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July 27, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
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Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
Civic Brief • Government

List of Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom

This is the list of people who have served as prime minister of the United Kingdom, the head of government of the UK.

Updated July 27, 20261 min readCited sources

The prime minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government. The office dates to 1721, with Robert Walpole as the first; Keir Starmer has been the current officeholder since 5 July 2024.

What it is

The prime minister is the head of government of the United Kingdom, chairs the Cabinet, and advises the sovereign on the exercise of the royal prerogative. The office was formally recognised in the order of precedence in 1905, with Henry Campbell-Bannerman the first officially referred to as 'prime minister'.

Key details

Robert Walpole is widely regarded as the first prime minister, taking office on 3 April 1721. As of 2025, 58 people have served. Notable prime ministers include Winston Churchill, Clement Attlee, Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair, and Boris Johnson. Keir Starmer took office on 5 July 2024 after Labour's general election win.

Why it matters

Canada is a Commonwealth realm, sharing the same monarch as the UK. British political history and leadership are often relevant in Canadian civic and historical context, as the UK prime minister is the head of government of that shared monarch.

In short

  • The prime minister is the head of government of the UK.
  • Keir Starmer has been the current officeholder since 5 July 2024.
  • As of 2025, 58 people have served as prime minister.
  • Robert Walpole is the first prime minister, taking office in 1721.
Canadian angle

Canada is a Commonwealth realm, so the UK prime minister is the head of government of the monarch shared with Canada. British political history and leadership are often relevant in Canadian civic and historical context.

Quick questions

Who is the current British prime minister?
Keir Starmer is the current prime minister, having taken office on 5 July 2024.
Who was the first British prime minister?
Robert Walpole is widely regarded as the first prime minister of Great Britain, taking office on 3 April 1721.
How many British prime ministers have there been?
As of 2025, 58 people have served as prime minister of the United Kingdom.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_Minister_of_the_United_Kingdom
    Supports: Current officeholder, role, first prime minister, and count of people who have served.
  2. UK Government — https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/prime-minister
    Supports: Current prime minister and date of taking office.
  3. UK Government — https://www.gov.uk/government/history/past-prime-ministers
    Supports: Past prime ministers including Winston Churchill.
  4. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_prime_ministers_of_the_United_Kingdom
    Supports: List context, historical recognition of the office, and current officeholder.
  5. BBC Bitesize — https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zggxdnb
    Supports: Total number of individuals and Robert Walpole as first prime minister.
  6. University of Oxford — https://www.ox.ac.uk/about/oxford-people/british-prime-ministers
    Supports: Recent UK prime ministers and terms in office.