Winston Churchill's ability to lift the spirits of the British people in times of adversity were, however, neatly balanced with a sparkling line in withering put-downs.
Now Churchill has topped a poll of history's funniest insults with a famous jibe directed at either the socialist MP Bessie Braddock or the Conservative Lady Astor, the first female MP (depending on which version of the story you hear).
When accused by one of them of being 'disgustingly drunk' the Conservative Prime Minister responded: 'My dear, you are ugly, and what’s more, you are disgustingly ugly. But tomorrow I shall be sober and you will still be disgustingly ugly.'