United Kingdom Prime Ministers Quiz

Answer:

Lord Salisbury (Conservative) was prime minister three times. The first two (1885-86 and 1886-92) were in the 19th century, but his third term (1895-1902) took him into the 20th century. He resigned in 1902 for reasons of ill health.

Arthur Balfour (Conservative) succeeded Lord Salisbury and served from 1902 to 1905, when the Conservatives lost the general election.

Henry Campbell-Bannerman (Liberal) was PM from 1905 to 1908.

Herbert Asquith (Liberal) was PM from 1908-1916, when he resigned.

David Lloyd George (Liberal) succeeded Asquith and subsequently won the general election in 1918, serving in all from 1916-1922.

Bonar Law (Conservative) was PM from 1922-1923. He resigned for reasons of ill health only seven months into his premiership and died soon afterwards.

Stanley Baldwin (Conservative) succeeded Law and was PM three times: 1923-24, 1924-29 and 1935-37.

Ramsay MacDonald, the first Labour PM, served in the post twice: Jan-Nov 1924 and 1929-35, alternating with Baldwin-led Governments.

Neville Chamberlain (Conservative) was PM from 1937-40. He resigned in May 1940 and was succeeded by Winston Churchill.

Winston Churchill (Conservative) was PM twice: leading the country during the Second World War from 1940-45 and again from 1951-55.

Clement Attlee (Labour) served in Churchill's War Cabinet and succeeded him as PM from 1945-51.

Anthony Eden (Conservative) became PM in 1955 when Churchill resigned on grounds of ill health. He himself resigned for health reasons two years later, in January 1957.

Harold Macmillan (Conservative) became PM in 1957 on Eden's resignation, and went on to serve for six years, winning a general election in 1959. He became the third successive PM to resign on health grounds, in 1963.

Alec Douglas-Home (Conservative) succeeded Macmillan in 1963, and served for just under a year, until his party lost the general election in October 1964.

Harold Wilson (Labour) had two stints as PM. After winning the general election in 1964, he won another in 1966 but then lost in 1970. He then won again in 1974 but resigned on health grounds in 1976.

Edward Heath (Conservative) served between Wilson's two terms, from 1970-74.

James Callaghan (Labour) became PM when Wilson resigned in 1976. He then lost the next general election in May 1979.

Margaret Thatcher (Conservative) served for over 11 years (1979-90), winning three successive general elections, in 1979, 1983 and 1987. She resigned while in office and was succeeded by John Major.

John Major (Conservative) served from 1990-97, winning one general election in 1992.

Tony Blair (Labour) took the country into the 21st century, serving as PM from 1997-2007, having won three successive general elections in 1997, 2001 and 2005.

Of the eight who never served as prime minister, Hugh Gaitskell (Labour) was leader of the Opposition from 1955-63. Had he not died unexpectedly in 1963 aged only 56, he would probably have become PM at the 1964 general election.

Neil Kinnock (Labour) was leader of the Opposition from 1983 to 1992, resigning following Labour's shock defeat to the Conservatives under John Major.

Jeremy Thorpe (Liberal) was leader of the Liberal Party from 1967-76. He resigned following revelations about his sexual relationships, including a bizarre plot to murder his former lover, Norman Scott.

Denis Healey (Labour) served as Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1974-79 under both Harold Wilson and James Callaghan.

Geoffrey Howe (Conservative) held several important posts under Margaret Thatcher's premiership, including Chancellor of the Exchequer (1979-83), foreign secretary (1983-89) and leader of the House of Commons (1989-90).

Reginald Maudling (Conservative) served as Chancellor of the Exchequer (1962-64) under Harold Macmillan and Alec Douglas-Home, and as Home Secretary (1970-72) under Edward Heath.

Jo Grimond (Liberal) was leader of the Liberal Party from 1956-67, and also for a short interim term in 1976 following Jeremy Thorpe's resignation.

Ernest Bevin (Labour) was secretary of state for foreign affairs in Attlee's post-war government, from 1945-51.