List of prime ministers of the United Kingdom: Difference between revisions
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|colspan="5"|<small>[[2007 London car bombs|London car bombs]] prevented from detonating; [[2007 Glasgow International Airport attack|Glasgow Airport attack]]; [[Loss of United Kingdom child benefit data (2007)|child benefit data misplaced]]; [[Donorgate]]; [[Nationalisation of Northern Rock|Northern Rock]] and [[Banking (Special Provisions) Act 2008|other banks]] nationalised; [[Treaty of Lisbon]] [[Ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon|ratified]]; [[Starting rate of UK income tax|10p Tax rate]] abolished; [[Financial crisis of 2007–2010]]; [[Cannabis classification in the United Kingdom|Cannabis moved back to Class B]]; [[United Kingdom Parliamentary expenses scandal|Parliamentary expenses scandal]]; [[Release of Abdelbaset al-Megrahi]]; [[Damian Green#2008 arrest|arrest of Damian Green]]; [[Iraq Inquiry|Chilcot Inquiry]] established. |
|colspan="5"|<small>[[2007 London car bombs|London car bombs]] prevented from detonating; [[2007 Glasgow International Airport attack|Glasgow Airport attack]]; [[Loss of United Kingdom child benefit data (2007)|child benefit data misplaced]]; [[Donorgate]]; [[Nationalisation of Northern Rock|Northern Rock]] and [[Banking (Special Provisions) Act 2008|other banks]] nationalised; [[Treaty of Lisbon]] [[Ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon|ratified]]; [[Starting rate of UK income tax|10p Tax rate]] abolished; [[Financial crisis of 2007–2010]]; [[Cannabis classification in the United Kingdom|Cannabis moved back to Class B]]; [[United Kingdom Parliamentary expenses scandal|Parliamentary expenses scandal]]; [[Release of Abdelbaset al-Megrahi]]; [[Damian Green#2008 arrest|arrest of Damian Green]]; [[Iraq Inquiry|Chilcot Inquiry]] established; [[Air travel disruption after the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption]]. |
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|colspan="2" align="center"| [[United Kingdom general election, 2010|2010]]</small> |
|colspan="2" align="center"| [[United Kingdom general election, 2010|2010]]</small> |
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|colspan="5"| <small>[[Hung parliament]]; leading a [[coalition government]] with the [[Liberal Democrats]]. [[Bloody Sunday Inquiry|Bloody Sunday apology]]; [[Spending Review#2010 Spending Review|Spending]] and [[Strategic Defence and Security Review|Strategic Defence]] reviews (budget cuts to public services with ensuing the [[2011 United Kingdom anti-austerity protests|2011 UK anti-austerity protests and strikes]]); [[2010 UK student protests|2010 student protests]]; [[Arab Spring|Arab Spring protests]]; [[2011 military intervention in Libya|Military intervention in Libya]] ([[Operation Ellamy]]); [[United Kingdom Alternative Vote referendum, 2011|Alternative Vote (AV) referendum]]; [[News International phone hacking scandal]]; [[Welfare Reform Act 2012|Welfare Reform Act]], [[Health and Social Care Act 2012|Health and Social Care Act]]; [[2011 England riots|2011 riots]]; [[European Fiscal Union]] veto; [[2012 United Kingdom cash for access scandal|Cash for access scandal]]; [[2012 Summer Olympics|London 2012 Summer Olympics]]; [[2012 Summer Paralympics|London 2012 Summer Paralympics]]; [[Jimmy Savile sexual abuse scandal]]; [[Belfast City Hall flag protests]]; [[2013 meat adulteration scandal|2013 horsemeat scandal]]; Closure of the [[BBC Television Centre]]. |
|colspan="5"| <small>[[Hung parliament]]; leading a [[coalition government]] with the [[Liberal Democrats]]. [[Bloody Sunday Inquiry|Bloody Sunday apology]]; [[Spending Review#2010 Spending Review|Spending]] and [[Strategic Defence and Security Review|Strategic Defence]] reviews (budget cuts to public services with ensuing the [[2011 United Kingdom anti-austerity protests|2011 UK anti-austerity protests and strikes]]); [[2010 UK student protests|2010 student protests]]; [[Arab Spring|Arab Spring protests]]; [[2011 military intervention in Libya|Military intervention in Libya]] ([[Operation Ellamy]]); [[United Kingdom Alternative Vote referendum, 2011|Alternative Vote (AV) referendum]]; [[News International phone hacking scandal]]; [[Welfare Reform Act 2012|Welfare Reform Act]], [[Health and Social Care Act 2012|Health and Social Care Act]]; [[2011 England riots|2011 riots]]; [[European Fiscal Union]] veto; [[2012 United Kingdom cash for access scandal|Cash for access scandal]]; [[2012 Summer Olympics|London 2012 Summer Olympics]]; [[2012 Summer Paralympics|London 2012 Summer Paralympics]]; [[Jimmy Savile sexual abuse scandal]]; [[Belfast City Hall flag protests]]; [[2013 meat adulteration scandal|2013 horsemeat scandal]]; Closure of the [[BBC Television Centre]]; Hospital scandal. |
