It may seem like it has been years since a Scot occupied 10 Downing Street - but over the decades dozens of Scots have made it to the rank of prime minister.
The very first Scottish prime minister was John Stuart, the 3rd Earl of Bute back in 1762.
Since then numerous politicians who were born or raised in Scotland, or represented Scottish constituencies, have followed in his footsteps, including wartime leaders, the first to appoint a female government minister, and the very first Labour prime minister.
The Scotsman takes a look at all the Scots to become prime minister, all the way back to the 18th century and through to Sir Tony Blair and Gordon Brown in the 21st century.
1. John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute
The first Scottish prime minister was the Tory John Stuart, the 3rd Earl of Bute, who held office from 1762 to 1763. He was born in May 1713 in Parliament Square, Edinburgh and quickly rose the political ranks as a favourite of King George III - he had been the king’s tutor in the 1750s and was promoted after the king’s accession to the throne in 1760. During his tenure he negotiated the end of the Seven Years War but was criticised for his influence over the king and for increasing cider tax. He died in March 1792 in London. | Crown copyright
2. George Hamilton Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen
George Hamilton Gordon was born in January 1784 in Edinburgh and was the 4th Earl of Aberdeen. He was orphaned as a child and is cousin to the famous poet Lord Byron. After entering the House of Lords at the age of 22, he was foreign secretary from 1828 to 1830 under the Duke of Wellington and again from 1841 to 1846 under Sir Robert Peel. In 1852 he became prime minister of a coalition of Peelites, Whigs, radicals and Irish members until 1855. He passed numerous reforms during his time in office, but was brought down by his handling of the Crimean War and a failure to manage strong personalities within his government. Lord Aberdeen died in London in December 1860. | Crown copyright
3. William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone was born in December 1809 in Liverpool to Scottish parents, and was the MP for Midlothian from 1880 to 1885. He was a Liberal Prime Minister no less than four times, more than any other Prime Minister, from 1868 to 1874, 1880 to 1885, 1886, and 1892 to 1894. Mr Gladstone was junior lord of the Treasury, under-secretary of the Colonial Office and chancellor of the exchequer. For two years he combined the offices of Prime Minister and chancellor, passed the Representation of the People Act 1884 which increased the number of men eligible to vote, and attempted to introduce home rule in Ireland. As an MP he spoke out against the abolition of slavery as his family had slaves on their West Indian Plantation, and worked to “rescue and rehabilitate” London’s prostitutes. He died in May 1898 at Hawarden Castle in Flintshire, and is buried in Westminster Abbey. | Crown copyright
4. Arthur Balfour
Arthur Balfour was born in July 1848 in Whittingehame, East Lothian and was the Conservative Prime Minister from 1902 to 1905. He was the nephew of Prime Minister Lord Salisbury, and served as his private secretary - he was appointed Prime Minister after his uncle retired. Aside from being Prime Minister and the MP for Hertford, he held numerous government jobs including Scottish secretary, Irish secretary, leader of the House of Commons, first lord of the admiralty, foreign secretary and lord president of the council. He was forced to resign after a series of Commons and by-election defeats, and ended up losing his own seat in the following general election, although returned to the Commons after a by-election win. He died in March 1930 in Woking. | Crown copyright