Boris Johnson’s tenure as prime minister has been somewhat eventful despite being less than three years long.
Mr. Johnson supervised Britain’s exit from the European Union, coordinated the response to the Coronavirus outbreak, and led the West in its support of Ukraine during Russia’s incursion after capturing the greatest Conservative electoral victory since 1987.
But Mr. Johnson was finally brought down by his missteps and shortcomings as PM, whether it was the contentious £200,000 renovation of the Downing Street apartment, the Partygate incident, or the sleaze sagas that culminated in the allegations surrounding Chris Pincher.
MailOnline has compared Mr. Johnson’s track record to numerous people who have come before him in the table below.
Along with his hero Winston Churchill, “appeaser” Neville Chamberlain, and Labour’s transformational PM Clement Attlee, his immediate successors Theresa May, David Cameron, Gordon Brown, Tony Blair, John Major, and Margaret Thatcher are all mentioned.
Only two days have passed since Mr. Johnson took office, compared to Neville Chamberlain’s two years and 348 days in Downing Street.
Theodore Johnson
two years and three hundred fifty days (and counting)
Achievements
winning the largest electoral victory for the Conservatives since 1987
Since Margaret Thatcher’s triumph in 1987, Boris Johnson’s victory in the 2019 General Election, which gave him a majority of 81, was the largest.
Mr. Johnson won a large number of seats in the erstwhile northern Labour strongholds known as the “Red Wall” with the catchphrase “Get Brexit Done,” and many of these voters turned to the Conservative Party for the first time.
The triumph also dashed Jeremy Corbyn’s hard-left leadership’s dreams of becoming prime minister, a possibility that alarmed the business community and horrified many Jews in the wake of the party’s anti-Semitism controversy.
Leaving the EU with Britain
A month after Mr. Johnson’s election victory, in January 2020, his Brexit proposal was approved by the Commons with a majority of 99.
The accomplishment put an end to years of stalemate and fighting that had ruined his predecessor Theresa May’s premiership.
Even though it left issues like the future of Northern Ireland unresolved, the resolution that came under Mr. Johnson marked an important turning point because the issue of Britain’s relationship with Europe had also done irreparable harm to the governments of David Cameron, John Major, and Margaret Thatcher.
During the coronavirus pandemic, Europe’s fastest vaccination campaign
Mr. Johnson received criticism for how he handled several aspects of the coronavirus pandemic response, but he received high credit for directing the creation of potent vaccinations and their quick introduction.
Margaret Keenan, a 90-year-old grandma, received the first immunization on December 8, 2020. Following its clinical approval, Ms. Keenan became the first woman in the world to get the Pfizer Covid-19 injection.
The most vulnerable were given priority in the initial stage of the rollout, according to a schedule mostly based on age. On December 30, 2020, the distribution schedule was changed to postpone second doses so that more people may receive their first dosage.
With one of the greatest acceptance rates in its initial few months, Britain’s deployment was among the fastest in the world.
More people than in any other countries in Europe have received their first dose of a vaccine by February 2021, at over 20 million.
Over 40 million Britons, or over 85% of adults, had received at least one dose of the Covid vaccine by October 2021.
assisting Ukraine following Russia’s invasion
Following Russia’s invasion, Mr. Johnson was one of the first international leaders to deliver weapons to Ukraine. He later became the first western European leader to address the parliament of that nation.
Johnson promised additional British arms and financial support to the Ukrainian cause during a surprise visit to Kiev in April 2022. Mr. Johnson predicted in June that Ukraine will receive an additional £430 million in financial assistance, increasing the total amount of funding to £1.2 billion.
Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, has praised the PM for the unwavering support on numerous occasions. He contrasted Mr. Johnson’s enthusiasm to assist with the less zealous responses from other NATO nations, such as Germany.
Failures
concerns regarding the £200,000 renovation of the Downing Street apartment
This week, it was revealed that Mr. Johnson’s improvements to the Downing Street apartment cost more than £200,000.
It featured £2,250 worth of “gold” wallpaper that his wife Carrie Johnson had purchased, about which he had griped.
