This is a list of female party leaders of British political parties.
Leader (Birth–death) |
Portrait | Constituency | Took office | Left office | Prime Minister | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Naomi Long (b. 1971) |
Belfast East[a] (NI Assembly) | 26 October 2016 | Incumbent | May | ||
Johnson | ||||||
Truss | ||||||
Sunak |
Leader (Birth–death) |
Portrait | Constituency | Took office | Left office | Prime Minister | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Margaret Thatcher (1925–2013) |
Finchley | 11 February 1975 | 28 November 1990 | Wilson | ||
Callaghan | ||||||
Herself | ||||||
Theresa May (b. 1956) |
Maidenhead | 11 July 2016 | 7 June 2019 | Herself | ||
Liz Truss (b. 1975) |
South West Norfolk | 6 September 2022 | 24 October 2022 | Herself |
Leader (Birth–death) |
Portrait | Constituency | Took office | Left office | Prime Minister[a] | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Arlene Foster (b. 1970) |
Fermanagh and South Tyrone[b] (NI Assembly) | 17 December 2015 | 28 May 2021[1] | Cameron | ||
May | ||||||
Johnson |
Leader (Birth–death) |
Portrait | Title | Took office | Left office | Prime Minister | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jean Lambert (b. 1950) |
Female Principal Speaker | 1992 | 1993 | Major | ||
Jan Clark | Female Principal Speaker | 1993 | 1995 | |||
Peg Alexander | Female Principal Speaker | 1995 | 1997 | |||
Jean Lambert (b. 1950) |
Female Principal Speaker | 1998 | 1999 | Blair | ||
Margaret Wright (1940-2012) |
Female Principal Speaker | 1999 | 2003 | |||
Caroline Lucas (b. 1960) |
Female Principal Speaker | 2003 | 24 November 2006 | |||
Siân Berry (b. 1974) |
Female Principal Speaker | 24 November 2006 | 30 November 2007 | |||
Blair Brown | ||||||
Caroline Lucas (b. 1960) |
Female Principal Speaker | 30 November 2007 | 5 September 2008 | |||
Leader of the Green Party | 5 September 2008 | 3 September 2012 | ||||
Cameron | ||||||
Natalie Bennett (b. 1966) |
Leader of the Green Party | 3 September 2012 | 2 September 2016 | |||
Cameron May | ||||||
Caroline Lucas (b. 1960) |
Co-leader of the Green Party | 2 September 2016 | 4 September 2018 | |||
Siân Berry (b. 1974) |
Co-leader of the Green Party | 4 September 2018 | 1 October 2021 | |||
May Johnson | ||||||
Carla Denyer (b. 1985) |
Co-leader of the Green Party | 1 October 2021 | Incumbent | |||
Johnson Truss Sunak |
Leader (Birth–death) |
Portrait | Constituency | Took office | Left office | Prime Minister | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Margaret Beckett (acting) (b. 1943) |
Derby South | 12 May 1994 | 21 July 1994 | Major | ||
Harriet Harman (acting) (b. 1950) |
Camberwell and Peckham | 11 May 2010 | 25 September 2010 | Cameron | ||
8 May 2015 | 12 September 2015 |
Leader (Birth–death) |
Portrait | Constituency | Took office | Left office | Prime Minister | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Baroness Brinton (acting) (b. 1955) |
N/A | 8 May 2015 | 16 July 2015 | Cameron | ||
Jo Swinson (b. 1980) |
East Dunbartonshire | 22 July 2019 | 13 December 2019 | May | ||
Johnson | ||||||
The Baroness Brinton (acting) (b. 1955) |
N/A | 13 December 2019 | 31 December 2019 |
Leader (Birth–death) |
Portrait | Constituency | Took office | Left office | Prime Minister | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Leanne Wood (b. 1971) |
Rhondda (Senedd) | 16 March 2012 | 28 September 2018 | Cameron | ||
May |
Leader (Birth–death) |
Portrait | Constituency | Took office | Left office | Prime Minister[a] | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nicola Sturgeon (b. 1970) |
Glasgow Southside (Scottish Parliament) | 14 November 2014 | 27 March 2023 | Cameron | ||
May | ||||||
Johnson | ||||||
Truss | ||||||
Sunak |
Leader (Birth–death) |
Portrait | Constituency | Took office | Left office | Prime Minister | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Margaret Buckley (1879-1962) |
N/A | 1937 | 1950 | Chamberlain | ||
Churchill | ||||||
Attlee | ||||||
Mary Lou McDonald (b. 1969) |
Dublin Central[a] (Assembly of Ireland) | 10 February 2018 | Incumbent | May | ||
Johnson | ||||||
Truss | ||||||
Sunak |
Leader (Birth–death) |
