Coalition Government 1916-1922

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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.

Office Name Date Part Notes
Prime Minister David Lloyd George 6 December 1916-19 October 1922 Liberal in the War Cabinet 6 December 191631 October 1919
Chancellor of the Exchequer Andrew Bonar Law 10 December 1916 Conservative in the War Cabinet since 6 December 1916
Austen Chamberlain 10 January 1919 Conservative left the War Cabinet 31 October 1919
Sir Robert Horne 1 April 1921 Conservative  
Financial Secretaries to the Treasury Sir Hardman Lever 15 December 191619 May 1919 Liberal  
Stanley Baldwin 18 June 19171 April 1921 Conservative  
Edward Young 21 April 192119 October 1922 Liberal  
Parliamentary Secretaries to the Treasury Lord Edmund Talbot 14 December 19161 April 1921 Conservative  
Neil Primrose 14 December 19162 March 1917 Liberal  
Frederick Guest 2 March 19171 April 1921 Liberal  
Charles McCurdy 1 April 192119 October 1922 Liberal  
Leslie Wilson 1 April 192119 October 1922 Conservative  
Junior Lords of the Treasury James Hope 14 December 191627 January 1919 Conservative  
John William Pratt 14 December 19168 August 1919 Liberal  
Stanley Baldwin 29 January 191718 June 1917 Conservative  
James Parker 29 January 191719 October 1922 Labour  
Josiah Towyn Jones 29 January 19174 July 1922 Liberal  
Robert Sanders 5 February 19191 April 1921 Liberal created a Baronet 28 January 1920
Sir Godfrey Collins 8 August 191910 February 1920 Liberal  
William Edge 18 August 19191 August 1922 Liberal  
Sir William Sutherland 15 February 19207 April 1922 Liberal  
Sir John Gilmour 1 April 192119 October 1922 Conservative  
Thomas Arthur Lewis 4 July 192226 July 1922 Liberal  
Lord Chancellor The Lord Finlay 10 December 1916 Conservative  
The Lord Birkenhead 10 January 1919 Conservative created Viscount Birkenhead 15 June 1921
Lord President of the Council The Earl Curzon 10 December 1916 Conservative in the War Cabinet since 6 December 1916
Arthur Balfour 23 October 1919 Conservative  
Lord Privy Seal The Earl of Crawford 15 December 1916 Conservative  
Andrew Bonar Law 10 January 1919 Conservative left the War Cabinet 31 October 1919
Austen Chamberlain 23 March 1921 Conservative  
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Arthur Balfour 10 December 1916 Conservative  
The Earl Curzon 23 October 1919 Conservative left the War Cabinet 31 October 1919; created Marquess Curzon 28 June 1921
Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Lord Robert Cecil 10 December 1916 Conservative  
Cecil Harmsworth 10 January 1919 Liberal  
Assistant Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs The Lord Newton 10 December 1916 Conservative post abolished 10 January 1919
Secretary of State for the Home Department Sir George Cave 10 December 1916 Conservative created Viscount Cave 14 November 1918
Edward Shortt 10 January 1919 Liberal  
Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department William Brace 10 December 1916 Labour  
Sir Hamar Greenwood 10 January 1919 Liberal  
John Baird 29 April 1919 Conservative succeeded as 2nd Baronet 21 June 1920
First Lord of the Admiralty Sir Edward Carson 10 December 1916 Conservative  
Sir Eric Geddes 17 July 1917 Conservative  
Walter Long 10 January 1919 Conservative  
The Lord Lee 13 February 1921 Conservative  
Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty Thomas Macnamara 10 December 1916 Liberal  
Sir James Craig 2 April 1920 Conservative  
Leo Amery 1 April 1921 Conservative  
Additional Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty The Earl of Lytton 7 February 1917 Conservative post abolished 27 January 1919
Civil Lord of the Admiralty Ernest Pretyman 14 December 1916 Conservative  
The Earl of Lytton 27 January 1919 Conservative  