According to a leaked copy of the refurbishment invoice obtained by the Independent, the flat makeover included a £7,000 rug, a £3,675 drinks cart, and two sofas that cost more than $15,000 combined.
Leading the renovation was well-known designer Lulu Lytle.
Later, the Conservatives were fined £17,800 by the British Electoral Commission for failing to properly disclose a donation from wealthy Lord Brownlow.
Lord Geidt, Mr. Johnson’s then-ethics advisor, criticized the Prime Minister subsequently for not disclosing several messages they had exchanged with the contributor. He came to the conclusion, nonetheless, that Johnson had not fabricated the communications on purpose.
after the Owen Paterson scandal, attempting to undermine Parliament’s standards and regulations
An investigation concluded in November of last year that North Shropshire’s then-Conservative MP, Owen Paterson, had violated lobbying laws in a “egregious” manner on behalf of two companies that had given him £500,000.
Instead of letting the Commons suspend Mr. Paterson for 30 days, Mr. Johnson made an effort to alter the standards of conduct in public life in order to support his colleague.
Before he backed down, Mr. Johnson’s attempt to modify the rule sparked a sleazy row that embroiled his Government in turmoil.
When senior Tory Christopher Chope screamed “object,” forcing the government to hold a debate and vote, the attempt to reverse-ferret was derailed and turned into farce.
Following Mr. Paterson’s resignation as an MP, the Conservatives were soundly defeated by the Liberal Democrats in the ensuing by-election for North Shropshire.
monitoring widespread violations of the Covid lockdown guidelines in the Downing Street “Partygate” controversy
The initial news of what would become known as “partygate” appeared on November 30, 2021, with allegations that Downing Street personnel had gathered three times nearly a year earlier, when London was under lockdown restrictions.
Then, at a practice news conference, a video of Allegra Stratton, the former Downing Street press secretary, making jokes about parties, surfaced.
A day later, Mr. Johnson apologized at Prime Minister’s questions, declaring that he was “furious” over the video, and named Cabinet Secretary Simon Case to look into the claims. She later announced her resignation.
Photos showed Mr. Johnson participating in a Christmas quiz and relaxing in Number 10’s garden while staff members appeared to be drinking wine and chatting.
When the UK was still under lockdown, 100 people were invited to a party in Downing Street by Mr. Johnson’s private secretary, according to a leaked email from the new year. Mr. Johnson is said to have personally attended the event.
These allegations were verified at Prime Minister’s Questions when Mr. Johnson apologized once more and acknowledged going to the party, which he claimed he thought was a “business event.”
More Conservative MPs demanded his resignation, further exposing the party’s internal conflicts.
As Bury South MP Christian Wakeford left the party for Labour on January 19, divisions within the group grew. The most senior Tory MP to publicly demand for the resignation of the prime minister was David Davis.
The drinking culture in Downing Street was criticized in civil servant Sue Gray’s partygate report, and Mr. Johnson was one among several who received a fine from the Met Police for violating lockdown regulations.
Choosing Chris Pincher as deputy chief whip despite being informed of the charges of wrongdoing
Chris Pincher abruptly resigned from his position as deputy chief whip on June 30, 2022, following allegations that he had physically assaulted two other clubgoers the previous evening at the Carlton Party, a Tory private members’ club in London.
When Mr. Pincher was nominated to the whips position, Downing Street claimed Mr. Johnson was unaware of any “particular claims” against him. However, it later became clear that Mr. Johnson had been informed of charges against Mr. Pincher as early as 2019.
On July 5, it was revealed that Mr. Johnson had forgotten about being informed of prior accusations of “inappropriate” behavior, forcing him to issue a humiliating explanation for how he handled the situation.
The resignations of the Health Secretary Sajid Javid and the Chancellor Rishi Sunak finally led to Mr. Johnson’s demise, and the resignation of the Prime Minister as a result.
The allegations against Mr. Pincher were only the most recent of numerous allegations of wrongdoing made against Tory MPs. After it was discovered that he had been viewing porn in the Commons chamber in May, Neil Parish was forced to quit as an MP. A month earlier, Imran Ahmad Khan, another MP, had been sentenced for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old child.
