The Prime Ministers We Never Had: Success and Failure from Butler to Corbyn

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John Smith always seemed a very noble, brave and honest man and I confess that I had to drive to a quiet spot and sat in my car and sobbed for a time. I can remember too feeling such sympathy for Elizabeth and the girls too. Clarke, John (1999). "House of Hanover". In Fraser, Antonia (ed.). The Lives of the Kings & Queens of England. University of California Press (published 2000). ISBN 978-0-520-22460-5. Former Fellows of The Royal Society of Edinburgh" (PDF). Royal Society of Edinburgh. July 2006. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 April 2012 . Retrieved 28 August 2018. The analysis is fascinating. The role of the media in reducing some great political heavyweights to cliches is highlighted, as is the worrying tendency for people to get to the ‘top job’ because (rather than despite) their having little front bench experience. I wouldn’t agree with Roberts’ suggestion of introducing presidential style elections in the UK, but in posing the question he raises some interesting issues.

Balfour 1910; Eccleshall & Walker 2002, p.174; Englefield, Seaton & White 1995, pp.177–184; Royal Society 2007, p.349. Wingate, Sophie (6 September 2022). "Liz Truss to become UK's third female prime minister". independent.co.uk. Independent . Retrieved 25 October 2022. Castlereagh, Viscount, President of the Board of Control (29 April 1805). "Military Commissioners' Bill". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol.4. House of Commons. col.496. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. {{ cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list ( link) Roberts’ treatment of the men (and woman) under the spotlight in this book is sympathetic, with no obvious political bias. There were some annoyances, which is why it earns 4 rather than 5 stars. I was a little frustrated that Barbara Castle’s chapter felt like one long comparison with Margaret Thatcher. A few times I felt Ken Clarke was reduced to a jolly stereotype, although Roberts did an excellent job of making clear his considerable strengths too. The late Tony Benn has been called the "Grandfather of British Politics," and was known in his old age as a great speaker and man of morals beloved by both sides of the House. As a young politician, however, he was a firebrand, and in the mid-70s (and later in opposition) was Thatcher and the new right's loudest critic. A Guardian obituary recently argued that his challenges to the government during these years "shattered the centre of British politics." Proudly socialist, Benn refused to take part in the neoliberal "me decade." Lefties mourn his downfall to this day.

I felt sorry for the nation but also sadness for the man as he did so much to unify the left and right factions of the Labour party. His legacy was to leave the party in a robust state to finally take on and finish the Tories. Mr James Callaghan". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Archived from the original on 23 June 2018 . Retrieved 30 August 2018. March 27, 1912–26 March 2005. Cook, Chris; Stevenson, John (1980). British Historical Facts: 1760–1830 (1sted.). Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-333-21512-8.

a b The British Magazine and Review 1782, p.79; Eccleshall & Walker 2002, pp.46, 50; Englefield, Seaton & White 1995, pp.39–43. Eccleshall & Walker 2002, p.273; Englefield, Seaton & White 1995, pp.253–259; Mosley 1999, p.172; Pryde et al. 1996, p.48.

The Prime Ministers We Never Had

To take some recent examples, Tony Blair and David Cameron came in due to elections in 1997 and 2010, while Gordon Brown, Theresa May and Boris Johnson all entered office following the resignation of their predecessors. Eccleshall & Walker 2002, pp.159, 167; Englefield, Seaton & White 1995, pp.169–174; Royal Society of Edinburgh 2006, p.375; Tout 1910, p.741. Chamberlain, Joseph, President of the Board of Trade (27 March 1884). "Second Reading—Adjourned Debate". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol.286. House of Commons. col.954. Archived from the original on 2 September 2018. This matter was brought before the House on the 13th of May, 1874... It was opposed... by Mr. Disraeli, who was then the Leader of the House.

List of Fellows of the Royal Society 1660–2007" (PDF). Royal Society. July 2007. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 May 2014 . Retrieved 28 August 2018. I was at university and had gone to my mates' room where they had a TV and they broke the news to me. I remember just sinking to the floor with my head in my hands and didn't speak for about ten minutes. The country, and indeed the world, was robbed of potentially one of the great post-war Prime Ministers.I had just opened up and the first customer in told me the news. I just could not believe it - I was stunned. As a life-long Labour supporter, as were the majority of my friends, we were just stood around in silence for what seemed like an eternity. My wife and I were honeymooning in Inverness at the time of John Smith's death. At the same time there was a Scottish Conservative Party conference and a Scottish professional Snooker tournament going on.