- Conservative Government 1957–1964
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In January 1957 Sir Anthony Eden resigned from his positions of Leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. This was mainly a consequence of the Suez Crisis fiasco of the previous autumn but also due to his increasingly failing health. Harold Macmillan, formerly Foreign Secretary and Chancellor of the Exchequer, was chosen over Rab Butler to succeeded as party leader and consequently as Prime Minister. He tried to placate Butler by appointing him to a senior position, that of Home Secretary. Peter Thorneycroft became Chancellor of the Exchequer, but caused embarrassment for Macmillan when he resigned only a year later. He was replaced by Derick Heathcoat Amory, previously Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Selwyn Lloyd was retained as Foreign Secretary, a post he held until 1960, when he succeeded Heathcoat Amory as Chancellor. The Earl of Home was promoted to Leader of the House of Lords and also continued as Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs before replacing Lloyd as Foreign Secretary in 1960. Lord Kilmuir and Alan Lennox-Boyd also retained their offices as Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for the Colonies respectively while Lord Hailsham became a member of the cabinet for the first time as Minister of Education. Future Chancellor Iain Macleod was appointed Minister of Labour and National Service and succeeded Lennox-Boyd as Secretary of State for the Colonies in 1961.
The Conservatives comfortably won the 1959 general election, extending their majority in the House of Commons. However, a series of economic measures in the early 1960s caused the popularity of the Conservative party to decline. Macmillan tried to contravene this by a major cabinet reshuffle in July 1962. Seven members of the cabinet were sacked in what became known as the Night of the Long Knives. Lord Kilmuir was notably replaced as Lord Chancellor by Lord Dilhorne, the emerging Reginald Maudling replaced Selwyn Lloyd as Chancellor while Peter Thorneycroft returned to the cabinet as Minister of Defence. Rab Butler was also promoted to the office of First Secretary of State. The move was controversial within the Conservative Party and was seen as a betrayal by many. Macmillan's credibility nationwide was also affected by the 1963 Profumo affair. However, it was still considered a surprise when he resigned in October 1963.
Macmillan's resignation saw a three-way-tussle for the party leadership and premiership. The Earl of Home and Lord Hailsham both disclaimed their peerages under the Peerage Act 1963 (and became known as Sir Alec Douglas-Home and Quintin Hogg respectively - this was because it was not considered appropriate for a Prime Minister to be a member of the House of Lords). Rab Butler was also in the running for the post but Douglas-Home was finally chosen to succeeded Macmillan. This was seen as controversial as it was alleged that Macmillan had pulled strings and utilised the party's grandees, nicknamed "The Magic Circle", to ensure that Butler was once again overlooked.
Douglas-Home administration saw Rab Butler succeeded him as Foreign Secretary with Henry Brooke replacing Butler as Home Secretary. Reginald Maudling continued as Chancellor while Quinting Hogg remained as Lord President of the Council and Minister for Sports (although he was removed from the post of Leader of the House of Lords). In April 1964 he was made Minister for Education. Selwyn Lloyd also returned to the government after a one year absence as Leader of the House of Commons. Douglas-Home's government only lasted until October 1964, when the Conservatives were defeated in the general election. He remained party leader until the 1965 party conference.
The 1957-1964 Conservative government saw several emerging figures who would later attain high office. Future Prime Minister Edward Heath became a member of the cabinet for the first time as Minister of Labour and National Service in 1959 while another future Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, held her first government post in 1961 as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Pensions. The government also included future Chancellor Anthony Barber, future Home Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister William Whitelaw and future Secretary of State for Education and Science Sir Keith Joseph. Other notable government members included Enoch Powell, Lord Carrington, David Ormsby-Gore, John Profumo, Christopher Soames, Bill Deedes, Airey Neave and the Marquess of Salisbury
Members of the Cabinet are in bold face.