Another anonymous MP was warned to avoid Parliament after being detained on rape suspicion, while David Warburton, another MP, was suspended over allegations of sexual misconduct.
Theresa May
Office tenure: three years and eleven days
Achievements
An increase in NHS funding of £20 billion
Mrs. May said in 2018 that the NHS would get an additional £20 billion annually by 2023. She said that a “Brexit dividend” would pay for the change.
The addition of more mental health services to the NHS Long-Term Plan was welcomed by some activists.
laws allowing parents to take a bereavement leave
The Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay Act, which gave working couples the right to two weeks of leave if they lost a child or experienced a stillbirth, was also praised.
Before this, there was no such legislation.
to increase the minimum wage
Mrs. May was also in charge of increasing the minimum wage. It was raised to £8.21 in April 2019, the highest rise since it was introduced in 1998.
Historically low unemployment
The unemployment rate stood at 3.8% just before Mrs. May left office, which was the lowest level since the fall of 1974.
Additionally, there were over a million more people in office than when Mrs. May assumed her position.
announcement of a 25-year environmental plan
Michael Gove was a successful choice for Mrs. May to be the Environment Secretary, and many people have praised his performance in the position.
To address challenges like plastic waste, Mrs. May unveiled a 25-year environmental strategy. She also pledged that the UK will achieve “net zero” greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Her successor, Mr. Johnson, devoted himself to this goal.
Failures
failure to remove Britain from the EU
Despite years of haggling with Brussels and attempts to get her Withdrawal Agreement passed by the Commons, Mrs. May was unable to fulfill her commitment to pull Britain out of the EU after the 2016 referendum.
When she announced her resignation in a televised appearance outside Downing Street, she is infamous for sobbing.
Because she was unable to convince her own MPs to support her Brexit plan, the former prime minister was ultimately obliged to resign.
majorities lost in the hastily held 2017 General Election
Mrs. May suddenly called for a general election in April 2017, stating that it was “the best way to assure certainty and stability for the years ahead.”
The election campaign, however, turned out to be devastating for Mrs. May, who made difficult appearances and speeches and watched her polling advantage over Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s party vanish.
Her slender majority in the Commons was eliminated by the election results when her party lost seats and Labour won districts.
Mrs. May was had to strike an agreement with the Democratic Unionist Party in order to maintain her position.
not enacting social care reforms
Reforms to social care were included in Mrs. May’s 2017 election platform. The threshold for receiving free care would have increased from £23,250 to £100,000.
The plans also implied that when determining a person’s care expenses, the worth of their property would be taken into account.
Critics branded the program the “dementia tax” right away, and it failed miserably at the polls. As a result, Mrs. May made a U-turn and announced that she would cap the amount of money that everyone had to pay for care expenses.
The social care measures were abandoned after the catastrophic election outcome, and the problem was not solved.
David Cameron
Office tenure: 6 years, 63 days
Achievements
establishing and sustaining a coalition government
Despite coming in last in the 2010 election, Mr. Cameron went on to strike an agreement with Nick Clegg, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, that resulted in the formation of the Coalition Government.
In spite of forecasts that the alliance would end abruptly, Mr. Cameron managed to keep the occasionally tense relationship intact for five years before the 2015 general election.
allowing gay marriage
2013 saw the Conservative-Liberal Democrat partnership enact a law in Parliament allowing same-sex unions.
At the time, Mr. Cameron wrote: “This is a crucial time for our nation. It declares that we are a nation that will uphold its illustrious traditions of deference, tolerance, and equal worth.
Even as supporters of the initiative praised Mr. Cameron, several Tory activists and MPs sharply criticized him for advancing the historic legislation.
Later, the then-PM acknowledged that forcing the law through had been bad politics, but claimed the strategy was still the right one.
overseen the success of the Scottish referendum
In the 2014 vote on Scottish independence, Mr. Cameron spearheaded the movement to keep Scotland a part of the UK.
Although Mr. Cameron’s bet in letting the vote to take place drew criticism in certain places for the way the campaign was managed, it ultimately paid off as the Better Together campaign prevailed.
won the general election in 2015
Despite forecasts that there would be another Hung Parliament or that Labour, then led by Ed Miliband, would easily win, Mr. Cameron secured a majority in the 2015 general election.
