LONDON STATUES - BRITISH PRIME MINISTERS
LONDON STATUES - BRITISH PRIME MINISTERS
There have been fifty-eight British Prime Ministers and it is the nature of the beast that few of them leave office with enhanced reputations. So it is hardly surprising that not many have been honoured with public statues. Wellington and Churchill are the obvious exceptions. But they are remembered more for their leadership in times of conflict rather than political innovation. In fact both, from aristocratic families, had little interest in reforms to benefit the hoi polloi.
So below, with a couple of exceptions, are all the public statues of British Prime Ministers I could find in locations freely accessible in London. Others exist in places where there is an admission charge, notably the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey.
Given my knowledge of British history is sketchy - not part of my 1960s O level syllabus - I got a bit carried away and have added notes on all 58 incumbents. Liz Truss was the easiest to research.
The accompanying portraits are courtesy of The National Portrait Gallery or The National Gallery: For use in non-commercial projects (e.g. online in scholarly and non-profit publications and websites, blogs, local society newsletters and family history).
Sir Robert Walpole (1721-1742) Whig
Generally considered to be Britain's first prime minister, Walpole is also the longest-serving. He led the country for over twenty years, restoring confidence following the South Sea Bubble financial crash (1720) and keeping Britain largely at peace, resulting in reduced taxes. He eventually resigned after being accused of mis-handling the War of Jenkins Ear (after Welsh sailor Robert Jenkins claimed a Spaniard inspecting his vessel had severed his ear). At the start his first term, Walpole was gifted 10 Downing Street as his official residence by George I. Walpole himself did not use the title Prime Minister which was originally a term of insult, implying someone was overly ambitious or powerful. Instead his official title was the 'concise': First Lord of the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Leader of the House of Commons.
National Portrait Gallery
Spencer Compton, Earl of Wilmington (1742-43) Whig
Compton was a hard worker but a poor leader and died in office after suffering poor health for most of his time as Prime Minister.
Henry Pelham (1743- 1754) Whig
During his time as Prime Minister Pelham oversaw British involvement in the War of Austrian Succession (1744-1748), the Jacobite Rising (1745) and adoption of the Gregorian Calendar. He died in office and was succeeded by his brother who had been his Secretary of State.
Trivia bonus: Pelham was played by Roger Allam in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.
Thomas Pelham-Holles, Duke of Newcastle (1754-1756, 1757-1762) Whig
Newcastle became Prime Minister just ten days after the death of his younger brother Henry Pelham. Twice in office, he was one of the most ridiculed politicians of the 18th century, often caricatured as a confused buffoon. Along with Pitt the Elder, Newcastle's government did help steer Britain towards victory over France and Spain during the Seven Years' War (1753-1763). But he was blamed for losing Menorca and subsequently replaced.
William Cavendish, Duke of Devonshire (1756-1757) Whig
Devonshire's brief and nominal term came to and end when King George III dismissed Pitt the Elder who effectively controlled the government. According to Horace Walpole, Devonshire was "always in a hurry to do nothing". He died in 1764, at 44 the shortest-lived British Prime Minister.
He is a great-great-great-great-great-grandfather of Charles III through the king's maternal great-grandmother, Cecelia Bowes-Lyon.
John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute (1762-1763) Tory
A favourite and former tutor of George III, Bute was unpopular with those Brits (around 92%) who didn't have the vote, partly because he taxed cider (four shillings per hogshead) to pay for the Seven Years' War. He resigned following his handling of the Treaty of Paris which ended that war. Even more significantly, Bute and the king taxed American colonists for British military support. This ultimately led to the War of Independence.
It is thought that the expression Jack Boot in the sense of a stupid person originated as a comment on Stuart's time in office.
George Grenville (1763-1765) Whig
Grenville introduced the controversial Stamp Act (1765) imposing a direct tax on the British colonies and plantations in America, a further miscalculation that contributed to the outbreak of the War of Independence. The exclusive tax on American colonies required that documents and newspapers be printed on paper from London bearing an embossed revenue stamp that had to be paid for in sterling. Grenville relinquished public support after losing a case for treason and sedition he brought against John Wilkes for publishing a negative article directed at George III.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Charles Watson Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham (1765-1766, 1782) Whig
Wentworth repealed the unenforceable Stamp Act and scrapped Bute's cider tax. His second term lasted just fourteen weeks when he died, victim of an influenza epidemic.
Despite there being no public statue of Wentworth in London he has been accorded the arguably greater honour of having a Wetherspoons named after him - the Rockingham Arms in Elephant and Castle.
Lord Rockingham's XI, who topped the British singles chart with Hoots Mon in 1958, settled out of court after being sued by descendants of the former PM.
William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham (1766-1768) Whig
"Walpole was a minister given by the king to the people, but Pitt was a minister given by the people to the king". Samuel Johnson.
National Portrait Gallery
Angus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton (1768-1770) Whig
Grafton landed the top job after Pitt fell ill. He stepped down after being held responsible for allowing the French to annex Corsica. He was mostly remembered at the time for his colourful private life; once, allegedly, caught in flagrante delicto at the opera with courtesan Nancy Parsons.
Grafton was the first British Prime Minister to have been divorced. And he is one of only two PMs to divorce and remarry whilst in office, the other being Boris Johnson.
Lord Frederick North (1770-1782) Tory
North led Britain into the American War of Independence (1775). Although blamed for Britain's subsequent defeat, many of the military operations were hampered by infighting within the British high command in North America. Additionally, in 1778, the French allied with the American rebels, then Spain joined the war in 1779 as an ally of France, as did the Dutch Republic the following year. Finding themselves fighting a war on four continents without a single ally, the British focussed on defending the West Indies - their sugar made them much more valuable than the Thirteen Colonies. The Prime Minister "who lost America" resigned in 1782 following the British defeat at Yorktown (1781).
William Petty-Fitzmaurice, 2nd Earl of Shelburne (1782-1783) Whig
Britain's first Irish-born Prime Minister took office after the unexpected death of Lord Rockingham. Petty was in office at the time when peace terms were agreed in the Treaty of Paris (1783) which officially ended the American War of Independence. The treaty also defined generous borders for the United States, including all land from the Great Lakes to Florida. Shelburne's aim was to provide lucrative trade markets for British merchants. However, he rejected demands by Benjamin Franklin for the cessation of Canada.
In 1762, he founded Boodle's, the second oldest gentlemen's club in the world, which would later have as members the Duke of Wellington, Winston Churchill and Ian Fleming. The oldest is White's (1693).
