List of politicians associated with Balliol College, Oxford
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a list of people associated with Balliol College, Oxford who were or are politicians or senior public servants.
Members of Parliament
| Image | Name | Join Date & Area of Study |
Background | Politics | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Yuan Yang | 2008 PPE | Balliol (B.S., 2011) LSE (M.S., 2013) Foreign correspondent, Financial Times | Born in Ningbo, China; moved to England aged 4 Labour MP for Earley and Woodley (2024–present) | [1] |
_(cropped).jpg) | Kanishka Narayan | 2008 PPE | Balliol (B.A.) Stanford (M.B.A.) | Labour MP for Vale of Glamorgan (2024–present) Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for AI and Online Safety (2025–present) |
[1] |
 | Matthew Pennycook | 2005 Int Rel | LSE (B.A., 2005) Balliol (M.Phil.) | Labour MP for Greenwich and Woolwich (2015–present) Minister of State for Housing and Planning (2024–present) | [1] |
 | Helen Hayes | 1997 PPE | Balliol (B.A.) town planner | Labour MP for Dulwich and West Norwood (2015–present) Chair of the Education Committee (2024–present) | [2]: 233 [1] |
 | Kirsty McNeill | 1997 PPE | Balliol (B.A., 2001) Executive Director, Save the Children | Scottish Labour/Co-operative MP for Midlothian (2024–present) Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (2024–present) |
[1] |
.jpg) | Yvette Cooper | 1987 PPE | Balliol (B.A., 1991) LSE (M.S., 1993) | Labour MP from Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley[a] (1997–present) Chief Secretary to the Treasury (2008–2009) Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (2009–2010) Home Secretary (2024–2025) Foreign Secretary (2025–present) | [2]: 107 [1] |
 | Sir Julian Lewis | 1970 PPE | Balliol (M.A.) St Antony's College (Ph.D., 1981) | Conservative MP for New Forest East (1997–present) Chair of the Defence Select Committee (2015–2019) Chair of the Intelligence and Security Committee (2020–2024) | [2]: 324 [1] |
Members of the House of Lords
| Image | Name | Join Date & Area of Study |
Background | Politics | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Baron Johnson of Marylebone (Jo Johnson) | 1991 Modern History | Balliol (B.A., 1994) INSEAD (MBA, 2000) | Conservative MP for Orpington (2010–2019) Universities Minister (2015–2018, 2019) Life peerage (12 October 2020) | [2]: 278 |
 | Baron Stevens of Birmingham (Simon Stevens) | 1984 PPE | Balliol (M.A.) University of Strathclyde (MBA) | Labour councillor in Lambeth (1998–2002) Chief Executive of NHS England (2014–2021) Life peerage (5 July 2021) | [2]: 517 |
| Baroness Simon of Wythenshawe (Matilda Simon) | 1973 Engineering | Balliol (B.S.) University of Manchester (PhD, 1983) | Succeeded father 2002, and retained title although assigned male at birth. Green party. | [2]: 496 | |
 | Lord Lucas and Dingwall (Ralph Palmer) | 1969 Physics | Balliol (B.A.) | Hereditary peerage (31 December 1991–11 November 1999) Elected hereditary peer (11 November 1999) Owner and publisher of Good Schools Guide from 2000. | [2]: 417 |
 | Baron Patten of Barnes (Chris Patten) | 1962 Modern History | Balliol (B.A., 1965) | Conservative MP for Bath (1979–1992) Secretary of State for the Environment (1989–1990) Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Chairman of the Conservative Party (1990–1992) Governor of Hong Kong (1992–1997) European Commissioner (1999–2004) Chancellor of Oxford University (2003–2024) Life peerage (11 January 2005) | [2]: 421 |
