Keeping the British Liberal Party flag flying high

[pipisme]

There was intense speculation in the media over the weekend of 27 and 28 June as to whether or not John Profumo would resign as leader of the Conservative Party. The Daily Mail and Daily Express had forthright editorials telling Profumo that he must resign. He must take full responsibility for the disastrous result for the Tories in the general election. The Sunday Times for 28 June had a news story tagged 'exclusive' that Profumo would resign then next day.

The following morning at a crowded press conference in Conservative Central Office, with his wife, Valerie Hobson, sitting next to him, Profumo said that he took complete and full responsibility for the defeat of the Conservative Party in the general election, for which he apologised to Conservative members, supporters and voters and defeated former Conservative MPs who lost their seats. He said that he would resign as leader of his party when Conservative MPs had elected their new leader. He told the assembled journalists that Parliament would assemble on Tuesday 7 July 1964. When Conservative MPs had elected the new chairman of the 1922 Committee, because the previous chairman, Paul Bryan, had lost his seat in the general election, the new chairman would announce the timetable of the leadership election.

 

[pipisme]

When the House of Commons met on Tuesday 7 July 1964, after the general election, they unanimously re-elected Roderick Bowen (Liberal - Cardiganshire) as Speaker. This was the first time that Conservative MPs sat on the opposition benches below the gangway, not on the government benches or the main opposition benches.

On 14 July, MPs crowded into the Senate to hear King Henry IX deliver the King's Speech setting out the government's legislation programme for the coming parliamentary session. Among the bills was a Highland and Islands Development Agency Bill; one to provide for the construction of a railway line south to north across Wales, from Cardiff to Conwy; a Rent Acts Repeal Bill which would restore rent control for private tenants; and a Welsh Parliament Referendum Bill.

 

[pipisme]

Other bills promised in the King's Speech were an Equal Pay Bill, and a Protection of Rural Railway Lines Bill to stop rail closures.

In the debate in the House of Commons on the Speech, the Leader of the House, Jo Grimond, said that the current parliamentary session would run until late July or early August 1965. The Minister of Transport, Glyn Tegal Hughes, gave details about the proposed Cardiff to Conwy railway. He said that it would stop at stations in Caerphilly, Merthyr Tydfil, Brecon, Builth Wells, Llandrindod Wells, Rhyader, Llandidloes, Bala, Corwen. Ruthin, Denbigh, St. Asaph, and Betwys-yn-Rhos. He said that the railway would use existing lines and stations. It would create tens of thousands of jobs both on the railway and in the Welsh tourist industry, and improve connectivity between north and south Wales. He gave MPs an estimate of its total cost.

 

[pipisme]

On 8 July, John Profumo appointed John Hill, MP for Norfolk South, as Conservative Chief Whip. On the same day Conservative and Ulster Unionists MPs unanimously chose William Anstruther Gray (Galloway) as leader of the 1922 Committee of Conservative and Unionist MPs. On the following day, Anstruther Gray announced the time table for the election of the next leader of the Conservati ve Party.

The first ballot of Conseevative and Unionist MPs would be on 16 July. If no candidate has receives an overall majaority of the vote, and there are three candidates, the last placed one is eliminated; if there are more than three candidates, those who receive less than 15% of the vote are eliminated. If no candidate receives an overall majority on the second ballot on 23 July, the third and any lower placed candidates drop out. The third ballot is on 28 July.

The candidates were as follows:
Julian Amery (Preston North) shadow Defence Secretary
Richard Austen Butler (Saffron Walden) shadow Home Secretary
Hugh Fraser (Stafford) shadow Foreign Secretary
Sir Keith Joseph (Hammersmith South) shadow Minister of Housing and Local Government.

 

[sarahz]

On 8 July, John Profumo appointed John Hill, MP for Norfolk South, as Conservative Chief Whip. On the same day Conservative and Ulster Unionists MPs unanimously chose William Anstruther Gray (Galloway) as leader of the 1922 Committee of Conservative and Unionist MPs. On the following day, Anstruther Gray announced the time table for the election of the next leader of the Conservati ve Party.

The first ballot of Conseevative and Unionist MPs would be on 16 July. If no candidate has receives an overall majaority of the vote, and there are three candidates, the last placed one is eliminated; if there are more than three candidates, those who receive less than 15% of the vote are eliminated. If no candidate receives an overall majority on the second ballot on 23 July, the third and any lower placed candidates drop out. The third ballot is on 28 July.

The candidates were as follows:
Julian Amery (Preston North) shadow Defence Secretary
Richard Austen Butler (Saffron Walden) shadow Home Secretary
Hugh Fraser (Stafford) shadow Foreign Secretary
Sir Keith Joseph (Hammersmith South) shadow Minister of Housing and Local Government.

The sadist in me says pick Sir Keith and aim for oblivion.....