The Earl of Onslow 26 October 1920 Conservative  
Bolton Eyres-Monsell 1 April 1921 Conservative  
Second Civil Lord of the Admiralty Arthur Pease 10 December 1916 Conservative post abolished 10 January 1919
President of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries Rowland Prothero 10 December 1916 Conservative Board replaced with Ministry 15 August 1919
Parliamentary Secretaries to the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries Sir Richard Winfrey 14 December 191610 January 1919 Liberal  
The Duke of Marlborough 18 February 191721 March 1918 Conservative  
The Viscount Goschen 26 March 191818 June 1918 Conservative  
The Lord Clinton 18 June 191810 January 1919 Conservative  
Sir Arthur Griffith-Boscawen 10 January 1919 Conservative Board replaced with Ministry 15 August 1919
Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries The Lord Lee 15 August 1919 Conservative  
Sir Arthur Griffith-Boscawen 13 February 1921 Conservative  
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Sir Arthur Griffith-Boscawen 15 August 1919 Conservative also Deputy Minister of Fisheries from 18 November 1919
vacant 13 February 1921    
The Earl of Onslow 5 April 1921 Conservative  
The Earl of Ancaster 7 April 1921 Conservative also Deputy Minister of Fisheries from 28 October 1921
President of the Air Board The Viscount Cowdray 3 January 1917 Liberal Air Board replaced with Air Council 26 November 1917
Parliamentary Secretary to the Air Board John Baird 14 December 1916 Conservative Air Board replaced with Air Council 26 November 1917
President of the Air Council The Lord Rothermere 26 November 1917 Liberal  
The Lord Weir 26 April 1918 Liberal post abolished 10 January 1919
Parliamentary Secretary to the Air Council John Baird 26 November 1917 Conservative post abolished 10 January 1919
Secretary of State for Air Winston Churchill 10 January 1919 Liberal  
Frederick Guest 1 April 1921 Liberal  
Under-Secretary of State for Air J.E.B Seely 10 January 1919 Liberal  
George Tryon 22 December 1919 Conservative  
The Marquess of Londonderry 2 April 1920 Conservative  
The Lord Gorell 18 July 1921 Liberal  
Minister of Blockade Lord Robert Cecil 10 December 1916 Conservative  
Sir Laming Worthington-Evans 18 July 1918 Conservative office abolished 10 July 1919
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Blockade Frederick Leverton Harris 22 December 1916 Conservative office abolished 10 January 1919
Secretary of State for the Colonies Walter Long 10 December 1916 Conservative  
The Viscount Milner 10 January 1919 Conservative  
Winston Churchill 13 February 1921 Liberal  
Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies Arthur Steel-Maitland 10 December 1916 Conservative created a Baronet 13 July 1917
William Hewins 26 September 1917 Conservative  
Leo Amery 10 January 1919 Conservative  
Edward Wood 1 April 1921 Conservative  
President of the Board of Education Herbert Fisher 10 December 1916 Liberal  
Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education Herbert Lewis 10 December 1916 Liberal knighted in 1922
Minister of Food Control The Lord Devonport 10 December 1916 Liberal  
The Lord Rhondda 19 June 1917 Liberal created Viscount Rhondda 19 June 1918
John Clynes 9 July 1918 Labour  
George Roberts 10 January 1919 Labour  
Charles McCurdy 19 March 1920 Liberal office abolished 31 March 1921
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food Control Charles Bathurst 12 December 1916 Conservative knighted in 1917
John Clynes 2 July 1917 Labour  
Waldorf Astor 18 July 1918 Conservative  
Charles McCurdy 27 January 1919 Liberal  
Sir William Mitchell-Thomson 19 April 1920 Conservative office abolished 31 March 1921
President of the Local Government Board The Lord Rhondda 10 December 1916 Liberal  