William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland (1783, 1807-1809) Whig/Tory
As Whig head of a coalition government composed of Lord North's Tories and Charles James Fox's Whigs, Portland was instrumental in ensuring Tory party dominance in the decades that followed. During his short first term the Treaty of Paris was signed. His second term, as a Tory, saw the start of the Peninsula War. In late 1809 with Portland suffering from poor health and his ministry rocked by a scandalous duel between George Canning and Lord Castlereagh, he resigned and died soon afterwards.
The twenty-six-year gap between Portland's two terms is the longest of any British Prime Minister. Portland Place and Portland Street in Marylebone are named after him. Both are on land he once owned.
William Pitt, the Younger (1783-1801, 1804-1806) Tory
The second son of Pitt the Elder became the youngest ever Prime Minister, aged just 24. His many achievements helped define the modern role of the office, including introducing the first income tax. When the newly-formed United States refused to take any more British convicts,
Pitt's government made the decision to ship them to Australia instead. The flow of evangelical protestants to America continued; it now seems Australia got the better deal.
Pitt's first term ended when George III refused to accept Catholic emancipation.
With the renewed outbreak of war with France, Pitt returned for a second term in 1804, sharing the glory of Nelson's crushing victory over the French at Trafalgar (1805). But, exhausted by the demands of the job, Pitt died in office aged just 46.
Pitt the Younger served as prime minister for a total of eighteen years, 343 days, making him the second-longest-serving British prime minister after Walpole.
National Portrait Gallery Royal Naval College
Hanover Square Houses of Parliament
Sir John Soane Museum
The statue of Pitt in Hanover Square was erected in 1831, famously surviving an attempt by radical Whig agitators to pull it down on the day it was unveiled.
Pitt the Younger was played by Benedict Cumberbatch in the biographical drama Amazing Grace (2006).
Henry Addington, Ist Viscount Sidmouth (1801-1804) Tory
Henry Addington enjoyed the favour of George III because, as a doctor, he had treated the king through one of his bouts of madness. Addington oversaw the Treaty of Amiens (1802) which temporarily halted the hostilities between Napoleonic France and Britain. But he then struggled with wartime leadership when Britain again declared war on France in 1803.
A Nicholson's pub in Canary Wharf, which I know well, is named after Henry Addington.
William Wyndham Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville (1806-1807) Whig/Coalition
The youngest son of former PM George Grenville and cousin of Pitt the Younger led the "Ministry of All the Talents" which oversaw the abolishment of the slave trade (Slave Trade Act, 1807). However, his government failed to make peace with France or accomplish Catholic emancipation. Unable to control the coalition, he resigned.
Spencer Perceval (1809-1812) Tory
As any pub quizzer will tell you, Spencer Perceval was the only British PM to be assassinated. He was shot in the lobby of the House of Commons by John Bellingham, a merchant who had been unjustly imprisoned in Russia and then denied compensation from the British government. Bellingham was hanged a week later. Perceval had led the country during the Napoleonic Wars. Back home, with economic depression, Luddite agitation and the mental incapacity of George III, his administration had been divided and repressive.
National Portrait Gallery Charlton
The bust on the right can be found in St Luke's Church, Charlton. It stands above the family vault where Spencer Perceval is buried. He left a widow, Jane, and twelve children - and just £106 5s 1d in the bank. A few days after his assassination, Parliament voted to settle £50,000 on Perceval's children, with additional annuities for his widow and eldest son.
Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool (1812-1827) Tory
With the assassination of Perceval, Lord Liverpool was asked to form a government. His fifteen years in office saw him guiding Britain to victory in the Napoleonic Wars and ushering in a lasting post-war peace. Important events during Liverpool's premiership included the defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo (1815), the Congress of Vienna (1814-1815), the 1812-1814 war with America, the Peterloo massacre (1819), the failed Cato Street Conspiracy (1820) and the Queen Caroline affair. Caroline of Brunswick was popular with the masses (and gentlemen friends) but not with her husband George IV, who wanted a divorce. Liverpool's long rule came to an end when he suffered a stroke in 1827 and left office. He died the following year.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
George Canning (1827) coalition
One of the shortest serving Prime Ministers, Canning died of pneumonia after just 119 days in office. So a long and distinguished political career came to an end for a man born in poverty who had risen to hold various senior cabinet positions under numerous prime ministers, including two important terms as foreign secretary. He is remembered as the architect of Britain's liberal foreign policy after the Napoleonic Wars, for supporting the Greeks in their struggle against the Ottomans and the Latin American colonies against Spain and Portugal. He would almost certainly have landed the top job earlier had he not clashed with Lord Castlereagh over war strategy and fought a duel with him in 1809.
The Cicero of the British Senate's contribution to public service was recognised in 1832 with a statue erected in Parliament Square attired, fittingly, in a Roman toga .....
Parliament Square
George Canning was played by John Mills in Lady Caroline Lamb (1972) and Murray Head in Prince Regent (1979).
Frederick John Robinson, Viscount Goderich (1827-1828) Coalition
Goderich was surprisingly appointed by George IV on Canning's death when most expected the king to summon Wellington. Lacking support to hold together the frail coalition of Canningite Tories and aristocratic Whigs, Goderich resigned after less than five months in office.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1828-1830, 1834 caretaker) Tory
The most famous soldier and statesman of his day, Wellington's early victories were in India and the Spanish Peninsula. In 1815, he was hailed as the man who achieved peace in Europe when he beat Napoleon at Waterloo. His only notable achievement as PM was to carry the important, if controversial, act that allowed Catholic emancipation in Britain. It was a game-changer, particularly for Irish Catholics, allowing them to sit in Parliament, hold public office and access education and professions previous off-limits. However, as an aristocrat, Wellington vigorously opposed any reforms that furthered democracy. This led to Tory defeat at the hands of Earl Grey's Whigs.
Hyde Park Corner
This statue of Wellington, astride his favourite horse Copenhagen, faces Aspley House, the Duke's London home, now a museum and art gallery. It replaced the disproportionately large equestrian statue by Matthew Coates that once topped Constitution Arch ......
Constitution Arch commemorates Wellington's victory at Waterloo. After Wellington died, the much-ridiculed statue was moved to Aldershot. It was replaced with the quadriga depicting the angel of peace descending on a chariot of war.
Hyde Park
This statue of Wellington has the body of Achilles. It was originally nude, causing public outrage before a strategic fig leaf was added.
Royal Exchange Wellington Park, Woolwich
In front of the Royal Exchange we again see Wellington on Copenhagen. The Wellington Park statue commemorates his position between 1818 and 1827 as Master General of the Royal Ordinance, Royal Arsenal, Woolwich.
