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Coalition Government 1916-1922

The Coalition Government of David Lloyd George came to power in the United Kingdom in December 1916, replacing the earlier wartime coalition under H.H. Asquith, which had been held responsible for reverses during the Great War. Those Liberals who continued to support Asquith served as the Opposition. The Government continued in power after the end of the war, though Lloyd George was increasingly reliant on the Conservatives for support. After several scandals including allegations of the sale of honours, the Conservatives withdrew their support after a meeting of the Carlton Club in 1922, and Andrew Bonar Law formed a government.


Members of the Cabinet are in bold face. Members of the War Cabinet, 6 December 1916 to 31 October 1919, are indicated.

OfficeNameDateNotes
Prime MinisterDavid Lloyd George6 December 1916-19 October 1922Liberal; in the War Cabinet 6 December 1916-31 October 1919
Chancellor of the ExchequerAndrew Bonar Law10 December 1916Conservative; in the War Cabinet since 6 December 1916
Austen Chamberlain10 January 1919Conservative; left the War Cabinet 31 October 1919
Sir Robert Horne1 April 1921Conservative
Financial Secretaries to the TreasurySir Hardman Lever 15 December 1916-19 May 1919Liberal
Stanley Baldwin18 June 1917-1 April 1921Conservative
Edward Young21 April 1921-19 October 1922Liberal
Parliamentary Secretaries to the TreasuryLord Edmund Talbot14 December 1916-1 April 1921Conservative
Neil Primrose 14 December 1916-2 March 1917Liberal
Frederick Guest 2 March 1917-1 April 1921Liberal
Charles McCurdy 1 April 1921-19 October 1922Liberal
Leslie Wilson 1 April 1921-19 October 1922Conservative
Junior Lords of the TreasuryJames Hope 14 December 1916-27 January 1919Conservative
John William Pratt 14 December 1916-8 August 1919Liberal
Stanley Baldwin29 January 1917-18 June 1917Conservative
James Parker 29 January 1917-19 October 1922Labour
Josiah Towyn Jones 29 January 1917-4 July 1922Liberal
Robert Sanders 5 February 1919-1 April 1921Liberal; created a Baronet 28 January 1920
Sir Godfrey Collins8 August 1919-10 February 1920Liberal
William Edge 18 August 1919-1 August 1922Liberal
Sir William Sutherland15 February 1920-7 April 1922Liberal
Sir John Gilmour1 April 1921-19 October 1922Conservative
T. Lewis4 July 1922-26 July 1922Liberal
Lord ChancellorLord Finlay10 December 1916Conservative
Lord Birkenhead10 January 1919Conservative; created Viscount Birkenhead 15 June 1921
Lord President of the CouncilEarl Curzon10 December 1916Conservative; in the War Cabinet since 6 December 1916
Arthur Balfour23 October 1919Conservative
Lord Privy SealEarl of Crawford15 December 1916Conservative
Andrew Bonar Law10 January 1919Conservative; left the War Cabinet 31 October 1919
Austen Chamberlain23 March 1921Conservative
Secretary of State for Foreign AffairsArthur Balfour10 December 1916Conservative
Earl Curzon23 October 1919Conservative; left the War Cabinet 31 October 1919; created Marquess Curzon 28 June 1921
Under-Secretary of State for Foreign AffairsLord Robert Cecil10 December 1916Conservative
Cecil Harmsworth 10 January 1919Liberal
Assistant Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Lord Newton 10 December 1916Conservative; post abolished 10 January 1919
Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentSir George Cave10 December 1916Conservative; created Viscount Cave 14 November 1918
Edward Shortt10 January 1919Liberal
Under-Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentWilliam Brace 10 December 1916Labour
Sir Hamar Greenwood 10 January 1919Liberal
John Baird 29 April 1919Conservative; succeeded as 2nd Baronet 21 June 1920
