Lesson 5 - Who Were The Most Successful Conservative Leaders In The 1950’s?

Question 1

Who were the three conservative leaders?

Answer 1

-Churchill 1951-1955
-Eden 1955-1957 - resigned in 1957 due to suez crisis
-MacMillan 1957

Question 2

Churchill strengths as PM

Answer 2

• strong war time leader
• strong reputation and influence
• international statesman

Question 3

Weaknesses of Winston Churchill as a PM

Answer 3

• ill often
• Eden ran Britain day to day, impatient of Churchill and waiting for him to step down.

Question 4

Eden strengths as PM

Answer 4

• called early election in 1955 and increased the conservative active majority seats from 17-60
• progressive ideas i.e. property owning democracy and industrial partnership

Question 5

Edens weaknesses as PM

Answer 5

• Suez crisis - highlighted foreign policy failure, and made him look weak. Destroyed his reputation and resulted him his resignation.
• attacked by the Labour Party in newspapers - spread to public which made him look bad
• lied to the House of Commons about colluding with France and Israel re: Suez crisis , made him look bad.

Question 6

Strengths of MacMillan as a PM?

Answer 6

• won support of the media
• untied the party
• economic prosperity continued

Question 7

Weaknesses of MacMillan as a PM?

Answer 7

• initially supported the Suez campaign
• led a campaign against his own leader, Eden in 1956, forcing him to withdraw from Egypt.