British Prime Ministers
| Prime Minister | Term | Party | Key Events and Policies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Walpole | 1721-1742 | Whig |
- Considered the first "Prime Minister" of Great Britain - Managed the South Sea Bubble financial crisis, stabilizing the economy - Maintained peace through skilled diplomacy, avoiding costly wars - Introduced the sinking fund to reduce national debt - Faced opposition over his Excise Bill, which he withdrew to maintain power |
| Spencer Compton | 1742-1743 | Whig |
- Short-lived ministry, largely continuing Walpole's policies - Struggled to form a stable government due to factional rivalries - Involved in the War of the Austrian Succession, supporting Maria Theresa's claim - Resigned due to inability to control the House of Commons effectively |
| Henry Pelham | 1743-1754 | Whig |
- Successfully managed the Jacobite rising of 1745, defeating Bonnie Prince Charlie - Concluded the War of the Austrian Succession with the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748) - Passed the Jewish Naturalization Act 1753 (later repealed due to public pressure) - Reduced national debt through fiscal reforms and the consolidation of national loans |
| Thomas Pelham-Holles | 1754-1756 | Whig |
- First term as Prime Minister - Outbreak of the Seven Years' War in 1756 - Struggled to manage the initial stages of the war effectively - Faced criticism for the loss of Minorca to the French in 1756 |
| William Cavendish | 1756-1757 | Whig |
- Brief tenure during a crucial phase of the Seven Years' War - Oversaw the controversial execution of Admiral John Byng for "failing to do his utmost" in the Battle of Minorca - Struggled to form an effective war cabinet - Resigned due to inability to manage the war effort effectively |
| Thomas Pelham-Holles | 1757-1762 | Whig |
- Second term as Prime Minister - Formed a coalition with William Pitt the Elder to manage the Seven Years' War - Oversaw significant British victories in North America, India, and Europe - Consolidated British power in India, laying foundations for the British Raj - Resigned after disagreements with the new King George III |
| John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute | 1762-1763 | Tory |
- First Tory Prime Minister in 50 years - Close friend and advisor to King George III - Negotiated the Treaty of Paris (1763), ending the Seven Years' War - Introduced a controversial cider tax, facing significant public backlash - Resigned due to unpopularity and health issues |
| George Grenville | 1763-1765 | Whig |
- Introduced the Sugar Act (1764) and the Stamp Act (1765), leading to unrest in American colonies - Passed the Currency Act (1764), restricting the use of paper money in the colonies - Enforced the Navigation Acts, increasing tensions with American merchants - Prosecuted John Wilkes for seditious libel, sparking debates on press freedom and parliamentary privilege |
| Charles Watson-Wentworth | 1765-1766 | Whig |
- First term as Prime Minister - Repealed the controversial Stamp Act to ease tensions with American colonies - Passed the Declaratory Act, asserting Parliament's right to legislate for the colonies - Reduced duties on imported whale fins to support the American whaling industry - Resigned due to ill health and difficulties in managing his cabinet |
| William Pitt the Elder | 1766-1768 | Whig |
- Formed a government while being elevated to the House of Lords as Earl of Chatham - Suffered from poor health, limiting his active participation in government - Oversaw the passage of the Townshend Acts, which further strained relations with American colonies - Acquisition of Corsica, briefly expanding British influence in the Mediterranean - Resigned due to deteriorating health and inability to effectively lead the government |
| Augustus FitzRoy | 1768-1770 | Whig |
- Dealt with growing tensions in the American colonies over the Townshend Acts - Managed the Corsican Crisis, eventually ceding the island to France - Oversaw the expulsion of John Wilkes from Parliament, leading to public protests - Faced economic difficulties and increasing national debt - Resigned after losing support in Parliament |
| Frederick North | 1770-1782 | Tory |
- Repealed most of the Townshend Acts, but retained the tea duty - Passed the Tea Act (1773), leading to the Boston Tea Party - Introduced the Coercive Acts (1774) in response to colonial unrest - Presided over Britain during the American Revolutionary War - Resigned after vote of no confidence following British defeat at Yorktown |