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Revision as of 12:09, 19 June 2013
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is the political leader of the country and the Head of Her Majesty's Government. The office holder is responsible for nominating all other members of the government, chairing Cabinet meetings and deciding when to call a new general election for the House of Commons.[1][2] The Prime Minister can also make nominations to senior positions in the Church of England, nominate judges and propose the creation of new life peers.[3]
There is no specific date when the office of Prime Minister first appeared, as the role was not created but evolved over a period of time.[4] The term was used in the House of Commons in 1805,[5] it was certainly in Parliamentary use by the 1880s,[6] and in 1905 the post of Prime Minister was officially given recognition in the order of precedence.[7] Modern historians generally apply the title of First Prime Minister to Sir Robert Walpole, who led the government of Great Britain for twenty-one years from 1721 to 1742[8][9] and is the longest serving Prime Minister of the country.[10]
Due to the gradual evolution of the post of Prime Minister, the title is applied to early Prime Ministers only retrospectively; this has sometimes given rise to academic dispute. William Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath and James Waldegrave, 2nd Earl Waldegrave are both sometimes listed as Prime Ministers. Bath was invited to form a ministry following the resignation of Henry Pelham in 1746, as was Waldegrave in 1757 following the dismissal of William Pitt the Elder (the dominant figure of the first Devonshire Ministry). Neither was able to command sufficient Parliamentary support to form a government; Bath stepped down after two days, and Waldegrave after four. Modern academic consensus does not consider either man to have held the office of Prime Minister, and they are not listed below.
Before 1721
- See also: Lord High Treasurer (list) and First Lord of the Treasury.
Prior to the creation of the United Kingdom, the Treasury of England was led by the Lord High Treasurer. From Tudor times the Lord High Treasurer was regarded as one of the Great Officers of State, and was often (though not always) the dominant figure in the government: Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset (Lord High Treasurer 1547–1549) served as Lord Protector to his nephew Edward VI; William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley (Lord High Treasurer 1572–1598) served Elizabeth I as chief advisor; Burghley's son Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury (Lord Privy Seal and Secretary of State; Lord High Treasurer 1608–1612) succeeded his father as chief minister to Elizabeth I and then James I.
The last Lord High Treasurers before the post went permanently into commission[clarification needed], Sidney Godolphin, 1st Earl of Godolphin (Lord High Treasurer 1702–1710) and Robert Harley, 1st Earl of Oxford and Mortimer (Lord High Treasurer 1711–1714), led the government of Queen Anne.
From the 17th century onwards, the office of Lord High Treasurer was frequently exercised not by a single individual, but by a commission of Lords of the Treasury, led by the First Lord of the Treasury. Following the succession of George I in 1714, this arrangement became permanent. From 1714–1717 the ministry was led by Viscount Townshend, who was nominally Northern Secretary, having[clarification needed] three different First Lords. From 1717–1721 Lords Stanhope and Sunderland led the administration jointly, with Stanhope managing foreign affairs and Sunderland managing domestic affairs. Stanhope died in February 1721 and Sunderland resigned in April 1721; Townshend and Walpole returned to office. From this point, the First Lord was known unofficially as the "Prime Minister"; the Prime Minister still holds the title of First Lord of the Treasury.