William Hayes Fisher 28 June 1917 Conservative  
Sir Auckland Geddes 4 November 1918 Conservative  
Christopher Addison 10 January 1919 Liberal Board became Ministry of Health 24 June 1919
Parliamentary Secretary to the Local Government Board William Hayes Fisher 10 December 1916 Conservative  
Stephen Walsh 28 June 1917 Labour  
Waldorf Astor 27 January 1919 Conservative Board became Ministry of Health 24 June 1919
Minister of Health Christopher Addison 24 June 1919 Liberal  
Sir Alfred Mond 1 April 1921 Liberal  
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health Waldorf Astor 24 June 1919 Conservative succeeded as 2nd Viscount Astor 18 October 1919
The Earl of Onslow 7 April 1921 Conservative  
Secretary of State for India Austen Chamberlain 10 December 1916 Conservative  
Edwin Montagu 17 July 1917 Liberal  
The Viscount Peel 19 March 1922 Conservative  
Under-Secretary of State for India The Lord Islington 10 December 1916 Liberal  
The Lord Sinha 10 January 1919 Liberal  
The Earl of Lytton 22 September 1920 Conservative  
The Earl Winterton 20 March 1922 Conservative  
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland The Viscount French 6 May 19182 May 1921   entered the Cabinet 28 October 1918; left the Cabinet 2 April 1921
Chief Secretary for Ireland Henry Duke 10 December 1916 Conservative knighted in 1918
Edward Shortt 5 May 1918 Liberal  
Ian Macpherson 10 January 1919 Liberal  
Sir Hamar Greenwood 2 April 1920 Liberal  
Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture for Ireland Thomas Russell 10 December 1916 Liberal created a Baronet 20 June 1917
Hugh Barrie 15 January 1919 Conservative  
Minister of Labour John Hodge 10 December 1916 Labour  
George Roberts 17 August 1917 Labour  
Sir Robert Horne 10 January 1919 Conservative  
Thomas Macnamara 19 March 1920 Liberal  
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Labour William Bridgeman 22 December 1916 Conservative  
George Wardle 10 January 1919 Labour  
Sir Anderson Montague-Barlow 2 April 1920 Conservative  
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Sir Frederick Cawley 10 December 1916 Liberal  
The Lord Beaverbrook 10 February 1918 Conservative  
William Hayes Fisher 4 November 1918 Conservative created Baron Downham 16 November 1918
The Earl of Crawford 10 January 1919 Conservative  
The Viscount Peel 1 April 1921 Conservative  
Sir William Sutherland 7 April 1922 Liberal  
Minister of Information The Lord Beaverbrook 10 February 1918 Conservative  
William Hayes Fisher 4 November 1918 Conservative created Baron Downham 16 November 1918; office abolished 10 January 1919
Minister of Munitions Christopher Addison 10 December 1916 Liberal  
Winston Churchill 17 July 1917 Liberal  
The Lord Inverforth 10 January 1919 Conservative office abolished 21 March 1921
Parliamentary Secretaries to the Ministry of Munitions Sir Laming Worthington-Evans 14 December 191630 January 1918 Conservative  
Frederick Kellaway 14 December 19161 April 1920 Liberal  
J.E.B. Seely 10 July 191810 January 1919 Liberal  
John Baird 10 January 191929 April 1919 Liberal  
Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions Sir Laming Worthington-Evans 30 January 191818 July 1918 Conservative  
James Hope 27 January 191931 March 1921 Conservative  
Minister of National Service Neville Chamberlain 15 December 1916 Conservative  
Sir Auckland Geddes 17 August 1917 Conservative post abolished 19 December 1919
Parliamentary Secretaries to the Ministry of National Service Stephen Walsh 17 March 191728 June 1917 Labour  
Cecil Beck 28 June 191719 December 1919 Liberal  
The Viscount Peel 15 April 191810 January 1919 Conservative  
Paymaster-General Sir Joseph Compton-Rickett 15 December 1916 Liberal  
Sir John Tudor Walters 26 October 1919 Liberal  
