List of British governments

This article lists successive British governments, also referred to as ministries, from the creation of the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707, continuing through the duration of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 1801 to 1922, and since then dealing with those of the present-day United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Guide to the list

"Ministry" refers collectively to all the ministers of a government, including cabinet members and junior ministers alike. Only the Civil Service is considered outside of the ministry. While the term was in common parlance in the 19th and early 20th centuries, it has become rarer, except in official and academic uses.[1] Both Australia and Canada have inherited the term and continue to use it. It is perhaps in more common use in those countries, which both have official catalogues of their respective ministries, whereas Britain has no such catalogue.[2][3]

Articles listed by ministry contain information on the term(s) of one prime minister. Articles listed by political party contain information on the ministries of multiple consecutive prime ministers of the same political party. Prior to the 20th century, the leader of the British government held the title of First Lord of the Treasury, and not that of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Therefore, the list below refers to the "Head of Government" and not the "Prime Minister". Even so, the leader of a government was often colloquially referred to as the "prime minister", beginning in the 18th century. Since 1902, prime ministers have always held the office of First Lord of the Treasury.[4]

Ministries

Colour key
Dates Government Key event(s)[lower-alpha 1] Head Governing party Monarch
1 May 1707  8 Aug 1710 Godolphin–Marlborough ministry The Duke of Marlborough Tory Whig Anne
16 Nov 1710  Sep 1714 Harley ministry Robert Harley[lower-alpha 2] Tory
Accession of George I (1714) George I
Sep 1714  1717 Townshend ministry 1715 general election The Viscount Townshend[lower-alpha 3] Whig
1717  1718 First Stanhope–Sunderland ministry [data missing] The Earl Stanhope
1718  Feb 1721 Second Stanhope–Sunderland ministry [data missing]
3 Apr 1721  16 May 1730 Walpole–Townshend ministry
Robert Walpole[lower-alpha 4]
George II
16 May 1730  11 Feb 1742 Walpole ministry
12 Feb 1742  24 Nov 1744 Carteret ministry 1742 vote of no confidence in the Walpole ministry The Earl of Wilmington
Death of Wilmington (1743) Henry Pelham
24 Nov 1744  10 Feb 1746 First Broad Bottom ministry [data missing]
14 Feb 1746  6 Mar 1754 Second Broad Bottom ministry[lower-alpha 5]
16 Mar 1754  11 Nov 1756 First Newcastle ministry
The Duke of Newcastle
Nov 1756  Apr 1757 Pitt–Devonshire ministry Collapse following the Fall of Minorca (1756) The Duke of Devonshire
Apr 1757  Jun 1757 1757 caretaker ministry Dismissal of Pitt Whig (caretaker)
27 Jun 1757  1761 Pitt–Newcastle ministry Pitt reappointed (1757) The Duke of Newcastle Whig
Accession of George III (1760) George III
1761  26 May 1762 Bute–Newcastle coalition
Tory Whig
1762  1763 Bute ministry Resignation of Newcastle (1762) The Earl of Bute
16 Apr 1763  13 Jul 1765 Grenville ministry Bute's resignation following fierce criticism of the Treaty of Paris (1763) George Grenville
13 Jul 1765  30 Jul 1766 First Rockingham ministry King disliked Grenville to the point of dismissal (1765) The Marquess of Rockingham Whig
30 Jul 1766  14 Oct 1768 Chatham (Pitt) ministry
The Earl of Chatham Whig Tory
14 Oct 1768  28 Jan 1770 Grafton ministry [data missing] The Duke of Grafton