Appointed under
Colour key
(for political parties)
George I (1714–1727) and George II (1727–1760)
| Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) Constituency/Title |
Term of office — Electoral mandates |
Other ministerial offices held while Prime Minister |
Political party of PM |
Government | Refs | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="4" style="background-color: Template:Whig (British political party)/meta/color" | | 
|
Sir Robert Walpole (1676–1745) MP for King's Lynn until 1742 Earl of Orford from 1742 |
4 April 1721 |
15 May 1730 |
First Lord of the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exchequer & Leader of the House of Commons |
Whig | Walpole/Townshend | [8][10][11][12] |
| 15 May 1730 |
11 February 1742 |
Walpole | ||||||
| 1722, 1727, 1734, 1741 | ||||||||
| Regarded as the first Prime Minister in the modern sense; the crash of the South Sea Bubble in 1720; the Licensing Act 1737; resigned after a failing performance in dealing with the War of Jenkins' Ear, which began in 1739, and accusations of corruption in 1742. | ||||||||
| rowspan="3" style="background-color: Template:Whig (British political party)/meta/color" | | 
|
Spencer Compton, 1st Earl of Wilmington (1673–1743) |
16 February 1742 |
2 July 1743† |
First Lord of the Treasury | Whig | Carteret | [13] |
| — | ||||||||
| Titular head of the Carteret Ministry; Increased tax on spirits; in poor health for much of his time as Prime Minister. †Died in office. | ||||||||
| rowspan="3" style="background-color: Template:Whig (British political party)/meta/color" | | 
|
Henry Pelham (1694–1754) MP for Sussex |
27 August 1743 |
6 March 1754† |
First Lord of the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exchequer & Leader of the House of Commons |
Whig | Carteret; Broad Bottom |
[14][15][16][17] |
| 1747 | ||||||||
| Entered and saw to completion British involvement in the War of the Austrian Succession from 1744 to 1748; Jacobite Rising from 1745–1746; First Carnatic War (1746–1748); Reorganisation of the Royal Navy in the Consolidation Act 1749; Second Carnatic War (1749–1754); adoption of the Gregorian Calendar in 1752; Jewish Naturalization Act 1753; Marriage Act 1753. †Died in office. | ||||||||
| rowspan="3" style="background-color: Template:Whig (British political party)/meta/color" | | 
|
Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle (1693–1768) |
16 March 1754 |
16 November 1756 |
First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Lords |
Whig | Newcastle I | [13][18][19] |
| 1754 | ||||||||
| Took over government from after his brother died in office; Controversially attempted to reduce interest on National Debt; Led Britain into the French and Indian War in 1754, absorbed, after the Fall of Minorca into the Seven Years War; replaced due to poor performance in the war. | ||||||||
| rowspan="3" style="background-color: Template:Whig (British political party)/meta/color" | | 
|
William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire (1720–1764) |
16 November 1756 |
25 June 1757 |
First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Lords |
Whig | Devonshire/Pitt; 1757 Caretaker |
[13][20] |
| — | ||||||||
| Replaced Newcastle; The court-martial and execution of Admiral Byng; The government was largely run by William Pitt the Elder until dismissed for his opposition to the course of the continental war and the execution of Byng; Resigned at will of the King and due to public outrage at the execution of Byng. | ||||||||
| rowspan="3" style="background-color: Template:Whig (British political party)/meta/color" | |
|
Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle (1693–1768) |
2 July 1757 |
26 May 1762 |
First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Lords |
Whig | Newcastle II | [13][21] |
| 1761 | ||||||||
| Focused on the Seven Years War, prosecuted largely by Pitt the Elder as Secretary of State; Executed a strategy of continental war combined with expeditions against French colonies; Annus Mirabilis of 1759- Captured Senegal, Gambia, Louisbourg, Quebec, defended Madras and prevented a French invasion of Britain with naval victories at Lagos and Quiberon; George III's personal opposition led to a change of ministry. | ||||||||
George III (1760–1820)
| Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) Constituency/Title |
Term of office — Electoral mandates |
Other ministerial offices held while Prime Minister |
Political party of PM |
Government | Refs | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="3" style="background-color: Template:Tory (British political party)/meta/color" | | 
|
John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute (1713–1792) |
26 May 1762 |
8 April 1763 |
First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Lords |
Tory | Bute | [22] |
| — | ||||||||
| First Scottish Prime Minister. Ended the dominance of the Whigs; Treaty of Paris (1763) ending the Seven Years' War; resigned after fierce criticism of Treaty of Paris concessions. | ||||||||
| rowspan="3" style="background-color: Template:Whig (British political party)/meta/color" | | 
|
George Grenville (1712–1770) MP for Buckingham |
16 April 1763 |
