The Prime Minister’s job is one of immense influence and relentless scrutiny. Since the role first emerged in 1721 under Sir Robert Walpole, the UK has seen 58 people step into Number 10, each leaving behind a unique legacy shaped by the times they governed. Some were nation-builders, some crisis managers, others political survivors — and each brings with them a trail of fascinating facts and figures. Here, we explore the office through statistics that tell the story better than speeches: the assassinations and near-misses, the family dynasties and historic firsts, the towering majorities and the shortest stints in power. This is the premiership told By the Numbers.
By the Numbers #1 — Assassinations
Only one Prime Minister has been assassinated: Spencer Perceval, shot in the lobby of the House of Commons on 11 May 1812 by disgruntled merchant John Bellingham. The attack stunned the country — Parliament itself had never been the scene of such violence against its leader. Bellingham claimed no political motive, insisting it was revenge for his imprisonment in Russia and the government’s refusal to compensate him. Perceval’s death caused an outpouring of national grief, and he remains the only British leader to meet such a fate, although others have faced danger — Sir Robert Peel survived an assassination attempt, and Margaret Thatcher narrowly escaped death in the IRA’s Brighton bombing of 1984.
#3 — Female Prime Ministers & National Referendums
In more than 300 years, only three women have walked through the black door of Number 10 as Prime Minister. Margaret Thatcher was the first, serving from 1979 to 1990, becoming both the UK’s first female leader and its longest-serving post-war PM. She was known as the “Iron Lady” for her uncompromising style and reshaping of the economy.
Theresa May took office in 2016 after David Cameron resigned, navigating the country through the politically chaotic Brexit negotiations until her resignation in 2019. Liz Truss’s premiership in 2022 was the shortest in British history at just 49 days, collapsing after her government’s economic plan triggered financial turmoil.
Only Harold Wilson and David Cameron have put questions to the entire nation in the form of UK-wide referendums. Wilson held the 1975 vote on whether Britain should remain in the European Economic Community, securing a resounding “Yes” with two-thirds of the vote and temporarily easing divisions in his Labour Party. Cameron called two: the 2011 referendum on switching to the Alternative Vote electoral system, which was decisively rejected, and the 2016 vote on EU membership. The latter, intended to settle the question, instead split the country and ultimately brought down his premiership.
By the Numbers #4 — Election Victories & Birthplaces
Winning one general election is a feat; winning four is the rarest of political achievements, shared by only Robert Walpole, Lord Liverpool, William Gladstone, and Harold Wilson. These leaders either held onto power for years or repeatedly won it back. Four PMs were born outside the current UK: William Petty and Arthur Wellesley (the Duke of Wellington) in Dublin, Bonar Law in New Brunswick, Canada, and Boris Johnson in New York City. Johnson is the only Prime Minister born outside British territory at the time of their birth.
#6 — Labour PMs & Living Leaders
Labour has produced six Prime Ministers: Ramsay MacDonald, Clement Attlee, Harold Wilson, James Callaghan, Tony Blair, and Gordon Brown. Their collective achievements range from establishing the NHS and welfare state to modernising Britain’s public services. As of 2025, five former PMs are still living: John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron, and Boris Johnson — an unusually high number, reflecting the political turnover of recent decades.
By the Numbers #7 — Deaths in Office & Scottish Births
Seven Prime Ministers have died in office, the last being Lord Palmerston in 1865, who passed away still enjoying immense popularity. Earlier deaths include William Pitt the Younger, who died at just 46 after serving nearly two decades, and George Canning, whose time as PM was cut short after just months by tuberculosis. Scotland has also produced seven PMs, from early 19th-century figures like Arthur Balfour to recent leaders Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, showing its enduring political influence despite its smaller population.
#10 — Prime Minister’s Address
Number 10 Downing Street has been the official residence since 1735, gifted to Sir Robert Walpole by King George II. Walpole insisted it be a gift to the office, not the man, ensuring every subsequent PM would inherit its iconic black door and maze of historic corridors. Inside, it’s part home, part office, and part state venue — hosting visiting leaders from presidents to royalty.
By the Numbers #14 — PMs under Elizabeth II
Over her 70-year reign, Queen Elizabeth II worked with 14 Prime Ministers, from Winston Churchill in his second term to Liz Truss in her brief final weeks. Harold Wilson is the only one to have served two separate terms under her, and her audiences with her PMs were famously private, offering a rare constant in British political life.
#17 — PM with Most Children
Charles Grey, known to tea drinkers everywhere as the namesake of Earl Grey tea, fathered a remarkable 17 children — 10 sons, 6 daughters, and 1 illegitimate daughter, Eliza Courtney. His sprawling family was typical of the aristocratic political elite of the early 19th century, where marriage alliances and family networks often overlapped with political careers.
