabinet, normally to signify a very senior minister, the deputy leader of the governing party, or a key political ally of the prime minister. It does not entail any specific legal or constitutional responsibilities, though the holder will normally be assigned some duties by the prime minister and in recent times this has typically always included deputising for The Prime Minister in the House of Commons, domestically and abroad. Appointment to the position is usually paired with appointment to a departmental secretary of state position. The title is not always in use and prime ministers have been known to appoint deputies with title first secretary of state or informal deputies without any honorific title. The incumbent Deputy Prime Minister is David Lammy who has served under Sir Keir Starmer since 5 September 2025. Lammy succeeded Starmer's first deputy, Angela Rayner, in a cabinet reshuffle following her resignation due to her involvement in the Stamp Duty scandal.

Infobox

Style
mw- Deputy Prime Minister(informal)The Right Honourable(within the UK and Commonwealth)His Excellency(diplomatic)
Type
Minister of the Crown
Member of
CabinetPrivy CouncilNational Security CouncilCouncil of the Nations and RegionsMayoral Council for England
Reports to
The Prime Minister
Residence
None, may use grace and favour residences
Seat
Westminster
Formation
1942
First holder
Clement Attlee (De facto)
Website
gov.uk/government/ministers/deputy-prime-minister--3

Tables

Deputy prime ministers · List of deputy prime ministers
Office vacant
Office vacant
Deputy Prime Minister
Office vacant
Deputy Prime Minister
23 May1945
Deputy Prime Minister
5 July1995
Term of office
50 years, 44 days
Blair II
Blair II
Deputy Prime Minister
Blair II
Blair III
Blair III
Deputy Prime Minister
Blair III
Office vacant
Office vacant
Deputy Prime Minister
Office vacant
Deputy Prime Minister
27 June2007
Deputy Prime Minister
11 May2010
Term of office
2 years, 319 days
Office vacant
Office vacant
Deputy Prime Minister
Office vacant
Deputy Prime Minister
8 May2015
Deputy Prime Minister
15 September2021
Term of office
6 years, 131 days
Deputy Prime Minister
Term of office
Duration
Other ministerial portfolios held during tenure
Party
Ministry
Clement AttleeMP for Limehouse(1883–1967)
19 February1942
23 May1945
3 years, 94 days
Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs (1942–1943) Lord President of the Council (1943–1945)
Labour
Churchill War
Office vacant
23 May1945
5 July1995
50 years, 44 days
Michael HeseltineMP for Henley(born 1933)
5 July1995
2 May1997
1 year, 302 days
First Secretary of State
Conservative
Major II
John PrescottMP for Kingston upon Hull East(1938–2024)
2 May1997
27 June2007
10 years, 57 days
Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1997–2001) First Secretary of State (2001–2007)
Labour
Blair I
Blair II
Blair III
Office vacant
27 June2007
11 May2010
2 years, 319 days
Nick CleggMP for Sheffield Hallam(born 1967)
11 May2010
8 May2015
4 years, 363 days
Lord President of the Council
Liberal Democrat
Cameron–Clegg
Office vacant
8 May2015
15 September2021
6 years, 131 days
Dominic RaabMP for Esher and Walton(born 1974)
15 September2021
6 September2022
357 days
Lord Chancellor Secretary of State for Justice
Conservative
Johnson II
Thérèse CoffeyMP for Suffolk Coastal(born 1971)
6 September2022
25 October2022
50 days
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Truss
Dominic RaabMP for Esher and Walton(born 1974)
25 October2022
21 April2023
179 days
Lord Chancellor Secretary of State for Justice
Sunak
Oliver DowdenMP for Hertsmere(born 1978)
21 April2023
5 July2024
1 year, 76 days
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Secretary of State in the Cabinet Office
Angela RaynerMP for Ashton-under-Lyne(born 1980)
