The following list shows all people who have been Members of Parliament in the 20th century and have served in Parliament for more than 40 years.
In reckoning the time the date of leaving Parliament has been assumed to be the polling day of the general election at which they retired, rather than the date of dissolution of their last Parliament. If a year is listed without a date, then this is a reference to the general election of that year.
There are four current Members on the list (Sir Edward Heath, Tony Benn, John Morris and Sir Geoffrey Johnson Smith) and their length of service is correct as of 14th January 2001.
| Member | Length | Parties | Constituencies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rt. Hon. Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill | 61 years, 332 days | C, L, Const, C | Oldham 1900-1906; Manchester, North-West 1906-12th April 1908; Dundee 8th May 1908-1922; Essex, Epping 1924-1945; Woodford 1945-1964 |
| Rt. Hon. David Lloyd George | 54 years, 308 days | L, Co L, NL, L | Caernarvon District 10th April 1890-12th February 1945 |
| Rt. Hon. Sir Edward Richard George Heath | 50 years, 326 days† | C | Bexley 1950-1974(F); Bexley, Sidcup 1974(F)-1983; Bexley, Old Bexley and Sidcup 1983- |
| Thomas Power O’Connor | 49 years, 215 days | N | Galway Borough 1880-1885; Liverpool, Scotland 1885-18th November 1929 |
| Rt. Hon. George Lambert | 48 years, 348 days | L, Co L, L, NL | Devon, South Molton 13th November 1891-1924 and 1929-1945 |
| Rt. Hon. Arthur James Balfour | 48 years, 45 days | C | Hertford Borough 1874-1885; Manchester, East 1885-1906; City of London 27th February 1906-5th May 1922 |
| Herbert John Harvey Parker | 47 years, 180 days | Lab | Essex, Romford 1935-1945; Dagenham 1945-1974(F); Barking and Dagenham, Dagenham 1974(F)-1983 |
| Rt. Hon. Earl Winterton (Edward Turnour) | 46 years, 327 days | C | Sussex, Horsham 12th November 1904-1918; Sussex (West), Horsham and Worthing 1918-1945; Sussex (West), Horsham 1945-1951 |
| George Russell Strauss | 46 years, 295 days | Lab, Ind Lab, Lab | Lambeth, North 1929-1931 and 23rd October 1934-1945; Lambeth, Vauxhall 1945-1979 |
| Rt. Hon. Anthony Neil Wedgwood Benn | 46 years, 207 days† | Lab | Bristol, South-East 30th November 1950-17th November 1960; 4th May 1961 (returned while ineligible) and 20th August 1963-1983; Chesterfield 1st March 1984- |
| Rt. Hon. John Gretton | 46 years, 153 days | C | Derbyshire, Southern 1895-1906 and 11th June 1907-1918; Staffordshire, Burton 1918-19th May 1943 |
| Rt. Hon. Henry Chaplin | 46 years, 88 days | C | Lincolnshire, Mid 1868-1885; Lincolnshire, Sleaford 1885-1906; Surrey, Wimbledon 14th May 1907-20th June 1916 |
| Rt. Hon. Sir Joseph Austen Chamberlain | 44 years, 335 days | LU, C | Worcestershire, Eastern 30th March 1892-30th June 1914; Birmingham, West 14th July 1914-16th March 1937 |
| Rt. Hon. Thomas Burt | 44 years, 281 days | L/Lab | Morpeth 1874-1918 |
| Rt. Hon. Sir Robin Hugh Turton | 44 years, 254 days | C | Yorkshire (North Riding), Thirsk and Malton 1929-1974(F) |
| Rt. Hon. William Wither Bramston Beach | 44 years, 116 days | C | Hampshire, Northern 1857-1885; Hampshire, Andover 1885-3rd August 1901 |
| Rt. Hon. Sir Bernard Richard Braine | 42 years, 21 days | C | Essex, Billericay 1950-1955; Essex, South-East 1955-1983; Castle Point 1983-1992 |
| Rt. Hon. Sir Leonard James Callaghan | 41 years, 296 days | Lab | Cardiff, South 1945-1950; Cardiff, South East 1950-1987 |
| Rt. Hon. Sir Michael Edward Hicks Beach, Bt. | 41 years, 180 days | C | Gloucestershire, Eastern 12th July 1864-1885; Bristol, West 1885-1906 |
| Rt. Hon. Sir William Hart Dyke, Bt. | 41 years, 170 days | C | Kent, Western 1865-1868; Kent, Mid 1868-1885; Kent, Dartford 1885-1906 |
| Rt. Hon. Sir John Morris | 41 years, 98 days† | Lab | Glamorganshire, Aberavon 1959-1983; West Glamorgan, Aberavon 1983- |
| Rt. Hon. John Gilbert Talbot | 41 years, 53 days | C | Kent, Western 1868-30th April 1878; Oxford University 17th May 1878-1910(J) |
| Rt. Hon. Michael Mackintosh Foot | 41 years, 38 days | Lab, Ind Lab, Lab | Plymouth, Devonport 1945-1955; Monmouthshire, Ebbw Vale 17th November 1960-1983; Gwent, Blaenau Gwent 1983-1992 |
| Rt. Hon. Sir Geoffrey Johnson Smith | 40 years, 352 days† | C | Holborn and St. Pancras South 1959-1964; Sussex (East), East Grinstead 4th February 1965-1983; East Sussex, Wealden 1983- |
| Sir Wilfrid Lawson, Bt. | 40 years, 224 days | L | Carlisle 1859-1865 and 1868-1885; Cumberland, Cockermouth 1886-1900; Cornwall, Camborne 8th April 1903-1906; Cumberland, Cockermouth 1906-1st July 1906 |
| Rt. Hon. Walter Hume Long | 40 years, 169 days | C | Wiltshire, Northern 1880-1885; Wiltshire, Devizes 1885-1892; Liverpool, West Derby 10th January 1893-1900; Bristol, South 1900-1906; Dublin County, South 1906-1910(J); Strand 1910(J)-1918; Westminster, St. George’s 1918-4th June 1921 |
| Rt. Hon. Denis Winston Healey | 40 years, 37 days | Lab | Leeds, South-East 7th February 1952-1955; Leeds, East 1955-1992 |
NOTE: This page came my way back in 2001. Its provenance is unknown. I am happy to provide acknowledgement.