By the Numbers #19 — Facial Hair
Nineteen Prime Ministers have worn facial hair while in office. The 19th century was the era of dramatic sideburns, the turn of the 20th century brought the age of the moustache, and full beards were fashionable in the late Victorian period. Since the mid-20th century, however, facial hair among PMs has vanished — reflecting both political image trends and changing cultural norms.
#20 — Eton Alumni
Twenty Prime Ministers were educated at Eton College, making it the most common school for British leaders by a wide margin. In certain stretches, like the 1830s and 1890s, every PM was an Old Etonian. The school’s network of privilege and connections has fuelled debates about elitism in politics for generations.
By the Numbers #24 — Youngest PM & Family Connections
William Pitt the Younger still holds the record as the youngest PM at 24 years old, taking the job in 1783 and serving nearly 19 years. Politics has often run in families: in total, 24 Prime Ministers have been related to another PM — sometimes directly, as with father-son Pitts, sometimes through the tangled web of aristocratic marriages.
#64 — Popularity Peak
In modern opinion polling, Winston Churchill remains unmatched with 64% approval, largely for his wartime leadership. His post-war election loss in 1945 shows that even the most admired leaders can quickly fall out of political favour.
By the Numbers #84 — Oldest Serving PM
William Gladstone returned to lead the country at the age of 82 and remained in office until he was 84, making him the oldest serving PM in history. His political energy in his final years was remarkable, though age ultimately caught up with him.
#92 — Longest-Lived PM
James Callaghan lived almost to his 93rd birthday, dying just one day short in 2005. He spent over a quarter of a century in retirement, remaining an influential elder statesman and occasional commentator.
By the Numbers #118 — Shortest Tenure Due to Death
George Canning’s 118 days in 1827 are the shortest for any PM who died in office. His career as Foreign Secretary and political fixer had been significant, but his premiership was tragically brief.
#193 — Tallest PM
At 6’4”, Lord Salisbury remains the tallest Prime Minister. His imposing height and patrician manner were matched by his dominance of politics in the late 19th century, when he served three separate terms.
By the Numbers #609 — Largest Parliamentary Majority
During the wartime coalition of the early 1940s, Winston Churchill led a government that held 609 of 615 Commons seats. This near-total control wasn’t the result of a landslide election, but rather of national unity as parties joined forces against the Axis powers.
#1721 — Role Creation
Robert Walpole became the first recognised Prime Minister in 1721. Though he disliked the title, preferring “First Lord of the Treasury,” his 21-year tenure established the conventions of Cabinet government.
By the Numbers #1905 — “Prime Minister” Becomes Official
It wasn’t until 1905 that the title “Prime Minister” was formally recognised. Henry Campbell-Bannerman was the first to hold it officially, ending more than a century of informal use.
#1922 — Last Non-Labour or Conservative PM
David Lloyd George’s resignation in 1922 marked the last time Britain had a Prime Minister from outside the Labour or Conservative parties, ending the Liberal dominance of the previous century.
By the Numbers #2148 — Average Tenure
The average PM serves about 2,148 days, or just under six years. But averages hide extremes — some, like Liz Truss, barely last weeks, while others, like Walpole, dominate for decades.
#7619 — Longest-Serving PM
Robert Walpole’s 7,619 days in office still top the endurance record. His almost 21-year reign saw Britain through relative stability and established the modern premiership’s powers.
By the Numbers #13,192 — Labour in Power
Labour has governed for roughly 13,192 days in total — around 36 years — across six leaders. Their time in office has spanned eras of post-war reconstruction, economic modernisation, and political reform.
#600,000,000 — Wealthiest PM
Lord Derby’s mid-19th-century fortune, equivalent to around £600 million today, makes him the richest Prime Minister in history. His wealth came from vast landholdings, aristocratic inheritance, and marriage alliances.
By the Numbers #2025 — Current PM
Sir Keir Starmer became Prime Minister in July 2024 after a Labour landslide, ending 14 years of Conservative rule. With his premiership still in its early days, his chapter in Britain’s political “By the Numbers” story has only just begun.
Closing Thoughts
From the lone assassination to towering majorities, from political prodigies in their twenties to leaders still serving into their eighties, the statistics behind the Prime Minister’s office capture moments of triumph, tragedy, and transformation. Numbers can’t tell the whole story — but they can shine a spotlight on the patterns, anomalies, and quirks that make Britain’s political history so compelling. As each new leader takes the helm, the record books remain open, ready for the next entry.
