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

See also: List of prime ministers of the United Kingdom § Since 1721

"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
Whig   Tory   Conservative   Peelite   Liberal   Labour   National Labour   Liberal Democrats

Start date		Government	Event[a]	Head		Governing party		Monarch
1707		Godolphin–Marlborough ministry	Acts of Union		Duke of Marlborough	Tory	Whig	Anne
1708			General election
Aug	1710		Dismissal	Marlborough dismissed
Nov		Harley ministry	General election		Robert Harley[b]	Tory
1713			General election
Aug	1714		Accession					George I
Sep		Townshend ministry	—		Viscount Townshend[c]	Whig
1715			General election
1717		First Stanhope–Sunderland ministry	—		Earl Stanhope
1718		Second Stanhope–Sunderland ministry
Feb	1721		Death	Stanhope dies
Apr		Walpole–Townshend ministry	—		Robert Walpole[d]
1722			General election
Jun	1727		Accession					George II
Aug			General election
1730		Walpole ministry	Townshend resigns
1734			General election
1741			General election
11 Feb	1742		No confidence	Walpole resigns
12 Feb		Carteret ministry	—		Lord Carteret (acting)[c]
16 Feb					Earl of Wilmington
Jul	1743		Death	Wilmington dies
Aug			—		Henry Pelham
1744		First Broad Bottom ministry
10 Feb	1746		Dismissal[e]	Pelham dismissed
14 Feb		Second Broad Bottom ministry	—		Henry Pelham
1747			General election
6 Mar	1754		Death	Pelham dies
16 Mar		First Newcastle ministry	—		Duke of Newcastle
Apr			General election
11 Nov	1756		Resignation	Newcastle resigns
16 Nov		Pitt–Devonshire ministry	—		Duke of Devonshire
Apr	1757	1757 caretaker ministry	Pitt dismissed			Whig (caretaker)
Jun		Pitt–Newcastle ministry	—		Duke of Newcastle	Whig
1760			Accession					George III
Mar	1761		General election
Oct			Pitt resigns
		Bute–Newcastle coalition	—			Tory	Whig
1762			Dismissal	Newcastle dismissed
		Bute ministry	—		Earl of Bute
8 Apr	1763		Resignation	Bute resigns
16 Apr		Grenville ministry	—		George Grenville		Grenville Whig
10 Jul	1765		Dismissal	Grenville dismissed
13 Jul		First Rockingham ministry	—		Marquess of Rockingham	Rockingham Whig
1766		Chatham ministry			Earl of Chatham	Chathamite Whig	Tory
Mar	1768		General election
Oct		Grafton ministry	—		Duke of Grafton
1770		North ministry			Lord North	Northite Tory	Whig
1774			General election			Northite Tory
1780			General election
Mar	1782		No confidence
		Second Rockingham ministry	—		Marquess of Rockingham	Rockingham Whig
1 Jul			Death	Rockingham dies
4 Jul		Shelburne ministry	—		Earl of Shelburne	Chathamite Whig	Tory
Mar	1783		Resignation	Shelburne resigns
Apr		Fox–North coalition	—		Duke of Portland	Whig
18 Dec			Dismissal	Portland dismissed
19 Dec		First Pitt ministry	—		William Pitt	Pittite Tory (minority)
Feb	1784		No confidence
Mar			General election			Pittite Tory
1790			General election
1796			General election			Pittite Tory	Whig
14 Mar	1801		Resignation	Pitt resigns
17 Mar		Addington ministry	—		Henry Addington	Addingtonian Tory
1802			General election
1804		Second Pitt ministry	—		William Pitt	Pittite Tory
Jan	1806		Death	Pitt dies
Feb		Ministry of All the Talents	—		Lord Grenville	Whig	Tory
Oct			General election
Mar	1807	Second Portland ministry	—		Duke of Portland	Pittite Tory (minority)
May			General election			Pittite Tory
1809		Perceval ministry	—		Spencer Perceval
May	1812		Assassination	Perceval assassinated
Jun		Liverpool ministry	—		Earl of Liverpool
Oct			General election
1818			General election
Jan	1820		Accession					George IV
Mar			General election
1826			General election
9 Apr	1827		Resignation	Liverpool resigns
12 Apr		Canning ministry	—		George Canning	Canningite Tory	Whig
8 Aug			Death	Canning dies
31 Aug		Goderich ministry	—		Viscount Goderich
8 Jan	1828		Resignation	Goderich resigns
22 Jan		Wellington–Peel ministry	—		Duke of Wellington	Tory
Jun	1830		Accession					William IV
Jul			General election			Tory (minority)
16 Nov			No confidence	Wellington resigns
22 Nov		Grey ministry	—		Earl Grey	Whig (minority)
1831			General election			Whig
1832			General election
9 Jul	1834		Resignation	Grey resigns
16 Jul		First Melbourne ministry	—		Viscount Melbourne
14 Nov			Dismissal	Melbourne dismissed
17 Nov		Wellington caretaker ministry	—		Duke of Wellington	Tory (caretaker)
9 Dec			Resignation	Wellington resigns
10 Dec		First Peel ministry	—		Robert Peel	Conservative (minority)
Jan	1835		General election
8 Apr			No confidence	Peel resigns
18 Apr		Second Melbourne ministry	—		Viscount Melbourne	Whig
Jun	1837		Accession					Victoria
Jul			General election
4 Jun	1841		No confidence
29 Jun			General election
Aug			No confidence
		Second Peel ministry	—		Robert Peel	Conservative
29 Jun	1846		No confidence	Peel resigns
30 Jun		First Russell ministry	—		Lord John Russell	Whig (minority)
1847			General election
1851			No confidence
21 Feb	1852		No confidence	Russell resigns
23 Feb		Who? Who? ministry	—		Earl of Derby	Conservative (minority)
Jul			General election			Conservative
17 Dec			No confidence	Derby resigns
19 Dec		Aberdeen ministry	—		Earl of Aberdeen	Coalition (minority)
Jan	1855		No confidence	Aberdeen resigns
Feb		First Palmerston ministry	—		Viscount Palmerston	Whig (minority)
3 Mar	1857		No confidence
27 Mar			General election			Whig
19 Feb	1858		No confidence	Palmerston resigns
20 Feb		Second Derby–Disraeli ministry	—		Earl of Derby	Conservative (minority)
Apr	1859		General election
11 Jun			No confidence	Derby resigns
12 Jun		Second Palmerston ministry	—		Viscount Palmerston	Liberal
Jul	1865		General election
18 Oct			Death	Palmerston dies
