1963 - 1946

Selwyn Lloyd (1904-1978) began his political career as a Liberal, but abandoned the party over its stance during the financial crisis of 1931. During the Second World War he rose quickly to the rank of brigadier; after it, he entered Parliament in the 1945 general election as a Conservative. On the Conservative victory of 1951 Churchill appointed him minister of State at the Foreign Office, and in 1955 he entered Eden's cabinet as minister of defence, shortly afterwards transferring to be foreign Secretary. He offered his resignation after the Suez crisis, but was retained at the foreign office until Macmillan moved him to be chancellor of the exchequer in 1960. Dismissed by Macmillan in the 1962 'night of the long knives', he was brought back to government by Alec Douglas-Home as Leader of the Commons in 1963, a post he held until the election the following year. From 1971 to 1976 he served as Speaker of the Commons.

No image
Available