President of the Board of Trade facts for kids

Quick facts for kids United Kingdom President of the Board of Trade
Royal Arms as used by His Majesty's Government
Incumbent Jonathan Reynolds since 5 July 2024
Board of Trade
Style	The Right Honourable (Formal prefix) President of the Board of Trade
Member of	British Cabinet Privy Council
Reports to	The Prime Minister
Seat	Westminster, London
Appointer	The Sovereign on advice of the Prime Minister
Term length	No fixed term

The President of the Board of Trade is a very important job in the United Kingdom government. This person leads the Board of Trade, which is a special group within the Privy Council. The Board of Trade helps manage how the UK trades with other countries.

This role started a long time ago as a small committee. Over time, it grew into a full government department with many different tasks. The person holding this job right now is Jonathan Reynolds. He is also the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, which means he has two big roles at once!

The History of the Board of Trade

How the Board of Trade Began

The idea for a Board of Trade first came about in 1655. Oliver Cromwell appointed his son, Richard Cromwell, to lead a group. This group included important people like Lords, judges, and merchants. Their job was to find ways to make trade better for the country.

Later, King Charles II set up a Council of Trade in 1660. He also created a Council of Foreign Plantations. These two groups joined together in 1672 to form the Board of Trade and Plantations.

Changes Over Time

The Board was set up again in 1696. It had 15 (later 16) members. Some were "great officers of state," who were very important government officials. The others were unofficial members who did most of the daily work. The main unofficial member was called the First Lord of Trade.

In 1782, the Board was closed down. But a new committee was formed in 1784 for the same purposes. In 1786, an even newer committee was created. This one focused more on business and trade. At first, the President of the Board of Trade didn't always sit in the Cabinet. But from the early 1800s, it usually became a top-level job in the Cabinet.

In 2020, there was a special, one-time appointment of a Deputy President. This person was an adviser to the Board. This role doesn't exist anymore. Before that, the President was sometimes helped by a Vice President.

Who Has Been President of the Board of Trade?

First Lord of Trade (1672–1782)

First Lord			Time in Office		Monarch
		Anthony Ashley Cooper 1st Earl of Shaftesbury	16 September 1672	1676	Charles II (1660–1685)
		Thomas Grey 2nd Earl of Stamford	9 June 1699	19 June 1702	William III (1689–1702)
		Thomas Grey 2nd Earl of Stamford	1705	12 June 1711	Anne (1702–1714
		Thomas Fane 6th Earl of Westmorland	11 May 1719	May 1735	George I (1714–1727
		George Montagu-Dunk 2nd Earl of Halifax	1 November 1748	21 March 1761	George II (1727–1760
		William Legge 2nd Earl of Dartmouth	31 August 1772	10 November 1775	George III (1760–1820)

President of the Committee on Trade and Foreign Plantations (1784–1786)

President of the Committee			Time in Office		Party	Ministry	Monarch
		Thomas Townshend 1st Viscount Sydney	5 March 1784	23 August 1786	Whig	Pitt I	George III (1760–1820)

President of the Board of Trade (1786–1963)

President of the Board Constituency			Time in Office		Party	Ministry	Monarch	Ref
		Charles Jenkinson 1st Earl of Liverpool	23 August 1786	7 June 1804	Tory	Pitt I	George III (1760–1820)
		F. J. Robinson MP for Ripon	24 January 1818	21 February 1823	Tory	Liverpool
		George Eden Lord Auckland	22 November 1830	5 June 1834	Whig	Grey	William IV (1830–1837)
		Henry Labouchere MP for Taunton	29 August 1839	30 August 1841	Whig	Melbourne II		Victoria (1837–1901)
		William Ewart Gladstone MP for Newark	15 May 1843	5 February 1845	Conservative	Peel II
		David Lloyd George MP for Carnarvon Boroughs	10 December 1905	12 April 1908	Liberal	Campbell-Bannerman	Edward VII (1901–1910)
		Walter Runciman MP for Dewsbury	5 August 1914	5 December 1916	Liberal	Asquith Coalition		George V (1910–1936)
		Sidney Webb MP for Seaham	22 January 1924	3 November 1924	Labour	MacDonald I
		Oliver Lyttelton MP for Aldershot	3 October 1940	29 June 1941	Conservative	Churchill War	George VI (1936–1952)
		Harold Wilson MP for Ormskirk → Huyton	29 September 1947	23 April 1951	Labour	Attlee I
		Peter Thorneycroft MP for Monmouth	30 October 1951	13 January 1957	Conservative	Churchill III	Elizabeth II (1952–2022)

President of the Board of Trade (1963–Present)

President of the Board Constituency			Time in Office		Concurrent office(s)	Party	Ministry	Monarch	Ref
		Edward Heath MP for Bexley	20 October 1963	16 October 1964	Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development	Conservative	Douglas-Home	Elizabeth II (1952–2022)
		Anthony Crosland MP for Great Grimsby	29 August 1967	6 October 1969	None	Labour	Wilson II
		John Davies MP for Knutsford	15 October 1970	5 November 1972	Secretary of State for Trade and Industry	Conservative	Heath
		Peter Shore MP for Stepney and Poplar	5 March 1974	8 April 1976	Secretary of State for Trade	Labour	Wilson III
		Norman Tebbit MP for Chingford	16 October 1983	2 September 1985	Secretary of State for Trade and Industry	Conservative	Thatcher II
		Peter Mandelson MP for Hartlepool	3 October 2008	12 May 2010	Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills	Labour	Brown
		Kemi Badenoch MP for Saffron Walden	6 September 2022	5 July 2024	Secretary of State for International Trade	Conservative	Truss	Charles III (2022–)
		Jonathan Reynolds MP for Stalybridge and Hyde	5 July 2024	Incumbent	Secretary of State for Business and Trade	Labour	Starmer	Charles III (2022–)

Timeline of Presidents