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Further Reading

British Prime Ministers - 1721-1859

The Prime Minister is head of the UK Government and is ultimately responsible for the policy and decisions of government. By tradition, the Prime Minister is also First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service. By modern convention, the Prime Minister always sits in the Commons. The Prime Minister presides over the Cabinet and is responsible for allocating functions among ministers, has regular meetings with The Queen to inform her of the general business of the Government, and recommends a number of appointments to The Queen (including senior clergy). The Prime Minister represents the United Kingdom at major international events, such as the annual meeting of the Group of Eight leading industrialised countries.

Sir Robert Walpole must be regarded as the first prime minister - that is, a minister who imposed harmonious action upon his colleagues in the cabinet. This was brought about partly by the capacity of the man himself, partly by the lack of interest of George I. and II. in English home affairs. This creation, as it were, of a superior minister was so gradually and silently effected that it is difficult to realize its full importance. In previous ministries there was no prime minister except so far as one member of the administration dominated over his colleagues by the force of character and intelligence. In the reign of George III. even North and Addington were universally acknowledged by the title of prime minister, though they had little claim to the independence of action of a Walpole or a Pitt.