Top 10 Greatest British Prime Ministers After World War I
Although my personal Labour leaning opinions may differ slightly, I have chosen to make a list based on what I believe to be a ranking of the British leaders by accomplishments and how effective they were.
Clement Attlee was a British politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1945 to 1951. He led the Labour Party to a landslide victory in the 1945 general election, and his government went on to introduce significant reforms that transformed British society.
Here are some of Attlee's most notable accomplishments:
Creation of the National Health Service (NHS): Attlee's government created the NHS in 1948, providing free healthcare for all Britons. This was a significant step towards socialized medicine and a major achievement for the Labour Party.
Welfare state: Attlee's government introduced a range of social welfare programs, including unemployment benefits, family allowances, and a national pension scheme. These measures helped to reduce poverty and improve living standards for many British citizens.
Nationalization of key industries: Attlee's government nationalized several major industries, including coal, gas, electricity, and railways. This ...more
The fact that he won in 1945 was pretty impressive given how Churchill was viewed as having won them the war.
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill was a British statesman who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 and again from 1951 to 1955. Churchill was also an officer in the British Army, a historian, and a writer. Winston Churchill was a British politician and statesman who is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures of the 20th century. He served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 and from 1951 to 1955. Here are some of Churchill's most notable accomplishments:
Leadership during World War II: Churchill is perhaps best known for his leadership of Britain during World War II. He inspired the British people with his speeches and his determination to resist Nazi Germany, and he played a key role in forging the alliance that ultimately defeated the Axis powers.
Diplomacy: Churchill was also an accomplished diplomat who played a key role in shaping the post-war world. He was instrumental in the formation of the United Nations, and he worked to maintain the alliance between the US and the UK during the early years of the Cold War.
Domestic reforms: Churchill's government introduced several significant domestic reforms, including the National ...more
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was a British stateswoman and politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and the Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. She was the longest-serving British Prime Minister of the 20th century and was the first ever woman to be Prime Minister, having defeated James Callaghan in the 1979 General Election. Margaret Thatcher was a British politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990. She was the first woman to hold the position, and her policies had a profound impact on British society and the world at large. Here are some of her most notable accomplishments:
Economic reform: Thatcher's government introduced a range of economic reforms, including privatization of state-owned industries, deregulation of financial markets, and reductions in government spending. These policies helped to modernize the British economy and promote entrepreneurship and competition.
Falklands War: In 1982, Thatcher's government successfully repelled an Argentine invasion of the Falkland Islands, a British overseas territory. The war boosted Thatcher's popularity and cemented her reputation as a strong leader.
Education reform: Thatcher's government introduced a range of education reforms, including the introduction of standardized tests and the creation of ...more
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair, originally known as Anthony Blair, but later as Tony Blair, is a British Labour Party politician, who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, from 1997 to 2007. From 1983 to 2007, Blair was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield, and from 1994 to 2007, Blair was the Leader of the Labour Party. Tony Blair was a British politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007. He led the Labour Party to three consecutive general election victories and introduced a range of significant policies during his time in office. Here are some of his most notable accomplishments:
Devolution: Blair's government introduced devolution to Scotland and Wales, giving those regions greater autonomy over their own affairs. This was a significant step towards decentralization and helped to promote a sense of national identity in those regions.
Peace in Northern Ireland: Blair played a key role in the peace process in Northern Ireland, which led to the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. This agreement brought an end to decades of sectarian violence in the region and paved the way for greater political stability and reconciliation.
Social reform: Blair's government introduced a range of social reforms, including the introduction of a minimum wage, increased funding ...more
Harold Wilson was a British politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1964 to 1970 and from 1974 to 1976. Here are some of his most notable accomplishments:
Social reform: Wilson's government introduced a range of social reforms, including the legalization of abortion and homosexuality, and the abolition of the death penalty for most crimes.
Economic reform: Wilson's government introduced a range of economic reforms, including the creation of a Department of Economic Affairs to promote economic growth, and the introduction of the Prices and Incomes Act to control inflation.
Education reform: Wilson's government introduced a range of education reforms, including the creation of the Open University to provide distance learning opportunities, and the raising of the school leaving age to 16.
Decolonization: Wilson's government oversaw the decolonization of several British colonies, including Nigeria, Kenya, and Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). This ...more
Harold Macmillan was a British politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1957 to 1963. Here are some of his most notable accomplishments:
Economic growth: Macmillan's government oversaw a period of sustained economic growth, with low unemployment rates and rising living standards. This was known as the "post-war boom" and helped to create a more prosperous society.
