During the course of the Twentieth Century, nineteen men and one woman - from Robert Cecil, Third Marquis of Salisbury to Tony Blair - have occupied the post of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
During the course of the Twentieth Century, nineteen men and one woman - from Robert Cecil, Third Marquis of Salisbury to Tony Blair - have occupied the post of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
Following his earlier survey of 20th Century British Prime Ministers (A Century of Premiers: Salisbury to Blair), Dick Leonard turns his attention to their 19th Century predecessors, including such major figures as the Younger Pitt, the Duke of Wellington, Earl Grey, Palmerston, Disraeli and Gladstone. In a series of 20 biographical essays, he recounts the principal events of their political careers, the circumstances which brought them to the top of 'the greasy pole', assesses their performance as Prime Ministers, and asks what lasting influence they have had. He also recounts fascinating and often little-known facts from both their private and public lives, for example, which Prime Minister got his parents to bring up his illegitimate daughter and pass her off as his much younger sister? Which Prime Minister spent his evenings prowling the streets of London, trying to 'reform' prostitutes? Who was assassinated in the House of Commons? Who told a courtesan who tried to blackmail him 'Publish and be dammed'? And who proclaimed Queen Victoria as Empress of India?
Following A Century of Premiers: Salisbury to Blair, Leonard turns his attention to their 19th Century predecessors. In a series of 20 biographical essays, he recounts the principal events of their political careers, assesses their performance as Prime Ministers, and asks what lasting influence they have had.
Following his earlier surveys of 19th and 20th Century British Prime Ministers, Dick Leonard turns his attention to their 18th Century predecessors, including such major figures as Robert Walpole, the Elder Pitt (Lord Chatham), Lord North and the Younger Pitt.
This year marks the centenary of Harold Wilson's birth, the fiftieth anniversary of his most impressive general election victory and forty years since his dramatic resignation as Prime Minister. He was one of the longest-serving premiers of the twentieth century, having won a staggering four general elections, yet, despite this monumental record, his place in Labour's history remains somewhat ambiguous. By the end of his two periods in power, both the left and right of the party were highly critical of Wilson - the former regarding him as a traitor to socialism, the latter as contributing directly to British decline. With contributions from leading experts in the fields of political study, and from Wilson's own contemporaries, this remarkable new study offers a timely and wide-ranging reappraisal of one of the giants of twentieth-century politics, examining the context within which he operated, his approach to leadership and responses to changing social and economic norms, the successes and failure of his policies, and how he was viewed by peers from across the political spectrum. Finally, it examines the overall impact of Harold Wilson on the development of British politics.
CHOICE OUTSTANDING ACADEMIC TITLE 2015 Do women national leaders represent a breakthrough for the women’s movement, or is women’s leadership weaker than the numbers imply? This unique book, written by an experienced politician and academic, is the first to provide a comprehensive overview of how and why women in 53 countries rose to the top in the years since World War II. Packed with fascinating case studies detailing the rise to power of all 73 female presidents and prime ministers from around the world, from 1960 (when the first was elected) to 2010, the motives, achievements and life stories of the female top leaders, including findings from interviews carried out by the author, provide a nuanced picture of women in power. The book will have wide international appeal to students, academics, government officials, women’s rights activists and political activists, as well as anyone interested in international affairs, politics, social issues, gender and equality.
Fifty-two men and one woman have held the post of Prime Minister during the past three centuries - from Sir Robert Walpole to David Cameron. In this omnibus edition, which includes Eighteenth-Century British Premiers, Nineteenth-Century British Premiers, A Century of Premiers, plus new and updated chapters on Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and David Cameron, Dick Leonard recounts the circumstances which took them to the top of the ‘greasy pole’, probes their political and personal strengths and weaknesses, assesses their performance in office and asks what lasting influence they have had. The author also recounts fascinating and often littleknown facts about the private lives of each of the Prime Ministers, for example who was suspected of being the illegitimate half-brother of George III, who was assassinated in the House of Commons, who spent his evenings prowling the streets of London, trying to ‘reform’ prostitutes, which two premiers, one Tory one Labour, were taught by the same governess as a child, and who was described by his own son as ‘probably the greatest natural Don Juan in the history of British politics’?
A concise history of each of the UK’s twentieth-century Prime Ministers, from Robert Gascoyne-Cecil to Tony Blair, featuring archival images and documents. This book gives an overview of each of the British Prime Ministers of the twentieth century, summarising their premierships, their policies, and the key events. It is lavishly illustrated with images of documents from The National Archives which give a fresh dimension to the study of the Prime Minister’s role, providing insights into their personalities and the pressures that Prime Ministers are subject to. Handwritten comments by Prime Ministers enable the reader to connect with the individual and how they felt at the time. There are dramatic episodes and examples of forthright reactions, but flashes of humour too.