The election resulted in Ed Miliband’s resignation as Labour leader and the Liberal Democrats’ status being eliminated when they lost 49 seats.
Since John Major’s win in 1992, Mr. Cameron now leads the Conservative Party with a majority.
recovery from the financial crisis of 2008
The government would need to take drastic measures to address the massive budget imbalance and national debt that resulted from the financial crisis, and this was often warned about throughout the Conservative campaign of 2010.
George Osbourne, the new chancellor, implemented a strict program of spending cuts that caused the budget deficit to decline from 10.8% of GDP in 2009 to 4.4% of GDP by 2015.
The creation of 1.8 million new employment was also overseen by Mr. Cameron’s administration.
Failures
defeat in the 2016 Brexit vote
Mr. Cameron’s choice to permit a referendum on Britain’s membership in the EU and the fact that the Remain campaign, which he headed, ultimately lost the vote, will live in infamy.
Two years after winning the 2015 General Election, the defeat led to his resignation and the early end of his stint in Downing Street.
Crisis following 2011 involvement in Libya
When Muammar Gaddafi was facing a massive uprising in 2011, Mr. Cameron decided to join a coalition led by NATO to fight against the Libyan leader.
The prime minister said that the time was appropriate for intervention because “we don’t think we should watch while this dictator massacres his own people.”
However, the nation descended into anarchy after bombs dropped by the RAF secured the overthrow of Gaddafi, and Mr. Cameron failed to step in to fill the hole.
Since then, Libya has been engaged in a crisis. At the time, Mr. Cameron was not “involved” in rebuilding Libya, according to then-US President Barack Obama, who later said that he had been “distracted by a range of other things.”
Resignation honors list controversy
Following his resignation in 2016, Mr. Cameron came under fire for lavishly honoring political allies and pro-EU activists.
Mr. Cameron presented 46 awards, including a CBE to Labour’s Will Straw, who led the unsuccessful Britain Stronger in Europe campaign, and a knighthood to his former director of communications Craig Oliver.
Former chancellor George Osborne was awarded the Companion of Honor title, and knighthoods were also given to cabinet members Michael Fallon, Oliver Letwin, and Patrick McLoughlin who support the status quo.
appointing Andy Coulson, who was later imprisoned, as communications director
In 2007, Mr. Cameron controversially named Andy Coulson, a former News of the World editor, as his director of communications.
When the Coalition was established in 2010, Coluson then assumed the same position. Coulson was found guilty in 2014 of organizing a phone hacking scheme while serving as the newspaper’s editor.
Mr. Cameron was compelled to publicly apologize for initially choosing to hire Coulson. “I’m terribly sorry that I hired him, it was the wrong judgment and I’m very clear about that,” he said following Coulson’s conviction.
Gordon Brown
Serving two years and 318 days
Achievements
led the international reaction to the financial crisis of 2008
Gordon Brown held the position of Chancellor for ten years until being appointed Prime Minister in 2007. When the global economy and banks appeared to be on the verge of collapse in 2008, he was almost instantly confronted with the enormous responsibility of dealing with it.
Brown is credited with organizing the international reaction to the crisis and a massive rescue that prevented banks from going out of business.
He realized right away that the economy would require a substantial temporary capital infusion to stay afloat.
Most of the developed economies of the rest of the world had followed his lead a year later. His ten years as chancellor and almost obsessive focus on the little things helped him stabilize a collapsing economy.
passed the Climate Change Act of 2008
Along with passing the historic 2008 climate change act, Brown was also responsible for laying the groundwork for the UK’s strategy for cutting emissions and combating climate change.
Failures
election was not called at the height of popularity
In 2007, Brown succeeded Tony Blair as chancellor after becoming one of the most well-liked politicians in the nation.
With Labour leading by 11 points in the polls, it was widely anticipated that the incoming prime minister would call an election that year.
