FX.co ★ Britain’s shortest-serving prime ministers

Liz Truss

Liz Truss became the UK’s Prime Minister in September 2022 but had to announce her resignation in 45 days. The 47-year-old politician could not withstand peer pressure. Most Conservative MPs did not approve of her tax-cutting plans and demanded her resignation. Liz Truss started to implement her plan to cut taxes on day one after being elected Prime Minister. However, the government feared her initiative might lead to a severe economic crisis in the United Kingdom.

George Canning

George Canning is another shortest-serving Prime Minister. He was Britain’s leader for 5 months between April and August 1827. For such a short period of time, Canning strengthened Britain’s international influence. On his watch, the United Kingdom was one of the first to recognize the independence of Spanish colonies in South America and take a supportive stance toward the Greek War of Independence. It is believed that Canning could do more for his country if not for his early death. He died from tuberculosis at the age of 57.

Andrew Bonar Law

Conservative politician Andrew Bonar Law is the UK’s only prime minister who was born outside of the country. The Canadian became the UK’s Prime Minister in October 1922 but was soon diagnosed with terminal throat cancer. He resigned in May 1923, six months after taking office. Bonar Law died in the fall of the same year at the age of 60.

Alec Douglas-Home

British Conservative politician Alec Douglas-Home became Prime Minister in 1963 when his predecessor Harold Macmillan was taken ill and had to resign. However, Douglas-Home’s premiership turned out to be short-lived. In less than a year, he lost the general election to Laborist James Harold Wilson.

Anthony Eden

Politician Anthony Eden is known for saving several thousand Jews from the Holocaust during World War II. In the 1950s, he served as the UK’s foreign secretary and deputy to Prime Minister Winston Churchill. No wonder, many people supported his candidacy. Eden succeeded Sir Churchill as the leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister in 1955. However, his reputation as a skilled diplomat was ruined by his controversial foreign and domestic policies that triggered mass protests in the country. His brief premiership lasted for 1 year and 279 days.

Gordon Brown

Labour politician Gordon Brown served as British Prime Minister for 2 years and 318 days. He had to quit when the political crisis in the country worsened. The UK's 2010 general election delivered a hung parliament for the first time in 36 years: neither the Conservative Party nor the Labor Party won a majority vote. Gordon Brown decided to stand down as the leader so that his party could form a coalition with the Opposition.