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List of prime ministers of the United Kingdom

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Andrew Gray (talk | contribs) at 21:36, 9 December 2005 (→18th century Prime Ministers: remove commas from a couple of Acts for consistency). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

This is a list of Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom from when the first Prime Minister (in the modern sense), Robert Walpole, took office in 1721, until the present day.

18th century Prime Ministers

Prime Ministers during the 18th century were Prime Minister of England, Wales and Scotland (the United Kingdom of Great Britain, formed by the Act of Union 1707).

Name Entered office Left office Political party Notes and key events
Sir Robert Walpole 4 April 1721 11 February 1742 Whig 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.
Spencer Compton, 1st Earl of Wilmington 16 February 1742 2 July 1743 Whig Increased tax on spirits; in poor health for much of his time as Prime Minister, the government was led de facto by John Carteret.
Henry Pelham 27 August 1743 6 March 1754 Whig Reorganisation of the British Navy; adoption of the Gregorian Calendar; Marriage Act 1753; helped end the War of the Austrian Succession.
Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle (1st term) 16 March 1754 16 November 1756 Whig Led Great Britain into the Seven Years' War with France in North America.
William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire 16 November 1756 25 June 1757 Whig The government was largely run by William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham (William Pitt the Elder).
Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle (2nd term) 2 July 1757 26 May 1762 Whig Great Britain gained more influence abroad.
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute 26 May 1762 16 April 1763 Tory Ended the dominance of the Whigs and the Seven Years' War.
George Grenville 16 April 1763 13 July 1765 Whig Lowered domestic tax at the expense of the colonies; introduced the Stamp Act 1765 (which ultimately led to the American War of Independence).
Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham (1st term) 13 July 1765 30 July 1766 Whig Repealed the controversial Stamp Act, inspired by protests in the colonies.
William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham (William Pitt the Elder) 30 July 1766 14 October 1768 Whig 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).
Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton 14 October 1768 28 January 1770 Whig Attempted to reconcile with the American colonies.
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Frederick North, 2nd Earl of Guilford 28 January 1770 22 March 1782 Tory Led Britian into the American War of Independence, making a number of tactical errors; the Gordon Riots; resigned after a vote of no confidence.
Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham (2nd term) 27 March 1782 1 July 1782 Whig Acknowledged the independence of the United States; began a process of political reform (however died in office).
William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne 4 July 1782 2 April 1783 Whig Planned political reform; secured peace with the United States, France and Spain.
William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland (1st term) 2 April 1783 19 December 1783 Whig Attempted to reform the British East India Company, but was blocked by George III.
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | William Pitt the Younger (1st term) 19 December 1783 14 March 1801 Tory India Act 1784; attempted to remove rotten boroughs; 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 England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, following the Act of Union 1800 (which merged the Kingdom of Ireland with the Kingdom of Great Britain, forming the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, as of 1 January, 1801).

