In the United Kingdom, there are at least six Lords of the Treasury who serve concurrently. Traditionally, this board (serving as a commission for the Lord High Treasurer) consists of the First Lord of the Treasury, the Second Lord of the Treasury, and four or more junior lords (to whom this title is usually applied).
Strictly they are commissioners for exercising the office of Lord High Treasurer (similar to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty exercising the office of Lord High Admiral). This office has continually been in commission since the resignation in 1714 of Charles, Duke of Shrewsbury, who was appointed to the office by Queen Anne on her deathbed.
Until the 19th century, this commission made most of the economic decisions of Great Britain (England, before the Act of Union 1707). However, starting during the 19th century, these positions became sinecure positions, with the First Lord serving almost invariably as Prime Minister, the Second Lord invariably as Chancellor of the Exchequer (the exchequer being the modern treasury of the United Kingdom), and the junior lords serving as assistant whips in Parliament.
Currently, there are seven lords of the treasury:
- Prime Minister and First Lord – The Rt Hon. David Cameron MP
- Chancellor of the Exchequer and Second Lord – The Rt Hon. George Osborne MP
- Junior Lords
- The Rt Hon. Desmond Swayne MP
- Anne Milton MP
- Mark Lancaster MP
- David Evenett MP
- Robert Goodwill MP
- Stephen Crabb MP
Famous quotes containing the words lord and/or treasury:
“In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.”
—Bible: New Testament, Luke 2:8,9.
“Listen to me, imbecile. If the Treasury is important, then human life is not. This is clear. All those who think like you ought to admit this reasoning and count their lives for nothing because they hold money for everything.”
—Albert Camus (1913–1960)