After Number 10: Former Prime Ministers in British Politics

278 Pages·2010·1.344 MB·English

by  Kevin Theakston (auth.)

Understanding Governance series
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Ann Scott
ERNEST GOWERS
Plain Words and Forgotten Deeds
Kevin Theakston
AFTER NUMBER 10
Former Prime Ministers in British Politics
Titles previously published in the Transforming Government series include:
Simon Bulmer, Martin Burch, Caitríona Carter, Patricia Hogwood and Andrew Scott
BRITISH DEVOLUTION AND EUROPEAN POLICY-MAKING
Transforming Britain to Multi-Level Governance
Nicholas Deakin and Richard Parry
THE TREASURY AND SOCIAL POLICY
The Contest for Control of Welfare Strategy
Neil C.M. Elder and Edward C. Page
ACCOUNTABILITY AND CONTROL IN NEXT STEPS AGENCIES
Oliver James
THE EXECUTIVE AGENCY REVOLUTION IN WHITEHALL
Public Interest Versus Bureau-Shaping Perspectives
David Marsh, David Richards and Martin J. Smith
CHANGING PATTERNS OF GOVERNANCE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
Reinventing Whitehall?
Iain McLean
THE FISCAL CRISIS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM
Edward C. Page and Vincent Wright (editors)
FROM THE ACTIVE TO THE ENABLING STATE
The Changing Role of Top Officials in European Nations
Hugh Pemberton
POLICY LEARNING AND BRITISH GOVERNANCE IN THE 1960s
B. Guy Peters, R. A. W. Rhodes and Vincent Wright (editors)
ADMINISTERING THE SUMMIT
Administration of the Core Executive in Developed Countries
R. A. W. Rhodes (editor)
TRANSFORMING BRITISH GOVERNMENT
Volume One: Changing Institutions
Volume Two: Changing Roles and Relationships
David Richards
NEW LABOUR AND THE CIVIL SERVICE
Reconstituting the Westminster Model
Martin J. Smith
THE CORE EXECUTIVE IN BRITAIN
Kevin Theakston
LEADERSHIP IN WHITEHALL
Kevin Theakston (editor)
BUREAUCRATS AND LEADERSHIP
Patrick Weller, Herman Bakvis and R. A. W. Rhodes (editors)
THE HOLLOW CROWN
Countervailing Trends in Core Executives
Understanding Governance
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After Number 10
Former Prime Ministers in British Politics
Kevin Theakston
Professor of British Government, University of Leeds, UK
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© Kevin Theakston 2010
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To Breda
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Contents
Acknowledgements viii
1 Introduction 1
2 Walpole to Shelburne 14
3 Addington to Melbourne 42
4 Peel to Rosebery 74
5 Salisbury to Asquith 107
6 Lloyd George to Chamberlain 126
7 Attlee to Douglas-Home 149
8 Heath to Callaghan 176
9 Thatcher to Blair 197
10 Comparative Perspectives 226
Notes 238
Index 263
vii
Acknowledgements
I have incurred many debts in writing this book. I am very grateful for the
help, advice and encouragement of colleagues at the University of Leeds
who read and commented on various sections and chapters of this book:
Dr Ed Gouge, Dr Tim Heppell and Dr David Seawright. Professor David Bell
has helped my understanding of comparative aspects of this project. I tried
out my ideas in a lecture to the North-West branch of the Historical Associ-
ation in Manchester in January 2008, and in papers to the Political Studies
Association annual conference at Swansea in April 2008 and to a workshop
organised by the Political Leadership specialist group of the PSA held at Leeds
in October 2008. Other participants in those sessions helped greatly with their
feedback, comments and questions. I must also thank Palgrave’s anonymous
reader, who made many useful comments and suggestions on my manuscript.
I alone, of course, am responsible for the contents of the book. My biggest debt
is to my family and to Breda Theakston.
Kevin Theakston
viii
1
Introduction
Sooner or later every prime minister becomes a former prime minister.
From Sir Robert Walpole to Gordon Brown, Britain has had 52 prime minis-
ters. There have been up to 2009, 51 former prime ministers. It is a small,
exclusive ‘club’ – there have never been more than five former prime
ministers alive at the same time, and there are currently just three living
‘members’ of the ‘club’ (Lady Thatcher, Sir John Major and Tony Blair).
This book explores the experience of former prime ministers in Britain
from the 18th century to the present day. What do they do after leaving
the topmost office in British government?
There is no fixed or predetermined role for former prime ministers. What
they do after they leave office depends on their personal choices and on
circumstances, including the reactions and attitudes of still-active polit-
icians and of political parties to the former political and governmental
leader. There is little in the way of a common pattern. ‘You are very ex
as an ex-prime minister’, the former Conservative Cabinet minister Ken
Clarke has said.1 The political waters can close quickly over the departed
prime minister. Some largely disappear from the political stage after they
retire. Others have a ‘second act’ and find a way to play some sort of con-
tinuing role in politics and public life. Sometimes it is a constructive role,
but sometimes it can be the reverse. Some former prime ministers have
enhanced their reputations through their post-Number 10 activities, but
some have damaged their reputations. Success or failure in Number 10 as
prime minister does not predict what may come afterwards. Indeed, some
prime ministers with short and unsuccessful stints in office have gone on
to have lengthy and successful post-Number 10 careers, while those higher
up the ‘league table’ of prime-ministerial achievement may have quickly
faded into the background on retirement.
In a recent study of the parliamentary activity and interventions of
former prime ministers, Peter Just argues that post-Second World War
former prime ministers have been more active than their predecessors. Of
the total of 2,575 parliamentary interventions by ex-prime ministers he
1