5 July2024
5 September2025
1 year, 63 days
Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
Labour
Starmer
David LammyMP for Tottenham (born 1972)
5 September2025
Incumbent
98 days
Lord Chancellor Secretary of State for Justice
· Unofficial deputies › Lists
Herbert Morrison
Herbert Morrison
Clement Attlee
Herbert Morrison
Anthony Eden
Anthony Eden
Clement Attlee
Anthony Eden
Rab Butler
Rab Butler
Clement Attlee
Rab Butler
George Brown
George Brown
Clement Attlee
George Brown
Michael Stewart
Michael Stewart
Clement Attlee
Michael Stewart
Reginald Maudling
Reginald Maudling
Clement Attlee
Reginald Maudling
William Whitelaw
William Whitelaw
Clement Attlee
William Whitelaw
Geoffrey Howe
Geoffrey Howe
Clement Attlee
Geoffrey Howe
Clement Attlee
Herbert Morrison
Anthony Eden
Rab Butler
George Brown
Michael Stewart
Reginald Maudling
William Whitelaw
Geoffrey Howe
· Unofficial deputies › Lists
Herbert Morrison
Herbert Morrison
Clement Attlee
Herbert Morrison
Anthony Eden
Anthony Eden
Clement Attlee
Anthony Eden
Rab Butler
Rab Butler
Clement Attlee
Rab Butler
George Brown
George Brown
Clement Attlee
George Brown
Michael Stewart
Michael Stewart
Clement Attlee
Michael Stewart
Willie Whitelaw
Willie Whitelaw
Clement Attlee
Willie Whitelaw
Geoffrey Howe
Geoffrey Howe
Clement Attlee
Geoffrey Howe
Michael Heseltine
Michael Heseltine
Clement Attlee
Michael Heseltine
John Prescott
John Prescott
Clement Attlee
John Prescott
Nick Clegg
Nick Clegg
Clement Attlee
Nick Clegg
Clement Attlee
Herbert Morrison
Anthony Eden
Rab Butler
George Brown
Michael Stewart
Willie Whitelaw
Geoffrey Howe
Michael Heseltine
John Prescott
Nick Clegg
· Unofficial deputies › Lists
Edward Short
Edward Short
Andrew Bonar Law
Edward Short
Michael Foot
Michael Foot
Andrew Bonar Law
Michael Foot
Andrew Bonar Law
Edward Short
Michael Foot
· Unofficial deputies › Lists
Anthony Eden
Anthony Eden
Clement Attlee
Anthony Eden
1940–1945
19451951–1955
Rab Butler
Rab Butler
Clement Attlee
Rab Butler
1940–1945
1955–1963
George Brown
George Brown
Clement Attlee
George Brown
1940–1945
1964–1970
Reginald Maudling
Reginald Maudling
Clement Attlee
Reginald Maudling
1940–1945
1970–1972
Willie Whitelaw
Willie Whitelaw
Clement Attlee
Willie Whitelaw
1940–1945
1979–1988
Geoffrey Howe
Geoffrey Howe
Clement Attlee
Geoffrey Howe
1940–1945
1989–1990
Michael Heseltine
Michael Heseltine
Clement Attlee
Michael Heseltine
1940–1945
1995–1997
John Prescott
John Prescott
Clement Attlee
John Prescott
1940–1945
1997–2007
Nick Clegg
Nick Clegg
Clement Attlee
Nick Clegg
1940–1945
2010–2015
George Osborne
George Osborne
Clement Attlee
George Osborne
1940–1945
2015–2016
Damian Green
Damian Green
Clement Attlee
Damian Green
1940–1945
2017
David Lidington
David Lidington
Clement Attlee
David Lidington
1940–1945
2018–2019
Dominic Raab
Dominic Raab
Clement Attlee
Dominic Raab
1940–1945
2019–2022
Clement Attlee
1940–1945
Anthony Eden
19451951–1955
Rab Butler
1955–1963
George Brown
1964–1970
Reginald Maudling
1970–1972
Willie Whitelaw
1979–1988
Geoffrey Howe
1989–1990
Michael Heseltine
1995–1997
John Prescott
1997–2007
Nick Clegg
2010–2015
George Osborne
2015–2016
Damian Green
2017
David Lidington
2018–2019
Dominic Raab
2019–2022
· Unofficial deputies › Lists
Anthony Eden
Anthony Eden
Herbert Morrison
Anthony Eden
1945–1951
1951–1955
Rab Butler
Rab Butler
Herbert Morrison
Rab Butler
1945–1951
1962–1963
Willie Whitelaw
Willie Whitelaw
Herbert Morrison
Willie Whitelaw
1945–1951
1979–1988
Geoffrey Howe
Geoffrey Howe
Herbert Morrison
Geoffrey Howe
1945–1951
1989–1990
David Lidington
David Lidington
Herbert Morrison
David Lidington
1945–1951
2018–2019
Herbert Morrison
1945–1951
Anthony Eden
1951–1955
Rab Butler
1962–1963
Willie Whitelaw
1979–1988
Geoffrey Howe
1989–1990
David Lidington
2018–2019

