The EXTRAORDINARY Lives Of Political Cars - The History Of UK Government Cars And Finding Their Fate

In this video we cover some incredible cars and find out their fates, with a near complete history of british government cars, we cover from Harold Wilson to Tony Blair and even to present day with Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak.
I also give you a history of how the government car scheme works and how they are operated.
We uncover the fate of some incredible Humber Pullmans, Harold Wilsons Super Snipe and some of the iconic Rover P5Bs even covering the personal cars of ministers and officials.
Visit the best place for British Car History: www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/
Follow me on Instagram for more cool stuff: / tomisdrivingcars
Credits:
Some photos have been used with Alamy and Shutterstocks free share system, these photos car be purchased without watermark on their respective websites.

[@tomdrives]

Please note: there is now a section missing from the video. Thanks to a “copyright holder” who shall not be named. I have had to trim it out to save myself hassle, even though it has been transformed in line with “Fair dealing” in UK copyright law.

[@gwheregwhizz]

These days, the Number 10 car carries four Prime Ministers before its first MOT.

[@harveysmith100]

I had to think about that for a minute but, yes, you are correct

[@peterfinucane8122]

The Prime Ministers were scrapped having failed for all sorts of reasons.

[@waltbarratt200]

Is that why jags are so unreliable? And don’t last

[@VickersDoorter]

And in the case of Liz Truss, just one tank of fuel.

[@bolshevikproductions]

Government Cars don’t need MOT TAX & INSURANCE. Police Vehicles also have no insurance tax or mot.

[@300scooby]

Has to be the Rover P5B all day long 😊

[@tomdrives]

Same here, although I do like the 4L R

[@derekheeps1244]

Mildly surprising that there were no Mk1 and Mk2 Ford Granadas ; these being widely used by the police at the time , and known for being more reliable than BL products of the day .

[@VickersDoorter]

In the early 1980s I was at college in Whitechapel, east London. Standing at a crossing on the Whitechapel road, near the bell foundry, I was waiting to cross the road when a very shiny black Rover P5 pulled to a stop, with a heavy-set driver in a dark overcoat and seated next to him, a smart-looking lady with a headscarf and sunglasses. It was only on second glance that I realised it was the Queen.

[@TheFrem1]

Favourite one Tom, Has to be the Rover P5B, Stunning, classic British car that PM's and Criminals both used!

[@tomdrives]

It’s probably the most incredible Rover car ever made.

[@TheFrem1]

@@tomdrives And can be gotten at a good price at auction. Inside is like a Gentleman's club.

[@ivanfernyhough3851]

I prefer the p4 to the p5 to be fair,especially the 6 cylinder ones.

[@peterfinucane8122]

PM's and criminals? Usually they are one and the same!

[@TheFrem1]

@@peterfinucane8122 Only if you're really cynical! 🤣

[@AndyK.1]

That engine cover MOT statement is just a generic MOT staement to cover the tester.

[@twentyrothmans7308]

P5B all the way.

[@mogadon7]

Edward Heath - reg 666 lol. Funny because its true.

[@stevep7950]

I think it is well documented that Sunak owns 4 cars including one that was bought for more than $100K in his house in California. But when questioned he only mentions his second hand golf.

[@Low760]

Given he's worth almost £1b he has whatever he wants.

[@charliemanson4808]

​@Low760 and he's a pauper compared to his wife and her family 😂

[@waltbarratt200]

@@Low760 If you had all that money would you drive a golf ? I would have 7 or 8 all gas guzzlers if I was that rich

[@user-xq2zn8bu9q]

He loves Coca Cola memorabilia too & his own wife sets the dining table herself. The Sunaks are so ordinary. 😉

[@user-xq2zn8bu9q]

​@@waltbarratt200I would buy an AC Invacar in resplendent light blue 💙 complete with sliding doors. I would also insist that it had an original air-cooled Villiers 197cc petrol engine with its legendary throaty roar if I was worth over six hundred million quid. 😊

[@normanmcleod7169]

When production of the Rover P5 was ending in the early 1970s, Ted Heath’s government reserved an entire consignment. This consignment was stored away and cars were brought out when needed. So, even in the late seventies with Margaret Thatcher at the helm - years after production had ended - new Rover P5s were still appearing on the streets! I seem to remember that Harold Wilson's cabinet ministers climbed over each other to get P4s as their assigned car.

