History of British Prime Ministers (Omnibus Edition)

Dick Leonard is an historian, journalist and author and a former Labour MP. For many years he was Assistant Editor of The Economist, and headed their office in Brussels, where he was later also correspondent of The Observer. He also worked for the BBC, and contributed regularly to leading newspapers across the world. His publications include The Economist Guide to the European Union, Elections in Britain, A Century of Premiers: Salisbury to Blair; Nineteenth Century British Premiers: Pitt to Rosebery and Eighteenth Century British Premiers: Walpole to the Younger Pitt.

"The prime-ministerial trilogy was deservedly successful. The biographical sketches were stylish, insightful, witty and fairminded. The whole ensemble threw unexpected light on the evolution of high politics in Britain." - David Marquand, New Statesman "Leonard's survey provides the best general account we have of the fifty-two men and one woman who have held the office of Prime Minister. As such, it is a considerable achievement, which should appeal to a wide readership." - Roland Quinault, History Today

• Introduction The Road to the Prime Ministership PART I: THE 18TH CENTURY 1. Robert Walpole, first Earl of Orford 'all these men have their price' 2. Spencer Compton, 1st Earl of Wilmington 'George II's favourite nonentity' 3. Henry Pelham Pragmatic Heir to Walpole 4. Thomas Pelham-Holles, Duke of Newcastle Mighty Panjamdrum, Feeble Premier 5. William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire 'I have no motive but the King's service' 6. John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute the King's 'dearest friend' 7. George Grenville Able Premier, Undermined by his Own Prolixity 8. Charles Wentworth-Watson, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham the Conscience of the Whigs 9. William Pitt, the Elder, 1st Earl of Chatham 'I am sure that I can save this country, and that nobody else can' 10. Augustus Henry Fitzroy, 3rd Duke of Grafton Well-intentioned Dilettante 11. Frederick North, Styled Lord North Outstanding Parliamentarian, Pity about the Colonies... 12. William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne Intellectual in Politics 13. William Henry Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland Twice a Figurehead 14 . William Pitt, the Younger Peacetime Prodigy, Less Successful in War PART II: THE 19TH CENTURY 15. Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth - Better than his Reputation? 16. William Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville - Not Quite 'All the Talents' 17. Spencer Perceval - Struck Down in his Prime 18. Robert Banks Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool - Keeping the Show on the Road 19. George Canning - In the Footsteps of Pitt 20. Frederick John Robinson, Viscount Goderich, 1st Earl of Ripon - Inadequate Stopgap 21. Arthur Wesley (Wellesley), 1st Duke of Wellington - Military Hero, Political Misfit? 22. Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey - In the Footsteps of Fox 23. William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne - Mentor to a Young Monarch 24. Sir Robert Peel - Arch Pragmatist or Tory Traitor? 25. Lord John Russell, 1st Earl Russell - From Whig to Liberal 26. Edward Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby - 'The Brilliant Chief, Irregularly Great' 27. George Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen - Failure or Scapegoat? 28. Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston - Master Diplomat or Playground Bully? 29. Benjamin Disraeli, Earl of Beaconsfield - Climbing 'the Greasy Pole' 30. William Ewart Gladstone - From 'Stern Unbending Tory' to 'The People's William' 31. Robert Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury - Skilful Opponent of Reform 32. Archibald Philip Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery - Seeking 'the Palm without the Dust' PART III: THE 20TH AND 21ST CENTURIES 33. Arthur James Balfour - Bob's your Uncle 34. Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman - 'A Good, Honest Scotchman' 35. Henry Herbert Asquith - Not Quite in the Gladstone Mould 36. David Lloyd George, - 'A Dynamic Force' 37. Andrew Bonar Law - Tory Puritan 38. Stanley Baldwin- 'A Man of the Most Utter Insignificance'? 39. James Ramsay MacDonald - An 'Aristocrat among Plain Men'? 40. Neville Chamberlain - A Family Affair 41. Winston Churchill - His Finest Hour 42. Clement Attlee - Quiet Revolutionary 43. Sir Anthony Eden - Self-Destruction of a Prince Charming 44. Harold Macmillan - Idealist into Manipulator 45. Sir Alec Douglas-Home - Right Man, Wrong Century? 46. Harold Wilson - Master - or Victim - of the Short Term 47. Edward Heath - Cheerleader for Europe 48. James Callaghan - Labour's Conservative 49. Margaret Thatcher - Grocer's Daughter to Iron Lady 50. John Major - 'Thatcherism with a Human Face' 51. Tony Blair - Fallen Idol 52. Gordon Brown - Dominant Chancellor, Uncertain Premier 53. David Cameron - 'Blair's Heir'? Appendix