For his second short term in 1834 Wellington arrived at Downing Street on Copenhagen. But his popularity had waned by then and Aspley House was regularly stoned by protestors. He was originally called the Iron Duke because of the iron shutters he had installed on Aspley House and not as a comment on his character.
Wellington Boots were definitely named after the Duke; but not Beef Wellington which existed before he was born. He is thought to be the first to coin the phrase "publish and be damned" when being offered, for a price, the option of blocking the racy memoirs of Harriette Wilson, one of his mistresses.
When Wellington died in 1852, aged 83, he was honoured with a state funeral.
Goya's famous portrait of Wellington (above) can be seen in the National Gallery. It was famously stolen from there in 1961 by bus driver Kempton Bunton. Four years later Bunton returned the painting voluntarily. Following a high-profile trail he was found not guilty of stealing the painting, but guilty of stealing the frame which had not been returned. For the full story watch the movie The Duke (1922) starring Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren. Before the painting was recovered, the theft was also referenced in the 1962 Bond movie, Dr No, when the portrait was seen on display in Julius No's lair. The prop used in this film was later stolen.
Wellington has been portrayed by many actors including:
Christopher Plummer in Waterloo (1970)
Laurence Olivier in Lady Caroline Lamb (1972)
Stephen Fry in Blackadder: Back and Forth (1999)
John Malkovich in Lines of Wellington (2012)
Rupert Everett in Napoleon (2023)
Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey (1830-1834) Whig
Earl Grey is most famous for the blend of tea named after him. But his political achievements were far from insignificant, including the eventual passing of the 1832 Great Reform Act which expanded the electorate, redistributed parliamentary seats, and started the process of electoral change we recognise today. His other legacies included the abolition of slavery throughout the British Empire and restrictions concerning the employment of children.
As a result of the Great Reform Act, the electorate increased from around 3% to 4½% which still meant that all women and most working class men were not allowed the vote; but it was a start.
Grey resigned after disagreements over his Irish policies.
Oh, and the tea. There are many theories as to how Earl Grey tea came to be named after Charles Grey. According to the Grey family, the tea, flavoured with oil of bergamot, was specially blended by a Chinese mandarin to suit the water at Howick Hall, the family seat. Twinings came to market it as a brand on the suggestion of Lady Grey. However, Jacksons of Piccadilly also claim they originated Earl Grey Tea, having received the recipe from Lord Grey.
In popular culture: "Tea, Earl Grey, hot" Jean-Luc Picard, Star Trek
William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne (1834, 1835-1841) Whig
Melbourne's first term ended when he was dismissed by William IV, the last time a British monarch removed a sitting prime minister. He was back in office five months later and remained in power for six years, acting as a trusted advisor to Queen Victoria during the early part of her reign which began in 1837. Although he wasn't associated with any major reforms (he opposed the 1832 Reform Act and was in favour of slavery) he did provide stability during a politically volatile period.
Melbourne has been played by Nigel Hawthorne in Victoria and Albert (TV serial, 2001) and Paul Bettany in Young Victoria (2009).
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Sir Robert Peel (1834-1835, 1841-1846) Conservative
As head of a minority government, Peel's first term did not go well and he resigned following a number of parliamentary defeats. But his second administration was one of the greatest of the period. Peel introduced important employment laws that banned women and children from working underground in mines. In addition, the Factory Act (1844) also limited the hours of work for women and children. And he finally succeeded in repealing the divisive Corn Laws which had kept prices high for farmers but impoverished the poor.
He is best remembered for when, earlier, as Home Secretary, he founded the Metropolitan Police Force. His police officers were called peelers or bobbies after Sir Robert. Since then they have been called many other things, not always with affection. But bobbies has (just about) stuck.
Peel is widely credited with laying down the principles of the Conservative Party. On Peel's death in 1850, after falling from his horse, Queen Victoria lamented "a kind and true friend ..... a man of unbounded loyalty, courage and high mindedness".
Parliament Square New Scotland Yard
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
John Russell, 1st Earl Russell (1846-1852, 1865-1866) Whig/Liberal
Russell was the last Whig prime minister. He championed liberal reforms with his Public Health Act (1848) improving sanitary conditions in urban areas. During his first premiership his government failed to deal effectively with the disastrous Irish Famine. For years he had a turbulent relationship with Lord Palmerston. But they joined forces in 1859 to unite the Liberal Party. The philosopher Bertrand Russell was John Russell's grandson.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby (1852, 1858-1859, 1866-1868) Conservative
Considered by many to be the father of the modern Conservative Party, Derby served three short terms, on each occasion with a minority government. His first ministry collapsed when the budget of his chancellor, Benjamin Disraeli, was rejected by the house. During his second term India was brought under direct British control for the first time. His greatest achievement came in 1867 when the Second Reform Act was passed, doubling the number of voters (but still only men). However, this bill was mainly the work of Disraeli who subsequently became Derby's successor when ill health forced his retirement. Derby's tenure of twenty-two years as party leader of the Conservative party remains the longest for any British political party.
Parliament Square Great Windmill Street, Soho
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
George Hamilton-Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen (1852-1855) Peelite
A cousin of poet Lord Byron, Aberdeen's bitterly divided coalition government led Britain into the Crimean War (1853-1856) and fell when their handling of the conflict became unpopular following errors such as the disastrous Charge of the Light Brigade (1854). Aberdeen then retired from politics. As a scholar of classical civilisations, Aberdeen was referred to by Byron as "the travell'd thane, Athenian Aberdeen".
Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston (1855-1858, 1859-1865) Liberal
Lord Palmerston was in government office almost continuously from 1807 until his death in 1865, beginning as a Tory and ending as a Liberal. He is remembered for his direction of foreign policy through a period when Britain was at the height of its colonial power. In 1861 he oversaw the British annexation of Lagos (now southern Nigeria), the home of one of the last slave-trading ports. Palmerston's India Bill (1858) transferred control of the East India Company to the Crown. His second ministry was dominated by the American Civil War and its effect on the Lancashire cotton industry. Nicknamed Lord Cupid for his many affairs, Palmerston remained active and healthy to the end, dying in office at the age of 81.
Parliament Square Westminster Abbey
Benjamin Disraeli, Earl of Beaconsfield (1868, 1874-1880) Conservative
Just ten years after Jews were allowed to enter parliament, Britain had its first, and so far only, Jewish Prime Minister. In accepting his post, 'Dizzy' declared, "I have climbed to the top of the greasy pole". He led the conservative party during years marked by intense rivalry with Liberal leader William Gladstone. Disraeli's policies introduced a large amount of social legislation, including providing housing for the poor and improved sanitation. His relationship with Victoria helped the grieving queen return to public life following the death of her consort Albert in 1861, proclaiming her Empress of India. He also undertook an aggressive imperial policy including audaciously purchasing a controlling interest for Britain in the Suez Canal, providing a route to India.
