This is a list of nicknames of prime ministers of the United Kingdom. Since Sir Robert Walpole, most prime ministers have had a nickname which was in common usage at the time they were in office. Many nicknames can be perceived as disparaging although others are complimentary or affectionate.
18th century
Robert Walpole Cock RobinI. Opie and P. Opie, The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes (Oxford University Press, 1951, 2nd edn., 1997), pp. 130–3. Sir BluestringEnglefield, Dermot; Seaton, Janet; White, Isobel. Facts about the British Prime Ministers. Mansell, 1995, p. 2. Screen-Master General
Earl of Wilmington George II's Favourite Nonentity
Henry Pelham King Henry the Ninth
Duke of Newcastle Hubble-Bubble
Earl of Bute Jack Boot
George Grenville Gentle Shepherd
William Pitt the Elder The Great Commoner, in reference to his continued refusal of a peerage whilst in office, though he later accepted the title Earl of Chatham
Duke of Grafton Royal Oak The Turf Macaroni
Lord North Boreas (the north wind) Lord-deputy North
Earl of Shelburne Malagrida, after the Jesuit missionary Gabriel Malagrida The Jesuit in Berkerly Square
William Pitt the Younger Pitt the Younger, to distinguish him from his father, Pitt the Elder. Three-bottle man, in reference to his heavy consumption of port wine.
19th century
Henry Addington The Doctor
Lord Grenville Bogey
Spencer Perceval Little P
George Canning The Cicero of the British Senate The Zany of Debate
Viscount Goderich Prosperity Robinson Goody Goderich The Blubberer
Duke of Wellington
The Iron Duke
Robert Peel Orange Peel, a reference to his views on Ireland.
Earl Russell Finality Jack The Widow's Mite
Earl of Derby Scorpion Stanley The Rupert of Debate
Earl of Aberdeen Lord Haddo, the courtesy title by which he was known before he succeeded to his grandfather's title of Earl of Aberdeen.
Lord Palmerston Lord Cupid Lord Pumicestone
Benjamin Disraeli Dizzy
William Gladstone Grand Old Man or its acronym GOM God's Only Mistake, used by Disraeli as a mocking alternative to Gladstone's preferred nickname (Grand Old Man). The People's William Murderer of Gordon, a scathing inversion of Gladstone's preferred nickname (Grand Old Man) following the death of General Gordon at Khartoum. Gladstone had delayed sending Gordon military reinforcements, so was blamed for Gordon's subsequent defeat and execution by the Mahdists of the Sudan.
20th century
Arthur Balfour Pretty Fanny, a reference to his delicacy of appearance and manners. Bloody Balfour Tiger Lily Miss Nancy
Henry Campbell-Bannerman CB
H. H. Asquith The Last of the Romans The Sledgehammer Squiffy
David Lloyd George The Welsh Wizard The Man Who Won The War The Welsh Goat
Bonar Law The Unknown Prime Minister
Stanley Baldwin Honest Stan
Ramsay MacDonald Ramsay Mac Ramshackle MacAJP Taylor, English History 1914-1945.
Neville Chamberlain The Coroner, for dressing in black. Monsieur J'aime Berlin, French nickname meaning "Mr. I Love Berlin". Pun on the pronunciation of his name and referring to Chamberlain's policy of appeasement towards Germany.
Winston Churchill Winnie (British) Bulldog; first given to him by the Russians, it was a reference to his ferocity and focus. Colonel Warden was his favourite code name or nom-de-guerre. Former Naval Person and Naval Person; this was how Churchill signed many of his telegrams to US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, first choosing the code name "Naval Person" and later changing it to "Former Naval Person" after he became prime minister. Pig, an affectionate name used by his wife, Clementine. The Old Warrior
Clement Attlee Clem A sheep in sheep's clothing, an adaptation of wolf in sheep's clothing, derived from his mild-mannered, equable style which contrasted with Churchill.
Anthony Eden The Glamour Boy, in reference to his neat appearance.
Harold Macmillan Supermac, originally coined by Victor Weisz as the title of an editorial cartoon published in the Evening Standard. Mac the Knife, in reference to the Night of the Long Knives.
Alec Douglas-Home [Sir] Alec Douglas-Who?, referencing his relative obscurity, short premiership with few achievements, and mildmannered nature. Home Sweet Home, Churchill's nickname for him.Thorpe (1997), p. 141 Baillie Vass, from a miscaptioned photo of Douglas-Home referring to a bailie named Vass; popularised by Private Eye magazine.
Harold Wilson Wislon, a deliberate misspelling popularised by the fortnightly satirical magazine Private Eye.
Edward Heath Ted Grocer Heath
James Callaghan Big Jim Sunny Jim, a homonym of "Sonny Jim", used to patronise an inexperienced person, and to refer to his optimism. Particularly used in the media during the Winter of Discontent of 1978–79, when Callaghan appeared out of touch with the issues facing the nation at the time, such as when the most widespread industrial action since the 1926 general strike was taking place, and he arrived back from a summit in the Caribbean and talked about his swimming activities. Uncle Jim
Margaret Thatcher Attila the Hen, a pun on Attila the Hun That Bloody Woman or TBW Tina (There Is No Alternative), a reference to Thatcher's constant refrain that the market economy is the only system that works. That Great Charmer, an anagram of Margaret Thatcher. The Great She-Elephant, an allusion to Rudyard Kipling's Just So Stories. The Grocer's Daughter, a double meaning in that she was literally the daughter of a grocer, but also the successor to Edward Heath, "The Grocer". The Iron Lady Madame Frit, derived from her use of the dialect word frit in the House. Maggie Maggie the Great Milk Snatcher, from mischief-making by a Labour Party conference speaker based on her failure as Secretary of State for Education to completely protect the school milk budget from a treasury raid. The compromise she managed to secure was that free milk at school was only abolished for older primary school children – free milk for secondary school children had already been abolished in 1968 by the Harold Wilson Labour government. Mrs Finchley – a slip made by David Dimbleby during the BBC's coverage of the 1983 general election overnight results programme. Finchley was the parliamentary constituency Thatcher represented for over 30 years. Thatch, In the 1980s Ben Elton started a trend for referring to Mrs Thatcher as Thatch, a colloquialism for pubic hair.
