List of prime ministers of the United Kingdom: Difference between revisions
Road Wizard (talk | contribs) m Reverted to revision 242090991 by Road Wizard; revert - they only acquired their titles after leaving service as Prime Minister (except where already noted). (TW) |
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| width=135|[[Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth| |
| width=135|[[Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth|Viscount Sidmouth]] |
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| 17 March 1801 |
| 17 March 1801 |
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! style="background-color: {{Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color}}" | |
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| [[Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield| |
| [[Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield|Earl of Beaconsfield]]<br>''(1st term)'' |
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| 27 February 1868 |
| 27 February 1868 |
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| [[Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield| |
| [[Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield|Earl of Beaconsfield]]<br>''(2nd term)<br>(from 1876 as Earl of Beaconsfield)'' |
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| 20 February 1874 |
| 20 February 1874 |
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| width=135|[[Arthur Balfour]] |
| width=135|[[Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour]] |
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| 11 July 1902 |
| 11 July 1902 |
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! style="background-color: {{Liberal Party (UK)/meta/color}}" | |
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| [[ |
| [[Herbert Henry Asquith, 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith]] |
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| 7 April 1908 |
| 7 April 1908 |
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| [[David Lloyd George]] |
| [[David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd George of Dwyfor ]] |
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| 7 December 1916 |
| 7 December 1916 |
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| [[Stanley Baldwin]]<br>''(1st term)'' |
| [[Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley]]<br>''(1st term)'' |
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| [[Image:Stanley Baldwin ggbain.35233.jpg|60px]] |
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| 23 May 1923 |
| 23 May 1923 |
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| [[Stanley Baldwin]]<br>''(2nd term) |
| [[Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley]]<br>''(2nd term) |
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| 4 November 1924 |
| 4 November 1924 |
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| [[Winston Churchill]]<br>''(1st term)'' |
| [[Sir Winston Churchill]]<br>''(1st term)'' |
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| 10 May 1940 |
| 10 May 1940 |
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| [[Winston Churchill]]<br>''(2nd term)'' |
| [[Sir Winston Churchill]]<br>''(2nd term)'' |
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| 23 May 1945 |
| 23 May 1945 |
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! style="background-color: {{Labour Party (UK)/meta/color}}" | |
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| [[Clement Attlee]] |
| [[Clement Richard Attlee, 1st Earl Attlee]] |
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| 27 July 1945 |
| 27 July 1945 |
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! style="background-color: {{Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color}}" | |
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| [[Winston Churchill]]<br>''(3rd term)'' |
| [[Sir Winston Churchill]]<br>''(3rd term)'' |
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| 26 October 1951 |
| 26 October 1951 |
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| [[Anthony Eden]] |
| [[Robert Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon]] |
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| 7 April 1955 |
| 7 April 1955 |
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| [[Harold Macmillan]] |
| [[Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton]] |
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| 10 January 1957 |
| 10 January 1957 |
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| [[ |
| [[Alexander Frederick Douglas-Home, Baron Home of the Hirsel]] |
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| 19 October 1963 |
| 19 October 1963 |
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| [[Harold Wilson]]<br>''(1st term)'' |
| [[James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx]]<br>''(1st term)'' |
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| 16 October 1964 |
| 16 October 1964 |
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| [[Edward Heath]] |
| [[Sir Edward Heath]] |
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| 19 June 1970 |
| 19 June 1970 |
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| [[Harold Wilson]]<br>''(2nd term)'' |
| [[James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx]]<br>''(2nd term)'' |
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| 4 March 1974 |
| 4 March 1974 |
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| [[James Callaghan]] |
| [[Leonard James Callaghan, Baron Callaghan of Cardiff]] |
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| 5 April 1976 |
| 5 April 1976 |
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| [[Margaret Thatcher]] |
| [[Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher ]] |
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| 4 May 1979 |
| 4 May 1979 |
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| [[John Major]] |
| [[Sir John Major]] |
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| 28 November 1990 |
| 28 November 1990 |
Revision as of 14:41, 5 October 2008
This is a list of Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom, and its predecessor state the Kingdom of Great Britain, from when the first Prime Minister (in the modern sense), Robert Walpole, took office in 1721, until the present day. The office is currently held by Gordon Brown.