First Lord of the AdmiraltySir Edward Carson10 December 1916Conservative
Sir Eric Geddes17 July 1917Conservative
Walter Long10 January 1919Conservative
Lord Lee13 February 1921Conservative
Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty Thomas Macnamara 10 December 1916Liberal
Sir James Craig2 April 1920Conservative
Leo Amery1 April 1921Conservative
Additional Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty Earl of Lytton 7 February 1917Conservative; post abolished 27 January 1919
Civil Lord of the AdmiraltyErnest Pretyman 14 December 1916Conservative
Earl of Lytton 27 January 1919Conservative
Earl of Onslow 26 October 1920Conservative
Bolton Eyres-Monsell1 April 1921Conservative
Second Civil Lord of the Admiralty Arthur Pease 10 December 1916Conservative; post abolished 10 January 1919
President of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries Rowland Prothero 10 December 1916Conservative; Board replaced with Ministry 15 August 1919
Parliamentary Secretaries to the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries Sir Richard Winfrey 14 December 1916-10 January 1919Liberal
Duke of Marlborough18 February 1917-21 March 1918Conservative
Viscount Goschen26 March 1918-18 June 1918Conservative
Lord Clinton 18 June 1918-10 January 1919Conservative
Sir Arthur Griffith-Boscawen10 January 1919Conservative; Board replaced with Ministry 15 August 1919
Minister of Agriculture and FisheriesLord Lee15 August 1919Conservative
Sir Arthur Griffith-Boscawen13 February 1921Conservative
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Sir Arthur Griffith-Boscawen15 August 1919Conservative; also Deputy Minister of Fisheries from 18 November 1919
vacant13 February 1921 
Earl of Onslow 5 April 1921Conservative
Earl of Ancaster 7 April 1921Conservative; also Deputy Minister of Fisheries from 28 October 1921
President of the Air BoardViscount Cowdray 3 January 1917Liberal; Air Board replaced with Air Council 26 November 1917
Parliamentary Secretary to the Air Board John Baird 14 December 1916Conservative; Air Board replaced with Air Council 26 November 1917
President of the Air CouncilLord Rothermere26 November 1917Liberal
Lord Weir 26 April 1918Liberal; post abolished 10 January 1919
Parliamentary Secretary to the Air Council John Baird 26 November 1917Conservative; post abolished 10 January 1919
Secretary of State for AirWinston Churchill10 January 1919Liberal
Frederick Guest 1 April 1921Liberal
Under-Secretary of State for Air John Seely10 January 1919Liberal
George Tryon22 December 1919Conservative
Marquess of Londonderry2 April 1920Conservative
Lord Gorell 18 July 1921Liberal
Minister of Blockade Lord Robert Cecil10 December 1916Conservative
Sir Laming Worthington-Evans 18 July 1918Conservative; office abolished 10 July 1919
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Blockade Frederick Leverton Harris 22 December 1916Conservative; office abolished 10 January 1919
Secretary of State for the ColoniesWalter Long10 December 1916Conservative
Viscount Milner10 January 1919Conservative
Winston Churchill13 February 1921Liberal
Under-Secretary of State for the ColoniesArthur Steel-Maitland 10 December 1916Conservative; created a Baronet 13 July 1917
William Hewins 26 September 1917Conservative
Leo Amery10 January 1919Conservative
Edward Wood1 April 1921Conservative
President of the Board of EducationHerbert Fisher 10 December 1916Liberal
Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education Herbert Lewis10 December 1916Liberal; knighted in 1922
Minister of Food Control Viscount Devonport 10 December 1916Liberal
Lord Rhondda 19 June 1917Liberal, created Viscount Rhondda 19 June 1918
John Clynes9 July 1918Labour
George Roberts 10 January 1919Labour
