The British Prime Ministers

neil funnell
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In this series, we will explore the history of the British Prime Ministers. From Walpole to Sunak, we will examine the men and women who have occupied 10 Downing Street and made significant contributions to the country. 

  1. FEB 16

    George Canning

    In this episode, we take a look at George Canning — one of the most brilliant parliamentary speakers of his age, a man of sharp wit and even sharper ambition, and a Prime Minister whose time in office lasted just 119 days.

    7 min

  2. FEB 2

    Williiam Grenville 1st Baron Grenville

    William Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville, served as Prime Minister for just over a year — from February 1806 to March 1807 — during one of the most turbulent periods in British history. Leading the country at the height of the Napoleonic Wars, Grenville headed the so-called Ministry of All the Talents, a fragile coalition brought together in a time of national crisis. Though his government was short-lived, Grenville oversaw one of the most important moral decisions ever taken by Parliament: the passage of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act (1807). Ending Britain’s involvement in the transatlantic slave trade, the Act would become the defining achievement of his premiership. In this episode of The British Prime Ministers, we`ll explore Grenville’s rise from political insider and close ally of William Pitt the Younger, to reluctant prime minister; the challenges his divided government faced; and why his legacy rests not on longevity, but on impact. A story of principle, political compromise, and a brief moment when reform triumphed over tradition.

    8 min

  3. JAN 19

    Robert Banks Jenkinson, the 2nd Earl of Liverpool

    History often remembers the dramatic figures — the war heroes, the great reformers, the prime ministers who changed everything overnight. But sometimes, the most important leaders are the ones who simply kept the country standing. Welcome to The British Prime Ministers. I’m Neil Funnell, and on this episode we’re taking a closer look at Robert Banks Jenkinson, the 2nd Earl of Liverpool — Britain’s longest-serving prime minister of the nineteenth century, and a man who governed through one of the most turbulent periods in British history. Lord Liverpool was in office for nearly fifteen years, guiding Britain through the final stages of the Napoleonic Wars, the trauma of post-war economic collapse, and the rising pressure for political reform at home. He was cautious, methodical, and deeply conservative — a prime minister more concerned with stability than popularity. Yet under his leadership, Britain defeated Napoleon, navigated mass unrest, and laid the foundations of the modern Conservative Party. So who was Lord Liverpool really? A steady hand in a time of crisis — or a leader who held back necessary change? That’s what we’re exploring in this episode.

    8 min

  4. JAN 6

    Spencer Percival

    Spencer Perceval is the only British Prime Minister ever to be assassinated — and yet he’s one of the least remembered. In 1809, Britain was fighting Napoleon, the economy was under strain, and unrest was growing at home. Perceval, a serious and deeply religious lawyer, led an unpopular government at one of the most dangerous moments in British history. His policies divided Parliament, angered the public, and on a spring evening in 1812, a single gunshot in the House of Commons ended his life. Today, we’re telling the story of Spencer Perceval — how he reached the top, why so many people hated him, and how his death shocked a nation.

    6 min

  5. 12/10/2025

    Henry Addington

    In this episode, we shine a light on Henry Addington, the often-overlooked Prime Minister who stepped into the hot seat during one of Britain’s most turbulent moments. Usually remembered as “the guy between the Pitts,” Addington inherited a nation exhausted by years of war with France, a shaky economy, and political factions that could barely stand to be in the same room together. We explore how Addington—more comfortable as Speaker of the House than as a war leader—tried to steady the ship. From negotiating the short-lived Peace of Amiens to clashing with his old friend William Pitt the Younger, his premiership was a mix of quiet competence, hesitant decisions, and political drama he never fully wanted. By the end, you’ll see why Addington’s legacy is more complicated than the footnote he’s often reduced to, and how his tenure reveals the pressure cooker that British politics had become in the early 1800s.

    8 min

  6. 11/04/2025

    William Pitt the younger

    In this episode, we explore the remarkable career of William Pitt the Younger — the man who became Britain’s youngest-ever Prime Minister at just twenty-four. Brilliant, determined, and often solitary, Pitt steered the country through political upheaval, economic reform, and the first battles against Revolutionary France. We’ll look at how he rose to power so young, his fierce clashes with Charles James Fox, and the immense challenges he faced as war and revolution swept across Europe. From his ambitious financial reforms to his struggles with King George III, Pitt’s story is one of intellect, pressure, and resilience — a young leader trying to hold an empire together in an age of revolution. Join us as we uncover the life, legacy, and lasting impact of William Pitt the Younger, one of Britain’s most brilliant and burdened Prime Ministers.

    7 min

  7. 10/13/2025

    William Cavendish 3rd Duke of Portland

    Join us on the latest episode of the British Prime Ministers, On this edition we discusss the life and career William Cavendish Bentick the 3rd Duke of Portland

    9 min

  8. 09/21/2025

    William Petty, 2nd earl of Shelbourne

    On this episode we take a look at the life and times of British prime minister William Petty the 2nd Earl of Shelbourne. Like comment and subcribe and share with others who have a love for all things history

    6 min
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In this series, we will explore the history of the British Prime Ministers. From Walpole to Sunak, we will examine the men and women who have occupied 10 Downing Street and made significant contributions to the country. 

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