[@salvagedb2470]

Out of them All , the P5s they just looked the Business .

[@harveysmith100]

The P5b had the presence to fit the job. I think it was it's height.

[@philiptidmarsh]

It has to be the P5b for me as I have owned mine for 26 years however I do love the Super Snipe and the Vanden Plas as well. As an aside James Callaghan had a P6 as his personal car. He lived in the same village as me and I used to fill it up with petrol when I worked as a pump attendant in the local garage as a teenager .

[@cedriclynch]

In the 1980s the Rover 3500 was very popular among MPs. They could claim a mileage allowance for business use of the car that varied with engine size; the larger the engine the more money per mile the MP would get. The Rover 3500 came into the largest engine size band and had quite decent fuel economy considering its size. It was possible to make a considerable profit on its use.

[@andrewwmacfadyen6958]

The Humber Pullmans/Imperials were out of service long before Harold Wilson. From Macmillan through to the early days of the Heath era Humber Snipes and Hawks were used The big Humbers stop production in 1966 but use continued because the were very reliable and and had more room in the rear seat area than the Rover P5

[@derekheeps1244]

Also widely used by the British Army as staff cars for senior officers .

[@vladimirpolitov7769]

Great video Tom! My favourite cars are Rover P5B and Daimler Sovereign/Double Six. Gorgeous vehicles.

[@TrevorBuick]

Great timing Tom, the cars were always more interesting than the MPs

[@Patmac74]

The panel gap on that metro is enormous 😂😂

[@Mishima505]

Typical BL build quality.

[@mikeyratcliff3400]

Yxn 8-one! The humber was 64 not 72 I.e. 'L'' reg! (Get yer self a 'Glass's guide for reg dates, invaluable! Once again, top video!

[@tomdrives]

A one! Missed that one, thanks for that.

[@phillipsmiley5930]

must have been early 1964? A reg came out in 1964. I seem to remember Harold had a Humber super snipe series 3 before 1964?

[@iwb316]

@@phillipsmiley5930 'A' reg was 1st August 1963 - 31st July 1964 edit - just double checked, the August sequence wasn't till 1967, 1967 had two reg letters of 'E' and 'F' with 'F' being the start of the August sequence. 'A' reg was the whole year of 1963.

[@letsdiscussitoversometea8479]

​@@iwb316I thought 'A reg' was Feb 62? Then every successive registration was from January of the following year??

[@philhealey4443]

Those of us of a certain age just knew that an E Reg was 1967 and a V Reg would be 1980. Despite being partially wrong as the letter changed annually on 1st August. Even DVLA struggle, having once given me a 1976 R in error instead of a 1996 R in displacing a Q Reg.

[@michaeltreadwell777]

The Vanden Plas 4litre R has to be the one for me. So much more 'classy' than any of the others shown.

[@michaelpielorz9283]

True true. this car would be the reason to become PM!

[@michaelmontagu3979]

They were lovely cars. My mother had a 1964 and 1967.

[@Jeffrey_M]

I cannot believe how many of these cars are scrapped. They are shrouded in political history. Do people know what they are scrapping?

[@iananderson4897]

By the looks of things all the Jaguars were armoured which would generally suggest they would be scrapped.

[@daviddaw999]

I served as an instructor at the Met Police Driving School from 82-87, during which time I had a few drivers from the GCS pass through my hands. On one memorable course I had two men, one a chap called George Sime who was one of the team driving Mrs Thatcher, the other a guy called Peter Smithson who was Geoffrey Howe's driver. Peter was a decent driver, but George was really weak. One Sunday morning, when in a newsagent's shop, my attention was drawn to the cover of one of the red tops on the front page of which a female driver from the GCS claimed that Peter Smithson had made love to her on the back seat of Maggies Jaguar while it was parked in the garage.