 | Baron Beith (Alan Beith) | 1961 PPE | Balliol (B.A., 1964) Nuffield (B.Litt.) | Liberal (Democrat) MP for Berwick-upon-Tweed (1973–2015) Deputy Leader of Liberal Democrats (1992–2003) Chair of the Liaison Committee (2010–2015) Life peerage (19 October 2015) | [2]: 35 |
MPs who completed service in 2024
| Image | Name | Join Date & Area of Study |
Background | Politics | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | David Johnston | 2000 Modern History and Politics | Balliol (B.A., 2003) | CEO Social Mobility Foundation 2009-2020 Conservative MP for Wantage (2019–2024) | [2]: 278 |
 | Robin Walker | 1997 Ancient and Modern History | Balliol (B.A.) | Conservative MP for Worcester (2010–2024) Minister of State for School Standards (2021–2022) Chair of Education Committee (2022–2024) | [2]: 562 |
.jpg) | Boris Johnson | 1983 Literae Humaniores | Balliol (B.A., 1987) | Conservative MP for Henley (2001–2008) Mayor of London (2008–2016) MP for Uxbridge & South Ruislip (2015–2023) Foreign Secretary (2016–2018) Prime Minister & Leader of the Conservative Party (2019–2022) "Got Brexit Done" | [2]: 277 |
 | Damian Green | 1974 PPE | Balliol (B.A., 1977) | Conservative MP for Ashford (1997–2024) Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (2016–2017) First Secretary of State and Minister for the Cabinet Office (2017) | [2]: 206 |
UK politicians active in era 1979–2020
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Members of the House of Lords who have died since 2000
| Image | Name | Join Date |
Background | Politics | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | James Douglas-Hamilton (1942–2023) | 1961 Modern History | Balliol (B.A.) University of Edinburgh (L.L.B.) | Conservative MP for Edinburgh West (1974–1997) Minister of State for Scotland (1995–1997) Life peerage (29 September 1997–27 July 2023) | [2]: 141 |
 | Robert Maclennan (1936–2020) | 1955 Modern History | Balliol Trinity College Columbia | Labour, SDP and Liberal Democrat MP for Caithless, Sutherland and Easter Ross (1966–2001) Leader of the Social Democratic Party (1987–1988) President of the Liberal Democrats (1988, 1995–1998) Life peerage (19 July 2001–18 January 2020) | [2]: 352 |
| Peter Brooke (1934–2023) | 1953 Literae Humaniores | Balliol (B.A.) Harvard Business | Conservative MP for Cities of London and Westminster (1979–2001) Chairman of the Conservative Party & Paymaster General (1987–1989) Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1989–1992) Secretary of State for National Heritage (1992–1994) Life peerage (30 July 2001–18 September 2015) | [2]: 63 | |
| Patrick Mayhew (1929–2016) | 1949 Jurisprudence | Balliol | Conservative MP for Tunbridge Wells (1974–1997) Solicitor General (1983–1987) Attorney General (1987–1992) Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1992–1997) Life peerage (12 June 1997–1 June 2015) | [2]: 368 | |
 | Roger Freeman (1942–2025) | 1961 PPE | Balliol (B.A., 1964) | Conservative MP for Kettering (1983–1997) Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1995–1997) Life peerage (29 October 1997–1 October 2020) | [2]: 178 |
 | Dick Taverne (1928–2025) | 1947 Literae humaniores | Balliol (B.A.) | Labour MP for Lincoln (1962–1974) Life peerage (5 February 1996–7 March 2025), Liberal Democrat | [2]: 532 |