John Major The Grey Man, a nickname used by opponents and observers to refer to Major's reputation as a decent but uninspiring person and politician with a lack of charisma, and by critics who accused him of weak and indecisive consensual leadership in contrast to the more authoritarian, strong-armed approach of his predecessor Margaret Thatcher, with his caricature Spitting Image puppet portraying him as such. Comeback Kid, a nickname applied to Major after he unexpectedly led the Conservatives to another victory in the 1992 general election after opinion polls had suggested a narrow Labour victory, and after he defeated Conservative rebellions against his pro-European Union policy and called and won the 1995 Conservative Party leadership election over this issue. Macho Major, a nickname used by Major's supporters and in the press to project a masculine, strongman image, particularly after facing down Conservative Party rebels over the issue of Europe. Honest John, used to refer to Major's supposed reputation as an honest and down-to-earth politician.
Tony Blair
Tony, a shortening of his first name Anthony, used in an official capacity by Blair. Tony Blur, used during his time in opposition to describe his "clear image" but not what he stood for. Bambi, after the title character of Bambi, a Life in the Woods; Blair had been the youngest prime minister for nearly 200 years. Bliar, associated with the Iraq War. Blair was accused of misleading parliament and the country over weapons of mass destruction. America's Poodle, a reference to his Special Relationship with the President of the United States, George W. Bush. Teflon Tony, a reference to his perceived ability to avoid scandals and criticisms 'sticking to him'. Polytetrafluoroethylene (commonly known by the brand name Teflon) is a chemical that is often used to coat non-stick pans. Tonibler/Tonibljer, a Kosovan given name derived from Tony Blair due to his role in ending the Kosovo War, but also occasionally used as a nickname for Blair himself mostly in Serbian media.
21st century
Gordon Brown Flash Gordon, in reference to the comic strip hero Flash Gordon. Big Clunking Fist, first used by Tony Blair during his final Queen's Speech debate, it was later used by columnists throughout the British media. Great Clunking Fist, a common misquote. Bottler Brown, used in relation to Brown not calling an election in 2007 after previously suggesting he would. Golden Brown, as Chancellor, Brown sold 60% of the UK's gold reserves, at a time when gold prices were at a 20-year low, which was widely criticised. Used by Terry Wogan and the TOGs, normally followed by Wogan saying "Never a frown with Golden Brown", a reference to the song "Golden Brown" by The Stranglers. Gordo. The word means 'fat' in Spanish. Great Leader and Stalin, often sarcastically used by Andrew Neil on This Week in relation to Lord Turnbull's description of Brown as a man who operates with "Stalinist ruthlessness". The fortnightly satirical magazine Private Eye also had a mock Stalinist decree each issue, Prime Ministerial Decree. Squatter in No. 10, used as Brown was not elected and after Brown attempted to form a coalition with the Liberal Democrats following the 2010 general election.
David Cameron Dave, Cameron is reported to be known to friends and family as "Dave" rather than David, although he invariably uses the latter name in public.Rumbelow, Helen (21 May 2005).. The Times (London). Retrieved 4 September 2007. DVD Dave, Cameron was reportedly known as DVD Dave because of his love of DVD boxed sets which he enjoyed with his wife Samantha. Flashman, a reference to fictional upper-class bully Harry Flashman, used by Ed Miliband during a PMQs debate on reform to the NHS. Call Me Dave, used since the publishing of his 2015 biography Call Me Dave. Hameron, in reference to the "Piggate" allegations. Dodgy Dave, a nickname trending on social media with the #DodgyDave hashtag after Labour MP Dennis Skinner was sent out of the House of Commons in April 2016 for referring to Cameron as "Dodgy Dave" and repeating it after being instructed to withdraw it by Speaker John Bercow. This came about during the Panama Papers scandal. DC, a shorthand form he signs off his messages with.
Theresa May Mummy or Mummy May, affectionately used by Conservative activists to make reference to her matriarchal powers, although she had no children. Bloody Difficult Woman, originally used by Kenneth Clarke to describe May while preparing for an interview with Sky News, not realising that he was being recorded. Submarine May, originally used by Downing Street aides to describe May hiding away "like a submarine" during the EU referendum campaign. Theresa Maybe, used to describe her apparent indecisiveness and vagueness, such as her use of the phrase 'Brexit means Brexit'. Theresa the Appeaser, originally used to describe her relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump, particularly after Trump's signing of Executive Order 13769 known as the 'travel ban'. It has also been used since to describe her relationships with other world leaders. Maybot, used to describe her 'robotic' nature, particularly during the 2017 general election campaign, from which she gained notoriety for frequently repeating campaign slogans such as "strong and stable leadership". Teflon Theresa, used to describe her ability to avoid scandals whilst in the politically sensitive position of Home Secretary.