[@ianmax69]

Jim Callaghan briefly had a brown SD1 when they first came out,,, but the window mechanism broke and glass shattered inside the door.. Horrified at this Callaghan ordered it never be used again Later however it was used a Michael Foot's official car as leader of the opposition... Neil Kinnock had a red Rover SD1 Mk2 and later replaced with a red 800 ... Just after Kinnock was elected as Labour Leader his own personal Ford Sierra crashed on the M4.. Some say it was down to earlier Sierra's having stability issues (resulting in rear quaterlight "ears" on post 85 models) Dennis Healey liked his Mini's owning a white 1978 example during his campaign to lead the Labour party in 1981 loosing out to Michael Foot

[@Treviscoe]

Interesting. Jim Callaghan was also lent a Coleman Milne limousine (a stretched Ford Granada) for a short time, which he liked because unlike his usual Rover P5 it gave him room to stretch out his arthritic leg. For some reason though he wasn't allowed to keep it.

[@paulie-Gualtieri.]

My favourite car was XJ40 Daimler, which was used by John Major and later Blair.

[@takata98]

I look back nostalgically upon the Rover! When my father purchased one to replace his Ford Corsair it became quite a head turner in our neighbourhood. I frequently had full time use of it because he often worked overseas, considering my age at the time I found it was quite a head turner when I was driving or picking up dates from their homes. It was an awesome comfortable car which was a delight to drive with it's power and handling ability. When I moved away my father kept it far longer than any other car he ever owned. He was very upset the body gave out long before the engine and he had to replace it with a newer style Rover which he never really enjoyed or found to be as comparable. In my lifetime I have had the good fortune to have owned some prestige vehicles, looking back I don't remember any which had the iconic style and prestige of the Rover.

[@oxfamshop]

My Favourite car political or non political is the Rover P5 B

[@michaelbarlow3686]

Excellent Tom a great amount of research goes into these presentations Thank You

[@tomdrives]

Thanks Michael, I appreciate it

[@nigeltrigger4499]

Outstanding research!

[@tomdrives]

Thanks Nigel

[@southcoasty01]

Love the SuperSnipe. Looks like mine 👍

[@adamlee3772]

A very interesting video, thank you. Rover P5B was my favourite.

[@6643bear]

Hi Tom , another great interesting vid, they were nimbler Wolseley 18-22 series the wedge . Regards mark

[@richdorak1547]

What this American car guy wouldn't give for a nice P5b ! Legendary car. Legendary engine . Brilliant !!!!!!

[@ericdunn555]

Oldsmobile/Buick engine?

[@richdorak1547]

@@ericdunn555 Buick designed and used here in the U.S. Rover built the same engine in the UK using Buick supplied tooling and technical info for the P5b .

[@paulzon]

@@ericdunn555 The 'B' in P5B isn't just because it's the second version of the P5, it's short for 'Buick.' The first P5 version had a 3 litre Rover straight 6.

[@ericdunn555]

@@paulzon Hi Paul. Thanks for the clarification. Yep, it was an iconic engine that went into many Rover vehicles (P6, SD1, Range Rover) and was critical to the Rover company's subsequent success. Also ended up in TVRs, the Triumph Stag and Triumph TR8. My Dad worked on the assembly tracks of the P6 and SD1 at Land Rover Lode Lane Solihull; I always had a collection of V8 (and other) badges at home that he had robbed out of the storage bins by the track - put a V8 badge on the front grill of our family Austin 1300 that was always parked outside our front door in Birmingham; wasn't long before a chap knocked on the door, wondering how we'd got a "V8 Austin 1300".

[@paulzon]

@@ericdunn555 The legend goes that a Rover engineer came across a marine version of the Buick engine in a boatyard and he liked it because it was the right size, and also lightweight because it's aluminium. Cult British sports car companies like TVR, Marcos and others also used it for a long time too, they'd bore it out and tune it until it was far more powerful than the original.

[@loveisall5520]

As a Texan who grew up in the sixties and seventies, I thought of Rover cars as their brand. I still miss Rovers.

[@carlnapp4412]

I'd very much like to have a P5B.

[@tomdrives]

One of the best British cars ever made

[@shabbos-goy9407]

@@tomdrives agreed

[@James-ld2jc]

Rover P5B or, possibly, the Austin 4 litre

[@rovercoupe7104]

Fascinating, thank you. M

[@DutchVanHelsing]

I used to do sub contract work for GCS...Madam Speaker , Privy Council , Deputy speakers... good Job... Blues and two's sometimes too....10 Downing street to Speaker's Yard....90 seconds

[@mossi408]

The Humber had YXN 81. And isn't in Britain anymore, but stil alive.

