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The prime minister of the United Kingdom is the principal minister of the crown of His Majesty's Government, and the head of the British Cabinet. There is no specific date for when the office of prime minister first appeared, as the role was not created but rather evolved over time through a merger of duties. [1]
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill [a] (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British statesman, military officer, and writer who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 (during the Second World War) and again from 1951 to 1955.
Churchill served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the bulk of World War II. His speeches and radio broadcasts helped inspire British resistance, especially during the difficult days of 1940–41 when the British Commonwealth and Empire stood almost alone in its active opposition to Nazi Germany. He led Britain as Prime ...
As prime minister, he oversaw British involvement in the Allied war effort against the Axis powers. Regarded as the most important of the Allied leaders during the first half of the Second World War , [ 1 ] Historians have long held Churchill in high regard as a victorious wartime leader who played an important role in defending Europe's ...
The first prime minister was Robert Walpole in the early 18th century (Dickinson 1973). Unlike countries where the leader is elected directly to the highest political office of a separate executive, the prime minister must first establish a political career in the UK Parliament and typically serves many years in the House of Commons before ...
Winston Churchill is generally considered one of the greatest prime ministers for his leadership during the Second World War. Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool, a Tory prime minister from 1812 to 1827, is ranked highly despite being called "the Arch-mediocrity" by later Conservative prime minister Benjamin Disraeli.
Margaret Thatcher, in office for 11 years and 208 days between 1979 and 1990, is the longest-serving prime minister in modern history, [3] and the longest-serving prime minister officially referred to as such. [9] [10] William Gladstone is the only person to have served four separate terms.
Some prime ministers have also written non-political books as well, including Winston Churchill's histories of World War II and of the English language, [155] [156] Edward Heath's books on his wider interests in sailing, music and travel, Major's history of cricket [157] [158] and Arthur Balfour's philosophical writings. [159]