UK politicians active between World War II and the Millennium
| Image | Name | Join Date |
Background | Politics | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Mike Woodin (1965–2004) | 1990 | Manchester, Wolfson College Balliol Lecturer in Psychology 1990-2004. | Oxford City Councillor for Carfax Ward (1994–2004) Principal Speaker of the Green Party (1997–2000, 2003–2004) | [2]: 595 |
 | Bryan Gould | 1962 Law | Auckland University College (BA/LLB, LLM) | Labour MP for Southampton Test (1974–1979) MP for Dagenham (1983–1994) | [2]: 202 |
| Lord Gowrie (1939–2021) | 1959 English | Balliol | Hereditary peerage (27 November 1960–11 November 1999) Minister of State for Employment (1979–1981) Minister of State for Northern Ireland (1981–1983) Minister of State for the Arts (1983–1985) Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1984–1985) | [2]: 203 | |
| Sir George Gardiner (1935–2002) | 1955 PPE | Balliol (B.A., 1958) | Conservative MP for Reigate (1974–1997) | [2]: 185 | |
| Toby Jessel (1934–2018) | 1954 PPE | Balliol | Conservative MP for Twickenham (1970–1997) | [2]: 276 | |
| Leif Mills (1936–2020) | 1954 PPE | Balliol | Trade union leader. Banking, Insurance and Finance Union: Assistant General Secretary (1962–1968), Deputy General Secretary (1968–1972), General Secretary (1972–1996) | [2]: 376 | |
| Mark Hughes (1932–1993) | 1953 Modern History | Balliol (B.A., 1956) Newcastle University (PhD, 1958) | Labour MP for Durham (1970–1987) MEP (1975–1979) | [4]: 192 | |
 | John Mackintosh (1929–1978) | 1950 PPE | Edinburgh Balliol Princeton | Labour MP for Berwick and East Lothian (1966–1974, 1974–1978) | [4]: 162 |
| Ian Gilmour (1926–2007) | 1947 Modern History | Balliol | Conservative MP for Central Norfolk (1962–1974) MP for Chesham and Amersham (1974–1992) Defence Secretary (1974) Lord Privy Seal (1979–1981) Life peerage (25 August 1992–21 September 2007) | [4]: 130 | |
| Sir Nicholas Ridley (1929–1993) | 1946 | B.A. Mathematics (1947) B.A. English (1951) | Conservative MP for Cirencester and Tewkesbury (1959–1992) Life peerage (28 July 1992–4 March 1993) Financial Secretary to the Treasury (1981–1983) Secretary of State for Transport (1983–1986) Secretary of State for the Environment (1986–1989) Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1989–1990) | [4]: 123 | |
| David Ginsburg (1921–1994) | 1939 PPE | Balliol | Labour & SDP MP for Dewsbury (1959–1983) | [4]: 77 | |
 | David James (1919–1986) | 1938 Modern History (left) | Conservative MP for Brighton Kemptown (1959–1964) MP for North Dorset (1970–1979) | [4]: 70 | |
| Maurice Macmillan (1921–1984) | 1938 Classical History | Balliol | Conservative MP for Halifax (1955–1964) MP for Farnham (1966–1983) MP for South West Surrey (1983–1984) Chief Secretary to the Treasury (1970–1972) Secretary of State for Employment (1972–1973) Paymaster General (1973–1974) | [4]: 71 | |
.jpg) | Roy Jenkins (1920–2003) | 1938 PPE | Balliol | Labour MP for Southwark Central (1948–1950) MP for Birmingham Stechford (1950–1977) President of the European Commission (1977–1981) MP for Glasgow Hillhead (1982–1987) Life peerage (20 November 1987–5 January 2003) Home Secretary (1965–1967, 1974–1976) Chancellor of the Exchequer (1967–1970) Chancellor of the University of Oxford (1987–2003) | [4]: 70 |
