Open main menuWikipediaSearchWinston ChurchillRead in another languageDownload PDFWatchEdit"Churchill" redirects here. For other uses, see Churchill (disambiguation) and Winston Churchill (disambiguation).This British person's barrelled surname is Spencer-Churchill, but they are known by the surname Churchill.Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British politician, army officer, and writer. He was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945, when he led Britain to victory in the Second World War, and again from 1951 to 1955. Churchill represented five constituencies during his career as a Member of Parliament (MP). Ideologically an economic liberal and imperialist, for most of his career he was a member of the Conservative Party, which he led from 1940 to 1955, but from 1904 to 1924 was a member of the Liberal Party.The Right HonourableSir Winston ChurchillKG OM CH TD DL FRS RAChurchill wearing a suit, standing and holding a chairThe Roaring Lion, an iconic portrait by Yousuf Karsh, taken at the Canadian Parliament, December 1941Prime Minister of the United KingdomIn office26 October 1951 – 5 April 1955MonarchGeorge VIElizabeth IIDeputyAnthony EdenPreceded byClement AttleeSucceeded byAnthony EdenIn office10 May 1940 – 26 July 1945MonarchGeorge VIDeputyClement Attlee (1942–1945)Preceded byNeville ChamberlainSucceeded byClement AttleeLeadership positionsLeader of the OppositionIn office26 July 1945 – 26 October 1951Monarch George VIPrime Minister Clement AttleePreceded by Clement AttleeSucceeded by Clement AttleeLeader of the Conservative PartyIn office9 November 1940 – 6 April 1955Preceded by Neville ChamberlainSucceeded by Anthony EdenMinisterial offices1939–1952Minister of DefenceIn office28 October 1951 – 1 March 1952Preceded by Manny ShinwellSucceeded by The Earl Alexander of TunisIn office10 May 1940 – 26 July 1945Preceded by The Lord Chatfield (Coordination of Defence)Succeeded by Clement AttleeFirst Lord of the AdmiraltyIn office3 September 1939 – 11 May 1940Prime Minister Neville ChamberlainPreceded by The Earl StanhopeSucceeded by A. V. AlexanderMinisterial offices1908–1929Chancellor of the ExchequerIn office6 November 1924 – 4 June 1929Prime Minister Stanley BaldwinPreceded by Philip SnowdenSucceeded by Philip SnowdenSecretary of State for the ColoniesIn office13 February 1921 – 19 October 1922Prime Minister David Lloyd GeorgePreceded by The Viscount MilnerSucceeded by The Duke of DevonshireSecretary of State for AirIn office10 January 1919 – 13 February 1921Prime Minister David Lloyd GeorgePreceded by William WeirSucceeded by Frederick GuestSecretary of State for WarIn office10 January 1919 – 13 February 1921Prime Minister David Lloyd GeorgePreceded by The Viscount MilnerSucceeded by Laming Worthington-EvansMinister of MunitionsIn office17 July 1917 – 10 January 1919Prime Minister David Lloyd GeorgePreceded by Christopher AddisonSucceeded by Andrew WeirChancellor of the Duchy of LancasterIn office25 May 1915 – 25 November 1915Prime Minister H. H. AsquithPreceded by Edwin MontaguSucceeded by Herbert SamuelFirst Lord of the AdmiraltyIn office24 October 1911 – 25 May 1915Prime Minister H. H. AsquithPreceded by Reginald McKennaSucceeded by Arthur BalfourSecretary of State for the Home DepartmentIn office19 February 1910 – 24 October 1911Prime Minister H. H. AsquithPreceded by Herbert GladstoneSucceeded by Reginald McKennaPresident of the Board of TradeIn office12 April 1908 – 14 February 1910Prime Minister H. H. AsquithPreceded by David Lloyd GeorgeSucceeded by Sydney BuxtonParliamentary officesMember of Parliamentfor WoodfordIn office5 July 1945 – 15 October 1964Preceded by Con