13 July 1765 |
First Lord of the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exchequer & Leader of the House of Commons |
Whig (Grenvillite) | Grenville | [23] |
| — | ||||||||
| Briefly lowered domestic tax at the expense of the colonies, though this was rapidly repealed; introduced the unenforceable Stamp Act 1765 (which is popularly cited as one of the causes of the American Revolution). His repealing of the taxes he rolled out were for all except that on tea, which was used as a reason for the Boston Tea Party. | ||||||||
| rowspan="3" style="background-color: Template:Whig (British political party)/meta/color" | | 
|
Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham (1730–1782) |
13 July 1765 |
30 July 1766 |
First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Lords |
Whig (Rockingham) | Rockingham I | [24] |
| — | ||||||||
| Repealed the controversial Stamp Act 1765, inspired by protests from both American colonists and British manufacturers who were affected by it and its difficulty to enforce; introduced the Declaratory Act 1766. | ||||||||
| rowspan="3" style="background-color: Template:Whig (British political party)/meta/color" | | 
|
William Pitt the Elder, 1st Earl of Chatham (1708–1778) |
30 July 1766 |
14 October 1768 |
Lord Privy Seal | Whig (Chathamite) | Chatham | [25] |
| — | ||||||||
| The first real Imperialist; credited with the birth of the British Empire; defeated France in Canada, thereby indirectly precipitating the French Revolution. | ||||||||
| rowspan="3" style="background-color: Template:Whig (British political party)/meta/color" | | 
|
Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton (1735–1811) |
14 October 1768 |
28 January 1770 |
First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Lords |
Whig (Chathamite) | Grafton | [26] |
| 1768 | ||||||||
| Attempted to reconcile with the American colonies. | ||||||||
| rowspan="3" style="background-color: Template:Tory (British political party)/meta/color" | | 
|
Frederick North, Lord North (1732–1792) MP for Banbury |
28 January 1770 |
22 March 1782 |
First Lord of the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exchequer & Leader of the House of Commons |
Tory | North | [27] |
| 1774, 1780 | ||||||||
| Led Great Britain into the American Revolution; the Gordon Riots; attempted reform in Ireland; resigned after a vote of no confidence against the will of the King. | ||||||||
| rowspan="3" style="background-color: Template:Whig (British political party)/meta/color" | |
|
Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham (1730–1782) |
27 March 1782 |
1 July 1782† |
First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Lords |
Whig (Rockingham) | Rockingham II | [13] |
| — | ||||||||
| Acknowledged the independence of the United States; began a process of economic reform. †Died in office. | ||||||||
| rowspan="3" style="background-color: Template:Whig (British political party)/meta/color" | | 
|
William Petty-FitzMaurice, 2nd Earl of Shelburne (1737–1805) |
4 July 1782 |
2 April 1783 |
First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Lords |
Whig (Chathamite) | Shelburne | [13] |
| — | ||||||||
| Planned political reform; secured peace with the United States, France and Spain. | ||||||||
| rowspan="3" style="background-color: Template:Whig (British political party)/meta/color" | | 
|
William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland (1738–1809) |
2 April 1783 |
19 December 1783 |
First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Lords |
Whig | Fox–North Coalition | [13] |
| — | ||||||||
| The only prime minister to have led both the Whig and the Tory parties. Titular head of the Fox–North Coalition. Attempted to reform the British East India Company, but was blocked by George III. | ||||||||
| rowspan="3" style="background-color: Template:Tory (British political party)/meta/color" | | 
|
William Pitt the Younger (1759–1806) MP for Appleby until 1784 MP for Cambridge University from 1784 |
19 December 1783 |
14 March 1801 |
First Lord of the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exchequer & Leader of the House of Commons |
Tory (Pittite) | Pitt the Younger I | [28] |
| 1784, 1790, 1796 | ||||||||
| Youngest Prime Minister. India Act 1784; attempted to remove rotten boroughs; personally opposed to the slave trade; reduced the national debt due to the rebellion in the North American colonies; formed the Triple Alliance; Constitutional Act of 1791; the Macartney Embassy (1792–1794), first of its kind to China; war with France starting in 1793; Cape Colony (South Africa) taken 1795; introduced the first income tax; Act of Union 1800. | ||||||||
| rowspan="3" style="background-color: Template:Tory (British political party)/meta/color" | | 
|
Henry Addington (1757–1844) MP for Devizes |
17 March 1801 |
10 May 1804 |
First Lord of the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exchequer & Leader of the House of Commons |
Tory (Pittite) | Addington | [13] |
| 1801 co-option, 1802 | ||||||||
| Negotiated the Treaty of Amiens with France in 1802. | ||||||||
| rowspan="3" style="background-color: Template:Tory (British political party)/meta/color" | |