| Charles Watson-Wentworth | 1782 | Whig |
- Second term as Prime Minister, lasting only a few months - Began peace negotiations to end the American Revolutionary War - Granted legislative independence to Ireland (Poynings' Law repealed) - Initiated reform of the British East India Company - Died in office, leading to a brief political crisis |
| William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne | 1782-1783 | Whig |
- Concluded the Treaty of Paris (1783), formally ending the American Revolutionary War - Began peace negotiations with France, Spain, and the Netherlands - Proposed economic reforms influenced by Adam Smith's ideas - Faced opposition from a coalition led by Charles James Fox and Lord North - Resigned after losing a vote of confidence in the House of Commons |
| William Cavendish-Bentinck | 1783 | Whig |
- First term as Prime Minister, part of the Fox-North Coalition - Attempted to reform the British East India Company through Fox's India Bill - Faced strong opposition from King George III over the India Bill - Government dismissed by the King after the India Bill was defeated in the House of Lords - Brief tenure lasted only 9 months |
| William Pitt the Younger | 1783-1801 | Tory |
- Became Prime Minister at age 24, the youngest in British history - Successfully passed the India Act (1784), reforming the East India Company - Established the sinking fund (1786) to reduce national debt - Formed the Triple Alliance with Prussia and the Netherlands (1788) - Managed the Regency Crisis of 1788 during King George III's illness - Joined the War of the First Coalition against revolutionary France (1793) - Suspended habeas corpus (1794) and passed the Seditious Meetings Act (1795) to curb radicalism - Oversaw the union of Great Britain and Ireland, creating the United Kingdom (1800) - Resigned over the King's refusal to support Catholic emancipation |
| Henry Addington | 1801-1804 | Tory |
- Negotiated the Treaty of Amiens (1802), bringing a brief peace with France - Introduced income tax as a wartime measure - Improved the nation's coastal defenses in preparation for renewed conflict with France - Resumed war with France in 1803 as Napoleon's ambitions became clear - Faced criticism for perceived weak leadership during the war, leading to his resignation |
| William Pitt the Younger | 1804-1806 | Tory |
- Second term as Prime Minister - Formed the Third Coalition against Napoleon's France - Suffered a major setback with the French victory at the Battle of Austerlitz (1805) - Oversaw British naval victory at the Battle of Trafalgar (1805) - Abolished the slave trade in the British Empire (though the act was passed shortly after his death) - Died in office, leading to a political crisis |
| William Grenville | 1806-1807 | Whig |
- Formed the "Ministry of All the Talents," a broad coalition government - Passed the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act (1807) - Attempted to introduce limited Catholic emancipation, opposed by King George III - Resigned over the Catholic issue, refusing to rule out future emancipation efforts |
| William Cavendish-Bentinck | 1807-1809 | Tory |
- Second term as Prime Minister - Continued the war against Napoleon's France - Ordered the bombardment of Copenhagen to prevent Danish fleet falling into French hands - Began the Peninsular War in Spain and Portugal against France - Faced scandal over the Duke of York's mistress selling army commissions - Resigned due to poor health and political pressure |
| Spencer Perceval | 1809-1812 | Tory |
- Only British Prime Minister to be assassinated (shot in the House of Commons lobby) - Managed the Regency Crisis of 1810 as King George III's mental health deteriorated - Continued support for the Peninsular War against Napoleon - Faced economic difficulties and Luddite protests against industrialization - Maintained the Orders in Council, contributing to tensions with the United States |
| Robert Jenkinson | 1812-1827 | Tory |
- Oversaw British victory in the Napoleonic Wars, including the Battle of Waterloo (1815) - Managed the War of 1812 with the United States, ending in status quo ante bellum - Repealed the income tax in 1816, but faced postwar economic depression - Passed the Corn Laws (1815), protecting British agriculture - Suspended habeas corpus (1817) and passed the Six Acts (1819) to suppress radicalism - Oversaw the Congress of Vienna, reshaping post-Napoleonic Europe - Guided the country through the transition to the reign of George IV - Began a shift towards liberal Toryism in his later years |