Minister of Pensions George Barnes 10 December 1916 Labour in the War Cabinet 29 May 19173 August 1917
John Hodge 17 August 1917 Labour  
Sir Laming Worthington-Evans 10 January 1919 Conservative  
Ian Macpherson 2 April 1920 Liberal  
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Pensions Sir Arthur Griffith-Boscawen 22 December 1916 Conservative  
Sir James Craig 10 January 1919 Conservative  
George Tryon 2 April 1920 Conservative  
Postmaster General Albert Illingworth 10 December 1916 Liberal  
Frederick Kellaway 1 April 1921 Liberal  
Assistant Postmaster General Herbert Pike Pease 10 December 1916 Conservative  
Minister without Portfolio Arthur Henderson 10 December 1916-12 August 1917 Labour in the War Cabinet 10 December 191612 August 1917
The Viscount Milner 10 December 191618 April 1918 Conservative in the War Cabinet 10 December 191618 April 1918
Jan Smuts 22 June 191710 January 1919   in the War Cabinet 22 June 1917-10 January 1919
Sir Edward Carson 17 July 191721 January 1918 Conservative  
George Barnes 13 August 191727 January 1920 Labour in the War Cabinet 13 August 191710 January 1919
Austen Chamberlain 18 April 191810 January 1919 Conservative entered the War Cabinet 18 April 1918
Sir Eric Geddes 10 January 191919 May 1919 Conservative in the War Cabinet 10 January 191931 October 1919
Sir Laming Worthington-Evans 10 January 1919-13 February 1921 Conservative  
Christopher Addison 1 April 1921-14 July 1921 Liberal  
Minister of Reconstruction Christopher Addison 17 July 1917 Liberal  
Sir Auckland Geddes 10 January 1919 Conservative office abolished 19 December 1919
Secretary for Scotland Robert Munro 10 December 1916 Liberal  
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health for Scotland John William Pratt 8 August 1919 Liberal knighted 1922
Minister of Shipping Sir James Maclay 10 December 1916 Liberal office abolished 31 March 1921
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Shipping Sir Leo Chiozza Money 22 December 1916 Liberal  
Leslie Wilson 10 January 1919 Conservative  
Minister of Supply The Lord Inverforth 10 January 1919 Conservative office abolished 31 March 1921
President of the Board of Trade Sir Albert Stanley 10 December 1916 Liberal  
Sir Auckland Geddes 26 May 1919 Conservative  
Sir Robert Horne 19 March 1920 Conservative  
Stanley Baldwin 1 April 1921 Conservative  
Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade George Roberts 14 December 1916 Labour  
George Wardle 17 August 1917 Labour  
William Bridgeman 10 January 1919 Conservative  
Sir Philip Lloyd-Greame 22 August 1920 Conservative  
Sir William Mitchell-Thomson 1 April 1921 Conservative  
Secretary for Overseas Trade Sir Arthur Steel-Maitland 14 September 1917 Conservative  
Sir Hamar Greenwood 29 April 1919 Liberal  
Frederick Kellaway 2 April 1920 Liberal  
Sir Philip Lloyd-Greame 1 April 1921 Conservative  
Parliamentary Secretary for Mines William Bridgeman 22 August 1920 Conservative  
Minister of Transport Sir Eric Geddes 19 May 1919 Conservative  
The Viscount Peel 7 November 1921 Conservative  
The Earl of Crawford 12 April 1922 Conservative  
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport Sir Rhys Williams 23 September 1919 Liberal  
Arthur Neal 28 November 1919 Liberal  
Secretary of State for War The Earl of Derby 10 December 1916 Conservative  
The Viscount Milner 18 April 1918 Conservative  
Winston Churchill 10 January 1919 Liberal  
Sir Laming Worthington-Evans 13 February 1921 Conservative  
Under-Secretary of State for War Ian Macpherson 14 December 1916 Liberal  
Viscount Peel 10 January 1919 Conservative  
Sir Robert Sanders 1 April 1921 Conservative  
Financial Secretary to the War Office Henry Forster 10 December 1916 Conservative created Baron Forster 12 December 1919
Sir Archibald Williamson 18 December 1919 Liberal  
