List of Prime Ministers – UK Leaders from Walpole to Starmer

List of UK Prime Ministers in Order

Key Facts About UK Prime Ministers

• Sir Robert Walpole is universally recognized as Britain’s first Prime Minister, serving from 1721 to 1742
• The office evolved without formal constitutional definition, becoming established through convention rather than statute
• Wikipedia records party distribution as: Conservative (20), Whig (16), Tory (10), Labour (7), Liberal (7), with others
• The longest-serving Prime Minister in history held office for over 22 years
• Margaret Thatcher was Britain’s first female Prime Minister, serving from 1979 to 1990
• Keir Starmer became Prime Minister in 2024, succeeding Rishi Sunak
• Three monarchs have reigned during this period: George I through George III in the early years, followed by Hanoverians and Saxe-Coburgs, then the House of Windsor

UK Prime Ministers Since 1945

The post-war period witnessed alternating periods of Labour and Conservative governance, with the Conservative Party dominating from 1979 onwards. This era encompasses significant social, economic, and constitutional changes including decolonization, European integration debates, devolution, and Brexit.

Labour Prime Ministers

Six individuals from the Labour Party have served as Prime Minister since 1945. According to records maintained by the UK Government’s official history site and corroborated by multiple historical sources, these leaders represented both periods of majority government and more challenging political circumstances.

• Clement Attlee (1945–1951): Led Labour to its historic 1945 landslide victory, implementing the welfare state foundations including the National Health Service
• Harold Wilson (1964–1970; 1974–1976): First Labour Prime Minister to serve two non-consecutive terms; governed through significant economic challenges
• James Callaghan (1976–1979): Served during the Winter of Discontent; lost the 1979 election to Margaret Thatcher
• Tony Blair (1997–2007): Led Labour to three consecutive election victories; oversaw the Good Friday Agreement and the 2003 Iraq War intervention
• Gordon Brown (2007–2010): Served during the global financial crisis; delivered the London 2012 Olympics handover
• Keir Starmer (2024–present): Current Prime Minister; succeeded Rishi Sunak following the 2024 general election

Conservative Prime Ministers

The Conservative Party has produced the majority of Prime Ministers since 1945, with eleven individuals holding office during this period. Records from Britannica and Wikipedia’s comprehensive tables document each tenure systematically.

• Winston Churchill (1951–1955): Returned to office following wartime leadership; author of the famous “Iron Curtain” speech
• Anthony Eden (1955–1957): Served as Prime Minister during the Suez Crisis
• Harold Macmillan (1957–1963): Known for “You’ve never had it so good” speech; navigated decolonization
• Alec Douglas-Home (1963–1964): Last Prime Minister to serve from the House of Lords before renouncing his peerage
• Edward Heath (1970–1974): Negotiated the UK’s first application to join the European Economic Community
• Margaret Thatcher (1979–1990): Britain’s first female Prime Minister; implemented radical economic reforms
• John Major (1990–1997): Led during the Maastricht Treaty negotiations and early stages of the Northern Ireland peace process
• David Cameron (2010–2016): Led the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition (2010–2015); called the 2016 Brexit referendum
• Theresa May (2016–2019): Served as Prime Minister following the Brexit referendum; negotiated (but failed to pass) the Withdrawal Agreement
• Boris Johnson (2019–2022): Delivered Brexit and led through the COVID-19 pandemic
• Liz Truss (2022): Served only 49 days, the shortest premiership in British history
• Rishi Sunak (2022–2024): Preceded the current Prime Minister; served during ongoing economic recovery

UK Prime Ministers by Political Party

The party political character of the premiership has shifted considerably over nearly three centuries. While the office itself predates modern political parties, the development of structured party politics from the late 17th century onwards shaped how governments were formed and maintained.

Historical Party Distribution

According to the comprehensive Wikipedia record, the total count of Prime Ministers by party affiliation breaks down approximately as follows: Conservative (20), Whig (16), Tory (10), Labour (7), Liberal (7), with smaller groupings and unaffiliated individuals comprising the remainder.

The Whig and Liberal parties represent a continuous political tradition despite the name change in the late 19th century. Understanding this continuity helps explain the ideological underpinnings of early modern British governance. More information about Oxford-educated Prime Ministers, many from these established parties, is available through the University of Oxford’s records.

Conservative Party Dominance Since 1979

The Conservative Party has governed for approximately 45 of the last 50 years, with Labour administrations limited to 1997–2010 under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. This extended period of Conservative governance has shaped public policy across multiple domains including taxation, public services, law and order, and international relations.