Office Name Dates Notes Prime Minister
and First Lord of the TreasuryHarold Macmillan 10 January 1957-13 October 1963 Sir Alec Douglas-Home 18 October 1963 - 16 October 1964 First Secretary of State R. A. Butler 13 July 1962 Office wound up 18 October 1963 Lord Chancellor The Viscount Kilmuir 14 January 1957 Continued in office The Lord Dilhorne 13 July 1962 Lord President of the Council The Marquess of Salisbury 13 January 1957 also Leader of the House of Lords The Earl of Home 29 March 1957 also Leader of the House of Lords The Viscount Hailsham 17 September 1957 The Earl of Home 14 October 1959 also Leader of the House of Lords The Viscount Hailsham 27 July 1960 Also Minister for Science until 1964 and Leader of the House of Lords until 20 October 1963 Lord Privy Seal R. A. Butler 13 January 1957 Also Home Secretary and Leader of the House of Commons The Viscount Hailsham 14 October 1959 Also Minister for Science Edward Heath 27 July 1960 Selwyn Lloyd 20 October 1963 also Leader of the House of Commons Chancellor of the Exchequer Peter Thorneycroft 13 January 1957 Derick Heathcoat-Amory 6 January 1958 Selwyn Lloyd 27 July 1960 Reginald Maudling 13 July 1962 Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury Edward Heath 17 January 1957 Martin Redmayne 14 October 1959 Financial Secretary to the Treasury Enoch Powell 16 January 1957 Jocelyn Simon 6 January 1958 Sir Edward Boyle 22 October 1959 Anthony Barber 16 July 1962 Alan Green 23 October 1963 Economic Secretary to the Treasury Nigel Birch 16 January 1957 Office vacant from 6 January 1958 Frederick Erroll 23 October 1958 Anthony Barber 22 October 1959 Edward du Cann 16 July 1962 Maurice Macmillan 21 October 1963 Lords of the Treasury Martin Redmayne 21 January 1957 - 14 October 1959 Peter Legh 21 January 1957 - 17 September 1957 Edward Wakefield 21 January 1957 - 23 October 1958 Harwood Harrison 21 January 1957 - 16 January 1959 Anthony Barber 9 April 1957 - 19 February 1958 Richard Brooman-White 28 October 1957 - 21 June 1958 Paul Bryan 19 February 1958 - 9 February 1961 Michael Hughes-Young 23 October 1958 - 6 March 1962 Graeme Bell Finlay 16 January 1959 - 28 October 1960 David Gibson-Watt 22 October 1959 - 29 November 1961 Robin Chichester-Clark 21 June 1960 - 29 November 1961 John Hill 28 October 1960 - 16 October 1964 William Whitelaw 6 March 1961 - 16 July 1962 John Peel 29 November 1961 - 16 October 1964 Michael Noble 29 November 1961 - 13 July 1962 Francis Pearson 6 March 1962 - 19 October 1963 Gordon Campbell 6 September 1962 - 12 December 1963 Michael Hamilton 6 September 1962 - 16 October 1964 Martin McLaren 21 November 1963 - 16 October 1964 Ian MacArthur 12 December 1963 - 16 October 1964 Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Selwyn Lloyd 14 January 1957 The Earl of Home 27 July 1960 Rab Butler 20 October 1963 Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Allan Noble 16 January 1957 - 16 January 1959 David Ormsby-Gore 16 January 1957 - 27 June 1961 John Profumo 16 January 1959 - 27 July 1960 Joseph Godber 27 June 1961 - 27 June 1963 The Earl of Dundee 9 October 1961 - 16 October 1964 Peter Thomas 27 June 1963 - 16 October 1964 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs The Earl of Gosford 18 January 1957 - 23 October 1958 Ian Harvey 18 January 1957 - 24 November 1958 The Marquess of Lansdowne 23 October 1958 - 20 April 1962 John Profumo 28 November 1958 - 16 January 1959 Robert Allan 16 January 1959 - 7 October 1960 Joseph Godber 28 October 1960 - 27 June 1961 Peter Thomas 27 June 1961 - 27 June 1963 Peter Smithers 16 July 1962 - 29 January 1964 Robert Mathew 30 January 1964 - 16 October 1964 Secretary of State for the Home Department R. A. Butler 13 January 1957 also Leader of the House of Commons until 1961 Henry Brooke 13 July 1963 Minister of State for Home Affairs Dennis Vosper 28 October 1960 New office David Renton 27 June 1961 The Earl Jellicoe 17 July 1962 The Lord Derwent 21 October 1963 Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department Patricia Hornsby-Smith 18 January 1957 - 22 October 1959 Jocelyn Simon 18 January 1957 - 6 January 1958 David Renton 17 January 1958 - 27 June 1961 Dennis Vosper 22 October 1959 - 28 October 1960 The Earl Bathurst 8 February 1961 - 16 July 1962 Charles Fletcher-Cooke 27 June 1961 - 27 February 1963 Christopher