|
William Pitt the Younger (1759–1806) MP for Cambridge University |
10 May 1804 |
23 January 1806† |
First Lord of the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exchequer & Leader of the House of Commons |
Tory (Pittite) | Pitt the Younger II | [13] |
| — | ||||||||
| Alliance with Russia, Austria and Sweden against France (Third Coalition); Battle of Trafalgar; Battle of Ulm; Battle of Austerlitz. †Died in office. | ||||||||
| rowspan="3" style="background-color: Template:Whig (British political party)/meta/color" | | 
|
William Wyndham Grenville, 1st Lord Grenville (1759–1834) |
11 February 1806 |
31 March 1807 |
First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Lords |
Whig | Ministry of All the Talents | [13] |
| 1806 | ||||||||
| Abolition of the slave trade. | ||||||||
| rowspan="3" style="background-color: Template:Tory (British political party)/meta/color" | |
|
William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland (1738–1809) |
31 March 1807 |
4 October 1809 |
First Lord of the Treasury | nominally Tory | Portland II | [13] |
| 1807 | ||||||||
| The only UK prime minisiter to have switched parties. He headed a Tory government; was old and ill, leaving the Cabinet to their own devices (largely headed by Spencer Perceval); died twenty-six days after leaving office. | ||||||||
| rowspan="3" style="background-color: Template:Tory (British political party)/meta/color" | | 
|
Spencer Perceval (1762–1812) MP for Northampton |
4 October 1809 |
11 May 1812† |
First Lord of the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster & Leader of the House of Commons |
Tory | Perceval | [29] |
| — | ||||||||
| Descent of George III into madness and the outset of the Regency era; his administration was notable for the lack of senior statesmen (Perceval also served as the Chancellor of the Exchequer); Peninsular War, part of the Napoleonic Wars. †The only Prime Minister to have been assassinated. | ||||||||
| rowspan="3" style="background-color: Template:Tory (British political party)/meta/color" | | .jpg)
|
Robert Banks Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool (1770–1828) |
8 June 1812 |
9 April 1827 |
First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Lords |
Tory | Liverpool | [30] |
| 1812, 1818, 1820, 1826 | ||||||||
| Oversaw the United Kingdom's victory in the Napoleonic Wars; the Congress of Vienna; an economic recession in 1817; the Luddite movement; The War of 1812 (in Britain, the American War of 1812 to 1815); Peterloo Massacre in 1819; return to the gold standard in 1819; victory over the Marathas in the Third Anglo-Maratha War in 1819; the Cato Street Conspiracy to assassinate Liverpool in 1820; died one year after leaving office. | ||||||||
George IV (1820–1830)
| Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) Constituency/Title |
Term of office — Electoral mandates |
Other ministerial offices held while Prime Minister |
Political party of PM |
Government | Refs | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="3" style="background-color: Template:Tory (British political party)/meta/color" | | 
|
George Canning (1770–1827) MP for Seaford |
10 April 1827 |
8 August 1827† |
First Lord of the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exchequer & Leader of the House of Commons |
Tory (Canningite) | Canning (Canningite–Whig) |
[13] |
| — | ||||||||
| †Died shortly after taking office. | ||||||||
| rowspan="3" style="background-color: Template:Tory (British political party)/meta/color" | | 
|
Frederick John Robinson, 1st Viscount Goderich (1782–1859) |
31 August 1827 |
21 January 1828 |
First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Lords |
Tory (Canningite) | Goderich (Canningite–Whig) |
[13] |
| — | ||||||||
| Lacked support amongst colleagues; resigned. | ||||||||
| rowspan="3" style="background-color: Template:Tory (British political party)/meta/color" | | 
|
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1769–1852) |
22 January 1828 |
16 November 1830 |
First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Lords |
Tory | Wellington | [13] |
| 1830 | ||||||||
| First Irish Prime Minister; Catholic Emancipation Bill (over which he fought a duel). | ||||||||
William IV (1830–1837)
Victoria (1837–1901)
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Edward VII (1901–1910)
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George V (1910–1936)
| Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) Constituency/Title |
Term of office — Electoral mandates |
Other ministerial offices held while Prime Minister |
Political party of PM |
Government | Refs | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="3" style="background-color: Template:Liberal Party (UK)/meta/color" | | 
|
David Lloyd George (1863–1945) MP for Caernarvon Boroughs |
7 December 1916 |
19 October 1922 |
First Lord of the Treasury | Liberal | Lloyd George (Lib.–Cons.–Lab.) |
[56] |
| 1918 | ||||||||
| Welsh-speaking: only Prime Minister whose mother tongue was not English. End of World War I; Paris Peace Conference; attempted to extend conscription to Ireland during the First World War; Chanak Crisis. | ||||||||
