635:. The more cautious Lloyd had rejected reflation because of the risk of ultimately damaging the economy with a balance of payments crisis. Maudling however was prepared to accept the devaluation of sterling and the placement of controls on imports to stave off this eventuality. By the time of the party conference Macmillan's popularity within his party had largely recovered. Maudling reversed Lloyd's austerity measures that November, following this up with cutting the tax on motor cars, and reducing the
201:, at a time of dramatic social changes, Macmillan resolved to bring some younger men into important posts. The seven ministers earmarked for replacement averaged 59 years of age. The incoming seven would have an average age of 50. Butler was in favour of the move, and together with Macleod, they worked out an orderly reshuffle of several Cabinet posts, including the Chancellor of the Exchequer. In all, seven ministers were to be replaced, amounting to one third of the total Cabinet of twenty-one.
22:
596:, in a humorous twist on a biblical phrase, observed that "Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his friends for his life." Lloyd was cheered on his next appearance in the House on 17 July, while Macmillan was faced with silence from his own benches, and jeers from the opposition. The opposition tabled a motion of censure against Macmillan, which was debated on 26 July. Macmillan also faced divisions within his own party. Conservative MP
655:, informed Lloyd that "He is spending all the time thinking of how to bring you back." Macmillan apologised to Lloyd, saying that he had made a mistake in not discussing it with him beforehand, and that he was rushed, his hand was forced. He again mentioned a conspiracy, suggesting that "Butler had been plotting to divide the party on the Common Market, and bring him down."
60:. Lloyd had already clashed with Macmillan over economic strategies, and Maudling was considered to be more amenable to the economic policies Macmillan wished to implement. The reshuffle was also an attempt to reinvigorate the party, bringing in younger and more dynamic figures and replacing some of the older and less capable ministers. After discussions with
227:"Mac's Master Plan". A horrified Macmillan, suspecting that the plans were deliberately leaked by Butler to further his political career, felt compelled to act. He summoned Lloyd to a meeting that evening and informed him that he was to be replaced as chancellor. He attempted to mollify Lloyd by suggesting that he consider a career in
143:. The Conservatives were struggling with deep unpopularity over their economic policies. A pay-pause and rising prices, together with discontent at high taxation that was demonstrably inequitable, drove voters to protest against government policies by switching their votes to the Liberals, or by abstaining from voting Conservative.
86:
characterised him as ruthless and opportunistic. Despite an initial sharp drop in his approval ratings, opinion eventually swung back in his favour and the Party recovered. Macmillan regretted the way the reshuffle was carried out, and was particularly concerned about his treatment of Lloyd, who was
591:
either executed or arrested. Macmillan was accused of having acted hastily and of being ungrateful in sacking his party's most loyal officials. His reputation of being calm and unflappable in a crisis was badly tarnished, and his ratings in opinion polls fell sharply. His political opponents made
263:
Macmillan suggested on several occasions, including at his meeting with Lloyd to dismiss him as chancellor, that he felt there was a conspiracy within the party to replace him as prime minister. While the run of poor
Conservative results led to informal talk among party MPs and ministers, no such
643:. In the Spring 1963 budget he abolished the Schedule A tax, one of the main causes of dissatisfaction with the Conservatives, and a move which Lloyd had resisted. Liberal fortunes, which rested largely on the unpopularity of these policies, declined thereafter. Labour recovered by early 1963 as
81:
over lunch on 11 July. The newspapers reported the impending changes on 12 July, and
Macmillan made the decision to press ahead with the reshuffle at once. Lloyd was called to a meeting that evening and dismissed. The remaining six were informed the following day, 13 July. Macmillan faced sharp
146:
Macmillan saw in the by-election results evidence that former
Conservative voters would abandon their candidates in support of the Liberals, who were well placed in Conservative safe seats. In instances where the Liberals had no candidate standing, such as the Labour safe seat of
631:, a post that had lapsed after 1955. It was in actuality a demotion. Butler was tasked with overseeing the Central African Office, which moved him away from the more powerful state offices. With Lloyd replaced as chancellor by Maudling, Macmillan pushed ahead with
259:
were the most disappointed, Eccles having hoped to succeed as chancellor, and
Kilmuir later writing that Macmillan appeared to have lost his 'nerve and judgement'. The reshuffle was completed three days later with the removal of nine junior ministers.
