Minister of Defence (United Kingdom)

Last updated

Minister of Defence
Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (HM Government).svg
Churchill1944.png
Longest serving
Winston Churchill

10 May 1940 – 27 July 1945
Ministry of Defence (1947–1964)
StatusAbolished
Member of Cabinet
Reports toPrime Minister
Precursor Minister for Co-ordination of Defence
Formation10 May 1940
First holder Winston Churchill
Final holder Peter Thorneycroft
Abolished1 April 1964
Succession Secretary of State for Defence

The post of Minister of Defence was responsible for co-ordination of defence and security from its creation in 1940 until its abolition in 1964. The post was a Cabinet-level post and generally ranked above the three service ministers, some of whom, however, continued to also serve in Cabinet.

Contents

The Ministry of Defence was created in 1947. [1]

History

Prior to the outbreak of the Second World War, concerns about British forces being understrength led in 1936 to the creation of the post of Minister for Coordination of Defence by Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin. The post was abolished by Baldwin's successor Neville Chamberlain in April 1940.

On his appointment as Prime Minister in May 1940, Winston Churchill created for himself the new post of Minister of Defence. The post was created in response to previous criticism that there had been no clear single minister in charge of the prosecution of the war. In 1946, the post became the only cabinet-level post representing the military, with the three service ministers—the Secretary of State for War, the First Lord of the Admiralty, and the Secretary of State for Air—now formally subordinated to the Minister of Defence.

In 1964, the creation of a single, merged Ministry of Defence and the abolition of the separate service ministries in the UK led to the creation of the new post of Secretary of State for Defence, more popularly known as Defence Secretary.

Ministers of Defence, 1940–1964

MinisterTerm of officePolitical partyPrime Minister
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
Churchill1944.png Winston Churchill
MP for Epping
10 May 194027 July 19455 years, 78 days Conservative Winston Churchill
(War Coalition)
Attlee BW cropped.jpg Clement Attlee
MP for Limehouse
27 July 194520 December 19461 year, 146 days Labour Clement Attlee
INF3-62 A V Alexander Artist's signature E A B.jpg A. V. Alexander
MP for Sheffield Hillsborough
20 December 194628 February 19503 years, 70 days Labour Co-op
Emanuel Shinwel HU 059765 (crop).jpg Emanuel Shinwell
MP for Easington
28 February 195026 October 19511 year, 240 days Labour
Churchill portrait NYP 45063.jpg Winston Churchill
MP for Woodford
28 October 19511 March 1952127 days Conservative Winston Churchill
Sir Harold Alexander 026065.jpg Harold Alexander
1st Earl Alexander of Tunis
1 March 195218 October 19542 years, 231 daysnone
Harold Macmillan in 1942.jpg Harold Macmillan
MP for Bromley
18 October 19547 April 1955171 days Conservative
Selwyn Lloyd cropped.jpg Selwyn Lloyd
MP for The Wirral
7 April 195520 December 1955257 days Conservative Anthony Eden
Sir Walter Monckton, January 1942 IWM A 6697 (cropped).jpg Walter Monckton
MP for Bristol West
20 December 195518 October 1956303 days Conservative
Blank.png Antony Head
MP for Carshalton
18 October 19569 January 195783 days Conservative
Sandys 1944 cropped.jpg Duncan Sandys
MP for Streatham
13 January 195714 October 19592 years, 274 days Conservative Harold Macmillan
Blank.png Harold Watkinson
MP for Woking
14 October 1959 13 July 1962 2 years, 272 days Conservative
Peter Thorneycroft cropped.png Peter Thorneycroft
MP for Monmouth
13 July 1962 1 April 19641 year, 263 days Conservative
Alec Douglas-Home

The post of Minister of Defence was abolished in 1964 and replaced by the new post of Secretary of State for Defence.

