Wood, (Howard) Kingsley (1881-1943)

English Conservative politician who served in the governments of Stanley Baldwin and Neville Chamberlain in the 1930s, and was chancellor of the Exchequer (1940-43) in the all-party wartime coalition.

Wood trained as a lawyer but entered politics, being elected Unionist MP for West Woolwich in 1918. He was appointed postmaster-general in the National Government of 1931-35. He became minister of health in 1935 and secretary of state for air in 1938. As chancellor of the Exchequer, he sought the advice of the economist John Maynard Keynes and introduced the ‘pay-as-you-earn’ (PAYE) system of income tax, but died before it was announced. He was knighted in 1918.