Politics & Politicians

Featured politicians

Ken Livingstone
Ken Livingstone, the Mayor of London, has held numerous posts in the capital including head of the GLC.

Dick Whittington
Dick Whittington was a real-life Lord Mayor of London, not just some character in a pantomime!

Timeline of Prime Ministers

Here is an historical timeline of British politics, listing all the governments, Prime Ministers and famous political events…

1240 First Parliament sits at Westminster · 1376 The ‘Good Parliament’ · 1388 The ‘Merciless Parliament’ · 1640 The ‘Long Parliament’ · 1642 Charles I declares war on Parliament · 1653 Oliver Cromwell becomes Lord Protector · 1660 Restoration of the monarchy under Charles II · 1679 Birth of the Whig and Tory Parties · 1694 The Bank of England is founded · 1715 Ministry of Walpole, the country’s first PM · 1774 Ministry of Pelham · 1751 The Bank of England assumes responsibility for the national debt · 1754 Ministry of Newcastle · 1757 Ministry of Pitt-Newcastle · 1762 Ministry of Bute · 1763 Ministry of Grenville · 1765 Ministry of Rockingham · 1766 Ministry of Chatham · 1768 Ministry of Grafton · 1770 Ministry of Lord North · 1773 The Stock Exchange is founded · 1782 Second ministry of Rockingham · 1783 Ministry of Shelburne, followed by Ministry of Pitt the Younger · 1801 Pitt resigns, and is replaced by Addington · 1805 No.11 Downing Street becomes the official home of the Chancellor · 1809 Ministry of Spencer Perceval · 1812 Spencer Perceval is assassinated · 1830 Whigs in power under Grey · 1832 The Great Reform Bill enlarges the franchise and restructures Parliament · 1834 Fire at the Palace of Westminster · 1835 Municipal Reform Act expands the franchise to all ratepayers · 1839 Lord Melbourne resigns, but forms another administration when Peel refuses · 1841 Tories in power under Peel · 1846 Whigs in power · 1852 Derby’s first Conservative government · 1852 Aberdeen’s Coalition government · 1855 Palmerston’s first Liberal government · 1858 Derby’s second Conservative government · 1859 Palmerston’s second Liberal government · 1865 Palmerston dies, and is replaced by Russell · 1866 Derby’s third Conservative government · 1868 Disraeli replaces Derby as PM · 1868 Gladstone’s first Liberal government · 1873 Gladstone resigns, and Disraeli declines to take office · 1874 Disraeli’s second Conservative government · 1880 Gladstone’s second Liberal government · 1885 Salisbury’s first Conservative government · 1886 Gladstone’s third Liberal government. The Liberal party splits · 1886 Salisbury’s second Conservative government · 1892 Gladstone’s fourth Liberal government · 1894 Rosebery’s Liberal government · 1895 Salisbury’s third Unionist government · 1902 Balfour’s Unionist government · 1905 Campbell-Bannerman’s Liberal government · 1906 Birth of the Labour Party · 1908 Asquith’s Liberal government · 1911 Parliament Act curtails the power of the House of Lords, and establishes five-yearly elections · 1915 Asquith heads a coalition government during World War I · 1916 Lloyd George succeeds Asquith · 1918 Vote given to women over thirty · 1922 Bonar Law’s Conservative government · 1923 Stanley Baldwin succeeds Bonar Law · 1924 MacDonald’s first Labour government, soon replaced by the Tories under Baldwin · 1929 MacDonald’s second Labour government · 1931 MacDonald’s National government · 1935 Baldwin replaces MacDonald as PM · 1937 Neville Chamberlain replaces Baldwin · 1940 Winston Churchill succeeds Chamberlain as PM during World War II · 1945 Atlee’s Labour Government · 1948 Bevan introduces the NHS · 1951 Churchill’s second stint at power, as head of a Conservative Government · 1955 Churchill resigns, and is replaced by Anthony Eden · 1957 Eden resigns, replaced by Macmillan · 1963 Douglas-Home succeeds Macmillan · 1964 Harold Wilson’s first Labour government · 1970 Edward Heath’s Conservative government · 1974 Wilson’s second Labour government · 1976 Wilson resigned, and was replaced by James Callaghan · 1979 Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government · 1981 Social Democrat Party formed · 1990 Thatcher resigns, and is replaced by John Major · 1997 Tony Blair’s Labour government · 2007 Gordon Brown succeeds Tony Blair

Featured events

Peasant’s Revolt (1381)
The Peasant’s Revolt, led by Wat Tyler in 1381, almost cost Richard II his throne.

IRA bombings
The IRA carried out a concerted bombing campaign on the mainland all the way up to the 1990s.

Political books

Political events in London

>>  Upcoming political events in London

The State Opening of Parliament

• 3rd December 2008
• The State Opening of Parliament is a great chance to catch the Queen in all her pomp. She rides from Buckingham Palace to the Houses of Parliament in her gold state coach, attended by members of the Household Cavalry. If you want to see a traditional ceremony packed with history, then get down to Whitehall on the 3rd December.