Best British Prime minister

[Eulas]

The guy is overrated. He was a stupid drunk

Drunk, probably. Stupid he certainly was not.

I agree he is overrated, but he DID get Britain through the Second World War, something I'm not sure any other PM could have done.

[EvilDarkMagicians]

I don't agree with many of her policies (I agree with the Falklands). I just think she was a strong leader.

Inflexible rather than strong, just like Brown

Yeah, but he's a prick.

Great argument.
Brown is great who could not resist this?

It makes me grimace every time, every fucking time.

You don't get turned on?
Weird.

[Colonic Immigration]

The guy is overrated. He was a stupid drunk

Drunk, probably. Stupid he certainly was not.

I agree he is overrated, but he DID get Britain through the Second World War, something I'm not sure any other PM could have done.

He wasn't that stupid. I've read his books.

But, it was just a case of the right person at the right time.

[Colonic Immigration]

You don't get turned on?
Weird.

You not serious. You can't be.

[SD_Film Artists]

Winston Churchill

Adolf Hitler. Best absentee PM Britain never had.

He demolished the old city of London by force and caused new development.

I'm going to Coventry university in a couple of weeks, and the only good about the Coventry bombing is that the bombed-out cathedral is perfect for Warhammer 40K cosplays.

Seriously, the few medieval buildings that are still standing in Coventry look so old that they almost look fake.

[South Lorenya]

It's true, I'm an american and thus haven't studied British PMs as well as you have.

I will, however, say that Winston Churchill is my favorite orator.

[The Archregimancy]

Disraeli, followed by Thatcher and Attlee. Disraeli saw Britain reaffirmed as the world's greatest power while instituting the first social reforms.

I still prefer Gladstone over Disraeli. Explaining why with a bit more substance....

First of all, in my opinion Gladstone's first ministry set in train much of the social terrain that allowed the social reforms of Disraeli's second (and more substantive) ministry to take place. Secondly, Gladstone genuinely believed in his social reforms, whereas Disraeli's reforms - such as further extending the franchise - still have a whiff of cynicism about them 150 years later. To oversimplify, Gladstone instituted social reforms because he believed in them; Disraeli because once he was convinced those reforms were inevitable - if distasteful - it was best to institute them in a manner which brought the greatest political advantage to his own party.

Gladstone's reputation still suffers from a perception (which isn't entirely inaccurate) that where Disraeli was charismatic and charming, Gladstone was a self-righteous prig; which is presumably why they hated each other. But from about 1865 onwards, Gladstone was arguably the more substantive and important statesman from a long-term perspective; if nothing else, his sheer political longevity - four terms as Prime Minister between 1868 and 1894 - is unprecedented over the last 200 years.

And besides, he was a hell of a lot more right about Ireland than Disraeli and the Tories were.

[GetBert]

...and he saved all those fallen women. How many fallen women did Tony Blair save?

[Capitalistliberals]

I am strongly in favour of using poisonous gas against uncivilised tribes ... to spread a lively terror ?

quote by winston churchill in regards to african tribes i believe.... yup such a great man ehh

If our country were defeated, I hope we should find a champion as admirable (as Hitler) to restore our courage and lead us back to our place among the nations ?

yea another crazy churchill quote still like him? that was in 1937 by the way. yup yup after he had gotten rid of democracy and became a dictator. also after he rearmed germany

[Parthenon]

Thatcher + Reagan, leaders of the free world.

[Blouman Empire]

PItt the younger.

[Exilia and Colonies]

Thatcher + Reagan, leaders of the free world.

But she stole milk from schoolchildren! Somebody please think of the children!!!

[The Infinite Dunes]

I had to vote for Major. His presence on the poll is somewhat... astounding... That said, he does seem quite intelligent in his post-premier interviews. Bright man, wrong time, that sort of thing. Bit like William Hague I suppose.

You don't get turned on?
Weird.

No, but it looks like he is. That's is surely an orgasm face if ever I saw one.

[Honourable Angels]

He never made it to Prime Minister, but S. Baldrick, the MP of Dunny-on-the-Wold has a soft spot in my heart.

[Post-Unity Terra]

Why is John Major on that list when Clement Attlee doesn't even get an honourable mention?

[Greed and Death]

Thatcher

[Post-Unity Terra]

Thatcher + Reagan, leaders of the free world.

Both of them only made bearable by their dementia later in life.

[Grave_n_idle]

He never made it to Prime Minister, but S. Baldrick, the MP of Dunny-on-the-Wold has a soft spot in my heart.