29 Oct		Second Russell ministry	—		Earl Russell
26 Jun	1866		No confidence	Russell resigns
28 Jun		Third Derby–Disraeli ministry	—		Earl of Derby	Conservative (minority)
25 Feb	1868		Resignation	Derby resigns
27 Feb			—		Benjamin Disraeli
1 Dec			Resignation	Disraeli resigns
3 Dec		First Gladstone ministry	General election		William Ewart Gladstone	Liberal
1873			No confidence
17 Feb	1874		Resignation	Gladstone resigns
20 Feb		Second Disraeli ministry	General election		Benjamin Disraeli[f]	Conservative
21 Apr	1880		Resignation	Disraeli resigns
23 Apr		Second Gladstone ministry	General election		William Ewart Gladstone	Liberal
9 Jun	1885		No confidence	Gladstone resigns
23 Jun		First Salisbury ministry	—		Marquess of Salisbury	Conservative (minority)
Nov			General election			Conservative (caretaker)[g]
Jan	1886		No confidence	Salisbury resigns
Feb		Third Gladstone ministry	—		William Ewart Gladstone	Liberal (minority)
20 Jul			No confidence	Gladstone resigns
25 Jul		Second Salisbury ministry	General election		Marquess of Salisbury	Conservative (minority)
Jul	1892		General election			Conservative (caretaker)[g]
11 Aug			No confidence	Salisbury resigns
15 Aug		Fourth Gladstone ministry	—		William Ewart Gladstone	Liberal (minority)
2 Mar	1894		Resignation	Gladstone resigns
5 Mar		Rosebery ministry	—		Earl of Rosebery
22 Jun	1895		No confidence	Rosebery resigns
25 Jun		Third Salisbury ministry	—		Marquess of Salisbury	Conservative (minority)
Jul			General election			Conservative	Liberal Unionist
1900		Fourth Salisbury ministry	General election
1901			Accession					Edward VII
11 Jul	1902		Resignation	Salisbury resigns
12 Jul		Balfour ministry	—		Arthur Balfour
4 Dec	1905		Resignation	Balfour resigns
5 Dec		Campbell-Bannerman ministry	—		Henry Campbell-Bannerman	Liberal (minority)
1906			General election			Liberal
1908		First Asquith ministry	—		H. H. Asquith
Feb	1910	Second Asquith ministry	General election			Liberal (minority)
May			Accession					George V
Dec		Third Asquith ministry	General election
1915		Asquith coalition ministry	—			Coalition
5 Dec	1916		Resignation	Asquith resigns
6 Dec		Lloyd George war ministry	—		David Lloyd George
1918		Second Lloyd George ministry	General election
19 Oct	1922		Carlton Club meeting	Lloyd George resigns
23 Oct		Law ministry	—		Bonar Law	Conservative
Nov			General election
20 May	1923		Resignation	Law resigns
22 May		First Baldwin ministry	—		Stanley Baldwin
Dec			General election			Conservative (caretaker)[g]
Jan	1924		No confidence
		First MacDonald ministry	—		Ramsay MacDonald	Labour (minority)
Nov			No confidence
		Second Baldwin ministry	General election		Stanley Baldwin	Conservative
May	1929		General election			Conservative (caretaker)[g]
4 Jun			Resignation	Baldwin resigns
5 Jun		Second MacDonald ministry	Lib–Lab pact		Ramsay MacDonald	Labour (minority)
Aug	1931	First National Government	—			National
Oct		Second National Government	General election
1935		Third National Government	General election		Stanley Baldwin
Jan	1936		Accession					Edward VIII
Dec			Abdication
			Accession					George VI
1937		Fourth National Government	—		Neville Chamberlain
1939		Chamberlain war ministry
1940		Churchill war ministry	Norway Debate		Winston Churchill	Coalition
May	1945	Churchill caretaker ministry	Coalition resigns			Coalition (caretaker)
Jul		First Attlee ministry	General election		Clement Attlee	Labour
1950		Second Attlee ministry	General election
1951		Third Churchill ministry	General election		Winston Churchill	Conservative
1952			Accession					Elizabeth II
5 Apr	1955		Resignation	Churchill resigns
6 Apr		Eden ministry	—		Anthony Eden
May			General election
1957		First Macmillan ministry	—		Harold Macmillan
1959		Second Macmillan ministry	General election
18 Oct	1963		Resignation	Macmillan resigns
19 Oct		Douglas-Home ministry	—		Alec Douglas-Home[h]
1964		First Wilson ministry	General election		Harold Wilson	Labour
1966		Second Wilson ministry	General election
1970		Heath ministry	General election		Edward Heath	Conservative
Feb	1974		General election			Conservative (caretaker)[g]
Mar		Third Wilson ministry			Harold Wilson	Labour (minority)
Oct		Fourth Wilson ministry	General election			Labour
1976		Callaghan ministry	Leadership election		James Callaghan
1977			Lib–Lab pact			Labour (minority)
Mar	1979		No confidence
May		First Thatcher ministry	General election		Margaret Thatcher	Conservative
1983		Second Thatcher ministry	General election
1987		Third Thatcher ministry	General election
1990		First Major ministry	Leadership election		John Major
1992		Second Major ministry	General election
1996			By-election			Conservative (minority)
1997		First Blair ministry	General election		Tony Blair	Labour
2001		Second Blair ministry	General election
2005		Third Blair ministry	General election
2007		Brown ministry	Leadership election		Gordon Brown
6 May	2010		General election			Labour (caretaker)[g]
11 May		Cameron–Clegg coalition	Formation		David Cameron	Conservative	Liberal Democrat
2015		Second Cameron ministry	General election			Conservative
2016		First May ministry	Leadership election		Theresa May
8 Jun	2017		General election			Conservative (caretaker)[g]
11 Jun		Second May ministry	DUP agreement			Conservative (minority)
Jul	2019	First Johnson ministry	Leadership election		Boris Johnson
Dec		Second Johnson ministry	General election			Conservative
6 Sep	2022	Truss ministry	Leadership election		Liz Truss
8 Sep			Accession					Charles III
Oct		Sunak ministry	Leadership election		Rishi Sunak
2024		Starmer ministry	General election		Keir Starmer	Labour

