Wartime Government Fact File
The following is a list of ministers and other officials who constituted the government of the U.K. following the creation of the Lord President's Committee under Churchill's War Cabinet in May 1940:
- Heads of the Cabinet
- Treasury and Exchequer
- Ministers for Domestic Affairs
- Ministers for Foreign Affairs
- Ministers for Military Affairs
- Other Cabinet Offices
Where relevant, links have been provided to the collections of each office that are available to view in War, State and Society:
- Cabinet memoranda: documents submitted to the Lord President's Committee.
- Ministerial collections: other file series created by the department.
- Advertisements: public information campaigns commissioned by the department.
A list of abbreviated political parties is provided at the end of this page.
| Office | Holder | Date Appointed | Links |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prime Minister | Neville Chamberlain (Con) | 28 May 1937 | Cabinet memoranda |
| Winston Churchill (Con); | 10 May 1940 | ||
| Minister of Defence and First Lord of the Treasury | Winston Churchill (Con) | 10 May 1940 | Cabinet memoranda |
| Lord Chancellor | Viscount Simon (Lib Nat) | 12 May 1940 | Cabinet memoranda |
| Lord President of the Council | Neville Chamberlain (Con) | 11 May 1940 |
|
| Sir John Anderson (Con) | 3 October 1940 | ||
| Clement Attlee (Lab) | 24 September 1943 | ||
| Lord Privy Seal |
Clement Attlee (Lab) | 11 May 1940 | Cabinet memoranda |
| Sir Stafford Cripps (Lab) | 19 February 1942 | ||
| Viscount Cranborne (Con) | 22 November 1942 | ||
| The Lord Beaverbrook (Con) | 24 September 1943 |
| Office | Holder | Date Appointed | Links |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chancellor of the Exchequer | Sir Kingsley Wood (Con) | 12 May 1940 | Cabinet memoranda |
| Sir John Anderson (Nat) | 24 September 1943 | ||
| Lords of the Treasury | Stephen Furness (Lib Nat) | 12 May 1940 – 18 May 1940 | Cabinet memoranda |
| James Stuart (Con) | 12 May 1940 – 14 January 1941 | ||
| Patrick Munro (Con) | 12 May 1940 – 13 March 1942 | ||
| Patrick Buchan-Hepburn (Con) | 12 May 1940 – 26 June 1940 | ||
| William Whytehead Boulton (Con) | 12 May 1940 – 13 March 1942 | ||
| Wilfred Paling (Lab) | 18 May 1940 – 8 February 1941 | ||
| James Thomas (Con) | 26 June 1940 – 25 September 1943 | ||
| Thomas Dugdale (Con) | 8 February 1941 – 23 February 1942 | ||
| William Murdoch Adamson (Lab) | 1 March 1941 – 2 October 1944 | ||
| Arthur Young (Con) | 23 February 1942 – 3 July 1944 | ||
| John McEwen (Con) | 13 March 1942 – 6 December 1944 | ||
| Leslie Pym (Con) | 13 March 1942 – 23 May 1945 | ||
| Alec Beechman (Lib Nat) | 25 September 1943 – 23 May 1945 | ||
| Cedric Drewe (Con) | 3 July 1944 – 23 May 1945 | ||
| William John (Lab) | 2 October 1944 – 23 May 1945 | ||
| Patrick Buchan-Hepburn (Con) | 6 December 1944 – 23 May 1945 | ||
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury | David Margesson (Con) | 17 May 1940 – 22 December 1940 | |
| Sir Charles Edwards (Lab) | 17 May 1940 – 12 March 1942 | ||
| James Stuart (Con) | 14 January 1941 – 23 May 1945 | ||
| William Whiteley (Lab) | 12 March 1942 – 23 May 1945 | ||
| Financial Secretary to the Treasury | Harry Crookshank (Con) | 15 May 1940 | |
| Ralph Assheton (Con) | 7 February 1943 | ||
| Osbert Peake (Con) | 29 October 1944 |
| Office | Holder | Date Appointed | Links |
|---|---|---|---|
| Secretary of State for the Home Department and Minister for Home Security |
Sir John Anderson (Nat) | 12 May 1940 | Cabinet memoranda; Ministerial collections; Advertisements |