Portrait | Constituency | Took office | Left office | Prime Minister | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Margaret Ritchie (b. 1958) |
South Down[a] | 7 February 2010 | 5 November 2011 | Brown | ||
Cameron |
Leader (Birth–death) |
Portrait | Constituency | Took office | Left office | Current representation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lindsay Whitcroft | None | 2004 | 2005 | 0 / 90 (Northern Ireland Assembly)
| |
Kelly Andrews | None | 2005 | 2009 | ||
Karly Greene | None | 2009 | 2011 | ||
Clare Bailey (b. 1970) |
Belfast South[a] (Northern Ireland Assembly) | 21 November 2018 | 15 August 2022 |
Leader | Constituency | Took office | Left office | Current representation |
---|---|---|---|---|
Kate Costain | Douglas South[a] (House of Keys) | 24 February 2014[2] | Incumbent | 1 / 24 (House of Keys)
|
Leader (Birth–death) |
Portrait | Constituency / Ward | Took office | Left office | Current representation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Marian Coyne | None | 1999 | 1999 | 7 / 129 (Scottish Parliament)
| |
Eleanor Scott (b. 1951) |
Highlands and Islands[a] (Scottish Parliament) | 2002 | 2004 | ||
Shiona Baird (b. 1946) |
North East Scotland[a] (Scottish Parliament) | 2004 | 2007 | ||
Alison Johnstone (b. 1965) |
Lothian[a] (Scottish Parliament) | 2007 | 2008 | ||
Eleanor Scott (b. 1951) |
N/A | 2008 | 2011 | ||
Martha Wardrop (b. 1951) |
Hillhead (council ward) | 2011 | November 2013 | ||
Maggie Chapman (b. 1979) |
Leith Walk[b] (council ward) | November 2013 | 1 August 2019 | ||
Lorna Slater (b. 1974/5) |
Lothian[a][c] (Scottish Parliament) | 1 August 2019 | Incumbent |
Leader (Birth–death) |
Portrait | Constituency | Took office | Left office | Current representation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Angie Bray (b. 1953) |
West Central (London Assembly) | 2006 | 2007 | 9 / 25 (London Assembly)
| |
Susan Hall | Londonwide (London Assembly) | 17 December 2019 | Incumbent |
Leader (Birth–death) |
Portrait | Constituency | Took office | Left office | Current representation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Annabel Goldie (b. 1950) |
West Scotland[a] (Scottish Parliament) | 31 October 2005 | 4 November 2011 | 31 / 129 (Scottish Parliament)
| |
Ruth Davidson (b. 1978) |
Glasgow[a] (Scottish Parliament)[b] Edinburgh Central (Scottish Parliament)[c] |
4 November 2011 | 29 August 2019 |
Leader (Birth–death) |
Portrait | Constituency | Took office | Left office | Current representation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cathy Jamieson (acting) (b. 1956) |
Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (Scottish Parliament) | 8 November 2001 | 22 November 2001 | 22 / 129 (Scottish Parliament)
| |
15 August 2007 | 14 September 2007 | ||||
Wendy Alexander (b. 1963) |
Paisley North (Scottish Parliament) | 14 September 2007 | 28 June 2008 | ||
Cathy Jamieson (acting) (b. 1956) |
Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (Scottish Parliament) | 28 June 2008 | 3 September 2008 | ||
Johann Lamont (b. 1957) |
Glasgow Pollok (Scottish Parliament) | 17 December 2011 | 24 October 2014 | ||
Kezia Dugdale (b. 1981) |
Lothian[a] (Scottish Parliament) | 15 August 2015 | 29 August 2017 | ||
Jackie Baillie (acting) (b. 1964) |
Dumbarton (Scottish Parliament) | 15 November 2017 | 18 November 2017 | ||
14 January 2021 | 27 February 2021 |
Leader (Birth–death) |
Portrait | Constituency | Took office | Left office | Current representation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kirsty Williams (b. 1971) |
Brecon and Radnorshire (Senedd) | 8 December 2008 | 6 May 2016 | 1 / 60 (Senedd)
| |
16 June 2017 (acting) | 3 November 2017 | ||||
Jane Dodds (b. 1963) |
Brecon and Radnorshire (House of Commons, August 2019 – December 2019) | 3 November 2017 | Incumbent |
Leader | Ward | Took office | Left office | Current representation |
---|---|---|---|---|
Felicity Rice | Oakdale (BCP Council)[3] | 1 April 2019[4][5] | Incumbent | 4 councillors |
Leader (Birth–death) |
Portrait | Ward | Took office | Left office | Current representation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vanessa Hudson (b. 1972) |
N/A | October 2010[6] | Incumbent | None |
Leader (Birth–death) |
Ward | Took office | Left office | Current representation |