650:
Macmillan regretted the way the reshuffle was carried out, and was particularly guilt-ridden over how he treated his former confidante, Lloyd. He arranged a meeting with Lloyd on 1 August 1962, before which
Macmillan's private secretary,
111:. The Labour party were further weakened by internal disputes, but the Conservatives' economic policies unveiled in the 1960 Budget proved damaging. The tax cuts of 1959 were reversed, decreasing the government's popularity while the
87:
a loyal confidant. Despite the dramatic changes in the
Cabinet, the Conservatives were rocked by a series of scandals in 1963 and Macmillan retired in October of that year, citing ill health. He was replaced as prime minister by
264:
conspiracy existed. His intimations of party disloyalty and the speed and surprise of the sackings were particularly hurtful to Lloyd, who was loyal to
Macmillan, and remained so even after his dismissal.
47:
candidates. Concerned that traditional
Conservative voters were expressing their disapproval with the government's economic policies by switching to the Liberals, Harold Macmillan planned to replace his
658:
Despite the upswing in the
Conservatives' fortunes which followed after the disapproval over the reshuffle abated, the Party suffered further problems. Macmillan's government was rocked by the
43:
The reshuffle took place against a backdrop of declining
Conservative popularity in Britain. Conservative candidates had fared poorly in several by-elections, losing ground to
155:, in a seat Macmillan himself formerly held, the Conservatives saw large numbers of voters desert them for the Liberals. Later by-elections confirmed the trend. By July the
209:
Macmillan intended to carry out the reshuffle in autumn 1962 after parliament returned from its summer recess. Events overtook him when, on 11 July, Butler lunched with
1396:
316:
1411:
1112:
115:
began a revival. The Conservatives were forced into third place in several by-elections, culminating in the loss of the previously safe seat of
619:
The damage was relatively short-lived. Macmillan's position improved within a few months of the affair. Butler was moved from the position of
1355:
1176:
644:
235:, and hinted at the possibility of a peerage. Lloyd refused both. The remaining six officeholders were informed the following day, 13 July.
1360:
628:
571:
The speed and size of the reshuffle was unprecedented in British political history, and would not be exceeded until the formation of the
526:
1153:
210:
78:
1227:
761:
759:
757:
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417:
244:
1254:
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succeeded in holding the Blackpool North seat, the previous majority of 15,587 was reduced to just 973 by the Liberal candidate,
754:
666:
the following year, and Macmillan decided to step down in October 1963, citing ill-health. He was replaced as prime minister by
1249:
433:
116:
83:
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671:
409:
120:
104:
92:
1406:
1375:
456:
240:
197:
The Cabinet was also relatively elderly, and with younger political leaders on the world scene, like American President
1101:
1079:
1057:
1015:
156:
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also voiced their disapproval. Despite these voices of dissent, the reaction from most Conservative MPs was positive.
1401:
1034:
989:
765:
503:
495:
464:
378:
252:
248:
152:
472:
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132:
82:
criticism over the scale of the changes, and his political opponents both within the Conservative Party and in the
1289:
534:
448:
236:
1146:
28:, whose Cabinet reshuffle, precipitated by a leak to the press, became known as the "Night of the Long Knives"
151:, the Conservatives maintained their share of the vote. When a Liberal candidate was fielded, such as at the
40:
of his premiership on 13 July 1962. Macmillan dismissed seven members of his Cabinet, a third of the total.
1113:"Boris Johnson dismantles cabinet in reshuffle, building government around people who delivered Brexit vote"
608:", congratulated him on keeping his head, while all around him were losing theirs. Former prime minister
331:
179:
61:
49:
124:
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1139:
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warned that a government reshuffle was necessary to revitalise flagging support, a view confirmed by
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624:
576:
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on 21 June. With Conservative unpopularity stemming from economic issues, they discussed replacing
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Macmillan was overtaken by events when Butler leaked the details of the reshuffle to press baron
1203:
572:
1347:
1370:
1324:
8:
1215:
1131:
186:. Lloyd and Macmillan had already clashed over economic policy: Lloyd was opposed to an
1308:
1046:
136:
112:
44:
1209:
1097:
1075:
1053:
1030:
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355:
183:
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57:
37:
219:. Butler let slip the details of the impending reshuffle, and the following day the
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33:
25:
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68:
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1316:
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251:, though he expressed his disapproval on the way the reshuffle was handled.
