Chair of the Unionist Party
| Chairwoman of the Unionist Party | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Party chair |
| Status | Chief operating officer |
| Inaugural holder | The Baroness Wilton |
| Formation | 1 May 2024 |
The Chair of the Unionist Party is the second-highest position in the Unionist Party. The current holder is The Baroness Avon, who assumed the role on the 27 April 2026.
From the party's formation until 27 May 2024, there was no formal process for electing a Chair and its inaugural holder, Lady Wilton, held the role de facto without contest, with the agreement of the Unionist Frontbench. Following the adoption of the Party Charter during the Unionist's first conference in Brighton, August Carew, The Baron Calder was the first Chair to be elected. He assumed the role on 27 June 2024, before being elected the next Leader of the Unionist Party.
The role is mostly ceremonial, but they are responsible for conducting elections for a party leader and serving as Acting Leader of the Party when there is not an incumbent leader.
Selection Process
Chairs of the Unionist Party
| Member of the House of Commons | |
| Member of the House of Lords | |
| Non-parliamentarian |
| Portrait | Chair | Parliamentary Office | Took office | Left office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
The Baroness Wilton | MP for Queen's Park and Maida Vale | 1 May 2024 (Founder) |
27 June 2024 (58 days) | |
|
The Baron Calder | MP for County Clare | 27 June 2024 (Elected) |
4 October 2024 (100 days) | |
|
The Earl of Devon | MP for East Devon | 4 October 2024 (Elected) |
27 March 2025 (175 days) | |
| Lord Temporal | |||||
|
Lady Hereford | MP for South Norfolk | 30 March 2025 (Elected) |
24 August 2025 (148 days) | |
| Non-Parliamentarian | |||||
|
The Earl of Lothian | Lord Temporal | 27 August 2025 (Elected) |
9 November 2025 (75 days) | |
|
The Duke of Devonshire | MP for East Devon | 9 November 2025 (Elected) |
7 January 2026 (60 days) | |
| Lord Temporal | |||||
|
The Viscount Marloes | MP for Preseli Pembrokeshire | 7 January 2026 (Elected) |
17 February 2026 (42 days) | |
|
The Duchess of Bedford | MP for Windsor and Maidenhead | 17 February 2026 (Elected) |
24 March 2026 (36 days) | |
|
The Lord Palmerston | Non-Parliamentarian | 24 March 2026 (Elected) |
20 April 2026 (28 days) | |
| MP for Chichester | |||||
|
The Lady Avon | MP for Clark | 27 April 2026 (Elected) |
Incumbent (7 days) | |