Charles McCurdy 19 March 1920Liberal; office abolished 31 March 1921
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food Control Charles Bathurst12 December 1916Conservative; knighted in 1917
John Clynes2 July 1917Labour
Waldorf Astor18 July 1918Conservative
Charles McCurdy 27 January 1919Liberal
Sir William Mitchell-Thomson19 April 1920Conservative; office abolished 31 March 1921
President of the Local Government BoardLord Rhondda 10 December 1916Liberal
William Hayes Fisher 28 June 1917Conservative
Sir Auckland Geddes 4 November 1918Conservative
Christopher Addison10 January 1919Liberal; Board became Ministry of Health 24 June 1919
Parliamentary Secretary to the Local Government Board William Hayes Fisher 10 December 1916Conservative
Stephen Walsh 28 June 1917Labour
Waldorf Astor27 January 1919Conservative; Board became Ministry of Health 24 June 1919
Minister of HealthChristopher Addison24 June 1919Liberal
Sir Alfred Mond1 April 1921Liberal
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health Waldorf Astor24 June 1919Conservative; succeeded as 2nd Viscount Astor 18 October 1919
Earl of Onslow 7 April 1921Conservative
Secretary of State for IndiaAusten Chamberlain10 December 1916Conservative
Edwin Montagu17 July 1917Liberal
Viscount Peel19 March 1922Conservative
Under-Secretary of State for IndiaLord Islington 10 December 1916Liberal
Lord Sinha10 January 1919Liberal
Earl of Lytton 22 September 1920Conservative
Earl Winterton20 March 1922Conservative
Lord Lieutenant of IrelandViscount French6 May 1918-2 May 1921entered the Cabinet 28 October 1918; left the Cabinet 2 April 1921
Chief Secretary for IrelandHenry Duke 10 December 1916Conservative; knighted in 1918
Edward Shortt5 May 1918Liberal
Ian Macpherson 10 January 1919Liberal
Sir Hamar Greenwood 2 April 1920Liberal
Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture for Ireland Thomas Russell 10 December 1916Liberal; created a Baronet 20 June 1917
Hugh Barrie 15 January 1919Conservative
Minister of LabourJohn Hodge 10 December 1916Labour
George Roberts 17 August 1917Labour
Sir Robert Horne10 January 1919Conservative
Thomas Macnamara 19 March 1920Liberal
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Labour William Bridgeman22 December 1916Conservative
George Wardle 10 January 1919Labour
Sir Anderson Montague-Barlow 2 April 1920Conservative
Chancellor of the Duchy of LancasterSir Frederick Cawley 10 December 1916Liberal
Lord Beaverbrook10 February 1918Conservative
William Hayes Fisher 4 November 1918Conservative; created Lord Downham 16 November 1918
Earl of Crawford10 January 1919Conservative
Viscount Peel1 April 1921Conservative
Sir William Sutherland7 April 1922Liberal
Minister of InformationLord Beaverbrook10 February 1918Conservative
William Hayes Fisher 4 November 1918Conservative; created Lord Downham 16 November 1918; office abolished 10 January 1919
Minister of MunitionsChristopher Addison10 December 1916Liberal
Winston Churchill17 July 1917Liberal
Lord Inverforth10 January 1919Conservative; office abolished 21 March 1921
Parliamentary Secretaries to the Ministry of Munitions Sir Laming Worthington-Evans 14 December 1916-30 January 1918Conservative
Frederick Kellaway14 December 1916-1 April 1920 Liberal
John Seely10 July 1918-10 January 1919Liberal
John Baird 10 January 1919-29 April 1919Liberal
Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions Sir Laming Worthington-Evans 30 January 1918-18 July 1918Conservative
James Hope 27 January 1919-31 March 1921Conservative
Minister of National Service Neville Chamberlain15 December 1916Conservative
Sir Auckland Geddes 17 August 1917Conservative; post abolished 19 December 1919
