Conservative chj History Journal Winter 2009/10 | £7.50 James Inglis: Lord Liverpool the life and career of a much under-rated politician Gavin Lambert: Was Churchill an Arthurian hero or just a politician – an iconoclastic view of the war leader's career Join the debate at: Plus: Mark Coalter talks to John Ramsden and Keith Simpson interviews Ion Trewin about chj http://conservativehistory.blogspot.com/ Alan Clark; Kenneth Baxter on Florence Horsbrugh, the first Conservative woman Cabinet The blog of the Conservative History Journal member; Ronald Porter on Mollie Butler; Gordon Hector on Margaret Thatcher’s use and abuse of history Conservative History Journal • Issue 7 • Winter 2008 2 Conservative History Journal Cover_Jan10.indd 1-2 09/02/2010 10:49 The Conservative History Journal is published by the Conservative History Group Contents ISSN 1479-8026 Advertisements 3 Editorial Between the Thin Blue Lines To advertise in the next issue Helen Szamuely – The Agents’ View of Politics call Helen Szamuely on 07733 018999 Jean M. Lucas (ed.): 4 Lord Liverpool Editorial/Correspondence James M. A. Inglis Contributions to the Journal – letters, articles Trafford Publishing and book reviews are invited. The Journal ISBN 978-1-4251-5776-0 is a refereed publication; all articles submit- 8 Arthur Balfour – the man behind Israel’s right to exist £10 + £1 p&p ted will be reviewed and publication is not Sten A. Hankewitz guaranteed. Contributions should be emailed Available from: Jean Lucas, 1 Parkway, Stone, or posted to the addresses below. All articles Staffordshire, ST15 8PJ; 9 Professor John Ramsden remain copyright © their authors Tel: 01785 813926 Mark Coalter Subscriptions/Membership Reviewed by Helen Szamuely An annual subscription to the Conservative 12 Clark of Toad Hall History Group costs £15. Copies of the Ion Trewin Journal are included in the membership fee. The Conservative History Group 16 ‘Where there is error, let us bring truth’ – Margaret Thatcher’s Chairman: Keith Simpson MP history Deputy Chairman: Professor John Charmley Gordon Hector Director: Nigel Fletcher hose who recall the Leyton This sums up this highly entertaining In the meantime, I strongly recom- Treasurer: John Strafford Journal Editor: Helen Szamuely 20 General notes and announcements by-election of 1965 as having and fascinating book of tales out of clubs mend anyone who is interested in how enormous political significance and committee rooms, tales of triumphs the party functioned during and between Conservative History Group 21 Florence Gertrude Horsbrugh (not least for Patrick Gordon and disasters at the lowest level of the elections for several decades, to read this PO Box 279 TWalker’s career) would find a curious party structure, where so much of the real collection of reminiscences that take us Kenneth Baxter Tunbridge Wells fascination in an account by of the political work is done. through the cosy meetings (and splendid Kent TN2 4WJ 24 Lady Butler of Saffron Walden clerks-in-charge, a young Agent. Her The whole carefully developed but rows) of the fifties, through the changes Ronald Porter story is about a meeting being held in a precarious system of Agents has now of the subsequent decades, the growth of Email: [email protected] very dusty room and her being caught disappeared, which may not be to the ideological commitment and the reforms Website: www.conservativehistory.org.uk 26 Winston Churchill – an Arthurian hero or just a politician? between the terrifying Central Office party’s benefit. The link between Central in the structure. Jean Lucas, herself an Blog: http://conservativehistory.blogspot.com Gavin Lambert Agent who wanted the room cleaned and Office, CCHQ as it is now known, and Agent and a Group Agent, as well as the equally terrifying landlady who did the membership, especially the activists the editor of the Agents’ Journal for some 29 The House of Dynevor and Conservative Politics 1910-38 not want anything touched. Describing has weakened. When questions are asked years, has put together this volume, con- Gerard Charmley herself as a ‘meek child of 26’ (in 1965?) about people not joining the Conservative tributed several accounts as well as an the former Agent draws a fascinating pic- (or any other political) party in the num- analysis of some of the finances. It must 33 Walter Ramsden Hawkesworth Fawkes (1769 – 1825) ture of a vanished world, then omits the bers they used to, at least a partial answer have been a labour of love as well as of John Hirst denouement: we never find out how she may be that people do not necessarily feel much frustration. solved the problem. that it is their party any longer. 