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20 The Last Parliament: March to May 1950, January to February 1951

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 October 2009

Extract

Thursday 2 March 1950 Went to the House … and took my seat. The place very full: everyone rushing about and congratulating everyone else – the Comrades more subdued than they were in 1945! The only persons I saw ‘in the know’ were Harold Macmillan and James Stuart – but neither of them had anything to tell me which I did not already know or surmise. Neither Attlee and Co. nor our people want another election until the autumn at the earliest, and so every attempt will be made to avoid a political crisis – until we see the King's Speech, however, it is not safe to prophesy what may or may not happen – I expect that this will be a very tepid document.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Historical Society 1999

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References

1 A deliberate echo of the original ‘B.M.G.’ [Balfour Must Go] slogan of 1911.

2 Richard Frederick Wood (1920-), Con. M.P. Bridlington 1950–79; P.P.S. to D. Heathcoat-Amory 1951–55; jt. P.S. Pensions & Nat. Insurance 1955–58; P.S. Labour 1958–59, Power 1959–63; Min. of Pensions & Nat. Insurance 1963–64; Min. for Overseas Development 1970–74; cr. Baron Holderness 1979; wounded in action 1943; younger son of 1st Earl of Halifax.

3 Charles Ingram Courtenay Wood (1912–1980), Con. M.P. York 1937–45; Chairman, E. Riding of Yorkshire County Council 1968–74; Ld. Lt. of E. Riding 1968–74, of Humberside 1974–80; styled Lord Irwin after his father was cr. 1st Earl of Halifax 1944, suc. 2nd Earl of Halifax 1959.

4 Adam Storey McKinlay (1887–1950), Lab. M.P. Glasgow Partick 1929–31, Dunbartonshire 1941–50, Dunbartonshire W. Feb.–Mar. 1950; member of Glasgow City Council 1932–37, 1938–45.

5 Terence Edmund Gascoigne Nugent (1895–1973), army career 1914–36; Comptroller, Lord Chamberlain's Dept. 1936–60; extra Equerry to the King 1937–52, to the Queen 1952–73; Permanent Lord-in-Waiting 1960–73; kt. 1945, cr. Baron Nugent of West Harling 1960.

6 To sit on the opposition front bench as the representative of the leadership; as a former Minister, Headlam was entitled to sit there and was sometimes called upon by the whips when no member of the ‘shadow cabinet’ was available.

7 Headlam's nephew, Aidan Crawley, had been given junior office after the 1950 election.

8 Acheson was under attack in the U.S. Congress from Republicans over his alleged liberalism and the failure to deter Communist aggression by affirming a clear American commitment to defend South Korea.

9 The Schuman Plan proposed common planning for European iron and steel industries; the resulting agreement was the first step towards the Treaty of Rome in 1957 and the creation of the European Community.

10 Douglas Patrick Thomas Jay (1907–1996), Lab. M.P. Battersea N. 1946–83; P.P.S. to H. Dalton 1947; Economic Sec., Treasury 1947–50, F.S.T. 1950–51; Pres. Bd. of Trade 1964–67; member of P.L.P. Ctte. 1963–64; cr. Baron Jay 1987.

11 The Deputy Area Agent, Miss de Jonghe (q.v.), reported after a visit to Holywell on 28 June that ‘Sir Cuthbert and Lady Headlam have both been very ill indeed, and both appear to be in a very low state of health, particularly Sir Cuthbert.’ Memo, ‘Newcastle North’, Galloway [Area Agent] to Watson [Central Office], 28 June 1950, CFA CCO/1/8/71/1.

12 Headlam to Maxse, 5 Aug. 1950, CPA CCO/1/8/71/1.

13 Field-Marshal Montgomery (q.v.), at this time Chairman of the Western European Commander-in-Chiefs' Ctte.

14 Lord Eustace Percy (q.v.) had been a Conservative cabinet minister in 1924–29 and 1935–36, but had detached himself from party politics during his tenure as Rector of King's College, Newcastle from 1937 to 1952; he became a peer in 1953.

15 The location of the Conservative Party's Northern Counties Area office.

16 H. Haswell Peile (1902–1979), war service (prisoner of war in Italy 1942–43) to 1944; Managing Dir., Priestman Collieries, Weardale Lead Co.; Chairman, Peterlee Development Corporation 1957–68, & Newton Aycliffe Development Corporation 1963–68; Chairman, Newcastle & Gateshead Water Co., 1978–79; High Sherrif 1951–52.

17 Mrs. Stewart Reid became Chairman of the Northern Counties Area, serving from May 1951 to May 1954.

18 Ethel Gertrude Chalk, member of Newcastle City Council, Jesmond Ward 1947–65.

19 The rebuilt House of Commons chamber had been opened on 26 Oct. 1950.

20 Charles Hill (1904–1991), Con. M.P. Luton 1950–63; P.S. Food 1951–55; Postmaster-Gen. 1955–57; Chane. Duchy of Lancaster 1957–61; Min. of Housing & Local Govt., & Welsh Affairs 1961–62; medical career, known as the ‘Radio Doctor’ due to his broadcasting activities; Sec., British Medical Assoc. 1944–50; Chairman, Independent Television Authority 1963–67, Bd. of Governors of B.B.C. 1967–72; cr. Baron Hill of Luton 1963.

21 John Freeman (1915-), Lab. M.P. Watford 1945–55; P.P.S. to J. Lawson 1945–46; F.S. War Office 1946–47, U.S. Apr.–Oct. 1947; P.S. Supply 1947–51 (resigned with A. Bevan and H. Wilson over introduction of prescription charges, Apr. 1951); editor, New Statesman 1961–65; High Comm. in India 1965–68; Amb. in Washington 1969–71.

22 Maurice Webb (1904–1956), Lab. M.P. Bradford Central 1945–55; Min. of Food 1950–51; Lab. Agent, Skipton 1925–29; Propaganda Officer, Lab. Party Headquarters 1929–36; Chairman, P.L.P. 1946–50.

23 Oliver Shewell Franks (1905–1992), Fellow of Queen's College, Oxford 1927–37; Prof, of Moral Philosophy, Glasgow Univ. 1937–45; temporary civil servant, Min. of Supply 1939–45, Perm. Sec. 1945–46; Provost of Queen's College, Oxford 1946–48, of Worcester College, Oxford 1962–76; Amb. in Washington 1948–52; Chairman, Lloyds Bank 1954–62; Chairman, Political Honours Scrutiny Ctte. 1976–87, Falkland Islands Review Ctte. 1982; kt. 1946, cr. Baron Franks 1962.

24 translation: alert.

25 The Treasurer of North Newcastle C.A.

26 This is the last entry in the diary dealing with North Newcastle Conservative Association. The developments mentioned here heralded the final stage of the conflict: a new and rival Association was formed with Lord Ridley as Chairman, and in July 1951 the National Union disaffiliated the old Association and recognised the new in its place (for a fuller account of these events, see the Introduction, p. 37). Despite his words here, Headlam encouraged the formation of the new Association and assisted it in public and behind the scenes. However, at its inaugural meeting on 2 July he publicly announced that he would not stand again at the next election, and he left the House of Commons when Parliament was dissolved on 5 Oct. 1951.

27 Bevin resigned as Foreign Secretary on 9 March, and died on 14 April 1951.

28 Bevan resigned from the Cabinet on 23 April, as he could not accept the breach in the principle of a free health service which would result from the introduction of prescription charges in GaitskelFs budget; his resignation statement in the Commons was a parliamentary failure, heard in silence by Labour M.P.s.