.jpg) | Julian Amery (1919–1996) | 1937 Modern History | Balliol | Conservative MP for Preston North (1950–1966) MP for Brighton Pavilion (1969–1992) Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1972–1974) | [4]: 62 |
| Madron Seligman (1918–2002) | 1937 PPE | Balliol | Conservative MEP for Sussex West (1979–1994) | [4]: 67 | |
| Hugh Fraser (1918–1984) | 1936 Modern History | Balliol | Conservative MP for Stafford and Stone (1945–1984) Secretary of State for Air (1962–1964) | [4]: 57 | |
 | Denis Healey (1917–2015) | 1936 Literae Humaniores | Balliol (B.A., 1940) | Labour MP for Leeds (South) East (1952–1992) Life peerage (29 June 1992–3 October 2015) Defence Secretary (1964–1970) Chancellor of the Exchequer (1974–1979) Deputy Leader of the Opposition (1980–1983) | [4]: 58 |
 | Sir Edward Heath (1916–2005) | 1935 PPE | Balliol (B.A., 1939) | Conservative MP for Old Bexley and Sidcup (1950–2001) Chief Whip (1955–1960) Lord Privy Seal (1960–1963) President of the Board of Trade (1963–1964) Leader of the Conservative Party (1965–1975) Prime Minister (1970–1974) | [4]: 52 |
| Nigel Nicolson (1917–2004) | 1935 Modern History | Balliol | Conservative MP for Bournemouth East ad Christchurch (1952–1959) | [4]: 54 | |
| Sir Anthony Kershaw (1915–2008) | 1934 Modern History | Balliol | Conservative MP for Stroud (1955–1987) Chair of Foreign Affairs Select Committee (1979–1987) | [4]: 47 | |
| Lt Cdr John Baldock (1915–2003) | 1934 Botany and Rural Economy | Balliol Freiburg University | Conservative MP for Harborough (1950–1959) | [5]: 97 [6] | |
.jpg) | Jo Grimond (1913–1993) | 1932 PPE | Balliol | Liberal MP for Orkney and Shetland (1950–1983) Leader of the Liberal Party (1956–1967) Life peerage (12 October 1983–24 October 1993) | [4]: 36 |
 | Anthony Greenwood (1911–1982) | 1930 PPE | Balliol | Labour MP for Heywood and Radcliffe (1946–1950) MP for Rossendale (1950–1970) Secretary of State for the Colonies (1964–1965) Minister of Overseas Development (1965–1966) Minister of Housing and Local Government (1966–1970) Life peerage (22 September 1970–12 April 1982) | [5]: 67 |
| John Boyd-Carpenter (1908–1998) | 1927 Modern History | Balliol (B.A., 1931) | Conservative MP for Kingston-upon-Thames (1945–1972) Chief Secretary to the Treasury (1962–1964) Life peerage (1 May 1972–11 July 1998) | [5]: 49 | |
| James MacColl (1908–1971) | 1927 PPE | Balliol Chicago | Mayor of Paddington (1947–1949) Labour MP for Widnes (1950–1971) | [5]: 52 | |
| Sir Dingle Foot (1905–1978) | 1924 Modern History | Balliol (B.A., 1928) | Liberal MP for Dundee (1931–1945) Labour MP for Ipswich (1957–1970) Solicitor General (1964–1967) | [5]: 35 | |
 | George Douglas-Hamilton, 10th Earl of Selkirk (1906–1994) | 1924 PPE | Balliol University of Edinburgh (LLB) | Elected representative peer (6 July 1945–31 July 1963) Paymaster General (1953–1955) Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1955–1957) First Lord of the Admiralty (1957–1959) | [5]: 34 |
| Sir Hamilton Kerr (1903–1974) | 1922 Modern History | Balliol | Conservative MP for Oldham (1935–1950) MP for Cambridge (1950–1966) | [5]: 26 | |
 | Henry Brooke (1903–1984) | 1922 Literae Humaniores | Balliol | MP for Lewisham West (1938–1945) MP for Hampstead (1950–1966) Chief Secretary to the Treasury (1961–1962) Home Secretary (1962–1964) Life peerage (20 July 1966–1970) | [5]: 24 |
| Christopher Hollis (1902–1977) | 1920 Literae Humaniores | Balliol | Conservative MP for Devizes (1945–1955) | [5]: 20 | |