Colour key
(for politican party)
18th century Prime Ministers
Prime Ministers during the 18th century were Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Great Britain (formed by the Acts of Union 1707 and comprising England and Wales and Scotland). Robert Harley and Sidney Godolphin had formed governments during the reign of Queen Anne but are not considered to be Prime Ministers.
Name | Portrait | Entered office | Left office | Political party | Other ministerial offices held | Notes and key events | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
style="background-color: Template:British Whig Party/meta/color" | | Sir Robert Walpole (from 1742 as Earl of Orford) |
4 April 1721 | 11 February 1742 | Whig | First Lord of the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exchequer & Leader of the House of Commons | Regarded as the first Prime Minister in the modern sense; The South Sea Company bubble; criticised for Great Britain's poor performance in the War of Jenkins' Ear. | |
style="background-color: Template:British Whig Party/meta/color" | | The Earl of Wilmington | 16 February 1742 | 2 July 1743 | Whig | First Lord of the Treasury | Increased tax on spirits; in poor health for much of his time as Prime Minister, the government was led de facto by John Carteret. | |
style="background-color: Template:British Whig Party/meta/color" | | Henry Pelham | 27 August 1743 | 6 March 1754 | Whig | First Lord of the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exchequer & Leader of the House of Commons | Reorganisation of the Royal Navy; 1745 Jacobite Rebellion; adoption of the Gregorian Calendar; Marriage Act 1753; helped end the War of the Austrian Succession. | |
style="background-color: Template:British Whig Party/meta/color" | | The Duke of Newcastle (1st term) |
16 March 1754 | 16 November 1756 | Whig | First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Lords | Led Great Britain into the Seven Years' War with France in North America. | |
style="background-color: Template:British Whig Party/meta/color" | | The Duke of Devonshire | 16 November 1756 | 25 June 1757 | Whig | First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Lords | The government was largely run by William Pitt the Elder. | |
style="background-color: Template:British Whig Party/meta/color" | | The Duke of Newcastle (2nd term) |
2 July 1757 | 26 May 1762 | Whig | First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Lords | Great Britain gained more influence abroad in the Seven Years' War; the war was largely prosecuted by Pitt the Elder as Secretary of State. | |
style="background-color: Template:Tory Party/meta/color" | | The Earl of Bute | 26 May 1762 | 8 April 1763 | Tory | First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Lords | Ended the dominance of the Whigs and the Seven Years' War. | |
style="background-color: Template:British Whig Party/meta/color" | | George Grenville | 16 April 1763 | 13 July 1765 | Whig | First Lord of the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exchequer & Leader of the House of Commons | Lowered domestic tax at the expense of the colonies; introduced the Stamp Act 1765 (which ultimately led to the American Revolution). | |
style="background-color: Template:British Whig Party/meta/color" | | The Marquess of Rockingham (1st term) |
File:Charles-Wentworth.jpg | 13 July 1765 | 30 July 1766 | Whig | First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Lords | Repealed the controversial Stamp Act, inspired by protests from both American colonists and British manufacturers who were hurt by it. |
style="background-color: Template:British Whig Party/meta/color" | | The Earl of Chatham, "William Pitt the Elder" | 30 July 1766 | 14 October 1768 | Whig | Lord Privy Seal | The first real Imperialist; credited with the birth of the British Empire; indirectly responsible for the French Revolution (due to Great Britain's defeat of France in Canada). | |
style="background-color: Template:British Whig Party/meta/color" | | The Duke of Grafton | 14 October 1768 | 28 January 1770 | Whig | First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Lords | Attempted to reconcile with the American colonies. | |
style="background-color: Template:Tory Party/meta/color" | | Lord North | 28 January 1770 | 22 March 1782 | Tory | First Lord of the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exchequer & Leader of the House of Commons | Led Great Britain into the American Revolution, making a number of tactical errors; the Gordon Riots; attempted reform in Ireland; resigned after a vote of no confidence against the will of the King. | |
style="background-color: Template:British Whig Party/meta/color" | | The Marquess of Rockingham (2nd term) |
File:Charles-Wentworth.jpg | 27 March 1782 | 1 July 1782 | Whig | First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Lords | Acknowledged the independence of the United States; began a process of economic reform (however died in office). |
style="background-color: Template:British Whig Party/meta/color" | | The Earl of Shelburne | 4 July 1782 | 2 April 1783 | Whig | First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Lords | Planned political reform; secured peace with the United States, France and Spain. | |
style="background-color: Template:British Whig Party/meta/color" | | The Duke of Portland (1st term) |
2 April 1783 | 19 December 1783 | Whig | First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Lords | Titular head of the Fox-North Coalition. Attempted to reform the British East India Company, but was blocked by George III. | |
style="background-color: Template:Tory Party/meta/color" | | William Pitt the Younger (1st term) |
19 December 1783 | 14 March 1801 | Tory | First Lord of the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exchequer & Leader of the House of Commons | India Act 1784; attempted to remove rotten boroughs; youngest Prime Minister; 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; war with France starting in 1793; introduced the first income tax; Act of Union 1800. |
19th century Prime Ministers
Prime Ministers during the 19th century were Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, following the Act of Union 1800 (which merged the Kingdom of Ireland with the Kingdom of Great Britain).