Name Entered office Left office Political party Notes and key events
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth 17 March 1801 10 May 1804 Tory Negotiated the Treaty of Amiens with France in 1802.
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | William Pitt the Younger (1st term) 10 May 1804 23 January 1806 Tory Alliance with Russia, Austria and Sweden against France (Third Coalition); Battle of Trafalgar; Battle of Ulm; Battle of Austerlitz.
William Wyndham Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville 11 February 1806 31 March 1807 Whig Abolition of slavery.
William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland (2nd term) 31 March 1807 4 October 1809 Whig Headed a Tory government; was old and ill, leaving the Cabinet to their own devices (largely headed by Spencer Perceval).
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Spencer Perceval October, 1809 11 May 1812 Tory Industrial revolution; 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 2005, the only Prime Minister to be assassinated.
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool June 1812 April 1827 Tory Oversaw Great Britain's victory in the Napoleonic Wars; the Congress of Vienna; an economic recession in 1817; Peterloo Massacre in 1819; the Cato Street Conspiracy to assassinate Liverpool; return to the gold standard in 1819.
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | George Canning 10 April 1827 8 August 1827 Tory Died shortly after taking office.
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Frederick John Robinson, 1st Viscount Goderich September 1827 January 1828 Tory Lacked support amongst colleagues; resigned.
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington January 1828 November 1830 Tory Catholic Emancipation Bill (which he fought a duel over).
Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey November 1830 July 1834 Whig Reform Act 1832; restriction of employment of children; abolition of slavery throughout the British Empire.
William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne (1st term) July 1834 November 1834 Whig William IV's opposition forced him to resign.
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Robert Peel (1st term) December 1834 April 1835 Tory Unable to form a majority in Parliament so resigned.
William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne (2nd term) April 1835 September 1841 Whig A father figure to Queen Victoria; Municipal Corporations Act 1835.
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Robert Peel (2nd term) September 1841 July 1846 Conservative Mines Act 1842; Factory Act 1844; repeal of the Corn Laws (triggered by the Irish potato famine);
John Russell, 1st Earl Russell (1st term) July 1846 February 1852 Whig Education Act 1847; Australian Colonies Act 1850; improved the Poor Law.
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby (1st term) February 1852 December 1852 Conservative Government collapsed when his Chancellor's Budget was defeated.
George Hamilton-Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen December 1852 February 1855 Peelite Entered the country into the Crimean War; resigned due to the formation of an enquiry into the conduct of the war.
style="background-color: Template:Liberal Democrats (UK)/meta/color" | Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston (1st term) February 1855 February 1858 Liberal Responded to the Indian mutiny of 1857; introduced the India Bill 1858.
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby (2nd term) February 1858 June 1859 Conservative India Bill 1858, transferring ownership of the East India Company to the Crown; Jews Relief Act, allowing Jews to become MPs.
style="background-color: Template:Liberal Democrats (UK)/meta/color" | Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston (2nd term) June 1859 October 1865 Liberal Between periods in office he founded the Liberal Party; died in office.
style="background-color: Template:Liberal Democrats (UK)/meta/color" | John Russell, 1st Earl Russell (2nd term) October 1865 June 1866 Liberal attempted to introduce a further Reform Bill, but was opposed by his Cabinet.
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby (3rd term) June 1866 February 1868 Conservative Reform Act 1867; considered to be the father of the modern Conservative Party.
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Benjamin Disraeli (1st term) February 1868 December 1868 Conservative The UK's first and, as of 2005, only, Jewish Prime Minister; dissolved Parliament as the Conservatives did not have a majority.
style="background-color: Template:Liberal Democrats (UK)/meta/color" | William Ewart Gladstone (1st term) December 1868 February 1874 Liberal Introduced reforms to the British Army, Civil Service and local government; made peacetime flogging illegal; Ballot Act 1872; failed to prevent the Franco-German War.
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield (2nd term) February 1874 April 1880 Conservative 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 Three Emperors.
style="background-color: Template:Liberal Democrats (UK)/meta/color" | William Ewart Gladstone (2nd term) April 1880 June 1885 Liberal First Boer War; Irish Coercion Act; Redistribution of Seats Act; failure to rescue General Gordon in Khartoum, Sudan.
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury (1st term) July 1885 February 1886 Conservative Legislation providing for housing the working class.
style="background-color: Template:Liberal Democrats (UK)/meta/color" | William Ewart Gladstone (3rd term) February 1886 August 1886 Liberal 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" | Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury (2nd term) August 1886 August 1892 Conservative 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 Democrats (UK)/meta/color" | William Ewart Gladstone (4th term) August 1892 February 1894 Liberal 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 Democrats (UK)/meta/color" | Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery March 1894 June 1895 Liberal 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" | Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury (3rd term) June 1895 July 1902 Conservative Workmen's Compensation Act 1897; Boer War.

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 6 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.

