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Zusatztext Informationen zum Autor Dick Leonard is an historian, journalist and author and a former Labour MP. For many years he was Assistant Editor of The Economist, and headed their office in Brussels, where he was later also correspondent of The Observer. He also worked for the BBC, and contributed regularly to leading newspapers across the world. His publications include The Economist Guide to the European Union, Elections in Britain, A Century of Premiers: Salisbury to Blair; Nineteenth Century British Premiers: Pitt to Rosebery and Eighteenth Century British Premiers: Walpole to the Younger Pitt. Klappentext Fifty-two men and one woman have held the post of Prime Minister during the past three centuries - from Sir Robert Walpole to David Cameron. In this omnibus edition, which includes Eighteenth-Century British Premiers , Nineteenth-Century British Premiers , A Century of Premiers , plus new and updated chapters on Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and David Cameron, Dick Leonard recounts the circumstances which took them to the top of the 'greasy pole', probes their political and personal strengths and weaknesses, assesses their performance in office and asks what lasting influence they have had. The author also recounts fascinating and often littleknown facts about the private lives of each of the Prime Ministers, for example who was suspected of being the illegitimate half-brother of George III, who was assassinated in the House of Commons, who spent his evenings prowling the streets of London, trying to 'reform' prostitutes, which two premiers, one Tory one Labour, were taught by the same governess as a child, and who was described by his own son as 'probably the greatest natural Don Juan in the history of British politics'? Zusammenfassung This omnibus edition of Dick Leonard's British Premiers trilogy, surveys the lives and careers of all the fifty-three Prime Ministers between Sir Robert Walpole (1721-42) and David Cameron (2010- ), bringing to life the political achievements and also the personal idiosyncrasies of Britain's rulers over nearly three centuries. Inhaltsverzeichnis Introduction The Road to the Prime Ministership PART I: THE 18TH CENTURY 1. Robert Walpole, first Earl of Orford 'all these men have their price' 2. Spencer Compton, 1st Earl of Wilmington 'George II's favourite nonentity' 3. Henry Pelham Pragmatic Heir to Walpole 4. Thomas Pelham-Holles, Duke of Newcastle Mighty Panjamdrum, Feeble Premier 5. William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire 'I have no motive but the King's service' 6. John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute the King's 'dearest friend' 7. George Grenville Able Premier, Undermined by his Own Prolixity 8. Charles Wentworth-Watson, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham the Conscience of the Whigs 9. William Pitt, the Elder, 1st Earl of Chatham 'I am sure that I can save this country, and that nobody else can' 10. Augustus Henry Fitzroy, 3rd Duke of Grafton Well-intentioned Dilettante 11. Frederick North, Styled Lord North Outstanding Parliamentarian, Pity about the Colonies... 12. William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne Intellectual in Politics 13. William Henry Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland Twice a Figurehead 14 . William Pitt, the Younger Peacetime Prodigy, Less Successful in War PART II: THE 19TH CENTURY 15. Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth - Better than his Reputation? 16. William Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville - Not Quite 'All the Talents' 17. Spencer Perceval - Struck Down in his Prime 18. Robert Banks Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool - Keeping the Show on the Road 19. George Canning - In the Footsteps of Pitt 20. Frederick John Robinson, Viscount Goderich, 1st Earl of Ripon - Inadequate Stopgap 21. Arthur Wesley (Wellesley), 1st Duke of Wellington - Military Hero, Political Misfit? 22. Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey - In the Footsteps of Fox 23. William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne - Mentor to a You...