Montague Woodhouse 16 July 1962 - 16 October 1964 Mervyn Pike 1 March 1963 - 16 October 1964 First Lord of the Admiralty The Earl of Selkirk 16 January 1957 The Lord Carrington 16 October 1959 The Earl Jellicoe 22 October 1963 Office reorganised 1 April 1964 under Ministry of Defence Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty Christopher Soames 18 January 1957 Robert Allan 17 January 1958 Charles Ian Orr-Ewing 16 January 1959 Office vacant 16 October 1959 Civil Lord of the Admiralty Tam Galbraith 18 January 1957 Ian Orr-Ewing 16 October 1959 John Hay 3 May 1963 Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Derick Heathcoat Amory 14 January 1957 John Hare 6 January 1958 Christopher Soames 27 July 1960 Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food The Earl St Aldwyn 18 January 1957 Joseph Godber 18 January 1957 - 28 October 1960 The Earl Waldegrave 27 June 1958 - 16 July 1962 William Vane 28 October 1960 - 16 July 1962 The Lord St Oswald 16 July 1962 - 16 October 1964 James Scott-Hopkins 16 July 1962 - 16 October 1964 Secretary of State for Air George Ward 16 January 1957 Julian Amery 28 October 1960 Hugh Fraser 16 July 1962 Office reorganised under Ministry of Defence 1 April 1964 Under-Secretary of State for Air Ian Orr-Ewing 18 January 1957 Airey Neave 16 January 1959 William Taylor 16 October 1959 Julian Ridsdale 16 January 1962 Minister of State for Aviation Duncan Sandys 14 October 1959 Peter Thorneycroft 27 July 1960 Julian Amery 16 July 1962 Parliamentary Secretary for Aviation Geoffrey Rippon 22 October 1959 Montague Woodhouse 9 October 1961 Basil de Ferranti 16 July 1962 Neil Marten 3 December 1962 Secretary of State for the Colonies Alan Lennox-Boyd 14 January 1957 Iain Macleod 14 October 1959 Reginald Maudling 9 October 1961 Duncan Sandys 13 July 1962 Joint with Commonwealth Relations Minister of State for the Colonies The Earl of Perth 16 January 1957 The Marquess of Lansdowne 20 April 1962 Joint with Commonwealth Relations from 21 October 1963 Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies John Profumo 17 January 1957 Julian Amery 28 November 1958 Hugh Fraser 28 October 1960 Nigel Fisher 16 July 1962 - 16 October 1964 Richard Hornby 24 October 1963 - 16 October 1964 Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations The Earl of Home 14 January 1957 also Leader of the House of Lords from 19 March 1957 Duncan Sandys 27 July 1960 Jointly with Colonial Office from 13 July 1962 Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations Cuthbert Alport 22 October 1959 - 8 February 1961 The Duke of Devonshire 6 September 1962 - 16 October 1964 With Colonial Office from 21 October 1963 Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations Cuthbert Alport 18 January 1957 Richard Thompson 22 October 1959 The Duke of Devonshire 28 October 1960 - 6 September 1962 Bernard Braine 8 February 1961 - 16 July 1962 John Tilney 16 July 1962 - 16 October 1964 Minister of Defence Duncan Sandys 13 January 1957 Harold Watkinson 14 October 1959 Peter Thorneycroft 13 July 1962 Secretary of State for Defence from 1 April 1964 Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Defence The Lord Mancroft 18 January 1957 Office vacant 11 June 1957 Minister of State for Air Hugh Fraser 1 April 1964 Minister of State for Army James Ramsden 1 April 1964 Minister of State for Navy The Earl Jellicoe 1 April 1964 Under-Secretary of State for Air Julian Ridsdale 1 April 1964 Under-Secretary of State for Army Peter Kirk 1 April 1964 Under-Secretary of State for Navy John Hay 1 April 1964 Minister of Education The Viscount Hailsham 13 January 1957 Geoffrey Lloyd 17 September 1957 Sir David Eccles 14 October 1959 Quintin Hogg 1 April 1964 Secretary of State for Education and Science Minister of State for Education Sir Edward Boyle 1 April 1964 Peter Legh 1 April 1964 Office note in Cabinet Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Education Sir Edward Boyle 18 January 1957 Kenneth Thompson 22 October 1959 Christopher Chataway 16 July 1962 Offices reorganised 1 April 1964 Under-Secretary of State for Education The Earl of Bessborough 1 April 1964 Christopher Chataway 1 April 1964 Minister of Health Dennis Vosper 16 January 1957 Derek Walker-Smith 17 September 1957 Enoch Powell 27 July 1960 In Cabinet from 13 July 1962 Anthony Barber 