Name Entered office Left office Political party Notes and key events
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Arthur Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour 11 July 1902 5 December 1905 Conservative Had poor relations with Edward VII; his cabinet was split over free trade; establishment of the Committee of Imperial Defence.
style="background-color: Template:Liberal Democrats (UK)/meta/color" | Henry Campbell-Bannerman 5 February 1906 3 April 1908 Liberal First to use the official title of "Prime Minister"; restored autonomy to Transvaal and the Orange Free State; Anglo-Russian Entente.
style="background-color: Template:Liberal Democrats (UK)/meta/color" | Herbert Henry Asquith, 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith April 1908 December 1916 Liberal Parliament Act 1911; granting of women's suffrage; Home Rule Act 1914; World War I.
style="background-color: Template:Liberal Democrats (UK)/meta/color" | David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor December 1916 October 1922 Liberal End of World War I; Paris Peace Conference; attempted to extend conscription to Ireland which led to the formation of the Irish Free State;
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Andrew Bonar Law October 1922 May 1923 Conservative 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) May 1923 January 1924 Conservative 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 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) November 1924 June 1929 Conservative European non-aggression 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 7 June 1935 Labour Appointed the first female minister, Margaret Bondfield; economic crises following the Wall Street Crash of 1929; formation of a National Government which led to a loss of support from the Labour Party.
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley (3rd term) May 1935 May 1937 Conservative Managed the abdication crisis of Edward VIII; later criticised for failing to rearm when Adolf Hitler broke Germany's Treaty of Versailles obligations.
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Neville Chamberlain 28 May 1937 10 May 1940 Conservative Attempted to prevent World War II; widely criticised following the invasion of Poland; resigned after failing to form a National Government.
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Winston Churchill (1st term) 10 May 1940 27 July 1945 Conservative World War II; foundation of the United Nations; proposed what would eventually lead to the European Union.
style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (UK)/meta/color" | Clement Attlee (1st term) 27 July 1945 26 October 1951 Labour Initiated the post-war consensus; introduced nationalisation of utilities; foundation of the National Health Service; introduction of national insurance; independence of India and the end of the British role in Palestine; foundation of NATO.
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Winston Churchill (2nd term) 26 October 1951 7 April 1955 Conservative Domestic policy interrupted by foreign disputes (Operation Ajax, Mau Mau Uprising, Malayan Emergency).
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Anthony Eden 7 April 1955 9 January 1957 Conservative 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 11 January 1957 19 October 1963 Conservative The UK applied to join the European Economic Community, 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" | Alec Douglas-Home, 14th Earl of Home 19 October 1963 16 October 1964 Conservative Was a Earl on becoming Prime Minister, and renounced his peerage in order to enter the House of Commons.
style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (UK)/meta/color" | Harold Wilson (1st term) 16 October 1964 19 June 1970 Labour Devaluation of the pound; foundation of the Open University; plagued by industrial relations problems.
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Edward Heath 19 June 1970 6 March 1974 Conservative The UK joined the European Community; Violence due to The Troubles peaked; the Sunningdale Agreement which led to the downfall of Heath's government due to Unionist opposition.
style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (UK)/meta/color" | Harold Wilson (2nd term) 4 March 1974 5 April 1976 Labour Negotiated better terms for the UK in the EC followed by the 1975 referendum; the International Monetary Fund had to provide support following a collapse in the value of the pound.
style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (UK)/meta/color" | James Callaghan 5 April 1976 4 May 1979 Labour The Lib-Lab Pact; major confrontations between trade unions and the government, culminating in the Winter of Discontent.
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Margaret Thatcher 4 May 1979 28 November 1990 Conservative Falklands War; sold council housing to tenants; miner's strike 1984-5; privatisation of many previously government-owned industries; decreased the power of trade unions; Anglo-Irish Agreement; Section 28; negotiation of the UK rebate towards the European Community budget; fall of the Berlin Wall; the "Community Charge".
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | John Major 28 November 1990 2 May 1997 Conservative Global recession; ratification of the Maastricht Treaty; forced exit from the European Exchange Rate Mechanism ("Black Wednesday"); administration plagued by sex scandals and infighting.
style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (UK)/meta/color" | Tony Blair 2 May 1997 incumbent Labour

Timeline

Rishi SunakLiz TrussBoris JohnsonTheresa MayDavid CameronGordon BrownTony BlairJohn MajorMargaret ThatcherJames CallaghanHarold WilsonEdward HeathHarold WilsonAlec Douglas-HomeHarold MacmillanAnthony EdenWinston ChurchillClement AttleeWinston ChurchillNeville ChamberlainStanley BaldwinRamsay MacDonaldStanley BaldwinRamsay MacDonaldStanley BaldwinAndrew Bonar LawDavid Lloyd GeorgeHerbert Henry AsquithHenry Campbell-BannermanArthur BalfourRobert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of SalisburyArchibald Primrose, 5th Earl of RoseberyWilliam Ewart GladstoneRobert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of SalisburyWilliam Ewart GladstoneRobert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of SalisburyWilliam Ewart GladstoneBenjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of BeaconsfieldWilliam Ewart GladstoneBenjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of BeaconsfieldEdward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of DerbyJohn Russell, 1st Earl RussellHenry Temple, 3rd Viscount PalmerstonEdward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of DerbyHenry Temple, 3rd Viscount PalmerstonGeorge Hamilton-Gordon, 4th Earl of AberdeenEdward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of DerbyJohn Russell, 1st Earl RussellRobert PeelWilliam Lamb, 2nd Viscount MelbourneRobert PeelWilliam Lamb, 2nd Viscount MelbourneCharles Grey, 2nd Earl GreyArthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of WellingtonFrederick John Robinson, 1st Viscount GoderichGeorge CanningRobert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of LiverpoolSpencer PercevalWilliam Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of PortlandWilliam Wyndham Grenville, 1st Baron GrenvilleWilliam Pitt the YoungerHenry Addington, 1st Viscount SidmouthWilliam Pitt the YoungerWilliam Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of PortlandWilliam Petty, 2nd Earl of ShelburneCharles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of RockinghamFrederick North, Lord NorthAugustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of GraftonWilliam Pitt, 1st Earl of ChathamCharles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of RockinghamGeorge GrenvilleJohn Stuart, 3rd Earl of ButeThomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-TyneWilliam Cavendish, 4th Duke of DevonshireThomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-TyneHenry PelhamSpencer Compton, 1st Earl of WilmingtonRobert WalpoleRepresentation of the People Act 1969Representation of the People Act 1928Representation of the People Act 1918

See also

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