Prime Ministers the Life in the UK Test Covers

Sir Robert Walpole

Party:

—

Known for:

Regarded as the first Prime Minister of Great Britain: when George I came to the throne in 1714 he relied on his ministers, and the most important — Walpole, who held the office from 1721 to 1742 — became known as the Prime Minister.

Key year:

1721

Duke of Wellington

Party:

—

Known for:

Defeated the French Emperor Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815; known as the 'Iron Duke', he later became Prime Minister.

Key year:

1815

Sir Robert Peel

Party:

—

Known for:

Established the first modern, professional police force (officers are still nicknamed 'bobbies' or 'peelers' after him — the Metropolitan Police, 1829); he later became Prime Minister.

Key year:

1829

Neville Chamberlain

Party:

—

Known for:

Prime Minister when Britain declared war on Germany in September 1939; he resigned in 1940 and was succeeded by Churchill.

Key year:

1939

Winston Churchill

Party:

—

Known for:

Became Prime Minister and Britain's inspirational war leader in 1940; made the 'We shall fight on the beaches' speech after Dunkirk; voted the greatest Briton of all time in 2002.

Key year:

1940

Clement Attlee

Party:

Labour

Known for:

Became Prime Minister in 1945; his Labour government created the NHS (1948) and nationalised the railways and coal mines.

Key year:

1945

Margaret Thatcher

Party:

Conservative

Known for:

The first woman Prime Minister of the UK (1979) and the longest-serving Prime Minister of the 20th century, in office until 1990.

Key year:

1979

Tony Blair

Party:

Labour

Known for:

His Labour government, elected in 1997, introduced the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly, which both came into being in 1999.

Key year:

1997