20 October 1963 Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health John Vaughan-Morgan 18 January 1957 Richard Thompson 17 September 1957 Edith Pitt 22 October 1959 Bernard Braine 16 July 1962 - 16 October 1964 The Lord Newton 6 September 1962 - 1 April 1964 The Marquess of Lothian 24 March 1964 - 16 October 1964 Minister of Housing, Local Government and Welsh Affairs Henry Brooke 13 January 1957 Charles Hill 9 October 1961 Sir Keith Joseph 13 July 1962 Minister of State for Welsh Affairs The Lord Brecon 12 December 1957 Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing and Local Government Reginald Bevins 18 January 1957 Sir Keith Joseph 22 October 1959 - 9 October 1961 The Earl Jellicoe 27 June 1961 - 16 July 1962 Geoffrey Rippon 9 October 1961 - 16 July 1962 Frederick Corfield 16 July 1962 - 16 October 1964 The Lord Hastings 3 December 1962 - 16 October 1964 Minister of Labour and National Service Iain Macleod 14 January 1957 Edward Heath 14 October 1959 John Hare 27 July 1960 Joseph Godber 20 October 1963 Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Labour Robert Carr 19 January 1957 Richard Wood 14 April 1958 Peter Thomas 22 October 1959 Alan Green 27 June 1961 William Whitelaw 16 July 1962 Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Charles Hill 13 January 1957 Iain Macleod 9 October 1961 also Leader of the House of Commons The Lord Blakenham 20 October 1963 Paymaster General Reginald Maudling 16 January 1957 Office in Cabinet from 17 September 1957 The Lord Mills 14 October 1959 Henry Brooke 9 October 1961 Also Chief Secretary to the Treasury John Boyd-Carpenter 13 July 1962 Minister of Pensions and National Insurance John Boyd-Carpenter 16 January 1957 Niall Macpherson 16 July 1962 Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Pensions Edith Pitt 19 January 1957 - 22 October 1959 Richard Wood 19 January 1957 - 14 April 1958 William Vane 14 April 1958 - 20 October 1960 Patricia Hornsby-Smith 22 October 1959 - 31 August 1961 Bernard Braine 28 October 1960 - 8 February 1961 Richard Sharples 8 February 1961 - 16 July 1962 Margaret Thatcher 9 October 1961 - 16 October 1964 Lynch Maydon 16 July 1962 - 16 October 1964 Minister without Portfolio The Earl of Munster 16 January 1957 The Lord Mancroft 11 June 1957 The Earl of Dundee 23 October 1958 The Lord Mills 9 October 1961 - 14 July 1962 Office in Cabinet William Deedes 13 July 1962 - 16 October 1964 The Lord Carrington 20 October 1963 - 16 October 1964 also Leader of the House of Lords Postmaster-General Ernest Marples 16 January 1957 Reginald Bevins 22 October 1959 Assistant Postmaster-General Kenneth Thompson 18 January 1957 Mervyn Pike 22 October 1959 Raymond Llewellyn Mawby 1 March 1963 Minister of Power The Lord Mills 13 January 1957 Richard Wood 14 October 1959 Office not in Cabinet Frederick Erroll 20 October 1963 Office back in Cabinet Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Power David Renton 18 January 1957 Sir Ian Horobin 17 January 1958 John George 22 October 1959 John Peyton 25 June 1962 Minister of Science The Viscount Hailsham 14 October 1959 also Leader of the House of Lords 27 July 1960-20 October 1963; From 1 April 1964 Secretary of State for Education and Science Secretary of State for Scotland John Maclay 13 January 1957 Michael Noble 13 July 1962 Minister of State for Scotland The Lord Strathclyde 17 January 1957 The Lord Forbes 23 October 1958 Jack Nixon Browne 22 October 1959 Lord Craigton Under-Secretary of State for Scotland Jack Nixon Browne 18 January 1957 - 22 October 1959 Niall Macpherson 19 January 1957 - 28 October 1960 Lord John Hope 18 January 1957 - 22 October 1959 Tam Galbraith 22 October 1959 - 8 November 1962 Gilmour Leburn 22 October 1959 - 15 August 1963 Richard Brooman-White 28 October 1960 - 12 December 1963 The Lady Tweedsmuir 3 December 1962 - 16 October 1964 Anthony Stodart 19 August 1963 - 16 October 1964 Gordon Campbell 12 December 1963 - 16 October 1964 Minister of Supply Aubrey Jones 16 January 1957 Office wound up 22 October 1959 Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Supply William Taylor 18 January 1957 Office wound up 22 October 1959 Minister for Technical Cooperation Dennis Vosper 27 June 1961 Robert Carr 9 May 1963 President of the Board of Trade Sir David Eccles 13 January 1957 Reginald Maudling 14 