35 The Demise and Rise of the Conservative movement in Canada David McCann 38 How far was the Falklands War the main reason for Thatcher’s The Conservative History Group 1983 General Election victory? Justin Kempley As the Conservative Party regroups after three general election defeats, learning from history is perhaps more vital than ever. The Conservative History Group promotes the discussion and debate of all aspects of Conservative history. We organise a wide-ranging programme of speaker meetings and publish the Conservative History Journal. For an annual subscription of BOOK REVIEW only £15 you will receive invites to all our events as well as complimentary copies of the Conservative History Journal Please fill in and return this form if you would like to join the Conservative History Group 41 The Old Boys’ Network: A Headmaster’s Diaries 1970-1986 by John Rae Name Address Email Telephone Send your details with your subscription of £15 to Conservative History Group, PO Box 279, Tunbridge Wells, TN2 4WJ 2 Conservative History Journal • Issue 8 • Winter 2009/10 Conservative History Journal • Issue 8 • Winter 2009/10 43 Conservative History Journal Cover_Jan10.indd 3-4 09/02/2010 10:49 Editorial, Helen Szamuely Editorial Helen Szamuely is the editor of the Conservative History Journal. Email her on [email protected]. s usual, this Editorial starts with ber, Florence Horsbrugh. It is, inciden- an apology – the Journal over- tally, of some interest to follow the progress ran its time and is appearing in of women in politics and to find how January 2010 instead of autumn often that happened in and through the Aor winter of 2009. Well, at least, it is a real Conservative Party. winter, which will encourage readers to Other articles deal with Lord Liverpool, spend time on the many interesting articles an under-rated Prime Minister, in this issue. Lord Balfour and that Declaration, We have two interviews with histo- Conservatives in Wales and in Canada, rians, though one, Mark Coalter’s with Lady Butler and Sir Winston Churchill. Professor John Ramsden, who died last The last of these is a somewhat contro- year, was so long that only an excerpt versial piece and I expect many angry could be published. The full interview is letters from readers. I shall be happy to on the secondary Conservative History publish them all on the blog as soon as Journal blog, intended for longer pieces they arrive and if a wide-reaching debate (http://conservativehistory2.blogspot. starts, so much the better. com/). The other article, reprinted from The Conservative History blog has now Total Politics, is a discussion between Keith multiplied, as I mentioned above. While Simpson MP and Ion Trewin about the the shorter pieces continue on the origi- latter’s biography of the late Alan Clark, nal (and they will continue with greater also an historian as well as a politician and frequency this year) a second one has all-round entertainer. appeared, for longer articles that will be There is an intriguing article about the linked to the original. Between the two of way Margaret Thatcher used history in them I hope to create something resem- her political speeches and campaigns and bling an on-line CHJ that will comple- one about the 1983 election. That makes ment the printed version. only two articles about the Prime Minister Happy 2010 to all our readers. Enjoy so many of us refer to as The Lady. But this edition of the Journal; please write we also look at another great lady, the with comments, suggestions and articles first Conservative woman Cabinet mem- either for the printed or the cyber journal. Conservative History Journal • Issue 8 • Winter 2009/10 3 Conservative history journal_Dec09.indd 3 09/02/2010 10:44 Lord Liverpool ‘… but he was a very honest, upright man & deserves a higher character as a statesman than I dare say History will grant to him.’ James M. A. Inglis, a newly qualified teacher at Church Langley Community Primary School in Harlow, Essex, writes about an unjustly forgotten Prime Minister 4 Conservative History Journal • Issue 8 • Winter 2009/10 Conservative history journal_Dec09.indd 4 09/02/2010 10:44 Lord Liverpool obert Banks Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of paralytic stroke on 17 February 1827. He this island’s story are published without Liverpool KG (1770-1828), was was immediately certified politically if not a single reference to Liverpool. Simon First Lord of the Treasury and actually dead by his contemporaries. Some Schama presented a landmark BBC tele- Prime Minister for almost fifteen politicians instantly and entirely removed vision series called A History of Britain in Ryears in the early nineteenth century. To any thought of him from their minds. 2000 and produced a multi-volume work be quite precise about it, Lord Liverpool John Wilson Croker, the Secretary to to accompany it. Liverpool is not men- was Prime Minister for 14 years and 305 the Admiralty, noted in his diary on the tioned at all. Even his political descen- days, from 8 June 1812 to 9 April 1827.