List of prime ministers of the United Kingdom

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The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is the leader of His Majesty's Government. They chair Cabinet meetings. It is the highest civil office in the United Kingdom.

The procedure

The appointment of a prime minister by the monarch is based on advice. However, though the advice is technically informal, the monarch would create a constitutional crisis if they did not comply. Therefore, in practice, what is decided in the House of Commons is the decisive event. The voters elect Members of Parliament (MPs), and the MPs choose the prime minister. The system grew in stages as the Commons grew in power and the monarch's authority dwindled. The current prime minister has been Rishi Sunak since 25 October 2022.

Present prime minister Rishi Sunak in front of 10 Downing Street during his first speech as Prime Minister

List of prime ministers

NameTime in officePolitical party
Rishi Sunak2022 – presentConservative
Liz Truss2022Conservative
Boris Johnson2019 – 2022[1]Conservative
Theresa May2016 – 2019Conservative
David Cameron2010 – 2016Conservative
Gordon Brown2007 – 2010Labour
Tony Blair1997 – 2007Labour
John Major1990 – 1997Conservative
Margaret Thatcher1979 – 1990Conservative
James Callaghan1976 – 1979Labour
Harold Wilson1974 – 1976Labour
Edward Heath1970 – 1974Conservative
Harold Wilson1964 – 1970Labour
Alec Douglas-Home1963 – 1964Conservative
Harold Macmillan1957 – 1963Conservative
Anthony Eden1955 – 1957Conservative
Winston Churchill1951 – 1955Conservative
Clement Attlee1945 – 1951Labour
Winston Churchill1940 – 1945Conservative
Neville Chamberlain1937 – 1940Conservative
Stanley Baldwin1935 – 1937Conservative
Ramsay MacDonald1929 – 1935Labour
Stanley Baldwin1924 – 1929Conservative
Ramsay MacDonald1924Labour
Stanley Baldwin1923 – 1924Conservative
Andrew Bonar Law1922 – 1923Conservative
David Lloyd George1916 – 1922Liberal
Herbert Asquith1908 – 1916Liberal
Henry Campbell-Bannerman1905 – 1908Liberal
Arthur Balfour1902 – 1905Conservative
Marquess of Salisbury1895 – 1902Conservative
Earl of Rosebery1894 – 1895Liberal
William Ewart Gladstone1892 – 1894Liberal
Marquess of Salisbury1886 – 1892Conservative
William Ewart Gladstone1886 – 1886Liberal
Marquess of Salisbury1885 – 1886Conservative
William Ewart Gladstone1880 – 1885Liberal
Benjamin Disraeli1874 – 1880Conservative
William Ewart Gladstone1868 – 1874Liberal
Benjamin Disraeli1868 – 1868Conservative
The Earl of Derby1866 – 1868Conservative
Lord John Russell1865 – 1866Whig
Viscount Palmerston1859 – 1865Whig
The Earl of Derby1858 – 1859Conservative
Viscount Palmerston1855 – 1858Whig
Earl of Aberdeen1852 – 1855Conservative
The Earl of Derby1852Conservative
Lord John Russell1846 – 1852Whig
Sir Robert Peel1841 – 1846Conservative
Viscount Melbourne1835 – 1841Whig
Sir Robert Peel1834 – 1835Conservative
Duke of Wellington1834Tory
Viscount Melbourne1834Whig
Earl Grey1830 – 1834Whig
Duke of Wellington1828 – 1830Tory
Viscount Goderich1827 – 1828Tory
George Canning1827 – 1827Tory
Earl of Liverpool1812 – 1827Tory
Spencer Perceval1809 – 1812Tory
Duke of Portland1807 – 1809Whig
William Grenville1806 – 1807Whig
William Pitt the Younger1804 – 1806Tory
Henry Addington1801 – 1804Tory
William Pitt the Younger1783 – 1801Tory
Duke of Portland1783Whig
Earl of Shelburne1782 – 1783Whig
Marquess of Rockingham1782Whig
Lord North1770 – 1782Tory
Duke of Grafton1768 – 1770Whig
William Pitt1766 – 1768Whig
Marquess of Rockingham1765 – 1766Whig
George Grenville1763 – 1765Whig
Earl of Bute1762 – 1763Tory
Duke of Newcastle1757 – 1762Whig
Duke of Devonshire1756 – 1757Whig
Duke of Newcastle1754 – 1756Whig
Henry Pelham1743 – 1754Whig
Spencer Compton1742 – 1743Whig
Robert Walpole1721 – 1742Whig

References