| rowspan="3" style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | .jpg)
|
Andrew Bonar Law (1858–1923) MP for Glasgow Central |
23 October 1922 |
20 May 1923 |
First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Commons |
Conservative | Bonar Law | [57] |
| 1922 | ||||||||
| Canadian-born: only Prime Minister born outside the British Isles. Became Prime Minister following Conservative backbenchers' decision at the Carlton Club meeting to withdraw from the Lloyd George Coalition. Resigned due to ill health; died six months after leaving office. | ||||||||
| rowspan="3" style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | 
|
Stanley Baldwin (1867–1947) MP for Bewdley |
23 May 1923 |
16 January 1924 |
First Lord of the Treasury, Leader of the House of Commons & Chancellor of the Exchequer (1923) |
Conservative | Baldwin I | [58] |
| — | ||||||||
| Called a general election to gain a mandate for protectionist tariffs but failed to gain a majority; resigned after losing a vote of confidence. | ||||||||
| rowspan="3" style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (UK)/meta/color" | | .jpg)
|
Ramsay MacDonald (1866–1937) MP for Aberavon |
22 January 1924 |
4 November 1924 |
First Lord of the Treasury, Leader of the House of Commons & Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs |
Labour | MacDonald I | [59] |
| 1923§ | ||||||||
| §Hung Parliament; minority government reliant on Liberal support. First Labour Prime Minister; did not have a majority so could not introduce radical legislation; settled reparations with Germany following World War I; Zinoviev letter. | ||||||||
| rowspan="3" style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | |
|
Stanley Baldwin (1867–1947) MP for Bewdley |
4 November 1924 |
5 June 1929 |
First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Commons |
Conservative | Baldwin II | [60] |
| 1924 | ||||||||
| Treaty of Locarno; signatory of the Kellogg-Briand Pact; Pensions Act; enfranchisement of women over 21; UK General Strike of 1926. | ||||||||
| rowspan="3" style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (UK)/meta/color" | |
|
Ramsay MacDonald (1866–1937) MP for Seaham |
5 June 1929 |
24 August 1931 |
First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Commons |
Labour | MacDonald II | [61] |
| 1929§ | ||||||||
| §Hung Parliament. Appointed the first female minister, Margaret Bondfield; economic crises following the Wall Street Crash of 1929. | ||||||||
| rowspan="3" style="background-color: Template:National Labour Party (UK)/meta/color" | | 24 August 1931 |
7 June 1935 |
First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Commons |
National Labour | 1st National; 2nd National (Lab.Nat.–Cons.–Lib.Nat. –Lib. until 1932) |
[62] | ||
| 1931 | ||||||||
| The Labour Government split on measures to resolve a budget crisis; MacDonald resigned, but was reappointed at the head of a National Government with the support of the Conservative and Liberal parties. He was subsequently expelled from the Labour Party; the National Government fought and won the election on the basis of a 'Doctor's Mandate'. Ottawa Conference supports protectionism, after which the free trade Ministers (Liberal and Viscount Snowden) resigned; died two years after leaving office. | ||||||||
| rowspan="3" style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | |
|
Stanley Baldwin (1867–1947) MP for Bewdley |
7 June 1935 |
28 May 1937 |
First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Commons |
Conservative | 3rd National (Cons.–Lab.Nat.–Lib.Nat.) |
[63] |
| 1935 | ||||||||
| Edward VIII abdication crisis; started rearmament but later criticised for failing to rearm more when Adolf Hitler broke Germany's Treaty of Versailles obligations; died ten years after leaving office. | ||||||||
Edward VIII (1936)
No new Prime Ministers were appointed during the brief reign of Edward VIII; the post was held by Stanley Baldwin throughout his reign.
George VI (1936–1952)
| Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) Constituency/Title |
Term of office — Electoral mandates |
Other ministerial offices held while Prime Minister |
Political party of PM |
Government | Refs | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="4" style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | File:Arthur-Neville-Chamberlain.jpg | Neville Chamberlain (1869–1940) MP for Birmingham Edgbaston |
28 May 1937 |
3 September 1939 |
First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Commons |
Conservative | 4th National (Cons.–Lab.Nat.–Lib.Nat.) |
[13] |
| 3 September 1939 |
10 May 1940 |
Chamberlain War (Cons.–Lab.Nat.–Lib.Nat.) | ||||||
| — | ||||||||
| Attempted to maintain "peace for our time" through appeasement of Germany, settling the Munich Agreement; widely criticised following the German invasion of Poland and consequent outbreak of World War II; resigned after failing to form a coalition government; died six months after leaving office. | ||||||||
| rowspan="4" style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | 
|
Winston Churchill (1874–1965) MP for Epping |
10 May 1940 |
23 May 1945 |
First Lord of the Treasury, Minister of Defence & Leader of the House of Commons (1940–42) |
