Who was voted the greatest Briton of all time in 2002?

Okay, let's talk about why Winston Churchill was voted the greatest Briton of all time in 2002. To understand this, you have to think about World War II. Churchill was Prime Minister during the war, from 1940 to 1945, a period when Britain faced the very real threat of invasion by Nazi Germany. His powerful speeches and unwavering determination inspired the British people to keep fighting, even when things looked incredibly bleak. He wasn't just a politician; he was a symbol of British resilience. While Margaret Thatcher was a significant Prime Minister in the late 20th century, and Clement Attlee led the post-war Labour government that created the NHS, their contributions, while important, don't quite have the same iconic status as Churchill's wartime leadership. Sir Robert Walpole, while considered the first Prime Minister, lived much earlier, in the 18th century. The 2002 vote was a public poll, and Churchill's wartime leadership resonated most strongly with voters, cementing his place as a national hero.