 

[pipisme]

In the Conservative Party leadership election, Butler was the candidate of the party establishment and tipped by political commentators as the favourite. He was also on the liberal wing of the Tory Party. But at 61 years old, he was the oldest candidate. It was probable that the Tories would not regain power for at least ten years, when Butler would be 71 years old. The other candidates were 45 or 46 years old, and on the right wing of the party.

If the Tories were going to lose the next general election, they could indulge their right wing ideological dreams and chose the man who would be a sacrificial lamb. Before the first ballot on 16 July, Conservative MPs got the opinions of party activists in their constituencies.

The result of the first ballot which was announced to the media by William Anstruther Gray was as follows:
Butler - 45 votes
Joseph - 39 votes
Fraser - 15 votes
Amery - 11 votes
----------------------
Total - 110 votes
-----------------------
Because Amery and Fraser received less than 15% of the total vote, they were eliminated from the contest. The result of the second ballot on 23 July was as follows:
Joseph; 60 votes
Butler: 49 votes.
So SirKeith Joseph was elected as leader of the Conservative and Unionist Party.

 

[sarahz]

In the Conservative Party leadership election, Butler was the candidate of the party establishment and tipped by political commentators as the favourite. He was also on the liberal wing of the Tory Party. But at 61 years old, he was the oldest candidate. It was probable that the Tories would not regain power for at least ten years, when Butler would be 71 years old. The other candidates were 45 or 46 years old, and on the right wing of the party.

If the Tories were going to lose the next general election, they could indulge their right wing ideological dreams and chose the man who would be a sacrificial lamb. Before the first ballot on 16 July, Conservative MPs got the opinions of party activists in their constituencies.

The result of the first ballot which was announced to the media by William Anstruther Gray was as follows:
Butler - 45 votes
Joseph - 39 votes
Fraser - 15 votes
Amery - 11 votes
----------------------
Total - 110 votes
-----------------------
Because Amery and Fraser received less than 15% of the total vote, they were eliminated from the contest. The result of the second ballot on 23 July was as follows:
Joseph; 60 votes8
Butler: 49 votes.
So SirKeith Joseph was elected as leader of the Conservative and Unionist Party.

hmm is it the Conservative Party that will write the longest suicide note in history manifesto ATL

 

[pipisme]

Sir Keith Joseph appointed the shadow cabinet on 24 and 25 June 1964. Here are the members and the departments they shadowed:
Leader of the Opposition: Sir Keith Joseph
Shadow Leader of the House of Commons: Robert Carr
Treasury: Peter Thorneycroft
Foreign Office: Hugh Fraser
Home Office: Richard Austen Butler
Agriculture, Fisheries and Food: Timothy Kitson
Colonial Office: John Biggs-Davison
Commonwealth Relations Office: Richard Thompson
Defence: Julian Amery
Education and Science: Miss Betty Harvie Anderson
Environment Protection: Tufton Beamish
Expansion and Industry: Kenneth Thompson
Health: Reginald Bennett
Housing and Local Government: Harold Gurden
Labour: Harold Steward
Overseas Development: Sir Edward Boyle
Scotland: Michael Clark Hutchinson
Trade: Sir Donald Kaberry
Transport and Civil Aviation: Duncan Sandys
Wales: Donald Box
Conservative Leader in the Senate: Lord Peter Carrington.
Sir Keith appointed John Boyd-Carpenter as Chairman of the Conservative Party.

 

[pipisme]

The Tory shadow cabinet was criticised for being mostly composed of doctrinaire right wingers and/or men promoted above their ability. In some cases the two categories overlapped. The new shadow Welsh Secretary, Donald Box, had never served in government, not even as a Parliamentary Private Secretary. He had been Conservative MP for Cardiff North since 1960. (1) He was chosen because he was the only Conservative MP sitting for a Welsh constituency. The shadow Transport Minister, Duncan Sandys, was the only survivor of the cabinet appointed by David Maxwell-Fyfe in 1946. However the appointment of Sir Edward Boyle as shadow Overseas Development Minister was welcomed. He was on the liberal wing of the Tory Party.

(1) Here is the Wikipedia entry for Box: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Box.

 

[pipisme]

Edward Shackleton and Frederick Peart were re-elected unopposed as Leader and Deputy Leader of the Socialist Labour Party respecticely.

The election for the twelve elected Commons' members of the Parliamentary Committee of the Socialist Labour Party (the shadow cabinet) was held on 14 July 1964. The result in order of votes received from highest to lowest was as follows:
1. Frederick Mulley
2. Harriet Slater
3. Barbara Castle
4. Anthony Crosland
5. Emrys Hughes
6. Patrick Gordon Walker
7. Richard Crossman
8. George Thomas
9. Roy Mason
10. Tom Fraser
11. Rosa Bancroft (1)
12. William Ross..

(1) Fictional character.

 

[pipisme]

Socialist Labour shadow cabinet ministers shadowed the following departments:
Home Office: Barbara Castle
Foreign Office: Frederick Mulley
Treasury: Harriet Slater
Colonial Office: Patrick Gordon Walker
Commonwealth Relations Office: Tom Fraser
Defence: Roy Mason
Education and Science: Rosa Bancroft
Environment Protection: Emrys Hughes
Housing and Local Government: Richard Crossman
Scotland: William Ross
Board of Trade: Anthony Crosland
Wales: George Thomas.

