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Lord Chancellor facts for kids

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Not to be confused with the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
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Lord Chancellor
Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (HM Government).svg
Official portrait of Rt Hon Robert Buckland MP.jpg
Incumbent
Robert Buckland
since 24 July 2019
Style The Right Honourable
Appointer The Sovereign
on advice of the Prime Minister
Inaugural holder The Lord Cowper
Formation May 1707
of Kingdom of Great Britain

The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign on the advice of the Prime Minister. Before the Union there were separate Lord Chancellors of England and Scotland.

Until Tony Blair became Prime Minister the Lord Chancellor was required to be a member of the House of Lords,was its presiding officer, and was Britain's highest-ranking judge. Blair tried to abolish the position and wound up removing some of its responsibilities and dividing others, and now the holder is usually in the House of Commons. The Lord Chancellor remains responsible for the Great Seal and for the efficient functioning and independence of the courts. The current Lord Chancellor is Robert Buckland.

Formerly, there were separate Chancellors of England, Scotland and Ireland. When the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland united to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain under the Acts of Union 1707 the offices of the Chancellor of England and the Lord Chancellor of Scotland were combined to form a single office of Lord Chancellor of Great Britain for the new state.

Images for kids

  • Player's cigarettes 19 Lord High Chancellor of England

    The Viscount Hailsham wearing the uniform of the Lord High Chancellor, depicted on a cigarette card produced for the Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1937

  • Wolsey banner

    Heraldic banner of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, who was the archbishop of York and lord chancellor, showing the arms of the See of York impaling his personal arms, with a cardinal's hat above. The griffin supporter holds the lord chancellor's mace

  • Jack Straw meeting with Rumsfeld at Pentagon, May 19, 2005, cropped

    Jack Straw was the first commoner to be appointed as Lord Chancellor since 1587.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Lord canciller para niños

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