Name | Portrait | Entered office | Left office | Political party | Other ministerial offices held | Notes and key events | |
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style="background-color: Template:Tory Party/meta/color" | | Viscount Sidmouth | 17 March 1801 | 10 May 1804 | Tory | First Lord of the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exchequer & Leader of the House of Commons | Negotiated the Treaty of Amiens with France in 1802. | |
style="background-color: Template:Tory Party/meta/color" | | William Pitt the Younger (2nd term) |
10 May 1804 | 23 January 1806 | Tory | First Lord of the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exchequer & Leader of the House of Commons | Alliance with Russia, Austria and Sweden against France (Third Coalition); Battle of Trafalgar; Battle of Ulm; Battle of Austerlitz. | |
style="background-color: Template:British Whig Party/meta/color" | | The Lord Grenville | 11 February 1806 | 31 March 1807 | Whig | First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Lords | Abolition of the slave trade. | |
style="background-color: Template:Tory Party/meta/color" | | The Duke of Portland (2nd term) |
31 March 1807 | 4 October 1809 | Tory | First Lord of the Treasury | Headed a Tory government; was old and ill, leaving the Cabinet to their own devices (largely headed by Spencer Perceval). | |
style="background-color: Template:Tory Party/meta/color" | | Spencer Perceval | 4 October 1809 | 11 May 1812 | Tory | First Lord of the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster & Leader of the House of Commons | Descent of George III into madness; 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; as of 2008, the only Prime Minister to have been assassinated. | |
style="background-color: Template:Tory Party/meta/color" | | Lord Liverpool | 8 June 1812 | 9 April 1827 | Tory | First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Lords | Oversaw the United Kingdom's victory in the Napoleonic Wars; the Congress of Vienna; an economic recession in 1817; The War of 1812 (in Britain, the American War of 1812 to 1815); Peterloo Massacre in 1819; return to the gold standard in 1819; the Cato Street Conspiracy to assassinate Liverpool in 1820. | |
style="background-color: Template:Tory Party/meta/color" | | George Canning | 10 April 1827 | 8 August 1827 | Tory | First Lord of the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exchequer & Leader of the House of Commons | Died shortly after taking office. | |
style="background-color: Template:Tory Party/meta/color" | | The Viscount Goderich | 31 August 1827 | 21 January 1828 | Tory | First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Lords | Lacked support amongst colleagues; resigned. | |
style="background-color: Template:Tory Party/meta/color" | | The Duke of Wellington (1st term) |
22 January 1828 | 16 November 1830 | Tory | First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Lords | Catholic Emancipation Bill (over which he fought a duel). | |
style="background-color: Template:British Whig Party/meta/color" | | The Earl Grey | 22 November 1830 | 9 July 1834 | Whig | First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Lords | Reform Act 1832; restriction of employment of children; abolition of slavery throughout the British Empire. | |
style="background-color: Template:British Whig Party/meta/color" | | The Viscount Melbourne (1st term) |
16 July 1834 | 14 November 1834 | Whig | First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Lords | William IV's opposition forced him to resign. | |
style="background-color: Template:Tory Party/meta/color" | | The Duke of Wellington (2nd term) |
14 November 1834 | 10 December 1834 | Tory | First Lord of the Treasury, Secretary of State for the Home Department, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Secretary of State for War and the Colonies & Leader of the House of Lords | Caretaker government while Sir Robert Peel was located and returned to London. Held many of the major posts himself. | |
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | Sir Robert Peel (1st term) |
10 December 1834 | 8 April 1835 | Conservative | First Lord of the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exchequer & Leader of the House of Commons | Unable to form a majority in Parliament so resigned. | |
style="background-color: Template:British Whig Party/meta/color" | | The Viscount Melbourne (2nd term) |
18 April 1835 | 30 August 1841 | Whig | First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Lords | A father figure to Queen Victoria; Municipal Corporations Act 1835. | |
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | Sir Robert Peel (2nd term) |
30 August 1841 | 29 June 1846 | Conservative | First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Commons | Mines Act 1842; Factory Act 1844; Railway Act 1844; repeal of the Corn Laws (triggered by the Great Irish Potato Famine). | |