Parliamentary Secretaries to the Ministry of National Service Stephen Walsh 17 March 1917-28 June 1917Labour
Cecil Beck28 June 1917-19 December 1919Liberal
Viscount Peel15 April 1918-10 January 1919Conservative
Paymaster-GeneralSir Joseph Compton-Rickett 15 December 1916Liberal
Sir Tudor Walters 26 October 1919Liberal
Minister of Pensions George Barnes10 December 1916Labour; in the War Cabinet 29 May 1917-3 August 1917
John Hodge 17 August 1917Labour
Sir Laming Worthington-Evans 10 January 1919Conservative
Ian Macpherson 2 April 1920Liberal
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Pensions Sir Arthur Griffith-Boscawen22 December 1916Conservative
Sir James Craig10 January 1919Conservative
George Tryon2 April 1920Conservative
Postmaster GeneralAlbert Illingworth 10 December 1916Liberal
Frederick Kellaway1 April 1921Liberal
Assistant Postmaster General Herbert Pike Pease 10 December 1916Conservative
Minister without PortfolioArthur Henderson10 December 1916-12 August 1917Labour; in the War Cabinet 10 December 1916-12 August 1917
Viscount Milner10 December 1916-18 April 1918Conservative; in the War Cabinet 10 December 1916-18 April 1918
Jan Smuts22 June 1917-10 January 1919in the War Cabinet 22 June 1917-10 January 1919
Sir Edward Carson17 July 1917-21 January 1918Conservative
George Barnes13 August 1917-27 January 1920Labour; in the War Cabinet 13 August 1917-10 January 1919
Austen Chamberlain18 April 1918-10 January 1919Conservative; entered the War Cabinet 18 April 1918
Sir Eric Geddes10 January 1919-19 May 1919Conservative; in the War Cabinet 10 January 1919-31 October 1919
Sir Laming Worthington-Evans 10 January 1919-13 February 1921Conservative
Christopher Addison1 April 1921-14 July 1921Liberal
Minister of ReconstructionChristopher Addison17 July 1917Liberal
Sir Auckland Geddes 10 January 1919Conservative; office abolished 19 December 1919
Secretary for ScotlandRobert Munro 10 December 1916Liberal
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health for Scotland John William Pratt 8 August 1919Liberal; knighted 1922
Minister of ShippingSir James Maclay 10 December 1916Liberal; office abolished 31 March 1921
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Shipping Sir Leo Chiozza Money 22 December 1916Liberal
Leslie Wilson 10 January 1919Conservative
Minister of SupplyLord Inverforth10 January 1919Conservative; office abolished 31 March 1921
President of the Board of TradeSir Albert Stanley 10 December 1916Liberal
Sir Auckland Geddes 26 May 1919Conservative
Sir Robert Horne19 March 1920Conservative
Stanley Baldwin1 April 1921Conservative
Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade George Roberts 14 December 1916Labour
George Wardle 17 August 1917Labour
William Bridgeman10 January 1919Conservative
Sir Philip Lloyd-Greame22 August 1920Conservative
Sir William Mitchell-Thomson1 April 1921Conservative
Secretary for Overseas Trade Sir Arthur Steel-Maitland 14 September 1917Conservative
Sir Hamar Greenwood 29 April 1919Liberal
Frederick Kellaway2 April 1920Liberal
Sir Philip Lloyd-Greame1 April 1921Conservative
Parliamentary Secretary for Mines William Bridgeman22 August 1920Conservative
Minister of TransportSir Eric Geddes19 May 1919Conservative
Viscount Peel7 November 1921Conservative
Earl of Crawford12 April 1922Conservative
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport Sir Rhys Williams 23 September 1919Liberal
A. Neal28 November 1919Liberal
Secretary of State for WarEarl of Derby10 December 1916Conservative
Viscount Milner18 April 1918Conservative
Winston Churchill10 January 1919Liberal
Sir Laming Worthington-Evans 13 February 1921Conservative
Under-Secretary of State for WarIan Macpherson 14 December 1916Liberal
Viscount Peel10 January 1919Conservative