He may look like a monkey who's been put in a suit and then strategically shaved, but he is a brillant politician.

[Taffy 3]

And I say England's greatest Prime Minister was LORD PALMERSTON!

Pitt the Elder!

LORD PALMERSTON!

Pitt the Elder!


Alright, you asked for it Boggs!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXqUhqU7hgM

poor Wade Boggs.

[The Archregimancy]

If Blouman Empire will forgive me, I'm posting here my reply to a TG he sent me...

I was just reading your post about Gladstone and the reforms he brought into the UK. Now my question is, is this the PM that despite being a Tory (or at least a member of a right wing party) that brought in more social reforms in his few years than labour did i the past 150 years even when they where in power?

One quibble... Gladstone was leader of the Liberal Party, which in the terms of the day would have been the more 'radical' party. I concede that Gladstone was deeply conservative in his personal life, but by the end of his political career he was seen as a champion of the common man, 'the people's William'.

He was also Prime Minister for a combined total of about 14 years, which is more than a 'few years'.

Looking at just his first two ministries, we have:

First ministry
1) Disestablishment of the [Anglican] Church of Ireland via the Irish Church Disestablishment Act 1869.

2) The Landlord and Tenant (Ireland) Act of 1870 which attempted to protect Irish tenants from their landlords via public loans to enable land purchases and establishment of eviction compensation.

3) The Elementary Education Act 1870, which enabled the establishment of local education boards with effective powers (and mandatory schooling) in areas where there were no voluntary schools.

4) The Ballot Act of 1872, which established secret ballots for general and local elections.

5) The Supreme Court of Judicature Act 1873, which established the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal, and attempted to abolish the House of Lords as a judicial body for England (latter not implemented until 2009 due to 1874 Conservative victory)

6) The implementation of the Cardwell Reforms in the Army via Secretary of State for War Edward Cardwell enacted.

In his second ministry, he implemented...

1) The Land Law (Ireland) Act of 1881 which gave Irish tenants "the three Fs": fair rent, fixity (security) of tenure, and the right to freely sell their holdings.

2) The Arrears of Rent (Ireland) Act of 1882, which cancelled rent arrears for Irish tenants unable to pay rent and occupying land worth less than £30 per annum

3) The Married Women's Property Act of 1882, which gave married women the same rights to buy, sell, and own property as unmarried women; this recognised married women as individuals in their own right for the first time in British legal history.

4) The Corrupt and Illegal Practices Prevention Act of 1883 aimed at eliminating corruption in elections

5) The Representation of the People Act of 1884, gave the counties the same franchise as the boroughs, and added about six million voters to the (male) suffrage.

He also effectively suspended habeus corpus in Ireland in 1881, but you don't get them all right...

...and he saved all those fallen women. How many fallen women did Tony Blair save?

It may be difficult to believe in these more cynical times, but the overwhelming historical consensus is that Gladstone really didn't do anything more with those prostitutes than give them a good stern talking to out of his own perceived sense of Christian duty (Roy Jenkins, for example, argues in his biography there was almost certainly a subliminated sexual element, but that it was never acted on).

In fact, he seems to have been completely oblivious to the potential scandal; when his cabinet suggested to the aging Gladstone that maybe it wasn't quite the done thing for the deeply devout Prime Minister to be seen talking to prostitutes in seedier areas of London, he airily dismissed their concerns and genuinely seems not to have understood why some people might have thought it a problem. More to the point, Gladstone's wife Catherine often accompanied him on his missions to save 'fallen women', which suggests that either A) she didn't think he was doing anything wrong or B) they liked a stern Victorian menage a trois.

[West Failure]

...and he saved all those fallen women. How many fallen women did Tony Blair save?

It may be difficult to believe in these more cynical times, but the overwhelming historical consensus is that Gladstone really didn't do anything more with those prostitutes than give them a good stern talking to out of his own perceived sense of Christian duty (Roy Jenkins, for example, argues in his biography there was almost certainly a subliminated sexual element, but that it was never acted on).

In fact, he seems to have been completely oblivious to the potential scandal; when his cabinet suggested to the aging Gladstone that maybe it wasn't quite the done thing for the deeply devout Prime Minister to be seen talking to prostitutes in seedier areas of London, he airily dismissed their concerns and genuinely seems not to have understood why some people might have thought it a problem. More to the point, Gladstone's wife Catherine often accompanied him on his missions to save 'fallen women', which suggests that either A) she didn't think he was doing anything wrong or B) they liked a stern Victorian menage a trois.