---|---|---|---|---|
Catherine Blaiklock (b. 1963) |
N/A | 20 January 2019[7] | 20 March 2019[8] | 1 MP and 9 councillors |
Leader | Ward | Took office | Left office | Current representation |
---|---|---|---|---|
Susan Parker | Send (Guildford borough council)[9] | 2013 | Incumbent | 3 councillors |
Leader | Ward | Took office | Left office | Current representation |
---|---|---|---|---|
Lorraine Moss | N/A | 16 August 2017 | Incumbent | 2 councillors |
Leader | Ward | Took office | Left office | Current representation |
---|---|---|---|---|
Marie Brady | Horwich North East (Bolton Council)[10] | 8 February 2019[11] | Incumbent | 2 councillors |
Leader | Took office | Left office | Current representation |
---|---|---|---|
Colette Walker | 7 May 2020[12] | Incumbent | 1 councillor |
Leader (Birth–death) |
Ward | Took office | Left office | Current representation |
---|---|---|---|---|
Marianne Overton (b. 1959) |
Cliff Villages (North Kesteven district council)[13] | 2008[14] | Incumbent | 1 councillor |
Leader (Birth–death) |
Took office | Left office | Current representation |
---|---|---|---|
Helena Sanders (1911-1997) |
January 1951[15] | 1957[16] | 5 councillors |
Loveday Carlyon | 1986 | 1989 | |
Loveday Jenkin | 1990 | 1997 |
Leader | Ward | Took office | Left office | Current representation |
---|---|---|---|---|
Rachael King | West Mainland (Orkney Islands Council) | March 2013[17] | Incumbent | None |
Leader (Birth–death) |
Portrait | Ward | Took office | Left office | Current representation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dawn Purvis (b. 1967) |
Belfast East[a] (NI Assembly) | 23 January 2007[18] | 2 June 2010[19] | 1 councillor |
Leader | Ward | Took office | Left office | Current representation |
---|---|---|---|---|
Sally Cogley | Irvine Valley[broken anchor] (East Ayrshire council) | March 2017[20] | Incumbent | 1 councillor |
Leader (Birth–death) |
Portrait | Constituency | Took office | Left office | Current representation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Diane James (b. 1959) |
South East England (European Parliament) | 16 September 2016 | 4 October 2016 | None | |
Pat Mountain (acting) |
N/A | 30 October 2019 | 25 April 2020 |
Leader (Birth–death) |
Portrait | Ward | Took office | Left office | Current representation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sophie Walker (b. 1971) |
N/A | 22 July 2015[21] | 22 January 2019 | 1 councillor | |
Mandu Reid (b. 1981) |
N/A | April 2019[22][a] | Incumbent |
Leader | Took office | Left office | Elections contested as leader |
---|---|---|---|
Annabel Mullin | September 2018[24] | Incumbent | 2019 general election |
Leader | Took office | Left office | Elections contested as leader |
---|---|---|---|
Ella Rule | 24 October 2018[25] | Incumbent | None |
Leader | Took office | Left office | Elections contested as leader |
---|---|---|---|
Carol Dobson (acting) |
27 January 2021[26] | Incumbent | 2021 Scottish Parliament election 2021 United Kingdom local elections |
Leader | Took office | Left office | Elections contested as leader |
---|---|---|---|
Sharon McCourt | 25 March 2017[27] | Incumbent | None |
Leader | Took office | Left office | Elections contested as leader |
---|---|---|---|
Veronika Wagner | c. August 2019[28][29] | Incumbent | 2021 local elections |
Leader | Portrait | Seat | Took office | Left office | Elections contested as leader |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Annabel Mullin | N/A | 20 September 2018[30] | 7 June 2019 | 2019 European Parliament election | |
Julie Girling | South West England[a] (European Parliament) | 7 June 2019[31] | 7 July 2020[32] | 2019 general election |
Leader (Birth–death) |
Portrait | Took office | Left office | Elections contested as leader |
---|---|---|---|---|
Frances Curran (b. 1961) |
c.2007[33] | 2012 | 2009 European Parliament election 2010 general election 2011 Scottish Parliament election | |
Sandra Webster | 2012[34] | 2016 | 2015 general election 2016 Scottish Parliament election | |
Katie Bonnar | 2016[35] | 2018 | None | |
Róisín McLaren (b. 1994) |
2018[36] | Incumbent | None |
Leader (Birth–death) |
Took office | Left office | Elections contested as leader |
---|---|---|---|