See also

• List of English ministries, for ministries of the Kingdom of England
• List of Scottish Governments, for ministries of the modern Scottish Government
• List of Northern Ireland Executives, for ministries of the Northern Ireland Executive
• List of Welsh Governments, for ministries of the modern Welsh Government
• List of British shadow cabinets, for a list of shadow cabinets

Notes

1. General elections, successful votes of no confidence, etc.
2. From 1711 Harley was Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer.
3. De facto leader as Northern Secretary.
4. From 1742 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 generally included in lists of British prime ministers.
6. From 1876 Disraeli was Earl of Beaconsfield.
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, Douglas-Home was known as the Earl of Home.

Citations

1. Wilding & Laundy nd
2. Part 6 – Historical information on the Australian Parliament (PDF) (Report), Parliament of Australia, 31 October 2014, retrieved 6 March 2017
3. Ministers of the Crown (Report), Parliament of Canada, retrieved 4 May 2012
4. "First Lord of the Treasury", gov.uk, archived from the original on 20 May 2013, retrieved 3 September 2017

References

• Wilding NW, Laundy P (nd), An Encyclopaedia of Parliament, London: Cassell and Company, ISBN 978-0-304-93689-2

Further reading

• Butler D, Butler G (2010), British Political Facts (10th ed.), Palgrave Macmillan UK, ISBN 978-0-230-29318-2
• Cook C, Keith B (1975), British Historical Facts: 1830–1900 (1st ed.), Palgrave Macmillan UK, ISBN 978-1-349-01348-7
• Cook C, Stevenson J (1980), British Historical Facts: 1760–1830, Palgrave Macmillan UK, ISBN 978-0-333-21512-8
• Cook C, Stevenson J (1988), British Historical Facts: 1688–1760 (1st ed.), Palgrave Macmillan UK, ISBN 978-1-349-02369-1
• Englefield D, et al. (1995), Facts About the British Prime Ministers: A Compilation of Biographical and Historical Information, New York: H.W. Wilson Co., pp. 411–412, ISBN 978-0-8242-0863-9
• Macdonald DF (1967), The Age of Transition: Britain in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, New York, NY: St. Martin's Press, p. 240
• Tout TF (1910), An Advanced History of Great Britain from the Earliest Times to the Death of Edward VII, New York, NY: Longmans, Green, pp. 740 –741, OL 13991885M
• Venning T (2005), "Prime Ministers", Compendium of British Office Holders, Palgrave Macmillan UK, ISBN 978-0-230-50587-2