Introduction

Abstract

Fifty men and one woman have held the post of Prime Minister (or, more formally, First Lord of the Treasury) since Robert Walpole was appointed by George I, in 1721. Twenty of them served during the twentieth century. This book aims to provide a succinct account of their political careers, assess their achievements and, where appropriate, draw conclusions as to their relevance to the present day. It is conceived as part of a larger study: two further volumes, by the same author, will be devoted respectively to Prime Ministers of the nineteenth and eighteenth centuries, so that eventually all 51 will have come under the spotlight.