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Because the US equivalent is so gloomy and long, I felt that we could have a good old British equivalent. But, because I want a happier next decade, I felt that we could have a more upbeat thread: Who, in your opinion, were the 5 best British Prime Ministers (or First Lords of the Treasury, so as to allow in the pre 1905 Ministers) of all time? Justify them, if you can.

Mine are:

1) Winston Churchill. ("We will fight them on the beaches..."-need I say more?)

2) Margaret Thatcher (Ended our post war decline-indeed, ended what some may call a post 1930s decline, by reducing Trade Union Power, improving our economy-from sick man of Europe to world power-and defending our interests in Europe, and at the Falklands. A shame that she went mad over Poll Tax, though. Now, this is probably going to cause some controversy.)

3) Benjamin Disraeli (Second Reform Act, even though it was introduced to anger Gladstone and for the Conservative Party, introduced popular-not universal-democracy of a kind to Britain. And he was a generally witty individual, who dressed well.)

4) Robert Peel (Founded the Metropolitan Police, repealed the Corn Laws, reduced living costs with a string of laws-thus holding the Chartists back-and issued the Tamworth Manifesto, modernising the Conservative Party considerably. All in all, a pretty effective Prime Minister.)

5) Lloyd George (Now, whilst I dislike the Liberal Government of that time for not bothering to build a mass army for Britain before World War 1, and he made strategic errors at times, the fact is the the War Cabinet led Britain to victory, with him at its head.)
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