In spite of predictions, Brown hesitated, put off the election, and ultimately decided against it, doing him permanent harm.
refusal to conduct an EU Lisbon Treaty referendum
Brown further damaged his reputation by agreeing to accept the EU Lisbon Treaty in 2007 while opposing holding a referendum on it.
He arrived the day after the signing ceremony in Lisbon due to criticism, which came from both pro- and anti-EU parties.
Failure to allow Gurkhas to settle in the UK
When a law allowing all former Gurkhas to settle in the UK was passed in 2009, he unexpectedly lost in the Commons.
In the vote, 27 Labour MPs rebelled, undermining Brown’s control.
loss in the general election of 2010
Brown fell short of David Cameron’s Conservatives by over 50 seats in the 2010 election, which he lost.
He lingered in Downing Street for a few days, speculating that Labour and the Lib Dems may form a minority coalition, before ultimately quitting as Labour leader.
Tony Blair
Office tenure: 10 years, 56 days
Achievements
Three victories in general elections
Tony Blair continues to be the most electable Labour leader in history, having won three consecutive elections beginning with a resounding victory in 1997.
That year, he gained 179 seats, and shortly after Princess Diana’s passing, he received an astounding 93 percent of the popular vote.
enacted a minimum wage
The minimum wage, which was established at a minimum of £3.60 an hour for workers over the age of 21, was first implemented in the UK by Mr. Blair’s government in 1998.
Despite some assumptions, it did not result in the loss of jobs and helped to raise the incomes of the lowest-paid, who had previously had the slowest increase in their income.
introduced devolution in Scotland and Wales
The Devolution Act was passed in the same year as the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly were founded.
Even though it was extremely well-liked, some had prophesied that the Scottish Parliament would “kill Scottish nationalism stone dead.”
invested money in health and education
As the economy grew and public services were improved, billions more were also invested in health and education during the Blair administration, increasing the number of school-leavers who attended college.
With the Good Friday Agreement, Northern Ireland achieved peace.
The signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998 to (mostly) bring peace to Northern Ireland was a significant event of Mr. Blair’s administration.
The framework for power sharing in Northern Ireland and the right of its citizens to self-determination were developed through painstaking discussions between unionists and Irish nationalists, as well as with the US.
Failures
controversial Human Rights Act was passed.
Since its passage in 1998, the Human Rights Act has generated controversy because of claims that it exposes the government to baseless legal claims.
Since the government’s intentions to transfer asylum seekers to Rwanda have been challenged in court, the Human Rights Act has come under fire.
Critics claim that because judges are not elected, the law prevents the elected government from enacting its agenda.
In recent months, the government has voiced the possibility of repealing the law and substituting a British Bill of Rights.
attempted to limit civil liberties following the 7/7 attacks in 2005
His efforts to curtail civil freedoms following the 7/7 bombings in 2005 were equally contentious.
With 49 Labour MPs voted against the government, Mr. Blair’s plans to allow terrorist suspects to be imprisoned for up to 90 days for questioning were lost in the Commons.
This was Mr. Blair’s first defeat in the Commons since taking office, and it was widely regarded as seriously damaging his authority.
attack on Iraq
Tony Blair is plagued by Iraq, which is a failure that few prime ministers are.
A cloud hangs over his legacy because he chose to invade the Middle Eastern country with US President George W. Bush soon after the invasion of Afghanistan.
The Chilcot Inquiry ruled in 2017 that Mr. Blair was ‘not straight’ with the country in the lead-up to the war, despite his conviction that Saddam Hussein had WMD and represented a threat to the West.
Following both Iraq and Afghanistan, there was a protracted battle against guerilla warfare, which cost hundreds of thousands of lives.
Major, John
Six years, 155 days in office
Achievements
won the 1992 General Election unexpectedly.
John Major’s first significant accomplishment as prime minister was to triumph in an election that no one — possibly even Major himself — predicted he would win.
Major, who succeeded Margaret Thatcher as Conservative leader in 1990, gained the most votes ever received by a party leader when he defeated Neil Kinnock in the 1992 election. This record currently holds.
He only managed a thin majority, though, making him susceptible to backbencher uprisings for the remainder of his time.
the Northern Ireland peace process got underway
Major laid the foundation for the Northern Ireland peace process, which allowed Tony Blair to sign the Good Friday Agreement.