I have no doubt that he was totally sincere, he was that kind of a man.

oops forgot I was logged on as West Failure..

[TerraPublica]

Neville Chamberlain. This is controversial, but he was smart enough to sacrifice his image to try to save Britain. He may not have succeded, but it was what he thought was right at the time. The British Military was in no position to fight a war at the time. If he hadn't made tried to make peace with Germany, then who knows whether or not the Brits would have survived.In a worst case scenario, the Nazis could potentally have taken out all of Europe. Also, before he was PM, he passed laws that would reform the British factories. Because of these laws, the British army HAD gotten to the point where they could wage war when the time came.

[UNIverseVERSE]

If Blouman Empire will forgive me, I'm posting here my reply to a TG he sent me...

I was just reading your post about Gladstone and the reforms he brought into the UK. Now my question is, is this the PM that despite being a Tory (or at least a member of a right wing party) that brought in more social reforms in his few years than labour did i the past 150 years even when they where in power?

One quibble... Gladstone was leader of the Liberal Party, which in the terms of the day would have been the more 'radical' party. I concede that Gladstone was deeply conservative in his personal life, but by the end of his political career he was seen as a champion of the common man, 'the people's William'.

He was also Prime Minister for a combined total of about 14 years, which is more than a 'few years'.

Looking at just his first two ministries, we have:

First ministry
1) Disestablishment of the [Anglican] Church of Ireland via the Irish Church Disestablishment Act 1869.

2) The Landlord and Tenant (Ireland) Act of 1870 which attempted to protect Irish tenants from their landlords via public loans to enable land purchases and establishment of eviction compensation.

3) The Elementary Education Act 1870, which enabled the establishment of local education boards with effective powers (and mandatory schooling) in areas where there were no voluntary schools.

4) The Ballot Act of 1872, which established secret ballots for general and local elections.

5) The Supreme Court of Judicature Act 1873, which established the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal, and attempted to abolish the House of Lords as a judicial body for England (latter not implemented until 2009 due to 1874 Conservative victory)

6) The implementation of the Cardwell Reforms in the Army via Secretary of State for War Edward Cardwell enacted.

In his second ministry, he implemented...

1) The Land Law (Ireland) Act of 1881 which gave Irish tenants "the three Fs": fair rent, fixity (security) of tenure, and the right to freely sell their holdings.

2) The Arrears of Rent (Ireland) Act of 1882, which cancelled rent arrears for Irish tenants unable to pay rent and occupying land worth less than £30 per annum

3) The Married Women's Property Act of 1882, which gave married women the same rights to buy, sell, and own property as unmarried women; this recognised married women as individuals in their own right for the first time in British legal history.

4) The Corrupt and Illegal Practices Prevention Act of 1883 aimed at eliminating corruption in elections

5) The Representation of the People Act of 1884, gave the counties the same franchise as the boroughs, and added about six million voters to the (male) suffrage.

He also effectively suspended habeus corpus in Ireland in 1881, but you don't get them all right...

...and he saved all those fallen women. How many fallen women did Tony Blair save?

It may be difficult to believe in these more cynical times, but the overwhelming historical consensus is that Gladstone really didn't do anything more with those prostitutes than give them a good stern talking to out of his own perceived sense of Christian duty (Roy Jenkins, for example, argues in his biography there was almost certainly a subliminated sexual element, but that it was never acted on).

In fact, he seems to have been completely oblivious to the potential scandal; when his cabinet suggested to the aging Gladstone that maybe it wasn't quite the done thing for the deeply devout Prime Minister to be seen talking to prostitutes in seedier areas of London, he airily dismissed their concerns and genuinely seems not to have understood why some people might have thought it a problem. More to the point, Gladstone's wife Catherine often accompanied him on his missions to save 'fallen women', which suggests that either A) she didn't think he was doing anything wrong or B) they liked a stern Victorian menage a trois.

While commenting on private TGs is probably a slightly dubious thing to do, two other points jump out at me:

Firstly, of course, the Labour party hasn't even been around for more than 100 years yet -- their first seat was gained in 1900, and their first government was 1924.

Secondly, Attlee's social reforms compete quite decently with Gladstone's. The NHS, in particular, has been a massively powerful and successful piece of work.

[Tunizcha]

Where's the option for Gordon Brown?

[Maurepas]

From my view on this side of the pond, Churchill really cant be beat...