| Herbert Morrison (Lab) | 2 October 1940 | ||
| Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department | Osbert Peake (Con) | 15 May 1940 | |
| The Earl of Munster (Con) | 31 October 1940 | ||
| Parliamentary Secretary for the Home Department | William Mabane (Lib Nat) | 15 May 1940 – 3 June 1942 | |
| Ellen Wilkinson (Lab) | 8 October 1940 – 23 May 1945 | ||
| Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries | Robert Hudson (Con) | 18 May 1940 | Cabinet memoranda; Ministerial collections; Advertisements |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries | The Lord Moyne (Con) | 15 May 1940 – 8 February 1941 | |
| Tom Williams (Lab) | 15 May 1940 – 23 May 1945 | ||
| The Duke of Norfolk (Con) | 8 February 1941 – 23 May 1945 | ||
| Minister of Aircraft Production | The Lord Beaverbrook (Con) | 14 May 1940 | Cabinet memoranda |
| John Moore-Brabazon (Con) | 1 May 1941 | ||
| John Llewellin (Con) | 22 February 1942 | ||
| Sir Stafford Cripps (Lab) | 22 November 1942 | ||
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Aircraft Production | John Llewellin (Con) | 15 May 1940 | |
| Frederick Montague (Lab) | 1 May 1941 | ||
| Ben Smith (Lab) | 4 March 1942 | ||
| Alan Lennox-Boyd | 11 November 1943 | ||
| Minister of Civil Aviation | The Viscount Swinton (Con) | 8 October 1944 | Cabinet memoranda |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Civil Aviation | Robert Perkins (Con) | 22 March 1945 | |
| President of the Board of Education (Renamed Minister of Education 3 August 1945) | Herwald Ramsbotham (Con) | 14 May 1940 | Cabinet memoranda; Ministerial collections |
| R.A. Butler (Con) | 20 July 1941 | ||
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education | James Chuter Ede (Lab) | 15 May 1940 | |
| Minister of Food |
The Lord Woolton (Con) | 13 May 1940 | Cabinet memoranda; Ministerial collections; Advertisements |
| John Llewellin (Con) | 11 November 1943 | ||
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Food | Robert Boothby (Con) | 15 May 1940 | |
| Gwilym Lloyd-George (Lib) | 22 October 1940 | ||
| William Mabane (Lib Nat) | 3 June 1942 | ||
| Minister of Fuel and Power | Gwilym Lloyd-George (Lib) | 3 June 1942 | Cabinet memoranda |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fuel and Power | Geoffrey Lloyd (Con) | 3 June 1942 – 23 May 1945 | |
| Tom Smith (Lab) | 3 June 1942 – 23 May 1945 | ||
| Minister of Health |
Malcolm MacDonald (Nat Lib) | 13 May 1940 | Cabinet memoranda; Ministerial collections; Advertisements |
| Ernest Brown (Lib Nat) | 8 February 1941 | ||
| Henry Willink (Con) | 11 November 1943 | ||
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health | Florence Horsburgh (Con) | 15 May 1940 | |
| Minister of Information | Duff Cooper (Con) | 12 May 1940 | Cabinet memoranda; Ministerial collections; Advertisements |
| Brendan Bracken (Con) | 20 July 1941 | ||
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Information | Harold Nicholson (Nat Lib) | 17 May 1940 | |
| Ernest Thurtle (Lab) | 20 July 1941 | ||
| Minister of Labour and National Service | Ernest Bevin (Lab) | 13 May 1940 | Cabinet memoranda; Ministerial collections; Advertisements |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Labour | Ralph Assheton (Con) | 15 May 1940 – 4 February 1942 | |
| George Tomlinson (Lab) | 8 February 1941 – 23 May 1945 | ||
| Malcolm McCorquodale (Con) | 4 February 1942 – 23 May 1945 | ||
| Minister for Pensions | Sir Walter Womersley (Con) | 15 May 1940 | Cabinet memoranda |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Pensions | Ellen Wilkinson (Lab) | 17 May 1940 | |