Decolonization: Macmillan oversaw the decolonization of several British colonies, including Ghana, Cyprus, and Malaya. This was a significant step towards promoting self-determination and independence for former colonial territories.
European integration: Macmillan was a strong supporter of European integration and worked to strengthen ties between the UK and other European nations. He was instrumental in the creation of the European Economic Community (EEC), which later became the European Union.
Nuclear disarmament: Macmillan was a strong supporter of nuclear disarmament and worked ...more
Stanley Baldwin was a British politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom three times, from 1923 to 1924, from 1924 to 1929, and from 1935 to 1937. Here are some of his most notable accomplishments:
Economic stability: Baldwin's government oversaw a period of economic stability, with low inflation rates and low unemployment rates. This helped to create a more stable and prosperous economy and improved living standards for many British citizens.
Social reform: Baldwin's government introduced a range of social reforms, including the Widows', Orphans' and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act in 1925, which provided pensions for those over the age of 65.
Disarmament: Baldwin was a strong supporter of disarmament and worked to reduce the UK's military spending. He played a key role in the negotiations for the Treaty of Locarno in 1925, which helped to reduce tensions in Europe.
Imperial preference: Baldwin was a strong supporter of imperial preference, which ...more
David William Donald Cameron is a British politician who is at present the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Leader of its Conservative Party, and Member of Parliament for the Oxfordshire constituency of Witney. David Cameron was a British politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2010 to 2016. Here are some of his most notable accomplishments:
Economic reforms: Cameron's government introduced a range of economic reforms, including the reduction of the budget deficit and the creation of the Office for Budget Responsibility to promote greater fiscal transparency.
Social reform: Cameron's government introduced a range of social reforms, including the legalization of same-sex marriage and the introduction of the Troubled Families Programme to support vulnerable families.
Health reform: Cameron's government introduced a range of health reforms, including the creation of clinical commissioning groups to give doctors more control over local health services.
Education reform: Cameron's government introduced a range of education reforms, including the creation of free schools and academies to promote greater school autonomy.
Foreign policy: Cameron's ...more
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson is an English politician, popular historian, and journalist who has served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2019 to 2022 and Member of Parliament for Uxbridge and South Ruislip since 2015. Johnson previously served as the MP for Henley from 2001 until 2008, and as Mayor of London from 2008 to 2016. A member of the Conservative Party, Johnson considers himself a "One-Nation Tory" and has been described as a libertarian due to his association with both economically liberal and socially liberal policies. Boris Johnson is a British politician who became the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in 2019. Here are some of his most notable accomplishments:
COVID-19 response: Johnson's government led the UK's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the procurement of vaccines and the implementation of lockdown measures. The success of the vaccination program has been widely praised, although the handling of the pandemic in its early stages has been criticized.
Brexit: Johnson's government oversaw the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, which was a significant achievement for his administration. The deal negotiated with the EU has been criticized by some for creating trade barriers, particularly for Northern Ireland.
Infrastructure investment: Johnson's government has announced plans to invest heavily in infrastructure, including new rail links, road improvements, and the rollout of high-speed broadband.
Education reform: Johnson's government has introduced a range of ...more
Neville Chamberlain was a British politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1937 to 1940. Here are some of his most notable accomplishments:
Appeasement policy: Chamberlain is most well-known for his policy of appeasement towards Nazi Germany in the lead up to World War II. This policy involved making concessions to Hitler in order to avoid conflict.
Rearmament: Despite his policy of appeasement, Chamberlain recognized the need to rearm the UK in the face of the growing threat from Nazi Germany. He oversaw a significant increase in military spending and the expansion of the British armed forces.
Social reform: Chamberlain's government introduced a range of social reforms, including the Social Security Act in 1938, which provided unemployment and sickness benefits.
Foreign policy: Chamberlain played a key role in international affairs, including negotiations with the Soviet Union and efforts to establish closer ties with the United ...more
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007. Brown was a Member of Parliament from 1983 to 2015, first for Dunfermline East and later for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath.
Theresa Mary May, MP served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from July 2016 to July 2019, when Boris Johnson became PM. She has been a Member of Parliament for Maidenhead since 1997. May identifies as a one-nation conservative and has been characterised as a liberal conservative.