Hannah Sell (b. 1971) |
11 March 2020[37] | Incumbent | None |
Leader (Birth–death) |
Took office | Left office | Elections contested as leader |
---|---|---|---|
Marian Donnelly (b. 1938) |
March 1992[38] | 1994[39] | 1993 Northern Ireland local elections |
Leader | Portrait | Constituency | Took office | Left office | Elections contested as leader |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Michelle Ballantyne | South Scotland[a] (Scottish Parliament) | 11 January 2021[40] | 16 February 2022 | 2021 Scottish Parliament election |
Leader (Birth–death) |
Portrait | Constituency | Took office | Left office | Elections contested as leader |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Heidi Allen (Acting) (b. 1975) |
South Cambridgeshire | 29 March 2019 | 4 June 2019 | 2019 European Parliament election | |
Anna Soubry (b. 1956) |
Broxtowe | 4 June 2019 | 19 December 2019 | 2019 general election |
Leader (Birth–death) |
Took office | Left office | Elections contested as leader |
---|---|---|---|
Nina Temple (b. 1956) |
13 January 1990[41] | 23 November 1991[42] | None |
Leader (Birth–death) |
Portrait | Ward | Took office | Left office | Elections contested as leader |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Anne Marie Waters (b. 1977) |
N/A | October 2017[43] | 13 July 2022 | 2019 local elections 2021 local elections 2022 local elections |
Leader | Took office | Left office | Elections contested as leader |
---|---|---|---|
Lorraine Mann | Autumn 1998[44] | 24 August 2004[45] | 1999 Scottish Parliament election |
Leader | Took office | Left office | Elections contested as leader |
---|---|---|---|
Annie Maxton | 1953[46] | 1958 | 1955 United Kingdom general election |
Leader | Took office | Left office | Elections contested as leader |
---|---|---|---|
Christine Papworth | April 2005[47] | October 2011[48] | 2005 Jersey general election 2008 Jersey general election |
Leader | Took office | Left office | Elections contested as leader |
---|---|---|---|
Catherine Parker-Brown | 2005[49] | 2008 | None |
Leader | Took office | Left office | Elections contested as leader |
---|---|---|---|
Amanda Ringwood | November 2000[50] | 2012 | 2001 local elections 2002 local elections 2010 general election |
Leader (Birth–death) |
Portrait | Constituency | Took office | Left office | Elections contested as leader |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Monica McWilliams (b. 1954) |
Belfast South[a] (Northern Ireland Assembly)[b] |
April 1996[51] | 11 May 2006[51] | 1996 NI Forum election 1997 general election 1998 NI Assembly election 2001 NI local elections 2001 general election 2003 NI Assembly election 2005 NI local elections | |
Pearl Sagar (b. 1958) |
Belfast East[a] (Northern Ireland Forum)[c] |
Leader (Birth–death) |
Portrait | Took office | Left office | Elections contested as leader |
---|---|---|---|---|
Linda Smith | 2004 | 2005 | N/A | |
Salma Yaqoob (b. 1971) |
2005 | September 2012[52] | 2005 general election 2006 local elections 2010 general election 2010 local elections |
Leader (Birth–death) |
Took office | Left office | Elections contested as leader |
---|---|---|---|
Anne Dickson (b. 1928) |
1976[53] | Autumn 1981 | 1977 United Kingdom local elections 1979 United Kingdom general election 1981 Northern Ireland local elections |
Leader | Took office | Left office | Elections contested as leader |
---|---|---|---|
Therese Muchewicz | 15 June 2008[a][54] | 19 September 2015[55] | None |
Leader (Birth–death) |
Portrait | Constituency | Took office | Left office | Elections contested as leader |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nikki Sinclaire (b. 1968) |
West Midlands[a] (European Parliament) |
June 2012[56] | 30 June 2014 | 2014 European Parliament election |
Leader (Birth–death) |
Portrait | Took office | Left office | Elections contested as leader |
---|---|---|---|---|
Christabel Pankhurst (1880–1958) |
November 1917[57] | June 1919[58] | 1918 general election | |
Emmeline Pankhurst (1858–1928) |
Leader | Took office | Left office | Elections contested as leader |
---|---|---|---|
Jayda Fransen (acting) |
December 2016 | June 2017 | 2016 London mayoral election |
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