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The President of the Commonwealth of Britain is the Head of State and Head of Government for the Commonwealth of Britain. A political office, the President is in theory the most powerful person in the country. The President governs with the consent of Parliament, though he or she is directly elected.
The Presidency dates from the mid-19th century. Prior to this period, the country had been governed by a series of officers with the title "Head of State", who were usually chosen by Parliament. In 1834 the Reform Act created the Presidency and established the system of government Britain enjoys today. For a list of Heads of State from 1649 until 1834, see List of British Republican Heads of State
The British President is commander-in-chief of the British Defence Force. The President may propose legislation to Parliament and must sign all bills into law. As leader of the government, the President appoints all Secretaries of State, chairs meetings of the Council of State and represents the country internationally.
The President is directly elected by the people for a five-year term. The President is welcome to run for re-election any time he or she chooses. When the President resigns or dies and the Presidency falls vacant, the Speaker of Parliament assumes the powers of the Presidency and a new election is held within six months.
List of British Presidents[]
This is a provisional list and subject to change
| Name | Took Office | Left Office | Party |
|---|---|---|---|
| William Lamb | 1834 | 1844 | Whig |
| John Russell | 1844 | 1849 | Whig |
| Edward Smith-Stanley | 1849 | 1864 | Conservative |
| Benjamin Disraeli | 1864 | 1869 | Conservative |
| William Gladstone | 1869 | 1874 | Liberal |
| Benjamin Disraeli | 1874 | 1879 | Conservative |
| William Gladstone | 1879 | 1884 | Liberal |
| Robert Gascoyne-Cecil | 1884 | 1899 | Conservative |
| Charles Ritchie | 1899 | 1906 | Conservative |
| William Gully (Caretaker) | 1906 | 1906 | Liberal |
| Herbert Asquith | 1906 | 1916 | Liberal |
| Stanley Baldwin | 1916 | 1921 | Conservative |
| David Lloyd George | 1921 | 1931 | Liberal |
| Winston Churchill | 1931 | 1946 | Conservative |
| Clement Attlee | 1946 | 1951 | Liberal |
| Anthony Eden | 1951 | 1961 | Conservative |
| Harold Macmillan | 1961 | 1966 | Conservative |
| Harold Wilson | 1966 | 1981 | Liberal |
| Margaret Thatcher | 1981 | 1996 | Conservative |
| Kenneth Clarke | 1996 | 2001 | Conservative |
| Tony Blair | 2001 | 2006 | Liberal |
| William Hague | 2006 | Incumbent | Conservative |
British Presidential election, 2001
British Presidential election, 2006