[@tomdrives]

Do you have any more info?

[@mossi408]

@@tomdrives I knew the current owner. But I didn't know as the car had a history as such. Sadly he passed away aged 83 last week. But I could ask probably his kids what might happen to it in nearby future. The car is registered in Germany. He was my godfather. And I delivered exactly that car approximately 25 years ago? - But I remember that Reg, and bought the car directly from a guy in Slough back then.

[@rockall66]

Best Prime Minesterial car, and the best Prime Minister (Of the modern age) go together, Rover P5B and Harold Wilson.

[@nigelcharlton-wright1747]

Sorry, but rge British government used a series of Humber Super Snipes and Imperials, until they were replaced with the Rover P5B due to Chrysler discontinuing the large Humbers in favour of the Sceptre Mk3. At one time a gentleman wanted to lend Harold Wilson a Rolls Royce, which he turned down instead using a Super Snipe. Hope you don't mind.

[@TheV8nutter]

The Rover P5B says Ministerial car all over it. So thats the one for me please Tom.

[@silurian9420]

Very interesting, thankyou.

[@petejones9755]

Was waiting for the modifications to come up. I recall hearing the ministerial cars were heavily armed with 2inch thick bulletproof glass & armour plating, let alone bond style defence mechanisms.

[@phillipsmiley5930]

Harold Wilsons Humber Super Snipe was Not a series 1, they had single headlamps, it was a series 3 which came out in 1960,, and seemed to used as a gov car through most of the 1960's

[@tomdrives]

Humber historian, thanks for the correction. I need to find out more about these Humbers.

[@gafrers]

Very interesting

[@charliemanson4808]

Many diplomatic cars are armoured and when decommissioned are exported to countries, usually in Africa where armoured cars are needed.

[@codec_corner]

The XJs used by David Cameron, as well as the Discovery 4 went back to JLR Special vehicles as were armoured. Have seen at least one of them at Land Rover SVO myself during this period.

[@__DA___]

Can anyone explain why the earlier P.M cars had auto assn. badges on them? The first series 3 Jag had series 2 wheels? The wing mirrors I'm guessing were for better visibility in motorcades?

[@guy4469]

the first car i learnt to drive in rover P5B Coupe at 14 years old .this good weir but good ,

[@rovercoupe7104]

Rover three and a half litre saloon. M

[@tonys1636]

The PM's main official car starting with Maggie's last P5b were armoured with lightweight Chobham armour, the formulation classified hence being scrapped or having disappeared. They could not be sold at a Govt surplus auction like the Pool cars. Harold Wilson's P5b has an extra large ashtray in the rear to accommodate his pipes. The then Home Office drivers were trained in evasion and escape technique driving at the Met Police driving school, the bodyguard / door opener in the front armed.

[@michaelmontagu3979]

Wilson was a bit of a fraud with his pipe. He admitted to preferring cigars but they didn't fit with his man of the people public persona.

[@TCHorwood-xq7mw]

I like too see you do a film about the different Royal cars over the years.

[@craigyllyn]

Sandringham House had a small museum of Royal cars. I’m sure they’ll still have it. However most other cars will have been re plated and To. Might find it quite a challenge. But Charles is an enthusiast and has/ had some interesting kit!

[@setter501]

Great and informative Video as usual Tom Thankyou! However may I be so bold as a Jag X350 owner, that the car (Rego # PF53 GFV) Appears to be an X350 or 358 and not a 308? Other than that, Love your work Mate 😊

[@McGrory69]

Yeah its an X350, The X356 facelift done away with the side strips and the X358 was the big facelift including indicators on the wing mirrors

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Enjoyable video, thanks. Although I think Blair resigned in an X350 XJ rather than X308 as you said. :)

[@MisterTea74]

I’m firmly in the P5b camp but thats no surprise as i bought one as a 21 year old in 1995 and drove it daily for a couple of years, selling it only when buying a house. Which was about the same size but cheaper to run.

[@AldershotDave]

If you mention a museum, it would be helpful if you mentioned where it was, e.g., the Lowman Museum is in the Hague.