| The Lord Tryon (Con) | 8 October 1940 | ||
| Wilfried Paling (Lab) | 8 February 1941 | ||
| Minister of Reconstruction |
The Lord Woolton (Con) | 11 November 1943 | |
| Secretary of State for Scotland | Ernest Brown (Lib Nat) | 14 May 1940 | Cabinet memoranda |
| Tom Johnston (Lab) | 8 February 1941 | ||
| Under-Secretary of State for Scotland | Joseph Westwood (Lab) | 17 May 1940 – 23 May 1945 | |
| Henry Wedderburn (Con) | 8 February 1941 – 4 March 1942 | ||
| Allan Chapman (Con) | 4 March 1942 – 23 May 1945 | ||
| Minister of Shipping (renamed Minister of War Transport on 1 May 1941) | Ronald Cross (Con) | 14 May 1940 | Cabinet memoranda |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Shipping | Sir Arthur Salter (Ind) | 15 May 1940 | |
| Minister of Social Insurance (renamed Minister of National Insurance 17 Nov. 1944) | Sir William Jowitt (Lab) | 8 October 1944 | Cabinet memoranda |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Insurance | Charles Peat (Con) | 22 March 1945 | |
| Minister of Supply | Herbert Morrison (Lab) | 12 May 1940 | Cabinet memoranda |
| Sir Andrew Rae Duncan (Con) | 3 October 1940 | ||
| The Lord Beaverbrook (Con) | 29 June 1941 | ||
| Sir Andrew Rae Duncan (Con) | 4 February 1942 | ||
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Supply | Harold Macmillan (Con) | 15 May 1940 – 4 February 1942 | |
| Wyndham Raymond Portal (Con) | 4 September 1940 – 22 February 1942 | ||
| Ralph Assheton (Con) | 4 February 1942 – 7 February 1943 | ||
| Charles Peat (Con) | 4 March 1942 – 22 March 1945 | ||
| Duncan Sandys (Con) | 7 February 1943 – 21 November 1944 | ||
| John Wilmot (Lab) | 21 November 1944 – 23 May 1945 | ||
| James de Rothschild (Lib) | 22 March 1945 – 23 May 1945 | ||
| Minister of Town and Country Planning | William Morrison (Con) | 30 December 1942 | Cabinet memoranda |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Town and Country Planning | Henry Strauss (Con) | 30 December 1942 | |
| Arthur Jenkins (Lab) | 22 March 1945 | ||
| President of the Board of Trade | Sir Andrew Rae Duncan (Con) | 12 May 1940 | Cabinet memoranda |
| Oliver Lyttleton (Con) | 3 October 1940 | ||
| Sir Andrew Rae Duncan (Con) | 29 June 1941 | ||
| John Llewellin (Con) | 4 February 1942 | ||
| Hugh Dalton (Lab) | 22 February 1942 | ||
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade | Gwilym Lloyd-George (Lib) | 15 May 1940 | |
| Charles Waterhouse (Con) | 8 February 1941 | ||
| Secretary of State for Mines | David Grenfell (Lab) | 15 May 1940 | Cabinet memoranda |
| Secretary for Petroleum (later combined into Ministry of Fuel and Power) | Geoffrey Lloyd (Con) | 15 May 1940 – 3 June 1942 | Cabinet memoranda |
| Minister of Transport (became Minister of War Transport 1 May 1941) | Sir John Reith (Nat) | 14 May 1940 | Cabinet memoranda |
| John Moore-Brabazon (Con) | 3 October 1940 | ||
| The Lord Leathers (Con) | 1 May 1941 | ||
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of War Transport | Frederick Montague (Lab) | 18 May 1940 – 1 May 1941 | |
| John Llewllin (Con) | 1 May 1941 – 4 February 1942 | ||
| Sir Arthur Salter (Ind) | 29 June 1941 – 4 February 1942 | ||
| Minister of War Production (became Minister of Production 12 March 1942) | The Lord Beaverbrook (Con) | 4 February 1942 – 18 February 1942 | Cabinet memoranda |
| Oliver Lyttelton (Con) | 12 March 1942 | ||
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Production | George Garro-Jones (Lab) | 10 September 1942 | |