| George Canning | 1827 | Tory |
- Served as Prime Minister for just 119 days before his death - Continued the shift towards liberal Toryism - Supported Catholic emancipation and freer trade - Recognized the independence of Argentina from Spain - Began to distance Britain from the conservative Holy Alliance - His death led to a political crisis within the Tory party |
| Frederick John Robinson | 1827-1828 | Tory |
- Succeeded Canning after a brief political crisis - Continued Canning's liberal Tory policies - Faced opposition from ultra-Tories led by the Duke of Wellington - Struggled to maintain party unity over Catholic emancipation - Resigned after losing support of key cabinet members |
| Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington | 1828-1830 | Tory |
- Famous for his military career, especially victory at Waterloo - Initially opposed Catholic emancipation but later passed the Catholic Relief Act (1829) - Fought a duel with the Earl of Winchilsea over the Catholic issue - Opposed parliamentary reform, leading to his government's downfall - Oversaw the establishment of the Metropolitan Police Force |
| Charles Grey | 1830-1834 | Whig |
- Passed the landmark Reform Act 1832, expanding voting rights - Abolished slavery throughout the British Empire with the Slavery Abolition Act 1833 - Reformed child labor laws with the Factory Act 1833 - Passed the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 - Restricted the employment of children in textile factories - Resigned due to disagreements with the King over Irish Church reform |
| William Lamb | 1834 | Whig |
- First term lasted only four months - Continued Grey's reform agenda - Faced opposition from both conservatives and radicals - Dismissed by William IV, leading to the "Bedchamber Crisis" - His dismissal was seen as unconstitutional by many |
| Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington | 1834 | Tory |
- Served as caretaker Prime Minister for three weeks - Recommended Sir Robert Peel as his successor - Managed government business while Peel returned from Italy - Demonstrated his commitment to constitutional governance |
| Robert Peel | 1834-1835 | Conservative |
- First term as Prime Minister - Issued the Tamworth Manifesto, laying out Conservative principles - Attempted to govern as a minority, but faced strong Whig opposition - Resigned after several parliamentary defeats - His brief ministry helped establish the modern Conservative Party |
| William Lamb | 1835-1841 | Whig |
- Second and longer term as Prime Minister - Passed the Municipal Corporations Act 1835, reforming local government - Reduced the number of capital offenses in British law - Dealt with the early years of Queen Victoria's reign, serving as her mentor - Faced the Bedchamber Crisis of 1839, retaining office due to Victoria's support - Struggled with economic depression and Chartist agitation |
| Robert Peel | 1841-1846 | Conservative |
- Second term as Prime Minister - Introduced income tax as a temporary measure to balance the budget - Passed the Mines Act of 1842, prohibiting women and children from working underground - Repealed the Corn Laws in 1846, leading to a split in the Conservative Party - Established the modern police force ("Peelers" or "Bobbies") - Reformed the Bank of England with the Bank Charter Act 1844 - Resigned after the repeal of the Corn Laws, having lost Conservative support |
| John Russell | 1846-1852 | Whig |
- Faced the Irish Potato Famine, criticized for inadequate response - Passed the Factory Act 1847, limiting working hours for women and children - Introduced Public Health Act 1848 to improve sanitation - Repealed the Navigation Acts in 1849, promoting free trade - Passed the Australian Colonies Government Act 1850 - Dealt with the Chartist movement and European revolutions of 1848 - Resigned following disagreements over Lord Palmerston's foreign policy |
| Edward Smith-Stanley | 1852 | Conservative |
- First of three terms as Prime Minister, lasting less than a year - Struggled to unite protectionists and free-traders within the Conservative Party - Attempted to reintroduce protectionism, but faced strong opposition - His budget was defeated, leading to the fall of his government - Oversaw the funeral of the Duke of Wellington |
| George Hamilton-Gordon | 1852-1855 | Peelite |
- Formed a coalition government with Whigs and Peelites - Led Britain into the Crimean War against Russia - Faced criticism for mismanagement of the war effort - Established the Civil Service Commission, introducing merit-based appointments - Resigned after accepting a motion for inquiry into the conduct of the war |