Conservative | Churchill War (All parties) |
[64][65] |
| 23 May 1945 |
26 July 1945 |
Churchill Caretaker (Cons.–Lib.Nat.) | ||||||
| — | ||||||||
| World War II; led a Coalition Government; foundation of the United Nations; proposed what would eventually lead to the European Union; Beveridge Report. Following the ending of his all-party coalition, Churchill formed a "caretaker" government out of Conservatives, Liberal Nationals and non-party figures. However after two months it was defeated in the 1945 general election. | ||||||||
| rowspan="3" style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (UK)/meta/color" | | 
|
Clement Attlee (1883–1967) MP for Limehouse until 1950 MP for Walthamstow West from 1950 |
26 July 1945 |
26 October 1951 |
First Lord of the Treasury & Minister of Defence (1945–46) |
Labour | Attlee | [66] |
| 1945, 1950 | ||||||||
| Initiated the post-war consensus; introduced nationalisation of utilities; foundation of the National Health Service; extended national insurance scheme; Independence of India and the end of the British role in Palestine; foundation of NATO; beginning of the Cold War; the Berlin Blockade and the resulting Berlin Airlift; the start of British involvement in the Korean War. | ||||||||
| rowspan="3" style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | |
|
Sir Winston Churchill (1874–1965) MP for Woodford |
26 October 1951 |
7 April 1955 |
First Lord of the Treasury & Minister of Defence (1951–52) |
Conservative | Churchill III | [67] |
| 1951 | ||||||||
| Domestic policy interrupted by foreign disputes (Korean War, Operation Ajax, Mau Mau Uprising, Malayan Emergency); died ten years after leaving office. | ||||||||
Elizabeth II (1952–present)
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See also
- Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
- Spouse of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
- Historical rankings of Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom
- Records of Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom
- List of United Kingdom general elections
- List of Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom by longevity
- List of Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom by nickname
- List of Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom by tenure
- List of burial places of Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom
Timelines
- Graphical list of Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom
- Graphical list of Prime Ministers showing birth, death and political career of each Prime Minister from Palmerston to Cameron
References
- ^ "Government and Opposition roles". Parliament of the United Kingdom. Retrieved 25 October 2008.
- ^ "Prime minister". BBC News. British Broadcasting Corporation. 16 October 2008. Retrieved 25 October 2008.
- ^ "Glossary — Parliamentary Jargon Explained; Prime Minister". Parliament of the United Kingdom. Retrieved 25 October 2008. [dead link]
- ^ Hennessy (2001), pp. 39–40
- ^ Hansard, 29 April 1805
- ^ Hansard, 20 March 1885 and 14 April 1885
- ^ Marriott (1921), p. 85
- ^ a b Clarke (1993), p. 266
- ^ Hennessy (2001), p. 39
- ^ a b "Parties and Prime Ministers". BBC News. British Broadcasting Corporation. 19 May 1998. Retrieved 12 October 2008.
- ^ Kreike, edited by Emmanuel (2004). Corrupt histories. Rochester (N.Y.): University of Rochester Press. pp. xii & 167. ISBN 1-58046-173-5.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help);|first=has generic name (help); Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Winton, Calhoun (1993). John Gay and the London theatre. Lexington, Ky.: Univ. Press of Kentucky. pp. 132–133. ISBN 0-8131-1832-8.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "PMs through history". The Daily Telegraph. London: Telegraph Media Group. 21 September 2007. Retrieved 16 October 2008.
- ^ "Leaders of the House; Henry Pelham". Office and Ministers. Office of the Leader of the House of Commons. Retrieved 16 October 2008.
- ^ Byrn, edited by John D. (2009). Naval courts martial, 1793–1815. Farnham, Surrey, England: Ashgate for the Navy Records Society. pp. xviii. ISBN 978-0-7546-6781-0.
{{cite book}}:|first=has generic name (help) - ^ H.S.Q, Henriques, (2006). The Jews and the English law. Clark, N.J.: Lawbook Exchange. pp. 241–5. ISBN 1-58477-645-5.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Chaurasia, Radhey Shyam (2002). History of modern India : 1707 A.D. upto [sic] 2000 A.D. New Delhi: Atlantic. pp. 21–25. ISBN 81-269-0085-7.
- ^ Kulisheck, P.J. (1997). The Duke of Newcastle, 1693–1768, and Henry Pelham, 1694–1754 : a bibliography. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. pp. 207–8. ISBN 0-313-29501-8.
- ^ Marston, Daniel (2001). The Seven Years' War. London: Osprey. pp. 11 and 26. ISBN 1-84176-191-5.
- ^ Thal, edited by Herbert Van (1975). The Prime Ministers : from Sir Robert Walpole to Edward Heath. New York: Stein and Day. pp. 93–102. ISBN 0812817389.
{{cite book}}:|first=has generic name (help) - ^ Hibbert, Christopher (2000). George III: A Personal History. New York: Basic books. p. 27. ISBN 978-0465027248.