George Stanley 1 April 1921 Conservative  
Parliamentary Secretary to the War Office The Earl Stanhope 14 December 1916 Conservative post abolished 10 January 1919
First Commissioner of Works Sir Alfred Mond 10 December 1916 Liberal  
The Earl of Crawford 1 April 1921 Conservative entered the Cabinet 7 April 1922
Attorney General Sir Frederick Smith 10 December 1916 Conservative  
Sir Gordon Hewart 10 January 1919 Liberal entered the Cabinet 7 November 1921
Sir Ernest Pollock 6 March 1922 Conservative  
Solicitor General Sir Gordon Hewart 10 December 1916 Liberal  
Sir Ernest Pollock 10 January 1919 Conservative  
Leslie Scott 6 March 1922 Conservative knighted in 1922
Lord Advocate James Clyde 10 December 1916 Conservative  
Thomas Morison 25 March 1920 Liberal  
Charles David Murray 5 March 1922 Conservative  
Solicitor General for Scotland Thomas Morison 10 December 1916 Liberal  
Charles David Murray 25 March 1920 Conservative  
Andrew Briggs Constable 16 March 1922 Conservative  
William Watson 24 July 1922 Conservative  
Lord Chancellor of Ireland Sir John O'Brien 10 December 1916 Liberal  
Sir James Campbell 4 June 1918 Conservative  
Sir John Ross 27 June 1921 Conservative  
Attorney General for Ireland James O'Connor 8 January 1917 Irish Nationalist  
Arthur Samuels 7 April 1918 Conservative  
Denis Henry 6 July 1919 Conservative  
Thomas Brown 5 August 1921 Conservative  
vacant 16 August 1921  
Solicitor General for Ireland James Chambers 19 March 1917 Conservative  
Arthur Samuels 12 September 1917 Conservative  
John Powell 7 April 1918 Conservative  
Denis Henry 27 November 1918 Conservative  
David Wilson 6 July 1919 Conservative  
Thomas Brown 12 June 1921 Conservative  
vacant 5 August 1921    
Lord Steward of the Household The Lord Farquhar 14 December 1916 Conservative created Viscount Farqhuar 21 June 1917
Lord Chamberlain of the Household The Lord Sandhurst 14 December 1916 Liberal created Viscount Sandhurst 1 January 1917
The Duke of Atholl 20 November 1921 Conservative  
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household Cecil Beck 14 December 1916 Liberal  
William Dudley Ward 9 December 1917 Liberal  
Master of the Horse The Earl of Chesterfield 14 December 1916 Liberal  
Treasurer of the Household James Craig 14 December 1916 Conservative created a Baronet 5 February 1918
vacant 22 January 1918  
Robert Sanders 11 June 1918 Conservative  
Bolton Eyres-Monsell 5 February 1919 Conservative  
George Gibbs 1 April 1921 Conservative  
Comptroller of the Household Sir Edwin Cornwall 14 December 1916 Liberal  
George Stanley 28 February 1919 Conservative  
Harry Barnston 7 April 1921 Conservative  
Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms The Lord Colebrooke 14 December 1916 Liberal  
Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard The Lord Suffield 14 December 1916 Conservative  
The Lord Hylton 21 May 1918 Conservative  
Lords in Waiting The Lord Herschell 14 December 191611 February 1919 Liberal  
The Lord Stanmore 14 December 191619 October 1922 Liberal  
The Lord Ranksborough 14 December 19164 April 1921 Liberal  
The Viscount Valentia 14 December 191619 October 1922 Conservative  
The Lord Hylton 14 December 191618 May 1918 Conservative  
The Lord Somerleyton 18 May 191819 October 1922 Conservative  
The Earl of Jersey 11 January 191917 August 1919 Conservative  
The Earl of Bradford 11 February 191919 October 1922 Conservative  
The Earl of Onslow 17 August 191921 November 1920 Conservative  
The Earl of Lucan 12 November 192019 October 1922 Conservative  
The Earl of Clarendon 4 April 192119 October 1922 Conservative

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

Preceded by
Coalition Government 1915-1916
British Government
1916–1922
Succeeded by
Conservative Government 1922-1924