Through his close friendship with Taoiseach Albert Reynolds, he helped to normalize British-Irish relations.
In 1993, he also approved the Downing Street Declaration, which formalized the “principle of consent” and opened the way for peace negotiations in Northern Ireland.
Failures
The “Black Wednesday” financial crisis
Within a few months of his unexpected election victory, Black Wednesday, when the UK was expelled from the exchange rate mechanism (ERM) as the prime minister fought to preserve the value of the pound, shook Major’s government.
Although it did contribute to keeping Britain outside of the erratic Eurozone, a significant amount of money was lost in an effort to maintain the country in the ERM.
Tory uprising against EU Maastricht Treaty
As he fought with his party over Europe, like many contemporary Conservative leaders, Major was continually dissatisfied by his small majority in the Commons.
Major was so enraged by the Maastricht Treaty uprising that he forced a leadership challenge by resigning from the Conservative leadership and calling the rebels “bastards.”
Despite easily winning the vote, his authority never fully restored.
plagued by numerous sleazy scandals
Major ran a “back to basics” campaign for morality in politics, but his administration was dogged by scandal and sleaze claims for years, including MPs’ affairs and paid lobbying.
The Conservatives’ standing in the polls fell as a result of internal party strife and ongoing scandals.
loss in the 1997 general election by a landslide
Due to Tony Blair’s New Labour, the Conservatives were completely defeated in the 1997 General Election, losing 178 seats and winning just 165.
After the election, Major resigned as party leader right away and went to The Oval to watch cricket.
Margaret Thatcher
Office tenure: 11 years and 208 days
Achievements
The first female prime minister will be Rose.
After running against Edward Heath, Mrs. Thatcher unexpectedly took over as head of the Conservative Party in 1975.
Her accomplishment made her the country’s first female leader of a significant political party.
The 1979 election saw Mrs. Thatcher easily win, becoming the country’s first female prime minister.
defeated the Falklands War
Mrs. Thatcher faced the threat of being ousted by her own MPs at the time Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands due to her extreme unpopularity.
However, her steadfastness in starting a battle to retake the Falkland Islands inspired both her government and the nation.
British forces defeated the Argentinians and declared victory in the Falklands War despite overwhelming odds and warnings from military advisors that the battle would turn out to be disastrous.
The victory greatly increased Mrs. Thatcher’s popularity and dashed any aspirations her detractors had of having her removed.
three elections won
In the 1982 General Election, Mrs. Thatcher triumphed handily over the Labour party, which was led by the hard-left Michael Foot.
In the subsequent 1987 election, the prime minister also triumphed handily, enabling her to carry out the nation’s transition.
supervised Britain’s economic transition
In 1979, Mrs. Thatcher inherited a dire economic condition; inflation had peaked that year at 25%.
She implemented a strict regime of severe spending cuts and the privatization of state-controlled firms as part of her measures to combat the crisis.
British Telecom and airline British Airways were two well-known British brands that were privatized.
But because her policies encouraged house ownership and the service sector while depressing manufacturing and related industries like coal mining and steel production, they created stark splits in the nation.
eliminated the influence of aggressive trade unions
The overbearing trade unions, whose strikes in the 1970s crippled the nation, were one target of Mrs. Thatcher’s policy.
The Miners’ Strike of 1984–1985 was a result of her conflict with Arthur Scargill’s National Union of Miners.
Scargill’s plans to stop the nation’s progress were thwarted by Mrs. Thatcher, who amassed substantial coal reserves before enacting contentious pit closures.
Years of militant instability were put an end by her eventual win over the NUM, and additional legislation limited the influence of unions more broadly.
adopted a right-to-buy policy
Following the passage of the 1980 Housing Act, the Right to Buy program was established, enabling tenants of council houses to purchase their own homes.
Despite vehement resistance from some on the Left, the program resulted in the discounted sale of more than 2.5 million council homes and allowed some of Britain’s poorest individuals to acquire a home.