style="background-color: Template:British Whig Party/meta/color" | | The Lord John Russell (1st term) (afterwards PM as Earl Russell) |
30 June 1846 | 21 February 1852 | Whig | First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Commons | Education Act 1847; Australian Colonies Act 1850; improved the Poor Law. | |
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | The Earl of Derby (1st term) |
23 February 1852 | 17 December 1852 | Conservative | First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Lords | Government collapsed when his Chancellor's Budget was defeated. | |
style="background-color: Template:Peelite/meta/color" | | The Earl of Aberdeen | 19 December 1852 | 30 January 1855 | Peelite/Whig | First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Lords | Led the country into the Crimean War; resigned after defeat in the vote for an enquiry into the conduct of the war. First and last Peelite Prime Minister. | |
style="background-color: Template:British Whig Party/meta/color" | | The Viscount Palmerston (1st term) |
6 February 1855 | 19 February 1858 | Whig | First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Commons | Responded to the Indian mutiny of 1857; introduced the India Bill. | |
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | The Earl of Derby (2nd term) |
20 February 1858 | 11 June 1859 | Conservative | First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Lords | Government of India Act 1858, transferring ownership of the East India Company to the Crown; Jews Relief Act, allowing Jews to become MPs. | |
style="background-color: Template:Liberal Party (UK)/meta/color" | | The Viscount Palmerston (2nd term) |
12 June 1859 | 18 October 1865 | Liberal | First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Commons | Between periods in office he founded the Liberal Party; died in office. | |
style="background-color: Template:Liberal Party (UK)/meta/color" | | The Earl Russell (2nd term) (previously PM as Lord John Russell) |
29 October 1865 | 26 June 1866 | Liberal | First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Lords | Attempted to introduce a further Reform Bill, but was opposed by his Cabinet. | |
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | The Earl of Derby (3rd term) |
28 June 1866 | 25 February 1868 | Conservative | First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Lords | Reform Act 1867; considered by some to be the father of the modern Conservative Party. | |
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | Earl of Beaconsfield (1st term) |
27 February 1868 | 1 December 1868 | Conservative | First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Commons | The UK's first and, as of 2008, only, Prime Minister from Jewish ancestry; dissolved Parliament as the Conservatives did not have a majority. | |
style="background-color: Template:Liberal Party (UK)/meta/color" | | William Ewart Gladstone (1st term) |
3 December 1868 | 17 February 1874 | Liberal | First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Commons 3 December 1868–17 February 1874; Chancellor of the Exchequer 11 August 1873–17 February 1874 | Introduced reforms to the British Army, Civil Service and local government; made peacetime flogging illegal; Ballot Act 1872; Corrupt and Illegal Practices Prevention Act 1883; failed to prevent the Franco-Prussian War. | |
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | Earl of Beaconsfield (2nd term) (from 1876 as Earl of Beaconsfield) |
20 February 1874 | 21 April 1880 | Conservative | First Lord of the Treasury 20 February 1874–21 April 1880; Leader of the House of Commons 20 February 1874–21 August 1876; Leader of the House of Lords 21 August 1876–21 April 1880; Lord Privy Seal 21 August 1876–2 April 1878 | Various reforms including the Climbing Boys Act 1875, the Public Health Act 1875 and the Employers and Workmen Act 1878; Congress of Berlin; breaking up of the League of the Three Emperors, the Zulu War. | |
style="background-color: Template:Liberal Party (UK)/meta/color" | | William Ewart Gladstone (2nd term) |
23 April 1880 | 9 June 1885 | Liberal | First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Commons 23 April 1880–9 June 1885; Chancellor of the Exchequer 23 April 1880–16 December 1882 | First Boer War; Irish Coercion Act; Reform Act, 1884, Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 (sometimes known collectively as the Third Reform Act); failure to rescue General Gordon in Khartoum, Sudan. | |
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | The Marquess of Salisbury (1st term) |
23 June 1885 | 28 January 1886 | Conservative | Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs & Leader of the House of Lords | Legislation providing for housing the working class. | |
style="background-color: Template:Liberal Party (UK)/meta/color" | | William Ewart Gladstone (3rd term) |