October 1959 Frederick Erroll 9 October 1961 Edward Heath 20 October 1963 Also Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development Minister of State for Trade Derek Walker-Smith 16 January 1957 John Vaughan-Morgan 17 September 1957 Frederick Erroll 22 October 1959 Sir Keith Joseph 9 October 1961 Alan Green 16 July 1962 - 23 October 1963 The Lord Derwent 6 September 1962 - 23 October 1963 The Lord Drumalbyn 23 October 1963 - 16 October 1964 Formerly N Macpherson Edward du Cann 21 October 1963 - 16 October 1964 Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade Frederick Erroll 18 January 1957 John Rodgers 24 October 1958 Niall Macpherson 28 October 1960 David Price 17 July 1962 Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Harold Watkinson 13 January 1957 Civil aviation separated 14 October 1959 Ernest Marples 14 October 1959 Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport Richard Nugent 18 January 1957 - 22 October 1959 Airey Neave 18 January 1957 - 16 January 1959 John Hay 16 January 1959 - 3 May 1963 The Lord Chesham 22 October 1959 - 16 October 1964 John Hughes-Hallett 26 April 1961 - 16 October 1964 Tam Galbraith 3 May 1963 - 16 October 1964 Secretary of State for War John Hare 16 January 1957 Christopher Soames 6 January 1958 John Profumo 27 July 1960 Joseph Godber 27 June 1963 James Ramsden 21 October 1963 Reorganised under Ministry of Defence 1 April 1964 Under-Secretary of State and Financial Secretary for War Julian Amery 18 January 1957 Hugh Fraser 28 November 1958 James Ramsden 28 October 1960 Peter Kirk 24 October 1963 Minister of Works Hugh Molson 16 January 1957 Lord John Hope 22 October 1959 Geoffrey Rippon 16 July 1962 Minister of Public Building and Works. In Cabinet from 20 October 1963 Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Works Harmar Nicholls 18 January 1957 Richard Thompson 28 October 1960 Richard Sharples 16 July 1962 Attorney General Sir Reginald Manningham-Buller 17 January 1957 Sir John Hobson 16 July 1962 Solicitor General Sir Harry Hylton-Foster 17 January 1957 Sir Jocelyn Simon 22 October 1959 Sir John Hobson 8 February 1962 Sir Peter Rawlinson 19 July 1962 Lord Advocate William Rankine Milligan 17 January 1957 William Grant 5 April 1960 Ian Shearer 12 October 1962 Not an MP Solicitor General for Scotland William Grant 17 January 1957 David Colville Anderson 11 May 1960 Norman Wylie 27 April 1964 Treasurer of the Household Hendrie Oakshott 19 January 1957 Peter Legh 16 January 1959 Lord Newton Edward Wakefield 21 June 1960 Michael Hughes-Young 6 March 1962 Comptroller of the Household Gerald Wills 19 January 1957 Knighted Edward Wakefield 23 October 1958 Harwood Harrison 16 January 1959 Robin Chichester-Clark 29 November 1961 Vice-Chamberlain of the Household Richard Thompson 21 January 1957 Peter Legh 17 September 1957 Edward Wakefield 16 January 1959 Richard Brooman-White 21 June 1960 Graeme Finlay 28 October 1960 Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms The Earl Fortescue 21 January 1957 The Earl St Aldwyn 27 June 1958 Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard The Earl of Onslow 21 January 1957 The Lord Newton 28 October 1960 The Viscount Goschen 6 September 1962 Lords in Waiting The Lord Hawke 21 January 1957 - 11 June 1957 The Lord Fairfax of Cameron 21 January 1957 - 21 June 1957 The Lord Chesham 21 January 1957 - 22 October 1959 The Marquess of Lansdowne 11 June 1957 - 23 October 1958 The Earl Bathurst 17 September 1957 - 8 February 1961 The Earl of Gosford 23 October 1958 - 22 October 1959 The Lord St Oswald 22 October 1959 - 16 July 1962 The Earl Jellicoe 8 February 1961 - 27 June 1961 The Lord Hastings 6 March 1961 - 3 December 1962 The Lord Denham 27 June 1961 - 16 October 1964 The Marquess of Lothian 6 September 1962 - 3 March 1964 The Earl Ferrers 3 December 1962 - 10 October 1964 Source: D. Butler and G. Butler, Twentieth Century British Political Facts 1900-2000
Preceded by
Conservative Government 1955-1957Government of the United Kingdom
1957–1964Succeeded by
Labour Government 1964-1970Categories:- British ministries
- Conservative Party (UK)
- 1957 establishments in the United Kingdom
- 1964 disestablishments
- 1950s in the United Kingdom
- 1960s in the United Kingdom
- Ministries of Elizabeth II
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