28 Jan 1770  27 Mar 1782 North ministry [data missing] Lord North Tory Whig
Tory
27 Mar 1782  1 Jul 1782 Second Rockingham ministry Fall of the North ministry The Marquess of Rockingham Whig
4 Jul 1782  26 Mar 1783 Shelburne ministry Death of Rockingham (1782) The Earl of Shelburne Whig Tory
2 Apr 1783  18 Dec 1783 Fox–North coalition [data missing] The Duke of Portland
19 Dec 1783  14 Mar 1801 First Pitt ministry [data missing] William Pitt the Younger Tory (minority)
Tory
Tory Whig
17 Mar 1801  10 May 1804 Addington ministry
Henry Addington Tory
10 May 1804  23 Jan 1806 Second Pitt ministry [data missing] William Pitt the Younger
11 Feb 1806  31 Mar 1807 Ministry of All the Talents
The Lord Grenville Whig Tory
31 Mar 1807  4 Oct 1809 Second Portland ministry [data missing] The Duke of Portland Tory (minority)
1807 general election Tory
4 Oct 1809  11 May 1812 Perceval ministry [data missing] Spencer Perceval
8 Jun 1812  9 Apr 1827 Liverpool ministry The Earl of Liverpool
George IV
Apr 1827  Aug 1827 Canning ministry Cerebral haemorrhage of Liverpool George Canning Tory (Canningite) Whig
Sep 1827  Jan 1828 Goderich ministry Death of Canning (1827) The Viscount Goderich
22 Jan 1828  16 Nov 1830 Wellington–Peel ministry Resignation of Goderich (1828) The Duke of Wellington Tory
Accession of William IV (1830) William IV
1830 general election Tory (minority)
15 Nov 1830  Jul 1834 Grey ministry Defeat of the Wellington–Peel ministry (1830) The Earl Grey Whig (minority)
Whig
Jul 1834  Nov 1834 First Melbourne ministry [data missing] The Viscount Melbourne
14 Nov 1834  10 Dec 1834 Wellington caretaker ministry Melbourne was dismissed and Peel, who was to be appointed, was out of the country The Duke of Wellington Tory (caretaker)
10 Dec 1834  8 Apr 1835 First Peel ministry Appointed to lead a short-lived Conservative minority Robert Peel Conservative (minority)
Apr 1835  Sep 1841 Second Melbourne ministry 1835 general election The Viscount Melbourne Whig
Victoria
30 Aug 1841  29 Jun 1846 Second Peel ministry 1841 general election Robert Peel Conservative
Jul 1846  Feb 1852 First Russell ministry
Lord John Russell Whig (minority)
28 Feb 1852  17 Dec 1852 Who? Who? ministry Fall of the Whig government The Earl of Derby Conservative (minority)
1852 general election Conservative
19 Dec 1852  30 Jan 1855 Aberdeen ministry [data missing] The Earl of Aberdeen Coalition (minority)
6 Feb 1855  19 Feb 1858 First Palmerston ministry [data missing] The Viscount Palmerston Whig (minority)
1857 general election Whig
20 Feb 1858  11 Jun 1859 Second Derby–Disraeli ministry [data missing] The Earl of Derby Conservative (minority)
12 Jun 1859  18 Oct 1865 Second Palmerston ministry The Viscount Palmerston Liberal
18 Oct 1865  26 Jun 1866 Second Russell ministry [data missing] The Earl Russell
28 Jun 1866  27 Feb 1868 Third Derby–Disraeli ministry [data missing] The Earl of Derby Conservative (minority)
27 Feb 1868  1 Dec 1868 Resignation of Derby due to ill health Benjamin Disraeli
3 Dec 1868  17 Feb 1874 First Gladstone ministry 1868 general election William Ewart Gladstone Liberal
20 Feb 1874  21 Apr 1880 Second Disraeli ministry 1874 general election Benjamin Disraeli[lower-alpha 6] Conservative
23 Apr 1880  9 Jun 1885 Second Gladstone ministry 1880 general election William Ewart Gladstone Liberal
23 Jun 1885  28 Jan 1886 First Salisbury ministry [data missing] The Marquess of Salisbury Conservative (minority)
1885 general election Conservative (caretaker)[lower-alpha 7]
1 Feb 1886  20 Jul 1886 Third Gladstone ministry First Salisbury defeat William Ewart Gladstone Liberal (minority)