Socialist Labour MPs outside the shadow cabinet with Opposition front bench responsibilities shadowed the following departments:
Leader of the House: Edward Short
Agriculture: Margaret Herbison
Expansion and Industry: Frederick Lee
Health: Catriona Macleod (1)
Labour: James Callaghan
Overseas Development: Judith Hart
Pension and National Insurance; Arthur Probert
Post Office: Roy Jenkins
Transport: George Darling
Attorney-General: Hector Hughes KC
Solicitor-General: Samuel Silkin KC.

(1) Fictional character.

 

[pipisme]

On Saturday 25 July 1964 the pound sterling was devalued from US$3.08 to US$2.60, and bank rate was raised from 4% to 7%.

 

[pipisme]

In the House of Commons on Monday 27 July, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Denis Healey, defended the decision to devalue the pound by saying that it was necessary because of the economic mess the Tories had left. The balance of payments for June was £311 up from £231 in May and devaluation would significantly reduce that deficit.

For Socialist Labour, the shadow Chancellor, Harriet Slater, opposed devaluation because it would reduce living standards by increasing prices. She said that Socialist Labour would cut the balance of payments deficit by imposing a 15% import surcharge, and increasing exports by the proposals in the Socialist Labour manifesto for the general election. These were using the tax system to encourage industry to export more, and by improving facilities to help small businesses to increase exports.

For the Tories, Peter Thorneycroft attacked the government's decision to devalue. He said that it was unnecessary, would reduce living standards and was taken solely for political reasons as a stick to beat the previous government.

Contempory commentators and historians generally agree that the Liberal government made the right decision from the view of political tactics by devaluing a month after the general election, when they could blame the Tories.

 

[pipisme]

The 1964 Summer Olympics were held in Detroit in the last two weeks of August 1964. The top five countries in the gold medal table were as follows:
United States: 38
German Federation: 24
Soviet Union: 22
China: 18
Japan: 16.
Great Britain won five gold medals.

 

[sarahz]

The 1964 Summer Olympics were held in Detroit in the last two weeks of August 1964. The top five countries in the gold medal table were as follows:
United States: 38
German Federation: 24
Soviet Union: 22
China: 18
Japan: 16.
Great Britain won five gold medals.

hmm time for a natiomal lottery?

 

[pipisme]

The British performance in the 1964 Summer Olympics was no worse than in previous games. Tom Barrett was the Minister of Sport, officially a Parliamentary Secretary Ministry of Education and Science. [1] He was born in September 1930 and educated at Bedales School and New College, Oxford. [2]

[1] He is a fictional character.

[2] For Bedales see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedales_School.

 

[pipisme]

Tom Barrett was a member of the Oxford University Athletics Club and competed in track events on behalf of the University and came first in several. He was also a member of the University Liberal Society. He won a srveral medal in the 1000 metres race in the 1956 Buenos Aires Summer Olympics. He was elected Liberal MP for Erith and Crayford in the June 1960 general election.

The Liberal manifesto for the June 1964 general election promised that a Liberal government would have a minister responsible for sport. It would increase funding to sport clubs and encourage the provision of community sports facilities.

 

[sarahz]

Tom Barrett was a member of the Oxford University Athletics Club and competed in track events on behalf of the University and came first in several. He was also a member of the University Liberal Society. He won a srveral medal in the 1000 metres race in the 1956 Buenos Aires Summer Olympics. He was elected Liberal MP for Erith and Crayford in the June 1960 general election.

The Liberal manifesto for the June 1964 general election promised that a Liberal government would have a minister responsible for sport. It would increase funding to sport clubs and encourage the provision of community sports facilities.

Ming Campbell was a British International Too

 

[pipisme]

1964 was election year in the United States. Because Henry Cabot Lodge had served two terms as President, he could not seek re-election and the Republican nomination was open.

The Democrat national convention was held Atlantic City, New Jersey, from 24 to 27 August. (1) The delegates chose John Pastore, Senator from Rhode Island, as candidate for President, and William Fulbright, Senator from Arkansas, as Vice Presidential candidate.

The Republican Party met in San Francisco for their convention from 13 to 16 July. (2). The delegates voted for Nelson Rockefeller, Governor of New York as their candidate for President and Margaret Chase Smith, Senator from Maine, for Vice President.

At the Social Democrat convention held in Pittsburg from 27 to 30 July, Gaylord Nelson, Senator from Wisconsin, was chosen as candidate for President, and John Burroughs, Governor of New Mexico, as Vice Presidential candidate.

(1) This was in OTL.

(2) This was in OTL.

 

[idumea]

I was under the impression that no 22nd amendment had passed in this TL, so perhaps Cabot Lodge Jr chose not to restand due to respecting the 2 term convention.