Prime Ministers and Politics Timeline

Overview

This timeline provides a historical overview of British Prime Ministers, highlighting key events, political challenges, and achievements throughout their tenures.

20th and 21st Century Prime Ministers

David Cameron (Conservative, 2010 - Present)

• Current Prime Minister as of the timeline's publication.

John Major (Conservative, 1990 - 1997)

• Led during a period of economic recession.

Margaret Thatcher (Conservative, 1979 - 1990)

• First female Prime Minister.
• Known for 'Thatcherism': free-market policies, deregulation, and privatization.
• Won three consecutive terms, toppled by her party due to the 'poll tax'.

James Callaghan (Labour, 1976 - 1979)

• Faced the 'Winter of Discontent', marked by massive strikes.

Harold Wilson (Labour, 1974 - 1976)

• Led a minority government.
• Managed a referendum on Britain's EEC membership.
• Resigned due to exhaustion.

Edward Heath (Conservative, 1970 - 1974)

• Took Britain into the EEC.
• His government faced economic crises and industrial action.

Harold Wilson (Labour, 1964 - 1970)

• Promised a 'new Britain'.
• Faced economic challenges, lost to Conservatives in 1970.

Sir Alec Douglas-Home (Conservative, 1963 - 1964)

• Became PM after Harold Macmillan's retirement.

Harold Macmillan (Conservative, 1957 - 1963)

• Known for the 'Profumo Affair'.
• Resigned due to ill health.

Sir Anthony Eden (Conservative, 1955 - 1957)

• Led during the Suez Crisis.

Sir Winston Churchill (Conservative, 1951 - 1955)

• Returned to power post-WWII, struggled with Cold War politics.

Clement Attlee (Labour, 1945 - 1951)

• Established the NHS and national insurance.

Winston Churchill (Conservative, 1940 - 1945)

• Led during WWII.

Neville Chamberlain (Conservative, 1937 - 1940)

• Known for 'appeasement' towards Hitler.

Stanley Baldwin (Conservative, 1935 - 1937)

• Managed the abdication crisis of Edward VIII.

Ramsay MacDonald (Labour, 1929 - 1935)

• Formed a 'national government' during the Great Depression.

Stanley Baldwin (Conservative, 1924 - 1929)

• Saw the General Strike of 1926.

Ramsay MacDonald (Labour, 1924)

• First Labour PM.

Stanley Baldwin (Conservative, 1923)

• Briefly served before losing an election.

Andrew Bonar Law (Conservative, 1922 - 1923)

• Known as the 'unknown prime minister'.

David Lloyd George (Liberal, 1916 - 1922)

• Led through WWI.

HH Asquith (Liberal, 1908 - 1916)

• Oversaw major constitutional changes.

19th Century Prime Ministers

Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman (Liberal, 1905 - 1908)

• Introduced social reforms.

Arthur James Balfour (Conservative, 1902 - 1905)

• Resigned after cabinet splits.

Marquess of Salisbury (Conservative, 1895 - 1902)

• Managed the political climate post-Boer War.

Earl of Rosebery (Liberal, 1894 - 1895)

• Brief tenure, known for Derby winners.

William Ewart Gladstone (Liberal, 1892 - 1894)

• Known for pushing 'Home Rule' for Ireland.

Benjamin Disraeli (Conservative, 1874 - 1880)

• Led social reforms and was made Earl of Beaconsfield.

William Ewart Gladstone (Liberal, 1868 - 1874)

• Aimed to 'pacify Ireland'.

Earl of Derby (Conservative, 1866 - 1868)

• Oversaw the 1867 Reform Act.

Viscount Palmerston (Liberal, 1859 - 1865)

• Served during a period of reform.

18th Century Prime Ministers

William Pitt 'the Younger' (Tory, 1783-1801)

• Youngest PM, dealt with National Debt and French Revolution.

Lord North (Tory, 1770 - 1782)

• Criticized for losing the American colonies.

Duke of Grafton (Whig, 1768 - 1770)

• Known for scandals and resignations.

Earl of Chatham, Pitt 'The Elder' (Whig, 1766 - 1768)

• Helped build the British Empire.

George Grenville (Whig, 1763 - 1765)

• Sacked by the monarch.

Earl of Bute (Tory, 1762 - 1763)

• Unpopular, resigned due to lack of support.

Duke of Newcastle (Whig, 1757 - 1762)

• Power-sharing with Pitt 'the Elder'.

Sir Robert Walpole (Whig, 1721 - 1742)

• First recognized Prime Minister, longest-serving.