The mother-of-two Ann Young, who in 1986 purchased the one millionth council home sold through the program, stated that Mrs. Thatcher’s administration had turned her “dream” into a “reality,” exemplified the policy’s effectiveness.
In addition to helping Mrs. Thatcher win the Falklands War, the policy contributed to her resounding success in the 1982 election.
aided in the end of the Cold War
Many people believe that Mrs. Thatcher was instrumental in ending the Cold War.
She cultivated a tight relationship with Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbachev while working closely with US President Ronald Reagan, convincing him to open up his nation to the West.
The Prime Minister “worked as a conduit from Gorbachev to Reagan, selling him in Washington as a man to do business with, and functioning as an agent of influence in both directions,” according to Percy Cradock, Mrs. Thatcher’s official foreign policy advisor.
With the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Soviet Union, the Cold War was finally peacefully ended.
Failures
compelled to leave by her own MPs
Like Mr. Johnson, Mrs. Thatcher was compelled to resign by her own party.
When back bencher Sir Anthony Mayer challenged her for the keys to Number 10, she survived the leadership contest.
Geoffrey Howe, the deputy prime minister, then delivered a dramatic resignation speech in the Commons, severely undermining Mrs. Thatcher’s authority after the disastrous Poll Tax.
Later, Michael Heseltine, a ferocious critic and former cabinet colleague, put her under leadership pressure.
Even though Mrs. Thatcher received 55% of the vote in the first round of the election, she came four votes shy of securing an outright victory.
Mrs. Thatcher eventually agreed to quit after being pushed to do so by members of her own Cabinet, despite her original declaration that she would seek a second election. She delivered a moving farewell speech in front of Downing Street.
introduced the dreadful “Poll Tax”
Despite fierce opposition from both her own party and the nation, Mrs. Thatcher implemented the Community Charge, sometimes known as the Poll tax.
The tax, which was an adult flat rate tax that required both rich and poor people to pay the same amount, was vehemently opposed.
Riots broke out around the nation, most notably in Trafalgar Square at the end of March 1990, as a result of the unpopularity’s peak.
oversaw record unemployment rates
Mass unemployment was caused by Mrs. Thatcher’s strict policy of budget reductions and the closure of coal mines and steel factories.
For the first time since the 1930s, it surpassed 3 million in 1982 and then surpassed 4 million.
Millions of working class Britons no longer support Mrs. Thatcher, in part because of this effect of her policies.
grew became a hate figure for those who opposed her policies
Critics of Mrs. Thatcher claim that her policies have made millions of people’s lives extremely difficult.
Some hold her responsible for the demise of Britain’s manufacturing sectors, but millions of people suffered because of the 1980s’ high unemployment rates.
Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead reached number two on the charts after her death in 2013 as a result of her ferocious detractors.
This year saw the official installation of a statue honoring the prime minister in Grantham, Lincolnshire, but it was promptly vandalized.
Clement Atlee
Number of years in office: 92 days
Achievements
created the NHS, a free healthcare system
The post-World War II administration of Clement Attlee is regarded as one of the most important in British history.
Attlee’s Labour Party built the modern welfare state after defeating wartime leader Winston Churchill in the 1945 election.
The NHS was founded in 1948 by Attlee and Aneurin Bevan, his health secretary, making healthcare accessible to everyone in the UK ever since.
brought in the Welfare State
Atlee increased the welfare state through pensions, maternity allowances, death grants, and sickness and unemployment benefits.
managed the nationalization of numerous industries
In addition, he managed the nationalization of the Bank of England, the railways, the airlines, and several other industries, including coal, gas, and electricity.
Up to Margaret Thatcher’s election in 1979, Atlee’s government’s legacy had a significant impact on British politics, and his programs had received widespread support from all parties.
Atlee is less well recognized for his crucial role in the formation of NATO at the outset of the Cold War and for constructing Britain’s nuclear weapons.
Failures
lost the general election of 1951.
Despite its accomplishments, Atlee’s administration suffered from continued rationing and austerity, which hurt its popularity. 1950 saw Labour win an election by a razor-thin margin of just five votes.