In Mrs Brown (1997) Antony Sher played Disraeli alongside Judy Dench as Queen Victoria and Billy Connolly as John Brown.
Parliament Square Westminster Abbey
William Ewart Gladstone (1868-1874, 1880-1885, 1886, 1892-1894) Liberal
Gladstone was prime minister in four governments from 1868-1894. The G.O.M. (Grand Old Man) of British politics was responsible for major national reforms and the development of imperial foreign policy. While in office, he promoted universal primary education, campaigned for Irish self-rule, and extended voting rights for men.
A heavy defeat in the 1874 election let in his great rival Benjamin Disraeli to whom the G.O.M. was God's Only Mistake. And his second administration was blighted with a number of set-backs in foreign policy, including a humiliating defeat in the First Boer War and failing to rescue General Gordon in Sudan.
Gladstone finally retired, well into his 80s, after failing to secure home rule for Ireland.
In Khartoum (1996) Ralph Richardson was Gladstone, as was Graham Chapman in Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969).
Strand Bow Church Yard
Gladstone's statue outside Bow Church was unveiled in 1882, whilst he was still alive. The statue was commissioned by matchmakers Bryant and May. The story (which may not be true) goes that it was actually paid for by the ladies working in the match factory having one shilling stopped from their wages. Some of the girls were so incensed they cut their arms and daubed the statue with blood. Then, in 1888, the matchgirls, many suffering from lockjaw caused by phosphorus used in the manufacturing process, went out on strike. Garnering huge public support, they forced Bryant and May to cave in to their demands for better working conditions. The Matchgirls Strike was an early milestone in labour relations and, in 1988, to mark it's centenary someone painted Gladstone's right hand red. To this day, whenever the paint fades, a fresh coat magically appears within a few days.
Gladstone never actually owned slaves. But his father John Gladstone was one of the largest owners of enslaved Africans. In 1834, when slavery was abolished across the British Empire, Gladstone helped his father obtain £106,796 compensation from the government for the 2,508 slaves he owned across nine plantations in the Caribbean.
The Gladstone Bag, named after the four-time Prime Minister and designed in the late 19th century, is a small portmanteau suitcase known for its wide opening. It became popular with travellers and medical professionals.
Robert Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury (1885-1886, 1886-1892, 1895-1902) Conservative
Lord Salisbury reluctantly became leader of the Conservatory party in 1881 on the death of Disraeli and formed a minority government. Throughout his three premierships he avoided international alliances with a policy of 'splendid isolation'.
During Salisbury's second term Rhodesia was created with its capital named after him. North and South Rhodesia eventually evolved into what are today Zambia and Zimbabwe. Salisbury, the capital of Zimbabwe, was renamed Harare (by Robert Mugabe) in 1982. The Second Boer War (1899) broke out in his final term. When it ended in 1902 Britain's victory was reported on by a young journalist called Winston Churchill. Shortly afterwards, with his health failing, Salisbury retired in favour of his nephew Arthur Balfour.
National Portrait Gallery
To date, at 6 feet 4 inches (193cm), Lord Salisbury is the tallest British prime minister - and the only one to sport a full beard.
Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery (1894-1895) Liberal
Rosebery was a fine orator, outstanding sportsman, writer, historian, connoisseur and collector. But he found politics pretty boring. In a short-lived administration plagued by cabinet disputes, he resigned having achieved his life's three ambitions - to marry an heiress, win the Derby, and to be Prime Minister. Rosebery's wife was Hannah de Rothschild, the only child of banker Mayer Amschel de Rothschild, the wealthiest British heiress of her day. By all accounts their marriage was a happy one despite rumours about Rosebery's sexuality. He actually had two Derby winners - Ladas in 1894 and Cicero in 1905.
Arthur Balfour (1902-1905) Conservative
Balfour's Education Act (1902) standardised the educational system of England and Wales, handing powers from school boards to LEAs (Local Education Authorities). In foreign policy, the Anglo-French Convention (1904) was signed. It formed the basis of the Entente Cordiale with France.
Later, as Lloyd George's foreign secretary Balfour issued the Balfour Declaration (1917) which supported a home for the Jewish people in Palestine.
1967 Israel stamp commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Balfour Delaration.
Henry Campbell-Bannerman (1905-1908) Liberal
'CB' was the first Lord of the Treasury to be given the official title of Prime Minister. Outspoken on the 'barbarities' of the Boer War, he restored independence to the Transvaal and Orange Free State in South Africa. His government strengthened the power of trade unions with the Trade Disputes Act (1906) and introduced free school meals.
Campbell-Bannerman resigned in 1908 due to ill health and died nineteen days later - the only prime minister to die in 10 Downing Street. His last words were "This is not the end of me".
Herbert Asquith (1908-1916) Liberal/Coalition
Asquith took charge in troubled times with Irish Home Rule (which he supported) and Women's Suffrage (which he opposed) the big issues of the day. His government's Old Age Pension Act (1908) laid the foundation of the welfare state. This was followed by the National Insurance Act (1911) that provided income for working people suffering illness or unemployment. Things were going rather well. But then, on June 28 1914, Gavrilo Princip assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria in Sarajevo and Asquith had little choice but to lead Britain into the First World War. He formed a coalition government in 1915 after his Liberal government was attacked for a shortage of munitions and the failure of the Gallipoli Campaign*. The conflict in France was not going well and so, with deadlock in the trenches, Asquith resigned. His eldest son Raymond had been killed in the Somme.
Herbert Asquith remains the last Liberal prime minister to hold a parliamentary majority. For trivia fans, actress Helena Bonham Carter is Asquith's great-granddaughter.
* ..... in which my great uncle, Enoch Enoch died. Neither of my grandfathers fought in WW1 as one was a miner and the other a policeman, married to Enoch Enoch's sister.
David Lloyd George (1916-1922) Coalition
Lloyd George became a dynamic war leader after being invited to form a government following the resignation of his fellow Liberal, Asquith. Possessing great energy and dynamism, he became widely touted as the man who had won the war. He promised 'a land fit for heroes' and oversaw the establishment of the Irish Free State (1921). But the public outcry following a 'cash for honours' scandal saw him ousted from power.