| Henry John Temple (Lord Palmerston) | 1855-1858 | Whig |
- First term as Prime Minister - Successfully concluded the Crimean War with the Treaty of Paris (1856) - Managed the Indian Rebellion of 1857 - Introduced the Matrimonial Causes Act 1857, establishing civil divorce - Passed the Obscene Publications Act 1857 - Resigned after criticism over his response to the Orsini affair |
| Edward Smith-Stanley | 1858-1859 | Conservative |
- Second term as Prime Minister - Oversaw the transfer of India's administration from the East India Company to the Crown - Introduced the India Bill, reorganizing British rule in India - Faced ongoing challenges in the aftermath of the Indian Rebellion - Attempted to introduce electoral reform but was defeated |
| Henry John Temple (Lord Palmerston) | 1859-1865 | Liberal |
- Second term as Prime Minister - Oversaw British neutrality during the American Civil War - Managed the diplomatic crisis of the Trent Affair with the US - Continued to resist further parliamentary reform - Dealt with the Second Opium War and the occupation of Beijing - Passed the Secret Ballot Act, introducing voting privacy - Died in office at the age of 80 |
| John Russell | 1865-1866 | Liberal |
- Second term as Prime Minister - Introduced a modest reform bill to expand the franchise, which was defeated - Dealt with the Jamaican Morant Bay rebellion and its controversial suppression - Managed the outbreak of the Austro-Prussian War - Resigned after a defeat on an amendment to the Reform Bill |
| Edward Smith-Stanley | 1866-1868 | Conservative |
- Third and final term as Prime Minister - Passed the Second Reform Act of 1867, significantly expanding the franchise - Oversaw the Fenian Rising in Ireland and growing Irish nationalism - Dealt with the Abyssinian Expedition to rescue British hostages - Resigned due to ill health and electoral defeat |
| Benjamin Disraeli | 1868 | Conservative |
- First term as Prime Minister, lasting only a few months - Focused on implementing the Second Reform Act - Proposed reform of the Irish Church, but was defeated - Called a general election, which the Conservatives lost |
| William Ewart Gladstone | 1868-1874 | Liberal |
- First of four terms as Prime Minister - Disestablished the Church of Ireland with the Irish Church Act 1869 - Introduced elementary education with the Elementary Education Act 1870 - Abolished the sale of army commissions with the Army Regulation Act 1871 - Introduced the secret ballot with the Ballot Act 1872 - Attempted to establish a Catholic university in Ireland, but failed - Resigned after losing a vote on the Irish University Bill |
| Benjamin Disraeli | 1874-1880 | Conservative |
- Second term as Prime Minister - Passed social reforms including the Artisans' Dwellings Act and the Public Health Act - Introduced the Royal Titles Act 1876, making Queen Victoria Empress of India - Pursued an active foreign policy, acquiring Cyprus and shares in the Suez Canal - Dealt with the Eastern Question and the Russo-Turkish War - Represented Britain at the Congress of Berlin (1878) - Faced agricultural depression and industrial disputes at home |
| William Ewart Gladstone | 1880-1885 | Liberal |
- Second term as Prime Minister - Passed the Third Reform Act 1884, further expanding the franchise - Introduced the Married Women's Property Act 1882 - Dealt with the First Boer War and the occupation of Egypt - Faced the challenge of Irish Home Rule and the rise of Charles Stewart Parnell - Struggled with the Sudan crisis and the death of General Gordon in Khartoum - Resigned after a budget defeat, splitting with Joseph Chamberlain over Irish Home Rule |
| Robert Gascoyne-Cecil | 1885-1886 | Conservative |
- First of three terms as Prime Minister - Formed a minority government with Irish Nationalist support - Passed the Ashbourne Act, promoting land purchase in Ireland - Annexed Burma to British India - Resigned after the Conservatives allied with Liberal Unionists against Home Rule |
| William Ewart Gladstone | 1886 | Liberal |
- Third term as Prime Minister, lasting only a few months - Introduced the First Irish Home Rule Bill, which was defeated - The defeat led to a split in the Liberal Party, with Liberal Unionists joining the Conservatives - Called a general election, which he lost |
| Robert Gascoyne-Cecil | 1886-1892 | Conservative |