[@21stcenturyozman20]

P5B for me.

[@bigbird2100]

Great video 👍 The car's are upgraded with armour plate and bullet proof glass so scraping them would be logical end

[@tomdrives]

I can imagine, plus I assume there may be some other unknown features

[@Bod8998]

Such a great looking car always loved them has the same presence as a roller which I like aswell the shadow the rover

[@ashleynaylor9531]

A 2 door Westminster alleged to have belonged to Winston Churchill was banger raced back in the 90s by a guy called (I think) Matthew Millen who was a a member of the Ant Hill Mob banger racing team.

[@leylandlynxvlog]

My favourite was the Jaguar XJ8 Sovereign used when Gordon Brown was stepping down.

[@carlos84000]

Loved seeing a Chrysler Alpine follow a P5 through the gates of Buck House 1:16

[@RaveDave871]

Legendary UK icon Austin Allegro fitting car for the high n mighty "I'm all wet" Suksak

[@AldershotDave]

7:50 You show James Callaghan in a P5B registration number B57 JGY, but make no mention of it.

[@AldershotDave]

13:33 You state that Tony Blair rode in an XJ40 registration number J372 DYL, but the car is badges as a "Daimler".

[@pdxUser1411]

Prior to becoming PM he had a burgundy Jaguar that, IIRC, belonged to the Labour Party. Perhaps he is referring to that car.

[@petrolbeatsev6308]

Agree. The ridged top of the radiator grille confirms it was obviously a Daimler and not a Jaguar. Interesting that Kier Starmer was driven away from the Palace as PM in the same Audi A8L covered.

[@chrisaris8756]

Hi Tom. I was heavily involved in the GCS over the period you are talking about. They didn’t go straight from the Humber Pullman to Rover P5s there was a period in the 1960s when they used Humber Hawks (mainly - if I remember rightly the odd Super snipe and Imperial crept in as well). The 4litre R SMT 594 F is odd as the reg is a 1968/9 one as if it was a 64 it ought to have a B reg. You said they bought the 4litre R for Wilson in the 70s which they couldn’t have done as they stopped making them in 68. I believe the one you show was a 68 which the GCS just had “in stock”. Although it may have been an MoD car re registered in 68 but that would be odd as the registration cannot be newer than the car!! Mystery there!! Mind you everything to do with Wilson was dodgy!! 5:08 5:08 5:08 The main day to day cars of the era were Farina Morris Oxford 1600s. All of which were fitted with double SU fuel pumps because they used to go wrong so often! The Rovers had to go as they weren’t strong enough for all the extra bullet proofing etc. I remember my colleague Anthony Pollington (a lovely man sadly no longer with us) who was the director in charge of GCS had Rover 800s on test and I borrowed a couple. Nice cars but rather flimsy - well they were really Hondas I guess. The Omegas appeared to the end of my time there. They were popular because they were fast, but dodgy electrics.

[@tomdrives]

Thanks for the insight and this comment, really appreciate hearing from someone directly involved! There isn't a lot about it online.

[@chrisaris8756]

@@tomdrives no Tom. The GCS was quite obscure. I was privileged in my very early driving years 1969/70 to spend time with their “best” driver and he taught me so much about safe swift driving. His name was Roger but his surname has escaped my memory. Makes me quite nostalgic !

[@AndyK.1]

Loved the x308 Jaguar/daimler W reg in Blue used by labour

[@BerlietGBC]

Brilliant You need to do royal cars

[@dfishpool7052]

Rover P5B - one of most handsome and stately of the political cars.

[@robinlawson7624]

Thatcher never used a Rover 800 regularly, but it was widely used by other ministers well into the 90s.

[@tomdrives]

I never said she did?

[@illsaveyes]

Borris’s rangey fo me, he looked pissed right up😂😂😂😂

[@kidcowdy1231]

Don’t forget Borris’s mk1 focus

[@rawschri]

Rover produced quite a few LWB Rover 75's for Government use ...

[@JohnRoy-t9c]

SB62OZJ has the 5.0 V8 petrol engine, and I’m guessing was armoured.

[@AldershotDave]

7:22 You show Harold Wilson in a P5B registration number OLL 212, but make no mention of it.