Lloyd George was a notorious womaniser, nicknamed The Goat by his colleagues. He is the only British Prime Minister to have spoken Welsh as his first language. Following the Russian Revolution (1917), Lloyd George was criticised for denying the Tsar and his family sanctuary in Britain. The Romanov family were murdered in 1918. Years later, it was revealed the decision to leave them to their fate was made by George V, not Lloyd George. In 1918, many women over thirty were given the vote and allowed to sit in parliament. After the war, Lloyd George clashed with Georges Clemenceau at the Paris Peace Conference. The French PM demanded massive reparations whilst Lloyd George argued that it would be unwise to destroy the German economy and political system. We all know how that turned out.
Lloyd George's political influence after 1922 was only sporadic, not helped by him describing Hitler as the 'George Washington of Germany'. A celebrated orator, his final speech in the House of Commons in 1940 attacked Neville Chamberlain and helped bring about the succession of another great war leader, Winston Churchill.
Anthony Hopkins has played Lloyd George twice, in Young Winston (1972) and The Edwardians (BBC TV series,1972-1973).
I can't really picture it, but Windsor Davies portrayed Lloyd George in Mosley (TV series 1998).
Parliament Square
Andrew Bonar Law (1922-1923) Conservative
After Lloyd George had been removed from office by Conservative members of his cabinet, George V invited the Canadian-born Bonar Law to form a new government. He lasted just 209 days in office before resigning due to ill health. He died of cancer just six months later. Bonar Law was the first British PM to be cremated. His ashes lie beneath a flagstone in Westminster Abbey which reads: "Andrew Bonar Law 1858-1923. Sometime Prime Minister".
Stanley Baldwin (1923-1924, 1924-1929, 1935-1937) Conservative
Just a few months into office, Baldwin called a surprise general election on the issue of protectionist trade tariffs. What was an attempt to resolve Britain's economic problems totally misfired as it reunited a divided Liberal party and let Labour into power for the first time.
Baldwin's second term included votes for women over 21, social reforms, and steering the country through the general strike of 1926. Appointing Winston Churchill, then a Liberal, to be his Chancellor of the Exchequer was a move no-one saw coming.
There was more steering to be done on his final term as, in 1936, Edward VIII abdicated. Recognising the threat of Nazi Germany, Baldwin started re-arming the country - later being criticised for not doing more.
During his times in office, Baldwin introduced numerous innovations, such as using radio and film to make himself highly visible to the public. He was a first cousin and close friend of Rudyard Kipling.
Ramsay MacDonald (1924, 1929-1935) Labour/Coalition
As the first Labour Prime Minister, MacDonald headed a minority government reliant on Liberal support. Frustrated by his inability to introduce meaningful legislation, he called an early election but lost decisively to Baldwin's Conservatives who benefitted from a collapse of the Liberal vote.
For his second minority government he appointed the first ever female minister, Margaret Bondfield, as Minister of Labour. Just a few months into this term the world was shaken by the Wall Street Crash (1929) and the Great Depression that followed. With his Labour government divided on how to resolve an economic crisis alongside the doubling of unemployment levels, MacDonald resigned. With support from the Conservative and Liberal parties, he was reappointed at the head of a National Government. This move cost him the support of his own party who expelled him - and he once again resigned. Accused by many of 'falling into the aristocratic embrace' he nevertheless saw Labour overtake the Liberals to become the alternative party of government, a process kickstarted in 1920 when MacDonald had persuaded the Labour Party to reject communism.
Lincoln's Inn Fields
Unfortunately, there no longer appears to be a public statue of Ramsay MacDonald in London, but there is one (above) of his wife Margaret. Standing in Lincoln's Inn Fields, where the MacDonald's lived from 1896, the memorial was designed by her husband and sculpted by Richard Reginald Goulden.
Margaret MacDonald was a distinguished scientist, an active social and religious worker, and one of the founders of the YMCA. She died prematurely in 1911 of blood poisoning. The memorial, showing Margaret embracing nine children, was unveiled in 1914. An inscription reads: "She brought joy to those with whom she lived and worked".
Neville Chamberlain (1937-1940) Conservative
To this day, whenever 'appeasement' is mentioned, news channels dig out the 1938 footage of Chamberlain returning from Munich with the words "I believe it is peace for our time". Following Hitler's invasion of Poland, Chamberlain declared war on Germany on September 3, 1939. Some historians now argue he at least bought Britain crucial time to rearm although they fall short of crediting him with formulating a 'cunning plan'. Chamberlain led Britain through the first ten months of World War II before resigning in favour of Winston Churchill.
Before his fall from grace, Chamberlain oversaw some social reforms. But his other plans, such as local government reform and raising the school-leaving age from fourteen to fifteen, were put on hold when war broke out.
Winston Churchill (1940-1945, 1951-1955) Coalition/Conservative
Churchill consistently opposed appeasement with Hitler, and challenged Chamberlain's leadership in 1940, succeeding him as Prime Minister in an all-party coalition to become Britain's greatest war-time leader, universally praised for rallying Britain when defeat seemed likely.
"I expect that the Battle of Britain is about to begin. Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this island or lose the war. Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duty and so bear ourselves that if the British Commonwealth and Empire lasts for a thousand years, men will still say: "This was their finest hour". Winston Churchill, June 1940
Shortly after VE Day, Churchill was surprisingly defeated in the 1945 General Election, after ignoring the need for the post-war change his people had suffered and fought for.
Churchill's second term in office was greatly influenced by his failing health and lacked major reforms. One contemporary even described him as "gloriously unfit for office", although he basked in the glory that accompanied the Coronation of Elizabeth II (1953). The developing Cold War led him to authorise the manufacture of the British hydrogen bomb in 1955, in Churchill's words 'arming to parley'. Later that year his deteriorating wellbeing forced him to resign, making way for Anthony Eden. He died, aged 90, in 1965. Like the Duke of Wellington and William Gladstone, Churchill was given a state funeral.
A huge number of thespians have played Churchill, here's a selection ....
Richard Burton in The Valiant Years (documentary, 1960-1963) and also The Gathering Storm (BBC TV film, 1974)
Simon Ward in Young Winston (1972)
Orson Welles in The Battle of Sutjeska (1973)
Timothy Spall in The King's Speech (2010); and the 2012 London Olympics opening ceremony.
Gary Oldman in Darkest Hour (2017) - for which he won the Best Actor Oscar
Ian McNeice in Doctor Who (2010-2011)
Michael Gambon in Churchill's Secret (2016)
John Lithgow in The Crown (2016)
The 1994 American TV miniseries World War II: When Lions Roared had the unlikely line-up of Bob Hoskins, Michael Caine and John Lithgow as Churchill, Stalin and Roosevelt respectively.
