The Resume

(July 25, 1848-March 19, 1930)
Born in Whittingehame, Scotland, United Kingdom
Member of Parliament (1874-1922)
First Lord of the Treasury (1891-92, 1895-1905)
Prime Minister (1902-05)
First Lord of the Admiralty (1915-16)
Foreign Secretary (1916-19)
Member of the Conservative Party
Wrote 'A Defence of Philosophical Doubt' (1879), 'The Foundations of Belief' (1895), 'Theism and Humanism' (1914) and 'Theism and Thought' (1923)

Why he might be annoying:

He was appointed as Secretary for Ireland by his uncle, the Marquess of Salisbury (1895).
In Ireland, he earned the nickname 'Bloody Balfour' for his ruthless suppression of the independence movement.
As Foreign Secretary, he issued the Balfour Declaration (1917) committing Britain to the establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine, paving the way for decades of conflict in the Middle East.
His motto was 'Nothing matters very much and most things don't matter at all.'

Why he might not be annoying:

C. S. Lewis named Balfour's 'Theism and Humanism' one of the ten books that most influenced his thought.
He was considered one of the most effective public speakers of his days, with his speeches being particularly known for their convincing logic.
He advocated education reforms, saying there was 'no more serious waste than the waste of brains and intellect.'

Credit: C. Fishel

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• British Prime Ministers (Ranked: 34)
• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 07]
• Eugenics Supporters
• I am Scottish
• I Attended Cambridge
• I Attended Eton
• I Died in 1930 (Ranked: 81)
• Look at Me, I'm Wearing a Top Hat
• Look at Me, I'm with Winston Churchill
• Middle East Conflict
• Profiles 21501-21750 (Ranked: 21576)

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 22 Votes: 54.55% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 13 Votes: 69.23% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 6 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 25 Votes: 24.00% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 28 Votes: 53.57% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 86 Votes: 46.51% Annoying
In 2012, Out of 19 Votes: 63.16% Annoying
In 2011, Out of 10 Votes: 70.0% Annoying
In 2010, Out of 29 Votes: 62.07% Annoying
In 2009, Out of 22 Votes: 63.64% Annoying
In 2008, Out of 34 Votes: 73.53% Annoying
In 2007, Out of 15 Votes: 53.33% Annoying