Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom facts for kids
The Deputy Prime Minister (or DPM) is the second highest ranking executive officer of the government of the United Kingdom and the deputy chief of the Cabinet. The Deputy Prime Minister is normally a post held by the deputy leader of the majority party, the leader of the junior party in a coalition, or is held by a high ranking member of the government including offices such as First Secretary of State or Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Unlike other countries, the position of Deputy Prime Minister is not always needed. Because of this there is not always a sitting Deputy Prime Minister. This means that it is up to the Prime Minister to choose whether or not he/she wants to have a deputy. The position was created in 1942 and Clement Attlee was the first Deputy Prime Minister. There has been no Deputy Prime Minister since 2015. The last person to hold this post was Nick Clegg.
List of Deputy Prime Ministers
- Clement Attlee (1942–1945)
- Herbert Morrison (1945–1951)
- Anthony Eden (1951–1955)
- Rab Butler (1962–1963)
- Geoffrey Howe (1989–1990)
- Michael Heseltine (1995–1997)
- John Prescott (1997–2007)
- Nick Clegg (2010–2015)