[@ericdunn555]

1964 Vanden Plas Princess 4.0L R on an F plate (1967-68)? How did that happen?

[@thisiszaphod]

SD1s were used as ministerial cars, IIRC.

[@thatguyfromcetialphaV]

I thought Johnny Two Jags would get a mention!

[@tomdrives]

You can’t make a video on ministers cars without him

[@kamgrant]

The PM should be escorted in blacked out Rolls Royce’s or Bentleys. Would add a level of elegance and patriotism

[@be5952]

_Hmm...._ At 15:15 you mention _"John Prescott would receive a new Daimler."_ But, looking at that picture *it looks distinctly like a Jaguar.* Why? I can't see a fluted plinth on the trunk lid, which characterised all Daimlers (or VandenPlases in North America). The picture is a bit blurry, but the chrome looks very straight to me, not ribbed. At 15:53 you say _"Tony Blair would resign in 2007, being whisked away in a Jaguar XJ X308."_ The car in the video at that point is most definitely *not* an X308. *It is clearly an X350.* Further to this, in 2007 the X350s had been in production since at least 2004. I would have thought the top Prime Ministerial car wouldn't be an (at least) three year old version?

[@tomdrives]

@@be5952 can’t get it all right, that’s for the helpful corrections.

[@OwainPreece-ie6bb]

The P5's have got to the best ones surely.

[@chrisblay]

Flying carpets next. 🤣🤣

[@vinaypande]

The original Daimler Sovereign ( with twin headlamps) was the best car in this lineup.

[@AldershotDave]

0:45 You mention "the unusual modifications made to the Government's XJs" in your introduction, but then don't enter into any detail over the course of the video.

[@Low760]

In Australia, it was Ford and Holden except from 75-81, where it was a Mercedes 450sel, then back to Australian made until the tories got in in 2013 and killed local manufacturing and they went to BMW's before Holden and ford shut down.

[@londonirish11]

You did not mention, the specially modified car for David Blunkett

[@daveyoung325]

Got to laugh at the backlash over the Audi considering neither the vauxhall or Jaguar/Land Rover had been British for a number of years before it's introduction

[@Henrytwm01]

The UK Government keeps the very last batch of Rover P5B for Ministerial use in the 70s why can't they do the same with the last X351 XJ rather than purchase the German Audi?

[@robertvaughan9759]

P5b NOTHING COMES CLOSE

[@Low760]

The cars in the u.k very much became appliances. Interesting.

[@BobAbc0815]

I cant help to wonder how many of the Cars got "additional Radio Equipment" by KGB, NSA, ETC PP?

[@markchandler1130]

I have a Toyota RAV4 just like the next to last pictured but non hybrid.

[@davidhayes4814]

You missed Jeremy Corbyn’s 1961 VW “splittie” Campervan ….. only joking …

[@joanne26]

I remember Lady Thatcher drawing up to No 10 in May if 1979 in a Rover Black P5 If I am wrong and it was a P6 please let me know Also back in 1982 Princess Grace of Monaco was driving a P5 or it could have been a P6 when it fell down the side of the road and she was killed Even so these cars were so stylish ❤❤❤🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@dogpaw775]

Rover P5 with a chopped roof, now that would be someone i'd vote for/

[@MrJezza31]

Sad to see such poor survivorship of ministerial XJ40s. I would absolutely love to own one.

[@timelwell7002]

My favourite 'political' car is without doubt the Citroen DS which saved the life of French President Charles De Gaulle. But if I were a Government Minister today I'd want something very comfortable but reliable - a Lexus, perhaps?

[@mik99D]

Do Vickers, Volkswagen buy out and the cheeky way BMW got the Rolls Royce name. I was senior nuclear physicist at Rolls Royce & Associstes when the chairman of BMW held the door open for me. I was carrying my crash helet and tank bag., at the time. That was 1997. This must be the biggest error by Volkswagen in manufacturing history.

[@AldershotDave]

What happened to UGJ 666F and PRK 315K? Also, at 5:38, whilst talking about PRK 315K, you show Margaret Thatcher in PRK 421K, but you don't talk about that car at all.

[@nicnak4475]

Humber Pullman and P5B 👍

[@TooFastTooRusty]

You missed mine! Kyt13p and it’s 19 stable mates