First PM to never win election ?

[Chim Chim]

If Brown loses in the election will he be the first UK Prime Minister never to have won an election? I did search the forum to see if this had come up before so sorry if it has!

[Dr Jekyll]

Jim Callaghan was the first as far as I know.

[FourWheelDrift]

Sir Alec Douglas-Home
Neville Chamberlain
Arthur Balfour
Archibald Primrose

Earliest I believe was the 2nd First Lord of the Treasury Spencer Compton (The Earl of Wilmington) 16 February 1742 - 2 July 1743, who took over from Sir Robert Walpole and was succeeded by Henry Pelham who went on to win the 1747 election.

[johnnywb]

It's very, very concerning.

The fact that he could sell the country down the swanny (a bit more) to retain the permiership is scary. Almost as scary as him forming a pact with the lib dems and going and putting Milliband in the seat.

The general public really have no idea whatsoever.

[Andy Zarse]

Chim Chim said:

If Brown loses in the election will he be the first UK Prime Minister never to have won an election? I did search the forum to see if this had come up before so sorry if it has!

No, it's happened many times before, lastly in 1975 when Harold Wilson resigned and was replaced by Jim Callaghan.

And yes, it has come up before.;)