| Minister of Works and Buildings (renamed Minister of Works and Planning 11 Feb. 1942, and Minister of Works Feb. 1943) | The Lord Tryon (Con) | 18 May 1940 | Cabinet memoranda; Ministerial collections; Advertisements |
| Sir John Reith (Nat) | 3 October 1940 | ||
| The Lord Portal (Con) | 22 February 1942 | ||
| Duncan Sandys (Con) | 21 November 1944 | ||
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Works | George Hicks (Lab) | 19 November 1940 – 23 May 1945 | |
| Henry Strauss (Con) | 4 March 1942 – 30 December 1942 |
| Office | Holder | Date Appointed | Links |
|---|---|---|---|
| Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs | Viscount Halifax (Con) | 11 May 1940 | Cabinet memoranda; Ministerial collections |
| Anthony Eden (Con) | 22 December 1940 | ||
| Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs | R.A. Butler (Con) | 15 May 1940 | |
| Richard Law (Con) | 20 July 1941 | ||
| George Henry Hall (Lab) | 25 September 1943 | ||
| Secretary of State for the Colonies | The Lord Lloyd (Con) | 12 May 1940 | Cabinet memoranda |
| The Lord Moyne (Con) | 8 February 1941 | ||
| Viscount Cranborne (Con) | 22 February 1942 | ||
| Oliver Stanley (Con) | 22 November 1942 | ||
| Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies | George Hall (Lab) | 15 May 1940 | |
| Harold Macmillan (Con) | 4 February 1942 | ||
| The Duke of Devonshire (Con) | 1 January 1943 | ||
| Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs | The Viscount Caldecote (Con) | 14 May 1940 | Cabinet memoranda |
| Viscount Cranborne (Con) | 3 October 1940 | ||
| Clement Attlee (Lab) | 19 February 1942 | ||
| Viscount Cranborne (Con) | 24 September 1943 | ||
| Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs | Geoffrey Shakespeare (Lib Nat) | 15 May 1940 | |
| Paul Emrys-Evans (Con) | 4 March 1942 | ||
| Secretary of State for India and Burma | Leo Amery (Con) | 13 May 1940 | Cabinet memoranda |
| Parliamentary Secretary for India and Burma | The Duke of Devonshire (Con) | 17 May 1940 | |
| The Earl of Munster (Con) | 1 January 1943 | ||
| The Earl of Listowel (Lab) | 31 October 1944 | ||
| Secretary for Overseas Trade | Harcourt Johnstone (Lib) | 15 May 1940 | Cabinet memoranda |
| Office | Holder | Date Appointed | Links |
|---|---|---|---|
| Secretary of State for War | Anthony Eden (Con) | 11 May 1940 | Cabinet memoranda; Advertisements |
| David Margesson (Con) | 22 December 1940 | ||
| Sir P.J. Grigg (Nat) | 22 February 1942 | ||
| Under-Secretary of State for War | Sir Henry Page Croft (Con) | 17 May 1940 – 23 May 1945 | |
| Sir Edward Grigg (Con) | 17 May 1940 – 4 March 1942 | ||
| Arthur Henderson (Lab) | 4 March 1942 – 7 February 1943 | ||
| Financial Secretary to the War Office | Richard Law (Con) | 17 May 1940 | |
| Duncan Sandys (Con) | 20 July 1941 | ||
| Arthur Henderson (Lab) | 7 February 1943 | ||
| First Lord of the Admiralty | A.V. Alexander (Lab) | 11 May 1940 | Cabinet memoranda |
| Civil Lord of the Admiralty | Sir Austin Hudson, Bt (Con) | 15 May 1940 | |
| Richard Pilkington (Con) | 4 March 1942 | ||
| Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty | Sir Victor Warrender, Bt (Con) | 17 May 1940 | |
| Financial Secretary to the Admiralty | George Hall (Lab) | 4 February 1942 | |
| James Thomas (Con) | 25 September 1943 | ||
| Secretary of State for Air | Sir Archibald Sinclair, Bt (Lib) | 11 May 1940 | Cabinet memoranda |
| Under-Secretary of State for Air | Harold Balfour (Con) | 15 May 1940 – 21 November 1944 | |
| The Lord Sherwood (Lib) | 20 July 1941 – 23 May 1945 | ||
| Rupert Brabner (Con) | 21 November 1944 – 27 March 1945 | ||
| Quintin Hogg (Con) | 12 April 1945 – 23 May 1945 | ||
