Leaders of the British Whig Party
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This is a list of the Leaders of the British Whig Party. It begins in 1830 as, in the words of J C Sainty, 'it would be misleading to convey the impression that there was in any precise sense a Leader of the Whig Party in the House of Lords before 1830'.[1] Also, Cook & Stevenson, British Historical Facts 1760–1830 have no section for party leaders in either House of Parliament. The section on 'Overall Leaders' gives details of those who were either the Prime Minister or a former Prime Minister who was still in Parliament and leading the Whig Party in the House in which he sat.
| Name | Portrait | Constituency/Title | Took office | Left office | Prime Minister | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earl Grey |  |
2nd Earl Grey | 22 November 1830 | 16 July 1834 | Earl Grey 1830–34 | |
| Viscount Melbourne |  |
2nd Viscount Melbourne | 16 July 1834 | 23 October 1842 [2] | Viscount Melbourne 1834 | |
| The Duke of Wellington 1834 | ||||||
| Sir Robert Peel 1834–35 | ||||||
| Viscount Melbourne 1835–41 | ||||||
| Sir Robert Peel 1841–46 | ||||||
| VACANT Leader in Lords -The Marquess of Lansdowne Leader in Commons -Lord John Russell |
23 October 1842 | 30 June 1846 | Sir Robert Peel 1841–46 | |||
| Lord John Russell |  |
City of London | 30 June 1846 | 30 January 1855 | Lord John Russell 1846–52 | |
| Earl of Derby 1852 | ||||||
| Earl of Aberdeen 1852–55 | ||||||
| Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston[3] |
 |
Tiverton | 6 February 1855 | 6 June 1859 [4] | Viscount Palmerston 1855–1858 | |
| Earl of Derby 1858–59 | ||||||