1 February 1886 | 20 July 1886 | Liberal | First Lord of the Treasury, Lord Privy Seal & Leader of the House of Commons | First introduction of the Home Rule Bill for Ireland, which split the Liberal Party, resulting in the end of Gladstone's government. | |
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | The Marquess of Salisbury (2nd term) |
25 July 1886 | 11 August 1892 | Conservative | Leader of the House of Lords 25 July 1886–11 August 1892; First Lord of the Treasury 25 July 1886–14 January 1887; Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs 14 January 1887–11 August 1892 | Opposed Irish home rule; Local Government Act 1888; Partition of Africa; Free Education Act 1891; creation of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). | |
style="background-color: Template:Liberal Party (UK)/meta/color" | | William Ewart Gladstone (4th term) |
15 August 1892 | 2 March 1894 | Liberal | First Lord of the Treasury, Lord Privy Seal & Leader of the House of Commons | Reintroduction of the Home Rule Bill, which was passed by the House of Commons but rejected by the House of Lords leading to his resignation. | |
style="background-color: Template:Liberal Party (UK)/meta/color" | | The Earl of Rosebery | 5 March 1894 | 22 June 1895 | Liberal | First Lord of the Treasury, Lord President of the Council & Leader of the House of Lords | Imperialist; plans for expanding the Royal Navy caused disagreement within the Liberal Party; resigned following a vote of censure over military supplies. | |
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | The Marquess of Salisbury (3rd term) |
25 June 1895 | 11 July 1902 | Conservative | Leader of the House of Lords 25 June 1895–11 July 1902; Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs 25 June 1895–12 November 1900; Lord Privy Seal 12 November 1900–11 July 1902 | Workmen's Compensation Act 1897; Second Boer War; Anglo-Japanese Alliance. |
20th century Prime Ministers
There was no change in the jurisdiction of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (and hence the area the Prime Minister was Prime Minister of) until 1922, when following the Anglo-Irish War, 26 counties in Ireland seceded from the United Kingdom, forming the Irish Free State. The other six counties, in the northeast of Ireland, remained in the Union, becoming Northern Ireland. The official name of the United Kingdom became the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 1927.
Name | Portrait | Entered office | Left office | Political party | Other ministerial offices held | Notes and key events | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour | 11 July 1902 | 5 December 1905 | Conservative | First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Commons | Had poor relations with Edward VII; his cabinet was split over free trade; establishment of the Committee of Imperial Defence; Entente Cordiale. | |
style="background-color: Template:Liberal Party (UK)/meta/color" | | Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman | 5 December 1905 | 7 April 1908 | Liberal | First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Commons | Restored autonomy to Transvaal and the Orange Free State; Anglo-Russian Entente; first Prime Minister to be referred to as such in Parliamentary legislation. | |
style="background-color: Template:Liberal Party (UK)/meta/color" | | Herbert Henry Asquith, 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith | 7 April 1908 | 7 December 1916 | Liberal | First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Commons 5 April 1908–5 December 1916; Secretary of State for War 30 March 1914–5 August 1914 | Liberal Welfare Reforms; People's Budget; Parliament Act 1911; National Insurance and pensions; Home Rule Act 1914; World War I; Easter Rising. | |
style="background-color: Template:Liberal Party (UK)/meta/color" | | David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd George of Dwyfor | 7 December 1916 | 19 October 1922 | Liberal | First Lord of the Treasury | End of World War I; Paris Peace Conference; attempted to extend conscription to Ireland during the First World War; granted women over 30 the vote; formation of the Irish Free State; the only Prime Minister, as of August 2008, whose mother tongue was not English (it was Welsh). | |
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | Andrew Bonar Law | 23 October 1922 | 20 May 1923 | Conservative | First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Commons | Resigned due to ill health; died six months after leaving office. | |
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley (1st term) |
23 May 1923 | 16 January 1924 | Conservative | First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Commons 23 May 1923–16 January 1924; Chancellor of the Exchequer 23 May 1923–27 August 1923 | Called a general election to gain a mandate for protectionist tariffs but failed to gain a majority; resigned after losing a vote of confidence. | |
style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (UK)/meta/color" | | Ramsay MacDonald (1st term) |