| Minister of Economic Warfare | Hugh Dalton (Lab) | 15 May 1940 | Cabinet memoranda |
| Viscount Wolmer (Con) | 22 February 1942 | ||
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Economic Warfare | Dingle Foot (Lib) | 17 May 1940 |
| Office | Holder | Date Appointed | Links |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | The Lord Hankey (Ind) | 14 May 1940 | Cabinet memoranda |
| Duff Cooper (Con) | 20 July 1941 | ||
| Ernest Brown (Lib Nat) | 11 November 1943 | ||
| Paymaster General | Viscount Cranborne (Con) | 15 May 1940 | Cabinet memoranda |
| The Lord Hankey (Ind) | 20 July 1941 | ||
| Sir William Jowitt (Lab) | 4 March 1942 | ||
| The Lord Cherwell (Con) | 30 December 1942 | ||
| Postmaster-General | William Morrison (Con) | 15 May 1940 | Cabinet memoranda |
| Harry Crookshank (Con) | 7 February 1943 | ||
| Assistant Postmaster-General | Charles Waterhouse (Con) | 17 May 1940 | |
| Allan Chapman (Con) | 1 March 1941 | ||
| Robert Grimston (Con) | 4 March 1942 | ||
| Minister of State | The Lord Beaverbrook (Con) | 1 May 1941 | |
| Oliver Lyttelton (Con) | 29 June 1941 | ||
| Deputy Minister of State | The Lord Moyne (Con) | 27 August 1942 – 28 January 1944 | |
| Minister without Portfolio | Arthur Greenwood (Lab) | 11 May 1940 – 22 February 1942 | Cabinet memoranda |
| Sir William Jowitt (Lab) | 30 December 1942 – 8 October 1944 | ||
| Attorney General | Sir Donald Somervell (Con) | 15 May 1940 | Cabinet memoranda |
| Solicitor General | Sir William Jowitt (Lab) | 15 May 1940 | |
| Sir David Maxwell Fyfe (Con) | 4 March 1942 | ||
| Lord Advocate | Thomas Cooper (Con) | 15 May 1940 | |
| James Reid (Con) | 5 June 1941 | ||
| Solicitor General for Scotland | James Reid (Con) | 15 May 1940 | |
| David King Murray (Con) | 5 June 1941 | ||
| Treasurer of the Household | Robert Grimston (Con) | 17 May 1940 | |
| Sir James Edmondson (Con) | 12 March 1942 | ||
| Comptroller of the Household | William Whiteley (Lab) | 17 May 1940 | |
| William John (Lab) | 12 March 1942 | ||
| George Mathers (Lab) | 2 October 1944 | ||
| Vice-Chamberlain of the Household | Sir James Edmondson (Con) | 17 May 1940 | |
| William Whytehead Boulton (Con) | 12 March 1942 | ||
| Arthur Young (Con) | 13 July 1944 | ||
| Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms | The Lord Snell (Lab) | 31 May 1940 – 21 April 1944 | |
| The Earl Fortescue (Con) | 22 March 1945 | ||
| Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard | The Lord Templemore (Con) | 31 May 1940 | |
| Lords in Waiting | The Earl Fortescue (Con) | 31 May 1940 – 22 March 1945 | |
| The Viscount Clifden (Lib) | 31 May 1940 – 23 May 1945 | ||
| The Lord Alness (Lib Nat) | 31 May 1940 – 23 May 1945 | ||
| The Marquess of Normanby (Con) | 22 March 1945 – 23 May 1945 | ||
| Minister Resident, North-West Africa | Harold Macmillan (Con) | 30 December 1942 | |
| Minister Resident, Middle East | Oliver Lyttelton (Con) | 19 February 1942 | |
| Richard Casey (Ind) | 19 March 1942 | ||
| The Lord Moyne (Con) | 28 January 1944 | ||
| Sir Edward Grigg (Con) | 21 November 1944 | ||
| Minister Resident, Washington | John Llewellin (Con) | 22 November 1942 | |
| Ben Smith (Lab) | 11 November 1943 | ||
| Minister Resident, West Africa | The Viscount Swinton (Con) | 8 June 1942 | |
| Harold Balfour (Con) | 21 November 1944 |
The following party political affiliations have been listed by the names of each Minister and Cabinet Officer:
- (Con) – Conservative
- (Ind) – Independent
- (Lib) – Liberal
- (Lib Nat) – Liberal National
- (Lab) – Labour
- (Nat) – National
