Harold Macmillan

Question 1

What year is it seen that Macmillan’s political skills began to decrease?

Answer 1

1962

Question 2

When did Macmillan resign?

Answer 2

October 1963?

Question 3

What was Macmillan’s famous line he used to excuse political ups and downs?

Answer 3

“Events, dear boy, events”

Question 4

I) What was the biggest concern at the beginning of the 1960s?
II) what did this lead to?
III) What was the result?

Answer 4

I) The economy
II) An application to join the EEC in 1961
III) They were rejected in 1963

Question 5

I) What was the “Night of the Long Knives”?
II) When did it happen?
III) What was it’s effect?

Answer 5

II) Macmillan reshuffled his cabinet, sacking a third of it
II) July 1962
III) The cabinet became weaker

Question 6

How did Macmillan’s image change, and eventually damage him, in the 60s?

Answer 6

He was seen as out of touch, which was re-enforced by his marriage into the aristocracy

Question 7

Give 2 examples of Spy Scandals during the Macmillan administration

Answer 7

1) George Blake was convicted of being a soviet spy in 1961

2) John Vassall was blackmailed, on the grounds of homosexuality, into passing information to the Soviet Union

Question 8

What was the Profumo affair

Answer 8

Secretary for War John Profumo had an affair with 19-year-old model Christine Keeler and lied to the commons about it

Question 9

What was the effect of the Profumo affair

Answer 9

I) The effects were short-lived BUT

II) It re-enforced the idea that the conservative government were out of touch

Question 10

What was the final thorn in the side of the MacMillan administration?

Answer 10

Serious illness led to his resignation in October 1963

Question 11

I) Who succeeded MacMillan?

II) Why was this a strange choice?

Answer 11

I) Sir (Lord) Alec Douglas-Home

II) He was a compromise between Rab Butler and Lord Hailsham