Treasurer of the Conservative Party explained

The office of Treasurer of the Conservative Party was established in 1911, along with that of Chairman, as part of a wider reorganisation of the Conservative and Unionist Party's machinery following the party's failure to win the general elections of January and December 1910.[1]

The officeholders are responsible for fundraising, and in recent years, have sat on the Conservative Party Board.

List

This is a list of treasurers of the Conservative Party.[2]

NameFromToDeputyNotes
The Lord Farquhar19111923Created Viscount Farquhar in 1917, and Earl Farquhar in 1922
Sir George Younger19231929Created Viscount Younger of Leckie in 1923
Sir Samuel Hoare MP19291931MP (1910-44); created Viscount Templewood in 1944
The Lord Ebbisham19311933
The Lord Greenwood19331938Created Viscount Greenwood in 1937
The Lord Marchwood19381946Created Viscount Marchwood in 1945
Christopher Holland-Martin19471960Also an MP from 1951-1960; Died in office
The Lord De L'Isle and Dudley19481952Created Viscount De L'Isle in 1956
Oliver Poole19521955Created Baron Poole of Aldgate in 1958
Sir Henry Studholme MP19561962MP (1952-66); created a Baronet in 1956
Robert Allan MP19601965MP (1951-66); created Baron Allan of Kilmahew in 1973
Richard Stanley19621965Former MP (1950-6)
The Lord Chelmer19651977
Sir Tatton Brinton MP19661974MP (1964-74)
Sir Arnold Silverstone19741977Created Baron Ashdown in 1975; Died in office
William Clark MP19741975MP (1959-66, 1970-92); created Baron Clark of Kempston in 1992
Alistair McAlpine19751990Created Baron McAlpine of West Green in 1984
The Lord Boardman19791983Former MP (1967-74)
Sir Oulton Wade19821990Created Baron Wade of Chorlton in 1990
Sir Charles Johnston19841988Created Baron Johnston of Rockport in 1987
Sir Hector Laing19881993Created Baron Laing of Dunphail in 1991
The Lord Beaverbrook19901992
Sir John Cope MP19901992MP (1974-97); created Baron Cope of Berkeley in 1997
Tim Smith MP19921994MP (1977-9; 1982-97); Resigned as Treasurer during the 1994 Cash-for-questions affair
Philip Harris19931997Created Baron Harris of Peckham in 1995
Charles Hambro19931997Created Baron Hambro in 1994
Sir Graham Kirkham19971998Created Baron Kirkham in 1999
Michael Ashcroft19982001Created Baron Ashcroft in 2000
Howard Leigh2000presentCreated Baron Leigh of Hurley in 2013
Sir Stanley Kalms20012003Created Baron Kalms in 2004
George Magan20032007Created Baron Magan in 2011
Jonathan Marland20032007Created Baron Marland in 2006
Michael Spencer20072010Nominated for a peerage in 2013, 2015 and 2016, but blocked on each occasion by the House of Lords Appointments Commission[3] [4] [5] Created Baron Spencer at the fourth attempt in 2020
Richard Harrington20082010MP (2010-9); created Baron Harrington in 2022
Stanley Fink20092013Created Baron Fink in 2011
Catherine Meyer20102015Created Baroness Meyer in 2018
Peter Cruddas20112012Created Baron Cruddas in 2020. Had resigned as Treasurer in 2012 over a "cash for access" scandal; successfully sued the Sunday Times over their allegations in 2013, but in 2015 the Court of Appeal reduces the libel damages awarded earlier from £180,000 to £50,000, after they found the central "cash for access" allegation of the Sunday Times to be borne out by the facts, while other parts of their article were still deemed to be false and defamatory[6] [7] Cruddas' nomination to the Lords had been opposed by the House of Lords Appointments Commission, who cited the Court of Appeal's ruling; however, Prime Minister Boris Johnson became the first Prime Minister to disregard a veto from the vetting body, and announced Cruddas's peerage all the same.[8]
Michael Farmer20112015Created Baron Farmer in 2014
James Lupton20132016Created Baron Lupton in 2015
Andrew Fraser20162018Jane KeeneCreated Baron Fraser of Corriegarth in 2016
Sir Mick Davis[9] 20162019Mike Chattey OBEDeclined a peerage in 2019[10]
Aamer Sarfraz20192020Jane KeeneCreated Baron Sarfraz in 2019
Sir Ehud Sheleg[11] 20192021Knighted in 2019
Malik Karim[12] 20212022
Graham Edwards[13] 2022present

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Thevoz (2016), p. 4.
  2. Thevoz (2016), pp. 24-25.
  3. News: 2016-07-24 . Michael Spencer’s allies decry ‘unfairness’ in lack of peerage . Financial Times . 2023-04-06.
  4. Web site: 2016-08-02 . David Cameron's honours list has been 'blocked' . 2023-04-06 . The Independent . en.
  5. News: Hope . Christopher . 2016-08-01 . David Cameron's resignation honours list humiliatingly blocked as committee vetoes peerage for former party treasurer . en-GB . The Telegraph . 2023-04-06 . 0307-1235.
  6. News: Greenslade. Roy. Appeal court reduces damages award against Sunday Times to £50,000. 14 June 2019. The Guardian. 17 March 2015.
  7. News: Ponsford. Dominic. Sunday Times libel damages to Peter Cruddas reduced on appeal from £180k to £50k. 14 June 2019. Press Gazette. 17 March 2015.
  8. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/947211/Lord_Bew_signed_letter_001.pdf Letter from the Prime Minister to Lord Bew, 21 December 2020
  9. News: Gallery chief who donated £550,000 set to become Tory treasurer. Deputy Political Editor. Sam Coates. 2018-05-18. The Times. 2018-07-26. en. 0140-0460.
  10. News: New Tory sleaze row as donors who pay £3m get seats in House of Lords . en . 2023-04-06 . 0140-0460.
  11. News: Gallery chief who donated £550,000 set to become Tory treasurer. Deputy Political Editor. Sam Coates. 2018-05-18. The Times. 2018-07-26. en. 0140-0460.
  12. Web site: Party Structure and Organisation. conservatives.com. 24 January 2022.
  13. Web site: Party Structure and Organisation. conservatives.com. 24 January 2022.