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1089:
1067:
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232:
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135:, another former Conservative safe seat; though the Conservative candidate
128:
64:
53:
21:
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613:
550:
140:
131:. The by-election result, announced on 14 March, came one day after the
1008:
From Salisbury to Major: Continuity and Change in Conservative Politics
647:
that year drove up unemployment and the economy unexpectedly faltered.
215:
171:
71:
652:
636:
632:
191:
766:"The legacy of Macmillan's 'Night of the Long Knives'", 6 July 2012
224:
605:
744:
742:
740:
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in 2019. The sackings were mockingly named after the 1934
737:
839:
837:
835:
833:
966:
776:
774:
508:
391:
991:"The legacy of Macmillan's 'Night of the Long Knives'"
956:
954:
941:
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789:
194:, and his austerity measures were causing discontent.
912:
876:
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430:
849:
771:
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936:
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627:. Macmillan made out that it was the equivalent of
414:
107:, increasing their lead over their nearest rivals,
103:The Conservatives won a convincing majority at the
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861:
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803:
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707:
692:
213:, proprietor of several newspapers, including the
1027:The Macmillan Years 1957–1963: The Emerging Truth
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313:
492:
375:
336:
297:
547:
453:
1356:1960 University of Oxford Chancellor election
1147:
670:, but the Conservatives were defeated in the
531:
1052:. Manchester: Manchester University Press.
1010:. Manchester: Manchester University Press.
1005:
748:
247:were reported to have gone quietly, as did
74:, a reshuffle was planned for autumn 1962.
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1140:
1361:1963 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours
1228:Edward Cavendish, 10th Duke of Devonshire
1397:Cabinet reshuffles in the United Kingdom
1110:
855:
600:, employing a similar humorous twist on
488:Minister of Housing and Local Government
20:
1006:Evans, Brendan; Taylor, Andrew (1996).
223:broke the plans to the public with the
1412:July 1962 events in the United Kingdom
1389:
1163:Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton
1088:
1072:Supermac: The Life of Harold Macmillan
1066:
1043:
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882:
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843:
797:
780:
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153:Stockton-on-Tees by-election in April
1260:1959 United Kingdom general election
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267:
13:
157:Chairman of the Conservative Party
14:
1428:
1111:Woodcock, Andrew (25 July 2019).
1376:St Giles' Church, Horsted Keynes
1048:Prime Minister and Cabinet Today
125:a March 1962 by-election victory
1290:Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
449:Secretary of State for Scotland
1255:US–UK Mutual Defence Agreement
645:the exceptionally harsh winter
592:capital from this: Liberal MP
1:
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332:Chancellor of the Exchequer
180:Chancellor of the Exchequer
133:Blackpool North by-election
127:for the Liberal candidate,
62:Conservative Party chairman
50:Chancellor of the Exchequer
10:
1433:
1407:1962 in the United Kingdom
1044:Thomas, Graham P. (1998).
527:Minister without portfolio
119:(neighbouring Macmillan's
91:, who was defeated in the
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1300:
1237:
1190:
1169:
1402:1962 in British politics
1270:Night of the Long Knives
1245:1945 Bromley by-election
1096:. London: Random House.
1074:. London: Random House.
685:
625:First Secretary of State
577:Night of the Long Knives
1029:. London: John Murray.
993:. BBC News. 6 July 2012
749:Evans & Taylor 1996
168:Conservative Chief Whip
32:British prime minister
1204:Lady Dorothy Macmillan
1025:Lamb, Richard (1995).
29:
1265:Wind of Change speech
672:1964 general election
629:Deputy Prime Minister
371:Minister of Education
170:. Macmillan met with
105:1959 general election
93:1964 general election
24:
1371:Macmillan Publishers
1250:Macmillan government
612:and former Minister
512:Sir Keith Joseph, Bt
395:Sir Edward Boyle, Bt
36:carried out a major
1216:Lady Caroline Faber
410:Minister of Defence
16:UK political crisis
434:Peter Thorneycroft
137:Norman Miscampbell
30:
1384:
1383:
1210:Maurice Macmillan
975:, pp. 17–18.