25 Jul 1886  11 Aug 1892 Second Salisbury ministry 1886 general election The Marquess of Salisbury Conservative (minority)
1892 general election Conservative (caretaker)[lower-alpha 7]
15 Aug 1892  2 Mar 1894 Fourth Gladstone ministry 1892 vote of no confidence in the Salisbury ministry William Ewart Gladstone Liberal (minority)
5 Mar 1894  22 Jun 1895 Rosebery ministry Resignation of Gladstone over the rejection of his Home Rule Bill (1894) The Earl of Rosebery
25 Jun 1895  24 Oct 1900 Third Salisbury ministry [data missing] The Marquess of Salisbury Conservative (minority)
1895 general election Conservative Liberal Unionist
1900 general election
24 Oct 1900  11 Jul 1902 Fourth Salisbury ministry
Accession of Edward VII (1901) Edward VII
12 Jul 1902  4 Dec 1905 Balfour ministry [data missing] Arthur Balfour
5 Dec 1905  5 Apr 1908 Campbell-Bannerman ministry [data missing] Henry Campbell-Bannerman Liberal (minority)
1906 general election Liberal
5 Apr 1908  9 Feb 1910 First Asquith ministry [data missing] H. H. Asquith
9 Feb 1910  19 Dec 1910 Second Asquith ministry Jan 1910 general election Liberal (minority)
Accession of George V (May 1910) George V
19 Dec 1910  25 May 1915 Third Asquith ministry Dec 1910 general election
25 May 1915  5 Dec 1916 Asquith coalition ministry [data missing] Coalition
6 Dec 1916  14 Dec 1918 Lloyd George war ministry [data missing] David Lloyd George
14 Dec 1918  19 Oct 1922 Second Lloyd George ministry 1918 general election
23 Oct 1922  20 May 1923 Law ministry Bonar Law Conservative
22 May 1923  22 Jan 1924 First Baldwin ministry [data missing] Stanley Baldwin
1923 general election Conservative (caretaker)[lower-alpha 7]
22 Jan 1924  4 Nov 1924 First MacDonald ministry Defeat of the Baldwin ministry Ramsay MacDonald Labour (minority)
4 Nov 1924  4 Jun 1929 Second Baldwin ministry 1924 general election Stanley Baldwin Conservative
1929 general election Conservative (caretaker)[lower-alpha 7]
5 Jun 1929  24 Aug 1931 Second MacDonald ministry 1929 Lib–Lab pact Ramsay MacDonald Labour (minority)
24 Aug 1931  27 Oct 1931 First National Government [data missing] National
27 Oct 1931  7 Jun 1935 Second National Government 1931 general election
7 Jun 1935  28 May 1937 Third National Government
Stanley Baldwin
Accession of Edward VIII (1936) Edward VIII
Abdication of Edward VIII and accession of George VI (1936) George VI
28 May 1937  3 Sep 1939 Fourth National Government Resignation of Baldwin (1937) Neville Chamberlain
3 Sep 1939  10 May 1940 Chamberlain war ministry Restructuring for World War II
10 May 1940  23 May 1945 Churchill war ministry Fall of Chamberlain after the Norway Debate (1940) Winston Churchill Coalition
23 May 1945  26 Jul 1945 Churchill caretaker ministry Coalition broke up over whether it should remain through Japanese defeat in World War II National (caretaker)
26 Jul 1945  23 Feb 1950 First Attlee ministry 1945 general election Clement Attlee Labour
23 Feb 1950  26 Oct 1951 Second Attlee ministry 1950 general election
26 Oct 1951  5 Apr 1955 Third Churchill ministry 1951 general election Winston Churchill Conservative
Accession of Elizabeth II (1952) Elizabeth II
6 Apr 1955  9 Jan 1957 Eden ministry
Anthony Eden
9 Jan 1957  8 Oct 1959 First Macmillan ministry [data missing] Harold Macmillan
8 Oct 1959  18 Oct 1963 Second Macmillan ministry 1959 general election
19 Oct 1963  16 Oct 1964 Douglas-Home ministry [data missing] Alec Douglas-Home[lower-alpha 8]
16 Oct 1964  31 Mar 1966 First Wilson ministry 1964 general election Harold Wilson Labour
31 Mar 1966  19 Jun 1970 Second Wilson ministry 1966 general election
