Best British PM

**Louis VI the Fat** · 01-20-2011, 21:42

In 2004, the University of Leeds and Ipsos Mori conducted an online survey of 258 academics who specialised in 20th century British history and/or politics. There were 139 replies to the survey, a return rate of 54% - by far the most extensive survey done so far. The respondents were asked to rate all the 20th century British Prime Ministers in terms of their success and asking them to assess the key characteristics of successful PMs.

The three Liberal Prime Ministers were judged on average to have been the most successful, scoring a mean of 6.2. The five Labour PMs averaged 5.8 and the twelve Conservative PMs 4.8.

Trust the scholars to know: Britain is best left governed by Liberals. If need be, by Labour. By no means should Britain ever be entrusted to the care of Conservatives ever again.

wikipage

**Subotan** · 01-20-2011, 21:46

Swap Tony Blair and Harold Wilson and bump DLG up to third around that's a fine list

**Beskar** · 01-20-2011, 22:09

Did number 16 have any laws named after himself?

**gaelic cowboy** · 01-20-2011, 22:16

Bonar Law has to be one of the worst PM's very divisive man sure he even threatened army mutiny to the kings face.

**Fisherking** · 01-20-2011, 22:19

Wait!
Attlee held a government together for 6 years post war and was out by the Korean War and is judged the best?

What was to do? Go home and make babies?

No, please explain.

**Furunculus** · 01-20-2011, 22:20

in no particular order:

Salisbury & Disraeli for Splendid Isolation
Gladstone for his permanent (healthy) conflict with Disraeli and repealing the Corn Laws
Churchill for WW2
Thatcher for making Britain function again

**gaelic cowboy** · 01-20-2011, 22:32

Originally Posted by Fisherking

Wait!
Attlee held a government together for 6 years post war and was out by the Korean War and is judged the best?

What was to do? Go home and make babies?

No, please explain.

Decolonisation
The NHS
Managed to get people working again
loads more but cant think off the top of me head now

**drone** · 01-20-2011, 22:36

Lord Palme...

oh wait, 20th century PMs, nevermind.

**HoreTore** · 01-21-2011, 11:53

Originally Posted by Fisherking

Wait!
Attlee held a government together for 6 years post war and was out by the Korean War and is judged the best?

What was to do? Go home and make babies?

No, please explain.

No, a million or more now unemployed young males returning home to a bombed out country... With guns... Nah, no challenge at all.

Also, as has been mentioned by GC, he was responsible for overseeing the two largest changes to the British state in modern times, the NHS and the decolonization.

**rory_20_uk** · 01-21-2011, 12:20

What was their criteria for "best"?

If you have asked a set of Neo Nazis to assess who was the best German leader I imagine Hitler would be high if not top.

**Vladimir** · 01-21-2011, 16:42

How do they define "best"? Does it mean how successful they were in passing their policy objectives? And speaking of objectivity: What do you think a bunch of academics would say?

Oops. Sorry Rory.