Parliament Square
This imposing bronze statue, by Ivor Robert-Jones, was unveiled in 1973 by Churchill's widow Clementine. It is located on a spot referred to in the 1950s by Churchill as "where my statue will go".
Wanstead Woodford Green
Winston Churchill was the MP for Wanstead and Woodford for four decades until 1964, a year before his death. The bust is in front of The Bull on Wanstead High Street. It is mounted on a stone which was part of the original Waterloo Bridge, demolished in the 1930s.
The Allies bronze in Mayfair features Roosevelt and Churchill seated on a wooden bench. It is located at the intersection of Old Bond Street and New Bond Street. There's just room between the two wartime leaders for tourists to fill in for the conveniently omitted Joseph Stalin. Unveiled by Princess Margaret in 1995 to commemorate 50 years of peace since the end of World War II, it was created by Lawrence Holofcener who also made 50 quarter-size replicas, one of which sold for £409,250 in 2012.
As my regular readers will know, I never miss an opportunity to throw in some Churchill (or Wilde or Twain) quotes:
"Appeasement is feeding the crocodile, hoping he will eat you last"
"I have nothing left to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat" - First speech as Prime Minister, 1940
"In war it does not matter who is right, but who is left"
"We shall fight them on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender."
"Diplomacy is the art of telling people to go to hell in such a way that they ask for directions"
"Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm"
"Personally, I'm always ready to learn, although I do not always like being taught"
"Politics is the ability to foretell what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month and next year. And to have the ability afterwards to explain why it didn't happen."
"The best way to get a good idea is to have lots of ideas."
"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life."
"The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter"
"My tastes are simple: I am easily satisfied with the best"
"You can always depend on Americans to do the right thing - after they've tried everything else"
"Russia is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma"
"History will be kind to me, for I intend to write it"
Lady Nancy Astor: "Winston, if you were my husband, I'd poison your tea."
Churchill: "Nancy, if I were your husband, I'd drink it."
. Churchill was never in contention for a FIFA peace prize but he did win the 1953 Nobel Prize for Literature.
Clement Attlee (1945-1951) Labour
After leading Labour to a landslide victory, and their first-ever majority government, Attlee quickly set about implementing his party manifesto pledges. Despite the country being effectively bankrupt after the war, the National Health Service was created in 1948, spearheaded by health minister Aneurin Bevan. His 'cradle to grave' welfare state made healthcare free for all British citizens. In addition, within a few short years, Labour nationalised the Bank of England, transport, communications, coal, gas, electricity, and the iron and steel industries, around one fifth of the entire British economy. Somehow, London even managed to host the 1948 Summer Olympics - the 'Austerity Games'. And India was granted independence in 1947. Attlee stepped down when Labour lost the 1955 election and was succeeded as party leader by Hugh Gaitskell.
Played by Patrick Troughton In Edward & Mrs Simpson (1978)
Played by Patrick Stewart in The Gathering Storm (BBC TV film, 1974)
Played by his grandson Richard Attlee in Dunkirk (TV series, 2004)
Queen Mary University of London, Mile End
The bronze statue originally stood outside Limehouse Library. It was unveiled in 1988 by Harold Wilson, at the time the last surviving member of Attlee's cabinet. The statue was recast and moved to its present location in 2011, when it was unveiled by Peter Mandelson.
Aneurin Bevan, Attlee's Health Minister
National Portrait Gallery
"No society can legitimately call itself civilized if a sick person is denied medical aid because of lack of means" Aneurin Bevan
Anthony Eden (1955-1957) Conservative
On Churchill's retirement, Eden immediately called a general election and increased the Conservative majority. However, his success was to be short-lived, due to his controversial handling of the Suez Crisis (1956). His badly executed invasion of Egypt to seize control of the Suez Canal sparked widespread international condemnation, a humiliating withdrawal, and Eden's resignation on grounds of ill health.
Harold Macmillan (1957-1963) Conservative
Macmillan emerged from the wreckage of the Suez crisis to inform the queen his new government would only last weeks. But 'Supermac' quickly restored the nation's confidence and fortunes. As living standards and prosperity increased he memorable claimed the British public had "never had it so good". In terms of foreign affairs, he had a hand in negotiating the 1963 Nuclear Ban Treaty (between the USA, USSR and Britain) and accelerated decolonisation of the British Empire. But by the end of his term the economy was beginning to falter and, after a series of scandals - including the Profumo Affair - he resigned.
Sir Alec Douglas-Home (1963-1964) Conservative
Plucked from the House of Lords to replace Macmillan, Douglas-Home was Prime Minister for just 363 days, the second-shortest premiership of the 20th century. The Daily Mirror described Douglas-Home as "a nice chap and polite peer" whilst opposition leader Harold Wilson attacked him as "an elegant anachronism". About a month after the start of Douglas-Home's tenure John F. Kennedy was assassinated. He had got on well with Kennedy but did not have such a good relationship with Lyndon Johnson, their governments having a serious disagreement on the question of British trade with Cuba.
Harold Wilson (1964-1970, 1974-1976) Labour
With a majority of just four, Wilson's plan was to modernise the country, aided by the "white heat of the technological revolution". His government introduced liberalising laws in capital punishment, abortion, homosexuality and divorce. Also, the 1965 Race Relations Act was the first legislation to address racial discrimination. But the powerful trade union bosses refused to be controlled; 'beer and sandwiches' in 10 Downing Street didn't work, resulting in rises in unemployment and inflation. In 1969, troops were stationed in Northern Ireland for the first time, initially as a peacekeeping force, but later as counter-terrorism ops against the IRA. With a clear lead in the polls, Wilson called a general election in 1970 which resulted in a surprise victory for Ted Heath's Tories.
During Wilson's second term, which began with a hung parliament, unemployment reached one million and income tax on top earners increased to 83%. By early 1976 the economic situation was so dire a loan from the IMF (International Monetary Fund) was considered to be the only option. Just five days after his 60th birthday, Wilson stunned everyone by resigning, making way for the older James Callaghan.
Played by James Bolam in The Plot Against Harold Wilson (BBC TV drama, 2006)
Played by Jason Watkins in series 3 of The Crown
The abiding memory of Mr Wilson for us Boomers - who had little interest in politics at the time - is of the pipe-smoking man in a Gannex raincoat who awarded MBEs to the Beatles.
(John Lennon returned his MBE in November 1969 as a protest against Britain's involvement in the Nigeria-Biafra civil war, the country's support of America in Vietnam, and Cold Turkey slipping down the charts.)