References

  1. In his list of deputy prime ministers, Brazier includes Geoffrey Howe. However, Norton does not in his, explaining that
  2. Institute for Government
    https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/deputy-prime-minister-first-secretary-state
  3. Brazier 2020, p. 80.
  4. gov.uk
    https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/deputy-prime-minister--3
  5. Sky News
    https://news.sky.com/story/politics-latest-angela-rayner-starmer-labour-badenoch-farage-reform-12593360
  6. Kirkup & Thornton 2017, p. 494.
  7. Norton 2020, p. 144.
  8. Bogdanor 1995, p. 87.
  9. British Politics and Policy at LSE
    https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/62576-2/
  10. Seldon, Meakin & Thoms 2021, p. 171.
  11. Norton 2020, p. 152.
  12. Brazier 2020, p. 72.
  13. Bogdanor 1995, p. 88.
  14. Government of the United Kingdom
    https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/60641/cabinet-manual.pdf
  15. Brazier 1988, p. 176.
  16. Kirkup & Thornton 2017, p. 498.
  17. Norton 2020, p. 148-150.
  18. Brazier 2020, p. 82-83.
  19. Seldon, Meakin & Thoms 2021, p. 329.
  20. Norton 2020, p. 141-142.
  21. Norton 2020, p. 142.
  22. Parliamentary Affairs
    https://doi.org/10.1093%2Fpa%2Fgsab038
  23. House of Commons Library Briefing
    https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN04023/SN04023.pdf
  24. Hennessy 1995, p. 16.
  25. Norton 2020, p. 142-144.
  26. The London Gazette
    https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/59425/page/9403
  27. Government of the United Kingdom
    https://www.gov.uk/government/news/nick-clegg-appointed-deputy-prime-minister--7
  28. Government of the United Kingdom
    https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ministerial-appointments-25-october-2022
  29. Brazier 2020, p. 73.
  30. The Telegraph
    https://archive.today/20120917125338/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/nick-clegg/7715846/Nick-Clegg-could-be-given-use-of-stately-home-where-John-Prescott-played-croquet.html
  31. gov.uk
    https://web.archive.org/web/20100516202621/http://archive.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/dpm/ContactUs.html
  32. BBC News
    https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8689187.stm
  33. Norton 2020, p. 143-144.
  34. Brazier 2020, p. 77.
  35. Contemporary British History
    https://doi.org/10.1080%2F13619462.2024.2305459
  36. Seldon, Meakin & Thoms 2021, p. 157.
  37. Kirkup & Thornton 2017, p. 517.
  38. Bogdanor 1995, p. 87-88.
  39. Kirkup & Thornton 2017, p. 495.
  40. Brazier 2020, p. 80-82.
  41. Norton 2020, p. 143.
  42. Brazier 2020, p. 174.
  43. Norton 2016, p. 34.
  44. Parliament of the United Kingdom
    https://committees.parliament.uk/oralevidence/2084/pdf
  45. BBC News
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/37086680
  46. gov.uk
    https://www.gov.uk/government/news/statement-from-downing-street-6-april-2020
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