With its involvement in the Korean War and subsequent rearmament, the administration further alienated its supporters. Additionally, prescription fees were implemented, which resulted in the resignations from the cabinet of Bevan and future prime minister Harold Wilson.
Winston Churchill was re-elected as prime minister after Labour lost another election to the Conservatives in 1951. After losing two elections, Atlee was compelled to step down as leader in 1955. He then retired to the House of Lords.
Winston Churchill
Eight years and two hundred thirty nine days
Achievements
led the Allies to victory in World War II
Despite spending most of the 1930s in the political wilderness, Sir Winston triumphed against all odds to become Prime Minister in May 1940.
He then led Britain through the remaining stages of the Second World War, assisting in maintaining morale in the face of numerous losses, including the tragic defeat at Dunkirk.
Churchill enthusedly declared to the British people that “we shall battle them on the beaches” and that “we shall never surrender” as Nazi Germany threatened to invade Britain.
He used them in a series of speeches he gave to raise morale during the conflict.
notified the West of the Soviet Union’s threat
Churchill was quick to recognize the threat that Soviet ruler Joseph Stalin posed to the West, despite having sided with the Soviet Union in the final stages of the Second World War.
in charge of the Queen’s Coronation
Churchill, who served as the Queen’s first Prime Minister, was close to her. He had known her since she was a young girl and offered her sage counsel after she succeeded to the throne after the passing of her father.
Churchill presided over Her Majesty’s Coronation in 1953, which sparked a boom in television ownership. By then, he was serving his second term as prime minister.
won reelection as PM in 1951.
Sir Winston was elected to a second term as prime minister in 1951 despite having lost the 1945 election. Before having a stroke and leaving Downing Street in 1955, he continued to work there for another four years.
Failures
Despite winning the war, lost the 1945 election.
Despite having guided the United Kingdom to victory in World War II, Sir Winston surprisingly fell short against Labour’s Clement Attlee in the 1945 election.
Some historians think Sir Winston’s comparison of Labour to Hitler’s Gestapo during the election campaign ultimately cost him the election.
Although he was beloved by supporters for his role as a wartime leader, his party’s uninspiring manifesto fell short of Labour’s promises, and he was unable to enthuse voters.
Neville Chamberlain
Serving two years and 348 days
Achievements
improved conditions at work
The 1937 Factories Act, which was intended to improve working conditions in factories and set limitations on the number of hours that women and children could work, was successfully passed thanks to Chamberlain’s efforts shortly after he was elected prime minister.
The Holidays with Pay Act, passed by Chamberlain in 1938, advised firms to provide employees a week off with pay. Additionally, it prompted the growth of recreational facilities and summer camps for the working class.
the start of the Second World War was postponed
Although Chamberlain has received harsh criticism for the Munich Agreement’s final failure to prevent war, his efforts to keep the peace did succeed in delaying the start of the Second World War.
According to some historians, this vital extension of the truce gave Britain additional time to re-arm before war inevitably broke out.
Failures
Appeasement and the Munich Agreement
The Munich Agreement did succeed in delaying the war, but it eventually fell short of its primary goal of averting war in Europe.
The deal, which served as the cornerstone of Chamberlain’s appeasement strategy, gave Nazi Germany’s dictator Adolf Hitler control over the Sudetenland part of what was then Czechoslovakia.
After months of anxiety brought on by Germany’s territorial aspirations, it was believed that the compromise would be sufficient to prevent a war involving all of Europe.
Before Hitler signed the pact, the Nazi leader had already incorporated Austria into Germany in March 1938 and was attempting to do the same with his intended invasion of the Sudetenland.
Churchill informed Chamberlain that he had the option of choosing “war or dishonor,” and that because he had chosen the latter, “you will have war,” even if Chamberlain had assured the British people that he thought it was “peace for our time.”
Churchill was proven right the following year when Hitler reneged on the agreement made in Munich by annexing all of Czechoslovakia in March and attacking Poland in September.
Even for the pacifist Chamberlain, that last act of aggression was the last straw, and on September 3, 1939, Britain declared war on Germany.
In May of the following year, following the defeat of the Allied effort to protect Norway against Hitler’s soldiers, Chamberlain’s resignation as prime minister followed.