British Prime Ministers
A history of British prime ministers.
The prime minister is the de facto head of state of the United Kingdom.
The office of 'prime minister' only became an official fixture of British politics in the 20th century. Nonetheless, Walpole is considered the first PM due to his influence over the reigns of George I and George II.
The office of the first lord of the Treasury is generally recognized as the predecessor to the PM. 10 Downing Street, often considered synonymous with the government and/or the PM, is actually the official residence of the first lord. In 1922, the two offices were permanently fused.
When plotting a history of the first lords, there are exceptional periods where ministers with junior titles were the effective heads of government. For example, the crux of Pelman-Holles' strategy to government management was deferring to influential ministers for policy.
Effective Heads of Government |
First Lords |
Term |
(same, hereafter left blank) |
1721 - 1742 |
|
1742 - 1743 |
||
Henry Pelham |
|
1743 - 1746 |
2 days |
||
Henry Pelham |
|
1746 - 1754 |
|
1754 - 1756 |
|
|
1756 - 1757 |
|
Thomas Pelman-Holles |
1757 - 1761 |
|
Thomas Pelman-Holles |
1761 - 1762 |
|
John Stuart |
|
1762 - 1763 |
|
1763 - 1765 |
|
|
1765 - 1766 |
|
William Pitt |
1766 - 1768 |
|
Augustus FitzRoy |
|
1766 - 1768 |
|
1768 - 1782 |
|
... |
... |
... |
|
1868 |
|
|
1868 - 1874 |
|
Benjamin Disraeli |
|
1874 - 1880 |
William Ewart Gladstone |
|
1880 - 1885 |
1885 - 1886 |
||
William Ewart Gladstone |
|
1886 |
Robert Gascoyne-Cecil |
|
1886 - 1887 |
Robert Gascoyne-Cecil |
1887 - 1891 |
|
Robert Gascoyne-Cecil |
1891 - 1892 |
|
William Ewart Gladstone |
|
1892 - 1894 |
|
1984 - 1895 |
|
Robert Gascoyne-Cecil |
Arthur Balfour |
1895 - 1902 |
Arthur Balfour |
... |
1902 - 1905 |
... |
... |
... |
Prime Ministers |
Term |
1922 - 1923 |
|
1923 - 1924 |
|
1924 |
|
Stanley Baldwin |
1924 - 1929 |
Ramsay MacDonald |
1929 - 1935 |
Stanley Baldwin |
1935 - 1937 |
1937 - 1940 |
|
1940 - 1945 |
|
1945 - 1951 |
|
Winston Churchill |
1951 - 1955 |
... |
|
1963 - 1964 |
|
... |
|
1997 - 2007 |
|
2007 - 2010 |
|
2010 - 2016 |
|
2016 - 2019 |
|
2019 - 2022 |
|
2022 |
|
2022 - 2024 |
|
2024 - |