- ^ Thomas (2002), pp. 66–94
- ^ Thomas (2002), pp. 95–124
- ^ Thomas (2002), pp. 125–147
- ^ Thomas (2002), pp. 148–196
- ^ Thomas (2002), pp. 197–218
- ^ Clarke (1993), pp. 278–279
- ^ Clarke (1993), p. 281
- ^ Priestley (2002), p. 62
- ^ Priestley (2002), p. 65
- ^ Clarke (1993), pp. 293–294
- ^ Black (2006), p. 180
- ^ Anderson (1856), pp. 442–443
- ^ Black (2006), pp. 180–181
- ^ Clarke (1993), p. 294
- ^ Longford (1998), p. 63
- ^ Longford (1998), pp. 156–157
- ^ Longford (1998), p. 187
- ^ Longford (1998), pp. 228–231
- ^ Longford (1998), p. 232
- ^ Longford (1998), p. 246
- ^ Longford (1998), p. 281
- ^ Longford (1998), p. 282
- ^ Longford (1998), p. 346
- ^ Longford (1998), p. 351
- ^ Longford (1998), p. 353
- ^ Longford (1998), p. 357
- ^ Longford (1998), p. 396
- ^ Longford (1998), p. 433
- ^ Hunt, William (1907). The Political History of England. Longmans, Green and co. p. 505.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Longford (1998), p. 484
- ^ Longford (1998), pp. 492–493
- ^ Longford (1998), pp. 518–519
- ^ Longford (1998), pp. 527–528
- ^ Longford (1998), pp. 533–534
- ^ Rose (1983), pp. 196–198
- ^ Rose (1983), p. 265
- ^ Rose (1983), p. 272
- ^ Rose (1983), p. 326
- ^ Rose (1983), p. 337
- ^ Rose (1983), p. 361
- ^ Rose (1983), pp. 373–374
- ^ Rose (1983), p. 398
- ^ Hennessy (2001), p. 179
- ^ Hennessy (2001), p. 158
- ^ Hennessy (2001), p. 147
- ^ Hennessy (2001), p. 178
- ^ Hennessy (2001), p. 207
- ^ Hennessy (2001), p. 248
- ^ Hennessy (2001), p. 272
- ^ Hennessy (2001), p. 286
- ^ Hennessy (2001), p. 331
- ^ Hennessy (2001), p. 357
- ^ Hennessy (2001), p. 376
- ^ "Lord Callaghan of Cardiff". The Times. London: Times Newspapers Ltd. 28 March 2005. Retrieved 13 October 2008.
- ^ Hennessy (2001), p. 397
- ^ Ballantyne, Aileen (5 May 1979). "Crowd's long cold wait for lady of the hour". The Guardian. London: Guardian and Manchester Evening News Ltd. Retrieved 13 October 2008.
- ^ Hennessy (2001), p. 437
- ^ "'John Major? Who's he?' asks Thatcher". The Independent. UK: Newspaper Publishing PLC. 6 August 1995. Retrieved 13 October 2008. [dead link]
- ^ Hennessy (2001), p. 476
- ^ "The Blair Years: 1997–2007". The Daily Telegraph. London: Telegraph Media Group. 28 June 2007. Retrieved 13 October 2008.
- ^ Summers, Deborah (27 June 2007). "Brown declared prime minister". The Guardian. London: Guardian News & Media. Retrieved 12 October 2008.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ "BBC News – David Cameron is UK's new prime minister". news.bbc.co.uk. BBC. 12 May 2010. Retrieved 11 May 2010.
Bibliography
- Anderson, John (1856). A History of Edinburgh from the Earliest Period to the Completion of the Half Century 1850: With Brief Notices of Eminent Or Remarkable Individuals. A. Fullarton & co. ISBN 978-1-85285-581-9. Retrieved 21 October 2008.
- Black, Jeremy (2006). The Hanoverians: The History of a Dynasty. Continuum International Publishing Group. ISBN 1-85285-581-9. OCLC 70765876.
- Clarke, John (1993) [1975]. Fraser, Antonia (ed.). The Lives Of The Kings And Queens Of England. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson. ISBN 0-297-83238-7. OCLC 257417674.
- Hennessy, Peter (2001) [2000]. The Prime Minister; The Office And Its Holders Since 1945. Penguin Group. ISBN 0-14-028393-5. OCLC 47063414.
- Longford, Elizabeth (1998) [1964]. Victoria R.I. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson. ISBN 0-297-84142-4. OCLC 41510024.
- Marriott, J. A. R. (1925). English Political Institutions. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
- Priestley, J. B. (2002) [1969]. The Prince of Pleasure and his Regency 1811–20. Penguin Group. ISBN 0-14-139106-5. OCLC 59475591.
- Rose, Kenneth (1983). King George V. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson. ISBN 0-297-78245-2. OCLC 9909629.
- Thomas, Peter David Garner (2002). George III: King and Politicians, 1760–1770. Manchester University Press. ISBN 978-0-7190-6429-6. OCLC 50191954.
External links
- Prime Ministers in History from the 10 Downing Street website