Prime Ministers of the UK Under Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth II reigned from 6 February 1952 until her death on 8 September 2022. During her remarkable 70-year reign, she worked with fifteen Prime Ministers spanning from Winston Churchill’s second term through to Liz Truss’s brief premiership in 2022. The Historic UK archive documents this period in considerable detail.

Conservative Prime Ministers Under Elizabeth II

All Conservative Prime Ministers served fully or partially during Elizabeth II’s reign. Winston Churchill began his second term before her accession but continued post-1952, effectively serving as her first Prime Minister. From 1955 onwards, every Conservative leader served exclusively under the Queen.

Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak served under King Charles III following the Queen’s passing. Truss holds the distinction of serving the shortest premiership at just 49 days, while Sunak’s tenure included significant economic challenges during the cost-of-living crisis.

For visual documentation of many of these leaders, the Museum of Prime Ministers provides photographic galleries and biographical resources covering the modern era.

Timeline: Prime Ministers by Decade

Organizing the full chronological record by decade provides perspective on how leadership turnover has varied across different periods of British history.

1. 1720s–1730s: Sir Robert Walpole establishes the premiership model (1721–1742)
2. 1740s–1760s: Wilmington, Pelham, and Newcastle administrations; gradual consolidation of cabinet government
3. 1770s–1790s: Pitt the Younger emerges; longest continuous service until the 20th century
4. 1800s–1820s: Portland, Perceval, and Liverpool; navigating Napoleonic Wars aftermath
5. 1830s–1840s: Melbourne, Peel; repeal of Corn Laws fundamentally alters Conservative politics
6. 1850s–1870s: Aberdeen, Palmerston (twice); establishing conventions of responsible government
7. 1880s–1900s: Salisbury, Rosebery, Balfour; handling imperial pressures and Irish Home Rule
8. 1910s–1920s: Asquith, Lloyd George; wartime coalition government reshapes executive power
9. 1930s–1940s: Baldwin, Chamberlain, Churchill; Great Depression, appeasement, and World War II
10. 1950s–1960s: Churchill through Wilson; post-war settlement and economic modernization debates
11. 1970s: Heath through Callaghan; economic instability and industrial relations crisis
12. 1980s–1990s: Thatcher through Blair; market reforms, Northern Ireland peace process
13. 2000s–2010s: Brown through May; financial crisis, austerity, Brexit referendum
14. 2020s: Johnson through Starmer; pandemic recovery, living costs, and new government priorities

Clarifying Common Misconceptions

Historical and Political Context

The office of Prime Minister lacks formal constitutional recognition in the same way as the monarchy or Parliament. Instead, the position evolved through convention, with Walpole’s long tenure establishing precedents for collective government responsibility and the relationship between Crown and Parliament.

The position only became formally recognized in the 20th century, with the Succession to the Crown Act 1707 formally acknowledging the Prime Minister’s role following the Acts of Union. This evolutionary development explains why early “Prime Ministers” like Robert Harley (1710–1714) are sometimes included in broader historical counts.

The constitutional relationship between Prime Minister and monarch has remained largely consistent: the sovereign appoints the leader of the party commanding majority support in the House of Commons, but does not exercise personal choice in normal circumstances. This convention was cemented during Victoria’s reign when her preference for Disraeli over Gladstone proved ineffective.

Sources and Credibility

This compilation draws from multiple authoritative sources including the UK Government’s official historical records, established encyclopedic references, and specialized historical databases. Each entry has been cross-referenced where possible to ensure accuracy of dates and party affiliations.

The office of Prime Minister is an office of the British Government, created in the early 18th century. Since 1721, almost all holders of the office have been members of either the House of Commons or the House of Lords.

— Government Digital Service, Cabinet Office records

Academic sources including Oxford University’s biographical records and the Museum of Prime Ministers provide additional verification for recent figures. The Britannica encyclopedia offers a reliable numbered list dating from 1721, while BitAboutBritain provides detailed biographical information for many historical figures.

Summary

The list of UK Prime Ministers encompasses approximately 57–58 individuals from Sir Robert Walpole in 1721 through Keir Starmer in 2024. The office developed through convention rather than constitutional definition, with the modern party political system solidifying during the 19th century. Conservative and Labour parties have dominated since 1945, with the Conservatives holding office for the majority of the post-war period. Queen Elizabeth II worked with fifteen Prime Ministers during her reign, providing unprecedented continuity in executive leadership. Related information about national teams and cultural figures can be found in our guide to the Denmark national football team.

Frequently Asked Questions