- Second term as Prime Minister - Formed an alliance with Liberal Unionists against Home Rule - Passed the Local Government Act 1888, establishing county councils - Introduced free elementary education with the Education Act 1891 - Dealt with the Partition of Africa and colonial expansion - Managed relations with Germany and the Triple Alliance |
| William Ewart Gladstone | 1892-1894 | Liberal |
- Fourth and final term as Prime Minister at age 82 - Introduced the Second Irish Home Rule Bill, passed by Commons but rejected by Lords - Dealt with the Panic of 1893 and subsequent economic depression - Clashed with the House of Lords over their veto power - Resigned due to age and cabinet disagreements, especially over naval estimates |
| Archibald Primrose | 1894-1895 | Liberal |
- Continued Gladstone's policies but avoided contentious issues like Home Rule - Dealt with the Sino-Japanese War and its implications for British interests - Faced the challenge of Armenian massacres in the Ottoman Empire - Introduced death duties in Sir William Harcourt's famous budget of 1894 - Resigned after a defeat on a vote of no confidence regarding military supplies |
| Robert Gascoyne-Cecil | 1895-1902 | Conservative |
- Third and longest term as Prime Minister - Presided over the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1897 - Dealt with colonial crises including the Jameson Raid and the Second Boer War - Passed the Workmen's Compensation Act 1897 - Managed growing rivalry with Germany and the Anglo-Japanese Alliance - Oversaw the death of Queen Victoria and accession of Edward VII - Resigned due to ill health and party factionalism |
| Arthur Balfour | 1902-1905 | Conservative |
- Nephew and protégé of Lord Salisbury - Passed the Education Act 1902, reorganizing the school system - Established the Committee of Imperial Defence - Formed the Entente Cordiale with France in 1904 - Faced the 1904 Dogger Bank incident with Russia - Resigned amid party splits over free trade vs protectionism |
| Henry Campbell-Bannerman | 1905-1908 | Liberal |
- Led the Liberals to a landslide victory in the 1906 general election - Granted self-government to the Transvaal and Orange River Colony - Passed the Trade Disputes Act 1906, protecting trade union funds - Initiated old age pensions and other social reforms - Dealt with the constitutional crisis over the Lords' veto power - Resigned due to ill health and died shortly after |
| Herbert Henry Asquith | 1908-1916 | Liberal |
- Introduced old age pensions and national insurance - Passed the Parliament Act 1911, limiting the power of the House of Lords - Dealt with the constitutional crisis over Irish Home Rule - Led Britain into World War I in 1914 - Formed a coalition government in 1915 - Managed the Easter Rising in Ireland in 1916 - Resigned due to criticism of his war leadership and replaced by David Lloyd George |
| David Lloyd George | 1916-1922 | Liberal |
- Led Britain to victory in World War I - Represented Britain at the Paris Peace Conference and Treaty of Versailles - Passed the Representation of the People Act 1918, extending suffrage to women over 30 - Dealt with the Irish War of Independence and the partition of Ireland - Faced postwar economic challenges and industrial unrest - Resigned following the Chanak Crisis and Conservative backbench revolt |
| Andrew Bonar Law | 1922-1923 | Conservative |
- The only British Prime Minister born outside the British Isles (in Canada) - Served for only 211 days, the shortest tenure of any 20th-century Prime Minister - Dealt with the aftermath of Irish independence and the establishment of the Irish Free State - Faced challenges of postwar economic recovery and unemployment - Resigned due to ill health (terminal cancer) and died six months later |
| Stanley Baldwin | 1923-1924 | Conservative |
- First of three terms as Prime Minister - Called a general election to seek a mandate for protectionist tariffs, but lost his majority - Dealt with the first Labour government as Leader of the Opposition - Resigned after losing a vote of confidence, leading to the first Labour government |
| Ramsay MacDonald | 1924 | Labour |
- First Labour Prime Minister, leading a minority government - Normalized relations with Soviet Russia - Dealt with industrial disputes and unemployment - Faced controversy over the Campbell Case and the Zinoviev Letter - Government fell after only nine months, leading to a general election |
| Stanley Baldwin | 1924-1929 | Conservative |
