SHORTESTSERVING PMS

LIZ TRUSS: 44 DAYS

Former foreign minister Truss took office on September 6 in the wake of a party revolt against ex-conservative leader Boris Johnson.

ANDREW BONAR LAW: 209 DAYS

The Canadian-born son of a Scottish clergyman, who ruled for less than a year in 1922-1923, was the shortestserving British prime minister of the 20th century.

ALEC DOUGLASHOME: 363 DAYS

Alec Douglas-home became prime minister in October 1963 after being asked by the ailing PM Harold Macmillan to replace him.

ANTHONY EDEN: 1 YEAR, 279 DAYS

Anthony Eden was a much-feted foreign minister under wartime leader Winston Churchill but had much less success in the top job. His handling of the Suez crisis in 1956 proved his downfall. Eden never recovered politically from the fiasco and resigned on January 9, 1957.

GORDON BROWN: 2 YEARS, 319 DAYS

Brown was a star chancellor of the Exchequer under Tony Blair from 1997 to 2007. But after spending a decade as leader-in-waiting the Scot struggled to connect with the public when he became premier. Labour lost the 2010 election and Brown quit.

OTHERS

In the 18th and 19th centuries, prime ministers often spent less than a year in office. The Duke of Devonshire lasted only 225 days in 175657 while the 2nd Earl of Shelburne managed 265 days in 1782-83. In the 19th century, the Duke of Wellington served a mere 22 days during his second term as prime minister in 1834. George Canning served only 119 days from April to August 1827.