19 Jun 1970  4 Mar 1974 Heath ministry 1970 general election Edward Heath Conservative
Feb 1974 general election Conservative (caretaker)[lower-alpha 7]
4 Mar 1974  5 Apr 1976 Third Wilson ministry Fall of the Heath ministry (1974) Harold Wilson Labour (minority)
Fourth Wilson ministry Oct 1974 general election Labour
5 Apr 1976  4 May 1979 Callaghan ministry 1976 Labour leadership election James Callaghan
1977 Lib–Lab pact Labour (minority)
4 May 1979  10 Jun 1983 First Thatcher ministry 1979 general election Margaret Thatcher Conservative
10 Jun 1983  11 Jun 1987 Second Thatcher ministry 1983 general election
11 Jun 1987  28 Nov 1990 Third Thatcher ministry 1987 general election
28 Nov 1990  10 Apr 1992 First Major ministry 1990 Conservative leadership election John Major
10 Apr 1992  13 Dec 1996 Second Major ministry 1992 general election
13 Dec 1996  2 May 1997 1996 Barnsley East by-election Conservative (minority)
2 May 1997  8 Jun 2001 First Blair ministry 1997 general election Tony Blair Labour
8 Jun 2001  6 May 2005 Second Blair ministry 2001 general election
6 May 2005  27 Jun 2007 Third Blair ministry 2005 general election
28 Jun 2007  11 May 2010 Brown ministry 2007 Labour leadership election Gordon Brown
2010 general election Labour (caretaker)[lower-alpha 7]
11 May 2010  8 May 2015 Cameron–Clegg coalition 2010 government formation David Cameron Conservative Liberal Democrat
8 May 2015  13 Jul 2016 Second Cameron ministry 2015 general election Conservative
13 Jul 2016  8 Jun 2017 First May ministry 2016 Conservative leadership election Theresa May
8 Jun 2017  11 Jun 2017 2017 general election Conservative (caretaker)[lower-alpha 7]
11 Jun 2017  24 Jul 2019 Second May ministry Conservative–DUP agreement Conservative (minority)
24 Jul 2019  16 Dec 2019 First Johnson ministry 2019 Conservative leadership election Boris Johnson
16 Dec 2019  6 Sep 2022 Second Johnson ministry 2019 general election Conservative
6 Sep 2022  25 Oct 2022 Truss ministry July–September 2022 Conservative Party leadership election Liz Truss
Accession of Charles III (2022) Charles III
25 Oct 2022  present Sunak ministry October 2022 Conservative Party leadership election Rishi Sunak

See also

Notes

  1. Appointment, general elections, Act, etc.
  2. From 1711 Robert Harley was Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer.
  3. De facto leader as Northern Secretary.
  4. From 1742 Robert Walpole was Earl of Orford.
  5. In 1746 William Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath formed a short-lived ministry. He was ultimately unsuccessful, and is not gradually included in lists of British prime ministers.
  6. From 1876 Benjamin Disraeli was Earl of Beaconsfield (and Viscount Hughenden).
  7. Typically, as in these instances when an election produces a hung parliament, an incumbent government briefly continues in an acting capacity.
  8. For the first five days of his ministry, until he had renounced his peerage, Alec Douglas-Home was known as the Earl of Home.

Citations

  1. Wilding & Laundy n.d. icon of an open green padlock
  2. "Part 6  Historical information on the Australian Parliament" (PDF), Parliament of Australia, 31 October 2014, retrieved 6 March 2017 {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  3. "Ministers of the Crown", Parliament of Canada, retrieved 4 May 2012 {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  4. "First Lord of the Treasury", gov.uk, archived from the original on 20 May 2013, retrieved 3 September 2017

References

Further reading

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