22 January 1924 | 4 November 1924 | Labour | First Lord of the Treasury, Leader of the House of Commons & Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs | First Labour prime minister; did not have a majority so could not introduce radical legislation; settled reparations with Germany following World War I. | |
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley (2nd term) |
4 November 1924 | 5 June 1929 | Conservative | First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Commons | Treaty of Locarno; signatory of the Kellogg-Briand Pact; Pensions Act; enfranchisement of women over 21; UK General Strike of 1926. | |
style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (UK)/meta/color" | | Ramsay MacDonald (2nd term) |
5 June 1929 | 24 August 1931 | Labour | First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Commons | Appointed the first female minister, Margaret Bondfield; economic crises following the Wall Street Crash of 1929. | |
style="background-color: Template:National Labour Party (UK)/meta/color" | | Ramsay MacDonald (3rd term) |
24 August 1931 | 7 June 1935 | National Labour (National Government) | First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Commons | Unable to retain the support of the Labour Party, MacDonald officially resigned and was then re-appointed to form a National Government with the support of the Conservative and Liberal parties. He was expelled from the Labour Party. | |
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | Stanley Baldwin (3rd term) |
7 June 1935 | 28 May 1937 | Conservative (National Government) | First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Commons | Managed the abdication crisis of Edward VIII; started rearmament but later criticised for failing to rearm more when Adolf Hitler broke Germany's Treaty of Versailles obligations. | |
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | Neville Chamberlain | File:Arthur-Neville-Chamberlain.jpg | 28 May 1937 | 10 May 1940 | Conservative (National Government) | First Lord of the Treasury & Leader of the House of Commons | Attempted to prevent World War II through appeasement of Germany; widely criticised following the invasion of Poland; resigned after failing to form a Coalition Government. |
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | Sir Winston Churchill (1st term) |
10 May 1940 | 23 May 1945 | Conservative (Coalition) | First Lord of the Treasury & Minister of Defence 10 May 1940–23 May 1945; Leader of the House of Commons 10 May 1940–19 February 1942 | World War II; led a Coalition Government; foundation of the United Nations; proposed what would eventually lead to the European Union. | |
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | Sir Winston Churchill (2nd term) |
23 May 1945 | 27 July 1945 | Conservative (Caretaker) | First Lord of the Treasury & Minister of Defence | 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. | |
style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (UK)/meta/color" | | Clement Richard Attlee, 1st Earl Attlee | 27 July 1945 | 26 October 1951 | Labour | First Lord of the Treasury 27 July 1945–26 October 1951; Minister of Defence 27 July 1945–December 1946 | 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. | |
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | Sir Winston Churchill (3rd term) |
26 October 1951 | 7 April 1955 | Conservative | First Lord of the Treasury 26 October 1951–7 April 1955; Minister of Defence 26 October 1951–12 March 1952 | Domestic policy interrupted by foreign disputes (Operation Ajax, Mau Mau Uprising, Malayan Emergency). | |
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | Robert Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon | File:AREden.jpg | 7 April 1955 | 10 January 1957 | Conservative | First Lord of the Treasury | Failed to prevent the Egyptian nationalisation of the Suez Canal; invaded Egypt leading to the Suez Crisis. |
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton | File:Macmillan cph.3b40592.jpg | 10 January 1957 | 19 October 1963 | Conservative | First Lord of the Treasury | The UK applied to join the European Economic Community for the first time, the application split the Conservatives and was rejected by Charles de Gaulle, President of France; Profumo Affair. |
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | Alexander Frederick Douglas-Home, Baron Home of the Hirsel | 19 October 1963 | 16 October 1964 | Conservative | First Lord of the Treasury | Was the Earl of Home when he became Prime Minister, and renounced his peerage on 23 October 1963 in order to stand for the House of Commons. | |
style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (UK)/meta/color" | | James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx (1st term) |
16 October 1964 | 19 June 1970 | Labour | First Lord of the Treasury | Social reforms, including legalisation of abortion and decriminalisation of homosexuality; Rhodesian U.D.I.; adopted, then abandoned, the National Plan for the economy; Devaluation of the pound; foundation of the Open University; dispute over In Place of Strife trade union reforms. | |