Edward Heath (1970-1974) Conservative
Although his aloof demeanour suggested otherwise, Ted Heath actually came from a working class background. His father was a carpenter, as was mine (and Jesus's). Heath's premiership was one of the most traumatic and controversial in recent history. During a period of great industrial upheaval and economic decline, his major achievement was leading Britain into the European Common Market. Previous attempts to join had been vetoed by Charles de Gaulle until his resignation as French president in 1969. 'Grocer Heath' abolished RPM (retain price maintenance) which had given manufacturers the right to set prices. It was also on his watch that the decimalisation of coinage (1971) was introduced.
Heath's attempts to weaken the power of the unions failed, especially after his government's imprisonment of striking dockers. Then, strikes by miners led to the lights going out across the country for three days each week to save energy. On top of that, his time in office also coincided with the peak of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. And, horror of horrors, his education minister Margaret 'the snatcher' Thatcher ended free school milk. One of my childhood memories of school milk is of it being frozen solid by morning break time. This was in the1950s before global warming.
As a 'confirmed bachelor', Edward Heath's sexuality was often questioned. But if he was gay, there was never any evidence. Around that time, Bernard Levin wrote that "the UK had to wait until the emergence of the permissive society for a prime minister who was a virgin".
James Callaghan (1976-1979) Labour
Faced with inflation running at 17% and 1.5 million unemployed, Callaghan borrowed $3.9 billion from the IMF to maintain the value of sterling. In return he attempted to impose tighter monetary control through wage restrictions for public sector workers. The unions response was a wave of strikes that saw the dead not buried and uncollected rubbish piling up in the streets. The winter of 1978-79 became known as the 'Winter of Discontent' ending with Callaghan losing a vote of no confidence, and condemning Labour to spending the next eighteen years in opposition.
James Callaghan remains the only person to have held all four Great Offices of State - Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary.
Margaret Thatcher (1979-1990) Conservative
The industrial unrest brought about by the Winter of Discontent saw Margaret Thatcher elected the first female British Prime Minister. The 'Iron Lady's' early years in power saw only a small improvement in the economy. Her defining moment came in 1982 when she led the country to war against Argentina in the Falkland Islands. The successful outcome of the campaign transformed her standing in the polls.
Her reforms were far-reaching (according to Meta):
Economic Reforms: Privatised state-owned industries, generating £70bn in revenue. Reduced inflation from 18% to 5% by 1983. Reduced top income tax rate from 83% to 40% and corporate tax from 52% to 35%. Encouraged competition, especially in finance, leading to the "Big Bang" in 1986.
Labour Relations and Social Policies: Reduced trade union power, requiring secret ballots before strikes. The miners strike, lasting a whole year, ended with them gaining nothing and pit closures. Enabled council house tenants to purchase their homes.
Foreign Policy and Diplomacy: Defended British territory (Falklands War). Built a strong alliance with US President Ronald Reagan. Negotiated the Sino-British Joint Declaration (1984), designed to ensure Hong Kong's stability and prosperity.
She increased economic growth but widened inequality and affected future Labour Party policies. Her poll tax was very unpopular and she eventually lost the support of her own party.
Here are some of the many Margaret Thatcher screen portrayals:
Janet Brown in the Bond movie For Your Eyes Only (1981)
Steve Nallon in In Search of La Che (2011). He also repeated the impersonation (perhaps the only one he could do) in numerous TV appearances including The New Statesman and a Spitting Image voiceover
Meryl Streep in The Iron Lady (2011)
Lesley-Anne Down in Reagan (2024)
In 1983, a vinyl record was pressed entitled The Wit and Wisdom of Margaret Thatcher. Both sides of the disc were totally silent.
Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead, was a 1939 song that infamously charted in the week of Thatcher's death.
Despite her being Britain's first female PM, there is no public statue of Thatcher in London. The one which now stands in her home town of Grantham was originally intended for a spot close to the Houses of Parliament. But it was rejected by Westminster councillors who expressed fears it would become a focus for "civil disobedience and vandalism".
However, there is a Thatcher statue in the inner sanctum of Parliament .....
..... where photography is not allowed. My camera must have fired off by accident. I now live in fear of being sent to the Tower.
John Major (1990-1997) Conservative
The 'Grey Major' wasn't slow to play on his humble beginnings. His campaign poster leading up to the 1992 election slogan read "What does the Conservative Party offer a working class kid from Brixton? They made him Prime Minister."
After spending billions trying to protect his pet economic policy - membership of the Exchange Rate Mechanism - his premiership would go on to see the UK's longest period of economic growth. His government also oversaw the UK's negotiations over the Maastricht Treaty (1992) and started talks with the IRA to seek a peaceful end to the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
Born in 1941, Major is the oldest surviving former PM.
Tony Blair (1997-2007) Labour
Labour's longest serving Prime Minister was praised for modernising the Labour Party (New Labour) and overseeing the Northern Ireland peace process which culminated in the signing of the Good Friday Agreement (April 10, 1998). His legacy on foreign affairs, shaped by the 9/11 terrorist attacks, is rather more controversial; allied with U.S. President Bush, UK armed forces were involved in the invasions of Afghanistan (2001) and Iraq (2003). After three election wins, two by a landslides, Blair's legacy was tarnished as it became apparent the regime of Iraq president Saddam Hussein had not possessed weapons of mass destruction. He resigned in 2007.
As prime minister Blair achieved the highest recorded approval ratings during his first years in office; but also the lowest ratings during and after the Iraq War.
Tony Blair played himself in The Simpsons. Who hasn't? Well, no other British Prime Ministers; although an unspecified 'British Prime Minister' did feature in another episode, voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch.
Michael Sheen played Blair in The Queen (2006) and numerous other film and TV productions.
Gordon Brown (2007-2010) Labour
Tony Blair's faithful Chancellor of the Exchequer moved unopposed to the top job when his boss left office. "Not flash, just Gordon" was the campaign slogan of a man clearly not as charismatic as his predecessor. But, having been chancellor for a record number of years, he was perhaps the best man to steer the country through the worldwide financial crisis of 2008. This included a huge bank rescue package. And, hosting the G20 Summit in 2009, Brown persuaded world leaders to make available $1.1 trillion to help the world economy through the crisis. He also brought UK combat operations in Iraq to an end and initiated Britain's Climate Change Act (2008), the first in the world.