668:Alec Douglas-Home
564:
563:
356:Reginald Maudling
284:Incoming minister
278:Outgoing minister
268:Cabinet positions
184:Reginald Maudling
89:Alec Douglas-Home
58:Reginald Maudling
38:cabinet reshuffle
1424:
1417:Harold Macmillan
1366:Earl of Stockton
1275:Beeching reports
1230:(brother-in-law)
1198:Daniel MacMillan
1177:Stockton-on-Tees
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573:Johnson ministry
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26:Harold Macmillan
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664:Profumo affairs
602:Rudyard Kipling
598:Gilbert Longden
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231:as chairman of
211:Lord Rothermere
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199:John F. Kennedy
164:Martin Redmayne
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79:Lord Rothermere
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1349:The Middle Way
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1312:(1958 cartoon)
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1285:Profumo affair
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1280:Vassall affair
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1170:Constituencies
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1103:978-1446493014
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1081:978-1844135417
1080:
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1059:978-0719039515
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1022:
1017:978-0719042911
1016:
1003:
986:
984:
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978:
977:
965:
963:, p. 448.
950:
948:, p. 452.
935:
933:, p. 450.
923:
921:, p. 523.
911:
909:, p. 449.
899:
897:, p. 451.
887:
885:, p. 525.
875:
860:
848:
846:, p. 524.
829:
827:, p. 447.
814:
812:, p. 446.
802:
785:
783:, p. 521.
770:
753:
751:, p. 125.
736:
734:, p. 445.
721:
719:, p. 444.
706:
704:, p. 443.
690:
689:
687:
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623:and appointed
621:Home Secretary
587:supporters of
585:Sturmabteilung
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188:incomes policy
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69:Home Secretary
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1317:Never So Good
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1068:Thorpe, D. R.
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1036:0-7195-5392-X
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856:Woodcock 2019
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800:, p. 17.
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19:
1348:
1323:
1320:(play, 2008)
1315:
1307:
1269:
1224:(son-in-law)
1222:Julian Amery
1120:. Retrieved
1116:
1093:
1071:
1047:
1026:
1007:
995:. Retrieved
968:
926:
914:
902:
890:
878:
851:
805:
657:
649:
641:purchase tax
618:
610:Anthony Eden
581:Adolf Hitler
570:
559:Conservative
543:Conservative
520:Conservative
496:Charles Hill
481:Conservative
442:Conservative
426:Conservative
403:Conservative
387:Conservative
379:David Eccles
364:Conservative
348:Conservative
340:Selwyn Lloyd
325:Conservative
309:Conservative
301:Lord Kilmuir
262:
233:Martins Bank
220:
214:
208:
196:
176:Selwyn Lloyd
160:Iain Macleod
145:
129:Eric Lubbock
102:
76:
65:Iain Macleod
54:Selwyn Lloyd
42:
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18:
1343:Birch Grove
973:Thomas 1998
919:Thorpe 2011
883:Thorpe 2011
871:Wilson 2011
844:Thorpe 2011
798:Thomas 1998
781:Thorpe 2011
614:Nigel Birch
551:Bill Deedes
457:John Maclay
141:Harry Hague
1391:Categories
1328:(TV, 2017)
1301:Depictions
1218:(daughter)
983:References
589:Ernst Röhm
535:Lord Mills
221:Daily Mail
216:Daily Mail
205:12/13 July
172:Rab Butler
149:Pontefract
99:Background
84:Opposition
72:Rab Butler
1325:The Crown
1094:Our Times
961:Lamb 1995
946:Lamb 1995
931:Lamb 1995
907:Lamb 1995
895:Lamb 1995
825:Lamb 1995
810:Lamb 1995
732:Lamb 1995
717:Lamb 1995
702:Lamb 1995
653:Tim Bligh
637:bank rate
633:reflation
583:had many
567:Aftermath
245:Watkinson
192:reflation
123:seat) in
117:Orpington
1309:Supermac
1092:(2011).
1070:(2011).
275:Position
229:the city
225:headline
113:Liberals
1336:Related
1182:Bromley
1122:27 July
660:Vassall
579:, when
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121:Bromley
56:, with
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1352:(1938)
1238:Career
1206:(wife)
1191:Family
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997:6 July
678:under
676:Labour
287:Party
253:Eccles
241:Maclay
166:, the
109:Labour
1212:(son)
686:Notes
281:Party
237:Mills
182:with
1124:2019
1098:ISBN
1076:ISBN
1054:ISBN
1031:ISBN
1012:ISBN
999:2012
662:and
639:and
604:'s "
255:and
249:Hill
243:and
190:and
67:and
674:by
606:If—
178:as
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