Will Boris Johnson be one of the great prime ministers?

Boris Johnson may have been unable to work his magic on the burghers of Chesham as he did on fellow G7 leaders last weekend at Carbis Bay. But as he approaches his second anniversary in power next month, it is worth asking whether he is on track to become one of the landmark prime ministers in British history.

Since the office was created 300 years ago this April, just nine prime ministers have emerged as giants. These eight men and one woman changed the course of history, and had successors who tried to emulate them, or distance themselves – but none could escape their shadow. Of the remaining 46 PMs, the majority departed Downing Street leaving little or no trace.

No landmark PM has held office since Margaret Thatcher in 1979. (Blair did not fundamentally reshape the country, nor reframe its relationship with the European Union, nor did he leave Britain’s standing in the world higher.