- Second term as Prime Minister - Dealt with the General Strike of 1926 - Passed the Trade Disputes and Trade Unions Act 1927, restricting union activities - Extended suffrage to all women over 21 with the Equal Franchise Act 1928 - Managed the UK's return to the gold standard - Lost the 1929 general election amid rising unemployment |
| Ramsay MacDonald | 1929-1935 | Labour, then National Government |
- Second term, initially leading a Labour minority government - Faced the challenges of the Great Depression - Formed a National Government in 1931 in response to the financial crisis - Expelled from the Labour Party for forming coalition with Conservatives - Oversaw British participation in the World Economic Conference of 1933 - Dealt with the rise of Nazi Germany and the beginnings of rearmament - Resigned as Prime Minister but remained in the cabinet under Baldwin |
| Stanley Baldwin | 1935-1937 | Conservative |
- Third and final term as Prime Minister - Oversaw the Silver Jubilee of King George V - Managed the abdication crisis of Edward VIII - Began rearmament in response to the growing threat from Nazi Germany - Dealt with the Italian invasion of Abyssinia and the Spanish Civil War - Retired after the coronation of King George VI |
| Neville Chamberlain | 1937-1940 | Conservative |
- Known for his policy of appeasement towards Nazi Germany - Signed the Munich Agreement in 1938, ceding part of Czechoslovakia to Germany - Declared war on Germany in September 1939 after the invasion of Poland - Oversaw the early months of World War II, including the "Phoney War" - Resigned after the failed Norway Campaign and loss of confidence in his war leadership |
| Winston Churchill | 1940-1945 | Conservative |
- Led Britain through most of World War II - Formed a coalition government with Labour and Liberal parties - Delivered famous speeches rallying British morale - Oversaw the Battle of Britain, the Blitz, and D-Day invasion - Participated in wartime conferences with Allied leaders - Lost the 1945 general election despite war victory |
| Clement Attlee | 1945-1951 | Labour |
- Implemented wide-ranging social reforms, including creation of the National Health Service - Nationalized key industries including coal, steel, and railways - Oversaw the independence of India and the beginning of decolonization - Helped establish NATO and supported the Marshall Plan - Ordered development of Britain's nuclear weapons program - Faced economic challenges of post-war reconstruction |
| Winston Churchill | 1951-1955 | Conservative |
- Second term as Prime Minister - Maintained most of Attlee's welfare state and nationalization programs - Dealt with the Mau Mau Uprising in Kenya - Oversaw British development of thermonuclear weapons - Managed the transition following the death of King George VI and accession of Elizabeth II - Resigned due to declining health |
| Anthony Eden | 1955-1957 | Conservative |
- Long-serving Foreign Secretary before becoming PM - Faced the Suez Crisis, leading to military intervention in Egypt - Diplomatic fallout from Suez led to his resignation - Dealt with the Soviet suppression of the Hungarian Revolution - Oversaw independence of Sudan and the Gold Coast (Ghana) |
| Harold Macmillan | 1957-1963 | Conservative |
- Rebuilt Anglo-American relations after the Suez Crisis - Oversaw significant decolonization in Africa ("Wind of Change" speech) - Applied to join the European Economic Community (vetoed by France) - Negotiated the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty - Dealt with the Profumo affair scandal - Resigned due to health issues and party scandals |
| Alec Douglas-Home | 1963-1964 | Conservative |
- Last Prime Minister to serve from the House of Lords (briefly) - Renounced his peerage to serve as PM from the Commons - Dealt with the aftermath of the Profumo affair - Faced challenges in Rhodesia and Aden - Lost the 1964 general election to Harold Wilson |
| Harold Wilson | 1964-1970 | Labour |
- First term as Prime Minister - Expanded comprehensive education and established the Open University - Maintained the UK's nuclear deterrent but sought détente with the Soviet Union - Kept Britain out of the Vietnam War - Faced economic challenges, including devaluation of the pound in 1967 - Dealt with the Rhodesian UDI crisis - Lost the 1970 general election to Edward Heath |
| Edward Heath | 1970-1974 | Conservative |
- Successfully negotiated Britain's entry into the European Economic Community (EEC) - Faced industrial unrest and implemented the Three-Day Week during the miners' strike - Dealt with the escalating Troubles in Northern Ireland, including Bloody Sunday - Attempted to reform industrial relations with the Industrial Relations Act 1971 - Called a snap election on the question "Who Governs Britain?" and lost |