Sir Robert Sanders 1 April 1921Conservative
Financial Secretary to the War Office Henry Forster 10 December 1916Conservative; created Lord Forster 12 December 1919
Sir Archibald Williamson 18 December 1919Liberal
George Stanley 1 April 1921Conservative
Parliamentary Secretary to the War Office Earl Stanhope14 December 1916Conservative; post abolished 10 January 1919
First Commissioner of WorksSir Alfred Mond10 December 1916Liberal
Earl of Crawford1 April 1921Conservative; entered the Cabinet 7 April 1922
Attorney GeneralSir Frederick Smith10 December 1916Conservative
Sir Gordon Hewart 10 January 1919Liberal; entered the Cabinet 7 November 1921
Sir Ernest Pollock 6 March 1922Conservative
Solicitor GeneralSir Gordon Hewart 10 December 1916Liberal
Sir Ernest Pollock 10 January 1919Conservative
Leslie Scott 6 March 1922Conservative; knighted in 1922
Lord AdvocateJames Clyde 10 December 1916Conservative
Thomas Morison 25 March 1920Liberal
C. Murray5 March 1922Conservative
Solicitor General for ScotlandThomas Morison 10 December 1916Liberal
C. Murray25 March 1920Conservative
Andrew Briggs Constable 16 March 1922Conservative
William Watson 24 July 1922Conservative
Lord Chancellor of IrelandSir John O'Brien 10 December 1916Liberal
Sir James Campbell4 June 1918Conservative
Sir John Ross 27 June 1921Conservative
Attorney General for Ireland James O'Connor 8 January 1917Irish Nationalist
Arthur Samuels 7 April 1918Conservative
Denis Henry 6 July 1919Conservative
Thomas Brown 5 August 1921Conservative
vacant16 August 1921 
Solicitor General for IrelandJames Chambers19 March 1917Conservative
Arthur Samuels 12 September 1917Conservative
John Powell 7 April 1918Conservative
Denis Henry 27 November 1918Conservative
David Wilson 6 July 1919Conservative
Thomas Brown 12 June 1921Conservative
vacant5 August 1921 
Lord Steward of the HouseholdLord Farquhar 14 December 1916Conservative; created Viscount Farqhuar 21 June 1917
Lord Chamberlain of the HouseholdLord Sandhurst 14 December 1916Liberal; created Viscount Sandhurst 1 January 1917
Duke of Atholl 20 November 1921Conservative
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household Cecil Beck14 December 1916Liberal
William Dudley Ward 9 December 1917Liberal
Master of the HorseEarl of Chesterfield 14 December 1916Liberal
Treasurer of the HouseholdJames Craig14 December 1916Conservative; created a Baronet 5 February 1918
vacant22 January 1918 
Robert Sanders 11 June 1918Conservative
Bolton Eyres-Monsell5 February 1919Conservative
George Gibbs 1 April 1921Conservative
Comptroller of the HouseholdSir Edwin Cornwall 14 December 1916Liberal
George Stanley 28 February 1919Conservative
Harry Barnston 7 April 1921Conservative
Captain of the Gentlemen-at-ArmsLord Colebrooke 14 December 1916Liberal
Captain of the Yeomen of the GuardLord Suffield 14 December 1916Conservative
Lord Hylton 21 May 1918Conservative
Lords in Waiting Lord Herschell 14 December 1916-11 February 1919Liberal
Lord Stanmore 14 December 1916-19 October 1922Liberal
Lord Ranksborough 14 December 1916-4 April 1921Liberal
Viscount Valentia 14 December 1916-19 October 1922Conservative
Lord Hylton 14 December 1916-18 May 1918Conservative
Lord Somerleyton 18 May 1918-19 October 1922Conservative
Earl of Jersey 11 January 1919-17 August 1919Conservative
Earl of Bradford 11 February 1919-19 October 1922Conservative
Earl of Onslow 17 August 1919-21 November 1920Conservative
Earl of Lucan 12 November 1920-19 October 1922Conservative
Earl of Clarendon4 April 1921-19 october 1922Conservative

Source: D. Butler and G. Butler, Twentieth Century British Political Facts (Macmillan, 2000)

Last updated: 06-05-2005 01:18:35
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