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | Sir Edward Heath | 19 June 1970 | 4 March 1974 | Conservative | First Lord of the Treasury | U-turned over intervention in industry; negotiated Britain's entry to the European Community; Violence due to Northern Ireland's "Troubles" peaked; the Sunningdale Agreement agreed; Three-Day Week; called early election in backfiring attempt to confront striking miners. | |
style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (UK)/meta/color" | | James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx (2nd term) |
4 March 1974 | 5 April 1976 | Labour | First Lord of the Treasury | Ended dispute with miners; Social Contract with trade unions over the economy; Health and Safety at Work Act; Renegotiated terms for EC membership, then 1975 referendum validated entry; North Sea oil, Cod War. | |
style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (UK)/meta/color" | | Leonard James Callaghan, Baron Callaghan of Cardiff | 5 April 1976 | 4 May 1979 | Labour | First Lord of the Treasury & Minister for the Civil Service | International Monetary Fund loan to support the pound; the Lib-Lab pact; enacted devolution to Scotland and Wales but referendums stopped them; relations with trade unions broke down in the Winter of Discontent. | |
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher | 4 May 1979 | 28 November 1990 | Conservative | First Lord of the Treasury & Minister for the Civil Service | First female Prime Minister of the UK; Falklands War; sold council housing to tenants (right to buy) without replacement; miners' strike 1984–5; privatisation of many previously government-owned industries; decreased the power of trade unions; Anglo-Irish Agreement; Section 28; abolition of GLC; negotiation of the UK rebate towards the European Community budget; the "Poll tax", Lockerbie bombing. | |
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | Sir John Major | 28 November 1990 | 2 May 1997 | Conservative | First Lord of the Treasury & Minister for the Civil Service | Global recession; Gulf War; ratification of the Maastricht Treaty and the Maastricht Rebels; forced exit from the European Exchange Rate Mechanism ("Black Wednesday"); the Downing Street Declaration (initiating the Northern Ireland peace process); Citizen's charter; Sunday Shopping; "Back to Basics" campaign; Cones Hotline; Dangerous Dogs Act. | |
style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (UK)/meta/color" | | Tony Blair | 2 May 1997 | 27 June 2007 | Labour | First Lord of the Treasury & Minister for the Civil Service | Independence for the Bank of England; Belfast Agreement; Human Rights Act; devolution to Scotland and Wales; House of Lords Reform; minimum wage; Kosovo War; Mayor of London and GLA; war in Afghanistan; Iraq War; university tuition fees; Civil Partnership Act; 7 July 7 July Bombing; Cash for Peerages; Ecclestone scandal; Iraq Dossier; Kelly suicide; 2006 Identity Cards Act. |
21st century Prime Ministers
Name | Portrait | Entered office | Left office | Political party | Other ministerial offices held | Notes and key events | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (UK)/meta/color" | | Gordon Brown | 27 June 2007 | Incumbent | Labour | First Lord of the Treasury & Minister for the Civil Service | London car bombs; Glasgow Airport attack; foot-and-mouth outbreak (2007); national floods; child benefit data misplaced; Donorgate ; Northern Rock; Treaty of Lisbon; 42 Days detention; 10p Tax rate |
Timelines
- Graphical list of Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom
- Graphical list of Prime Ministers showing relative term duration
- Graphical list of Prime Ministers showing birth, death and political career of each Prime Minister from Palmerston to Brown
- Graphical list of Prime Ministers showing birth, death and political career of every Prime Minister
See also
- Historical rankings of British Prime Ministers
- Records of Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom
- List of Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom by longevity
- List of Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom by term length
- List of UK Prime Ministers' Burial Places
- List of fictional British Prime Ministers
- List of British Prime Ministers by nicknames
- Spouses of the Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom
- William Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath (sometimes listed as a prime minister; held office for 2 days in 1746)
- James Waldegrave, 2nd Earl Waldegrave (sometimes listed as a prime minister; held office for 4 days in 1757)
References
- 10 Downing Street. "Prime Ministers in History". Retrieved 2005-12-09.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - archontology.org. "United Kingdom: Principal Ministers of the Crown: 1730-2006". Retrieved 2006-09-02.