Best British Prime Minister

[Serconea]

I've done this from 1955, because:
1. I've only got 8 options.
2. If I included Attlee, I'd have to include Churchill.
3. If I included Churchill, the vote would have to be on both his terms.
4. On both his terms, even I, a staunch Labour supporter, would vote for him, as would many other people.

I've omitted Blair for the same reasons I omitted Bush Jr.

[Bad Infinitum]

How long is a PM's term? Sorry, just an ignorant American here.

[cookins]

most of the time its 4 years

[TheSensitiveNewAge]

I do not know enough of most of the prime ministers to vote on it. Margret Thatcher, the on pm I do know about on the list; I would not agree with her policies but I give her kudos for the liberation of the Fauklin Islands.

See the Coffe House thread of Taco Island for a dramtic description of the conflict.

[Serconea]

A PM's term is as long as they stay in office.

A PM can call an election any time within 5 years of the last. They may also quit and let someone else take over.

This is when they served:
Eden 1955-57 Forced to resign over Suez
Macmillian 1957-63 Resigned due to ill health
Douglas Home 1963-64 Lost election
Wilson 1964-70 Lost election, 1974-76 Ill health
Heath 1970-74 Lost election
Callaghan 1976-79 Lost election
Thatcher 1979-90 Forced out by party
Major 1990-97 Lost election

General election guides:
news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/vote2001/in_depth/election_battles/default.stm

[Serconea]

The Number 10 website has stuff on all of them:
www.number-10.gov.uk/output/page123.asp

[RichfieldMN]

I really think Blair should have been included on this poll, since you included the most "Evil" woman in history. Attlee would have been my vote but he is not included either.

My two worst PMs of all time,

1)Thatcher
2)Churchill

[RichfieldMN]

The Falklands War was a neo-imperialistic war. Thatcher wanted to be re-elected and knew that the Falkands were under danger but did nothing to stop the invasion. She even withdrew troops.

The overwhelming defeat of Argentina was inevitable but the deaths of both Argentine and British soldiers lie flatly at the door of Thatcher.

[Serconea]

I admitted Blair, as I said, for the same reasons, I omitted George W. Bush from the Presidential poll.

I'm not that much of a Thatcher fan either. Not over the Falklands (which I don't share Richfield's views over), but over her government's destruction of the post-war consensus and her privatisation programme.

Best post-1955 PMs for me:
1) Wilson- his government ended the death penalty in this country
2) Callaghan- more of a victim of circumstances, he survived 3 years with no majority, which is impressive. Biggest mistake was not calling the election earlier.
3) Macmillian- Seems a nice chap. Like his nickname too: "Supermac"

[Iyandan]

Oh please the best PM has to be Thatcher, purely for ending the complete dominance of the Unions over this country. If she hadnt of done that, this country would not be where it is today.

The overwhelming defeat of Argentina was inevitable but the deaths of both Argentine and British soldiers lie flatly at the door of Thatcher.

No, the deaths of those soldiers are the fault of the Argentinian agressors. Britain didnt ask for the Falklands to be invaded, Argentina invaded the Falklands, and we kicked them off our territory

Thatcher may not be in some peoples eyes the best PM (she is in my book), but she was certianly the most influential

Anyway, how was Callaghan the second best PM, he mananged to destroy the Labour Party to such an extent that only a Conman like Blair could bring it back to electablitly.

But anyway, Churchill is certainly the best PM we have ever had, unless you want to go way back to the Disraelis, Gladstones and even Pitts.

[Serconea]

Callaghan didn't destroy the Labour Party.

The Militant Tendency and Campaign Group did that in the 1980s with their far-left policies.

Callaghan lost because of the Winter of Discontent, not because he was a far-leftie, which he wasn't.

[Grub (Lenlyvit)]

My two worst PMs of all time,

1)Thatcher
2)Churchill

Churchill one of the worst?? Go Chamberlain?

[TheSensitiveNewAge]

Churchill after the war was not the most effective PM from what I have heard, but as a war time leader he was excellent.

Iyandan, when you mention Pitts, was PM in the 18th century? I ask beacuse Pittsburg in Pennslyvania was named after a PM, back before the Revolution.

[Serconea]

You're right, Churchill wasn't as effective after the war. He had a stroke in 1953.

[Iyandan]

Iyandan, when you mention Pitts, was PM in the 18th century? I ask beacuse Pittsburg in Pennslyvania was named after a PM, back before the Revolution.

He was PM right at the beginning on the 18th Century, during the Napoleonic wars, and organised the Grand Alliance, which eventually lead to the defeat of Napoleon. He also pushed for Catholic Emancipation.

So in all probabilty, Pittsburg is named after Pitt.

Callaghan didn't destroy the Labour Party.

The Militant Tendency and Campaign Group did that in the 1980s with their far-left policies.

Callaghan lost because of the Winter of Discontent, not because he was a far-leftie, which he wasn't.

The man simply could not control his party, or the country. We went cap in hand to the IMF begging for money thanks to him. His inability to run the country lead to the Winter of Discontent, where the dead went unburied in Liverpool. That was his problem, he could not control the elements in his party.

Churchill one of the worst?? Go Chamberlain?

Yeh, why bother defending your homeland, lets just appease nutcases

[bongomangoland]

To be fair Chamberlain did think he could avoid a war. But the signs were pretty blatant - Hitler obviously didn't care what the rest of the world thought of his actions.

Churchill was a great wartime leader but his peacetime leadership was not as strong as others.

[Hockeynutville]

[glow=green,2,300]Most leaders that go through long periods of war and become accustomed to that style of governing have a tough time coming back down to earth when all the dust has settled. Churchill had the right style to keep Britain aloft during wartimes but outside it wasn't the most...humantarian possible to best describe it.[/glow]

[Serconea]

After VE Day, Churchill called an election and got booted out of office.

The British people were and still are grateful to him, but decided he wasn't the man for the peace.

One question- who voted for Eden?

[Alfonia]

Churchill was a great wartime leader, true.
However, we must not forget Gallipoli, but even a great man can make mistakes I guess... He still would have been my first choice though. Since he wasn't included I voted Thatcher.

[RichfieldMN]

I still remember that glorious day in 1990 when we heard the news that Thatcher had resigned, the whole office where I worked screamed and yelled. I thought the whole nation was ecstatic that the female dog had gone...

Anyone living through the Thatcher regime will never forget the destruction she did to the UK. She was a self centered egotistical woman who got what she wanted.

And then came the man in gray Major yikes...but at least he was not as bad as Thatcher.

Churchill was made out to be more than he was. There was an other side to Churchill which people don't really hear about..

[Serconea]

Even as a firm Labour supporter, I object to you calling the longest serving PM of the 20th century a dog.

[TheSensitiveNewAge]

Folks, we all have differing opinions on anything and everything. All I ask is that we keep what we say civil.

I should have probably posted this notice earlier and I apologize for it, but here it is now.

[Chelodia]

people come on! Thatcher was evil, almost as bad as george w bush.