Who has been the UK's worst PM?

It's interesting though, I remember a thread on MN where they were asked which previous government they would like to live under, Blairs government was pretty much every answer.

Blair.Should be locked up for his War Crimes.

Yes, that's what we don't know, isn't it? Did he go to war believing he had no choice, or was it to appease the Americans?

We'll never know, I don't suppose.

He was told about WMD and given lots of 'evidence'. What if it had been true- and he had ignored the information given.

Blair's administration ended badly because of the war. I was very against it but had voted for him until then. I still can't decide whether I think he knew about the WMDs or not, or whether I think he does sleep at night. I know that politics is a ruthless business, but I always got the impression that Blair was basically a caring person, even if he was prepared to trample on others (Brown, largely) to further his career. Thatcher, on the other hand, seemed not to care one bit.

Thatcher, Blair for all the reasons stated above & Callaghan because he was just utterly useless and ineffectual.

Thatcher first and Blair.

Blair there is no lasting legacy.

He did good but also had to please Murdock more PFI into hospitals which have been saddled with debt.

And the war.

Glorianny

I've wavered between Blair and Thatcher but I'm settling on Thatcher, although Blair took us into a hopeless war he had before that done many good things.
I can't think of one good thing for Thatcher.
The devastation she caused in the coalfields lingers to this day, its legacy being the drug problems in ex-mining villages. She created today's housing crisis and destroyed any feeling of society.

Glorianny, thanks for acknowledging the good things Blair did before Iraq. It’s clear from our posts that we share anger at the damage Thatcher caused in what are now called former mining communities
The legacy of the Iraq war won’t leave Blair. It’s mentioned alongside his name, whereas the good things his government did are not. The legacy of Thatcher doesn’t seem to carry the same visceral hatred towards her.. She destroyed lives because of ideology. She knew what she was doing, cold hearted woman

Tony Blair.
Hope he has nightmares about the impact of that dreadful War.

Johnson by a mile. Whatever I think of Thatcher her behaviour wasnt the same as Johnson. I am not sure that it is clear yet how much damage he has done to the Tory party, and to concepts of decency in public life.

Cameron for being weak and wishy washy and setting off the downward slope to now

Blair was lied to about weapons of mass destruction, as I understand.

Thatcher's legagy, especially in the North, is just dreadful- but at least she actually believed in what she was doing.

Johnson has no real beliefs or principles, apart from fame and fortune, for himself and anyone who is prepared to seel their soul for power and money.

I've wavered between Blair and Thatcher but I'm settling on Thatcher, although Blair took us into a hopeless war he had before that done many good things.
I can't think of one good thing for Thatcher.
The devastation she caused in the coalfields lingers to this day, its legacy being the drug problems in ex-mining villages. She created today's housing crisis and destroyed any feeling of society.

MaizieD

volver

Lord North.

He lost North America.

I suspect you of not taking this topic very seriously, volver

No, I am.

Just that I think we all think that the current times are exceptional so the suggestions for "worst PM" are all recent. But in terms of the impact a PM has had on society, losing the greater part of a continent and all the revenue that come with it, is probably much worse than a few years of austerity.

20th Century or later though - definitely Thatcher or Johnson.

There are many PMs whose legacy is still affecting people today, Thatcher being the obvious one. But the problem with Johnson is that he has now established a new set of 'standards' for behaviour that might affect every other prime minister for generations.

Petera, my work informer mining communities was very hard. The level of distress and hopelessness that replaced pride stays with me

Johnson.
He has no respect for anything and made a mockery of the role, the government and the nation. Never for one moment did he give the impression that his position was a huge privilege and his task to serve the country and its people.

GagaJo

I'd agree with the placement of Thatcher. Having worked with children in some of the mining villages she decimated, I can say the effect on the lives in those areas continues to this day.

I was living in NE England the day the pits closed. The DHSS (or DSS or whatever they were called then) had to hire sports halls to process all of these made redundant. I suppose if it happened now now some Tory spin doctor would call them 'Nightingale Job Centres'.

Thatcher, the destruction of stable communities and families now drug ridden desperation
Cameron fir dismantling family centres and austerity wrecking public services
Johnson for being a liar, cheat, for presiding over a Downing Street culture that reflected his own sense of entitlement and for hanging on to his salary and doing nothing when his own party finally had enough of him

volver

Lord North.

He lost North America.

I suspect you of not taking this topic very seriously, volver

volver

Lord North.

He lost North America.

Here's hoping Truss loses North Britain

Tony Blair by miles. How that man and his family have become multi millionaires, knowing he sent youngsters to certain death and danger on lies, I don’t know. You ask a serviceman what they think of him.

Johnson, no question.

Absolutely Tony Blair.

I was relieved that we weren’t living in the UK during the Thatcher years. She was so cruel though very capable in a foul sort of way. Tony Blair is a war criminal so he was pretty bad, too.