.jpg) | Harold Macmillan (1894–1986) | 1912 Literae Humaniores | Balliol | Conservative MP for Stockton-on-Tees (1924–1929, 1931–1945) MP from Bromley (1945–1964) Secretary of State for Air (1945) Housing Minister (1951–1954) Minister of Defence (1954–1955) Chancellor of the Exchequer (1955–1957) Leader of the Conservative Party & Prime Minister (1957–1963) Chancellor of Oxford University (1960–1986) Life peerage (24 February 1984–29 December 1986) | [7]: 159 |
 | Sir Frank Soskice (1902–1979) | 1920 PPE | Balliol | Labour MP for Birkenhead East (1945–1950) MP for Sheffield Neepsend (1951–1955) MP for Newport (1956–1966) Life peerage (7 June 1966–1 January 1979) Solicitor General (1945–1951) Attorney General (1951) Home Secretary (1964–1965) Lord Privy Seal (1965–1966) | [7]: 223 |
 | Walter Monckton (1891–1965) | 1910 Modern History | Balliol (1912, 1914) | Conservative MP for Bristol West (1951–1957) Minister of Labour and National Service (1951–1955) Minister of Defence (1955–1956) Paymaster General (1956–1957) | [7]: 144 |
UK politicians active between World War I and World War II
| Image | Name | Join Date & Area of Study |
Background | Politics | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 14th Duke of Hamilton (1903–1973) | 1921 Chemistry | Balliol | Unionist MP for East Renfrewshire (1930–1940) Lord Steward of the Household (1940–1964) Chancellor of the University of St Andrews (1948–1973) | [7]: 226 | |
 | Tom Wintringham (1898–1949) | 1918 Modern History | Balliol | Marxist, Joint founder of Common Wealth Party | [7]: 204 |
.jpg) | R. Palme Dutt (1896–1974) | 1914 Literae Humaniores | Balliol | General Secretary of Communist Party (1939–1941) | [7]: 173 |
 | Sir Harold Nicolson (1886–1968) | 1904 Literae Humaniores | Balliol (1909) | National Labour MP for Leicester West (1935–1945) | [7]: 98 |
 | Aubrey Herbert (1880–1923) | 1898 Modern History | Balliol | Conservative MP for South Somerset (1911–1918) MP for Yeovil (1918–1923) | [7]: 56 |
 | Sir Arthur Steel-Maitland (1876–1935) | 1895 Literae Humaniores and Jurisprudence | Balliol (B.A., 1899) All Souls College (M.A., 1903) | Unionist/Conservative MP for Birmingham East (1910–1918) MP for Birmingham Erdington (1918–1928) MP for Tamworth (1929–1935) Chairman of the Conservative Party (1911–1916) Minister of Labour (1924–1929) | [7]: 46 |
 | Leo Amery (1873–1955) | 1892 Literae Humaniores | Balliol (1894; 1896) | MP (Liberal Unionist) for Birmingham South (1911–1918) MP (Unionist, Conservative) for Birmingham Sparkbrook (1918–1945) First Lord of the Admiralty (1922–1923) Secretary of State for the Colonies (1924–1929) Secretary of State for India and Burma (1940–1945) | [7]: 35 |
 | Herbert Samuel (1870–1963) | 1889 Modern History | Balliol | Liberal MP for Cleveland (1902–1918) MP for Darwen (1929–1935) Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1909–1910, 1915–1916) Home Secretary (1916, 1931–1932) Leader of the Liberal Party (1931–1935) Leader of the Liberals in the House of Lords (1945–1955) |
[7]: 27 |
 | George Nathaniel Curzon (1859–1925) | 1878 Literae Humaniores | Balliol | Conservative MP for Southport (1886–1898) Viceroy and Governor-General of India (1899–1905) Chancellor of the University of Oxford (1907–1925) Irish representative peer (21 January 1908–20 March 1925) Lord Privy Seal (1915–1916) Lord President of the Council (1916–1919, 1924–1925) Leader of the House of Lords (1916–1924, 1924–1925) Foreign Secretary (1919–1924) | [8][9]: 111 |