David Cameron (2010-2016) Coalition/Conservative
Cameron headed Britain's first coalition government since World War II, with the Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg as his deputy prime minister. In response to the global financial crisis the coalition embarked on a programme of public spending restraint to reduce the budget deficit. Cameron's government also legalised same-sex marriage. During his time in office he would oversee three national referendums. The first, to keep the Lib Dems onside, asked whether the first-past-the-post tradition of electing MPs should be modified. The result was to keep the old system. The second, in 2014, was on Scottish independence; 'remain' was the decision. Going for a hat-trick of wins with Brexit, Cameron led the campaign to stay in the European Union. However, in June 2016, 52% of the British electorate voted to leave and Cameron resigned.
Theresa May (2016-2019) Conservative
Following the resignation of David Cameron, May's first big job was to start the process on withdrawing the UK from the European Union. One month later, seeking to strengthen her hand in Brexit negotiations, she called a snap election. The result was a hung parliament and, after having draft versions of her EU withdrawal agreement rejected by parliament on three occasions, she threw in the towel.
Boris Johnson (2019-2022) Conservative
The charismatic Johnson, with no working parliamentary majority and many members of his own party opposing his hard-line Brexit stance, was forced to call yet another general election, securing a majority of 80 seats. After 47 years of membership the UK left the EU on January 31, 2020. Just a few months later, Johnson faced the first major crisis of his premiership, the COVID-19 pandemic. He initially received criticism of his handling of the epidemic. However, his government could take credit for being at the forefront of the vaccine rollout - outside of trails, Britain's Margaret Keenan was the first person in the world to be receive a covid jab. So, whilst the EU dithered, Brexit Britain forged ahead with mass vaccination. However, it later transpired that Johnson and his team had flaunted lockdown rules and he became the first British PM to be sanctioned for breaking the law whilst in office. Following Partygate, Boris clung onto office for a while. But a couple more scandals later, was forced to resign.
Kenneth Branagh played Boris Johnson in the 2022 Sky Atlantic drama This England.
Robbie Williams portrayed Johnson in the video for his Can't Stop Christmas single (2020).
Boris Johnson is a F****** C*** by Kunt and the Gang reached number 5 in the UK singles chart. Their follow-up was Boris Johnson Is Still a F****** C***.
Boris Johnson is a F****** C*** by Kunt and the Gang reached number 5 in the UK singles chart. Their follow-up was Boris Johnson Is Still a F****** C***.
Liz Truss (2022) Conservative
Queen Elizabeth II appointed Liz Truss as her fifteenth Prime Minister on September 6, 2022. The Queen passed away just two days later and Charles III ascended to the throne. On October 20, after a tumultuous 49 day tenure, Truss announced she was stepping down. She is to date the shortest serving Prime Minister. She can also claim to be the first PM for 70 years to serve two monarchs.
There is absolutely no chance a public statue of Liz Truss will be commissioned. But there is a plaque outside Tesco in Walthamstow .....
Rishi Sunak (2022-2024) Conservative
Having lost the previous leadership contest to Truss just a few weeks earlier, Sunak was elected unopposed as the next Prime Minister. The first Asian British Prime Minister, Sunak's premiership was overshadowed by problems of soaring illegal and legal immigration. His plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda was very controversial. He might have made a good PM, but he couldn't distance himself from the chaos that had gone before.
Keir Starmer (2024-present) Labour
Following a snap election in July 2024, Labour were returned to Westminster with a huge majority, the first Labour administration for fourteen years. Whilst focusing on economic stability, public services and restoring trust in politics, Starmer also had the unedifying (but necessary) task of buttering up Donald Trump. He played his joker early, with a state visit for the US President - behind closed doors at Windsor. The official title of Starmer's post is currently the 'succinct': Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, and Minister for the Union. Robert Walpole would have approved.
| APPENDIX (I love a list):
|
Rank Prime Minister Years in Office Historical Impact Highlights
1 Winston Churchill 1940–45, 1951–55 Led Britain through WWII; iconic speeches; global statesman
2 Clement Attlee 1945–51 Founded NHS, welfare state, nationalized industries; reshaped post-war Britain
3 Margaret Thatcher 1979-1990 First female PM; neoliberal reforms; Falklands War; divisive but transformative
4 David Lloyd George 1916-22 WWI leadership; .social reforms; expanded state role
5 William Pitt the Younger 1783–1801, 1804–06 Guided Britain through Napoleonic wars; fiscal reforms
6 Robert Walpole 1721-42 First de facto PM; longest-serving; stabilized early parliamentary government
7 Harold Macmillan 1957-63 Oversaw decolonization; “winds of change” speech; economic prosperity
8 Tony Blair 1997-2007 Modernized Labour; Good Friday Agreement; Iraq War controversy
9 Herbert Asquith 1908-16 Introduced pensions; Parliament Act 1911; WWI leadership
10 Stanley Baldwin 1923–29, 1935–37 Managed interwar politics; abdication crisis
2 Clement Attlee 1945–51 Founded NHS, welfare state, nationalized industries; reshaped post-war Britain
3 Margaret Thatcher 1979-1990 First female PM; neoliberal reforms; Falklands War; divisive but transformative
4 David Lloyd George 1916-22 WWI leadership; .social reforms; expanded state role
5 William Pitt the Younger 1783–1801, 1804–06 Guided Britain through Napoleonic wars; fiscal reforms
6 Robert Walpole 1721-42 First de facto PM; longest-serving; stabilized early parliamentary government
7 Harold Macmillan 1957-63 Oversaw decolonization; “winds of change” speech; economic prosperity
8 Tony Blair 1997-2007 Modernized Labour; Good Friday Agreement; Iraq War controversy
9 Herbert Asquith 1908-16 Introduced pensions; Parliament Act 1911; WWI leadership
10 Stanley Baldwin 1923–29, 1935–37 Managed interwar politics; abdication crisis
Five Eras of the Premiership
- Georgian Foundations (1721–1830): Prime ministers like Walpole and Pitt were royal servants who managed finance and war, gradually shaping the office into a recognizable role.
- Victorian Reformers (1830–1902): Leaders such as Grey, Peel, Gladstone, and Disraeli expanded democracy, reformed society, and shifted power firmly from monarchs to Parliament.
- Imperial & Global Britain (1902–1945): PMs from Balfour to Churchill steered Britain through empire, depression, and two world wars, proving the office as national saviour in crisis.
- Welfare State & Modern Politics (1945–1979): Attlee’s NHS and Macmillan’s decolonization marked a new era where PMs reshaped society and Britain’s global role.
- Global Britain & Modern Challenges (1979–Present): From Thatcher’s free-market revolution to Blair’s globalization, Cameron’s Brexit, and Starmer’s stability drive, PMs became ideological leaders navigating global crises.
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