| Harold Wilson | 1974-1976 | Labour |
- Second term as Prime Minister - Renegotiated terms of UK's EEC membership and held a referendum confirming membership - Faced ongoing economic challenges, including high inflation - Dealt with continuing violence in Northern Ireland - Introduced the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 - Resigned unexpectedly, citing personal reasons |
| James Callaghan | 1976-1979 | Labour |
- Faced severe economic challenges, including high inflation and unemployment - Forced to accept an IMF loan with strict conditions - Dealt with industrial unrest, culminating in the "Winter of Discontent" - Worked on devolution for Scotland and Wales - Lost a vote of no confidence, leading to the election of Margaret Thatcher |
| Margaret Thatcher | 1979-1990 | Conservative |
- First female Prime Minister of the UK - Implemented free-market economic policies ("Thatcherism") - Privatized many state-owned industries - Faced and defeated the miners' strike of 1984-85 - Led Britain in the Falklands War against Argentina - Survived an IRA bombing attempt at the Conservative Party conference - Played a significant role in ending the Cold War - Introduced the controversial poll tax - Resigned after facing internal party challenges |
| John Major | 1990-1997 | Conservative |
- Replaced the poll tax with the council tax - Oversaw Britain's exit from the Exchange Rate Mechanism on "Black Wednesday" - Negotiated the Maastricht Treaty, with opt-outs for the UK - Initiated the Northern Ireland peace process - Faced party divisions over Europe and sleaze allegations - Lost the 1997 general election to Tony Blair's "New Labour" |
| Tony Blair | 1997-2007 | Labour |
- Implemented constitutional reforms including devolution and House of Lords reform - Introduced the national minimum wage - Played a key role in the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland - Led UK into wars in Kosovo, Afghanistan, and controversially, Iraq - Expanded public spending, particularly in health and education - Won three consecutive general elections - Resigned amid controversy over the Iraq War and handed power to Gordon Brown |
| Gordon Brown | 2007-2010 | Labour |
- Faced the global financial crisis of 2008 - Implemented bank rescues and economic stimulus measures - Hosted the G20 London Summit in 2009 to address the global financial crisis - Dealt with the MPs' expenses scandal - Signed the Lisbon Treaty - Lost the 2010 general election, resulting in a hung parliament |
| David Cameron | 2010-2016 | Conservative |
- Formed a coalition government with the Liberal Democrats - Implemented austerity measures to reduce the budget deficit - Introduced same-sex marriage in England and Wales - Held a referendum on Scottish independence, with Scotland voting to remain in the UK - Called and lost the EU membership referendum (Brexit) - Resigned following the Brexit referendum result |
| Theresa May | 2016-2019 | Conservative |
- Second female Prime Minister of the UK - Focused primarily on negotiating Britain's exit from the EU - Triggered Article 50 to begin the Brexit process - Called a snap election in 2017, losing her majority - Faced multiple defeats in Parliament over her Brexit deal - Resigned after failing to pass her Brexit agreement |
| Boris Johnson | 2019-2022 | Conservative |
- Won a large majority in the 2019 general election on a promise to "Get Brexit Done" - Finalized the UK's exit from the European Union - Led the UK's response to the COVID-19 pandemic - Introduced lockdowns and furlough scheme during the pandemic - Faced controversy over Downing Street parties during lockdown ("Partygate") - Resigned following multiple scandals and loss of party support |
| Liz Truss | 2022 | Conservative |
- Shortest-serving Prime Minister in British history (44 days) - Introduced a "mini-budget" that caused economic turmoil - Faced a severe drop in the value of the pound - U-turned on several key policies - Resigned after losing the confidence of her party and the markets |
| Rishi Sunak | 2022-present | Conservative |
- First British Asian and Hindu Prime Minister - Focused on stabilizing the economy after Truss's tenure - Dealing with high inflation and cost of living crisis - Negotiated the Windsor Framework for post-Brexit Northern Ireland - Facing challenges including NHS waiting times and industrial action - Ongoing as of 2023 |
United Kingdom
United States
France
Germany
Ancient