 | Alfred Milner, Viscount Milner (1854–1925) | 1872 Literae Humaniores | Balliol (1877) | Governor of the Cape Colony and High Commissioner for Southern Africa (1897–1901) Governor of the Transvaal Colony and Orange River Colony (1901–1905) Secretary of State for War (1918–1919) Secretary of State for the Colonies (1919–1921) | [9]: 77 |
(b).jpg) | H. H. Asquith (1852–1928) | 1870 | Balliol (1874) | Liberal MP for East Fife (1886–1918) MP for Paisley (1920–1924) Hereditary peerage (10 February 1925–15 February 1928) Home Secretary (1892–1895) Chancellor of the Exchequer (1905–1908) Prime Minister (1908–1916) | [9]: 65 |
UK politicians pre-World War I
| Image | Name | Join Date & Area of Study |
Background | Politics | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Edward Grey, 1st Viscount Grey of Fallodon (1862–1933) | 1880 Jurisprudence | Balliol | Liberal MP for Berwick-upon-Tweed (1885–1916) Foreign Secretary (1905–1916) Hereditary peerage (27 July 1916–7 September 1933) British Ambassador to the United States (1919–1920) Chancellor of the University of Oxford (1928–1933) | [9]: 125 |
 | Victor Bruce (1849–1917) | 1870 Literae Humaniores | Balliol (B.A., 1873) | Viceroy and Governor-General of India (1894–1899) Secretary of State for the Colonies (1905–1908) | |
 | Robert Reid, 1st Earl Loreburn (1846–1923) | 1864 Literae Humaniores | Balliol (1868) | Liberal MP for Hereford (1880–1885) MP for Dumfries Burghs (1886–1905) Solicitor General (1904) Attorney General (1904–1905) Lord Chancellor (1905–1912) | [9]: 45 |
 | Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne (1865–1927) | 1863 Literae humanities | Balliol | Hereditary peerage (5 July 1866–3 June 1927) Lord Commissioner of the Treasury (1868–1872) Under-Secretary of State for War (1872–1874) Under-Secretary of State for India (1880) Governor General of Canada (1883–1888) Viceroy and Governor-General of India (1888–1894) War Secretary (1895–1900) Foreign Secretary (1900–1905) Leader of the House of Lords (1903–1905) | [9]: 41 |
.jpg) | William Wickham (1831–1897) | 1853 | Balliol (B.A., 1853; M.A., 1857) | MP for Petersfield (1892–1897) | [9]: 12 |
 | Arthur Peel, 1st Viscount Peel (1829–1912) | 1848 Jurisprudence | Balliol | Liberal MP for Warwick (and Leamington) (1865–1895) Lord temporal (9 May 1895–24 October 1912) Speaker of the House of Commons (1884–1895) | [10] |
 | Stafford Northcote (1818–1887) | 1835 Jurisprudence | Balliol | Conservative MP for Dudley (1855–1857) MP for Stamford (1858–1866) MP for North Devon (1866–1885) Hereditary peerage (1885–12 January 1887) President of the Board of Trade (1866–1867) Secretary of State for India (1867–1868) Chancellor of the Exchequer (1874–1880) Leader of the Conservative Party (1876–1885) Leader of the House of Commons (1876–1880) First Lord of the Treasury (1885–1886) Foreign Secretary (1886–1887) | [9]: 2 |
 | Edward Cardwell, 1st Viscount Cardwell | 1831 Jurisprudence | Balliol (1835) | Liberal MP for Clitheroe (1842–1847) MP for Liverpool (1847–1852) MP for Oxford (1853–1874) Hereditary peerage (17 February 1874–15 February 1886) President of the Board of Trade (1852–1855) Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1861–1864) Secretary of State for the Colonies (1864–1866) Secretary of State for War (1868–1874) |
[9]: 2 |
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