See also

Principal political leaders of the English/British Armed Forces:
Royal NavyBritish ArmyRoyal Air ForceCo-ordination
1628 First Lord of the Admiralty
(1628–1964)
1794 Secretary of State for War
(1794–1801)
1801 Secretary of State for War and the Colonies
(1801–1854)
1854 Secretary of State for War
(1854–1964)
1919 Secretary of State for Air
(1919–1964)
1936 Minister for Co-ordination of Defence
(1936–1940)
1940 Minister of Defence (1940–1964)
1964 Secretary of State for Defence (1964–present)

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Admiralty (United Kingdom)</span> British Government ministry responsible for the Royal Navy until 1964

The Admiralty was a department of the Government of the United Kingdom responsible for the command of the Royal Navy until 1964, historically under its titular head, the Lord High Admiral – one of the Great Officers of State. For much of its history, from the early 18th century until its abolition, the role of the Lord High Admiral was almost invariably put "in commission" and exercised by the Lords Commissioner of the Admiralty, who sat on the governing Board of Admiralty, rather than by a single person. The Admiralty was replaced by the Admiralty Board in 1964, as part of the reforms that created the Ministry of Defence and its Navy Department.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air Ministry</span> Department of the Government of the United Kingdom (1918–1964)

The Air Ministry was a department of the Government of the United Kingdom with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964. It was under the political authority of the Secretary of State for Air.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stanley Baldwin</span> British statesman (1867–1947)

Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, was a British statesman and Conservative politician who dominated the government of the United Kingdom between the world wars, serving as prime minister on three occasions, from May 1923 to January 1924, from November 1924 to June 1929, and from June 1935 to May 1937.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)</span> UK Government department responsible for defence

The Ministry of Defence is the department responsible for implementing the defence policy set by His Majesty's Government, and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Secretary of State for War</span> Former position in the government of the United Kingdom (1794–1801, 1854–1964)

The Secretary of State for War, commonly called War Secretary, was a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, which existed from 1794 to 1801 and from 1854 to 1964. The Secretary of State for War headed the War Office and was assisted by a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for War, a Parliamentary Private Secretary who was also a Member of Parliament (MP), and a Military Secretary, who was a general.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Secretary of State for Air</span> Former cabinet-level position in British government

The Secretary of State for Air was a secretary of state position in the British government that existed from 1919 to 1964. The person holding this position was in charge of the Air Ministry. The Secretary of State for Air was supported by the Under-Secretary of State for Air.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">War Office</span> British Government department, 1857 to 1964

The War Office has referred to several British government organisations in history, all relating to the army. It was a department of the British Government responsible for the administration of the British Army between 1857 and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the new Ministry of Defence (MoD). It was at that time, equivalent to the Admiralty, responsible for the Royal Navy (RN), and the Air Ministry, which oversaw the Royal Air Force (RAF). The name 'War Office' is also given to the former home of the department, located at the junction of Horse Guards Avenue and Whitehall in central London. The landmark building was sold on 1 March 2016 by HM Government for more than £350 million, on a 250 year lease for conversion into a luxury hotel and residential apartments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Secretary of State for Defence</span> Member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom

The secretary of state for defence is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with responsibility for the Ministry of Defence. As a senior minister, the incumbent is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minister for Defence (Australia)</span> Australian cabinet position

The ministerfor Defence, also known as the Defence minister, is the minister of state of the Commonwealth of Australia charged with overseeing the organisation, implementation, and formulation of strategic policy in defence and military matters as the head of the Department of Defence. The Defence minister directs the government’s approach to the Australian Defence Organisation and the Australian Defence Force. The current Defence minister is Richard Marles, who is concurrently serving as deputy prime minister of Australia, he was appointed by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in May 2022 following the 2022 Australian federal election.

A war cabinet is a committee formed by a government in a time of war to efficiently and effectively conduct that war. It is usually a subset of the full executive cabinet of ministers, although it is quite common for a war cabinet to have senior military officers and opposition politicians as members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minister for Co-ordination of Defence</span> British Government position (1936–40)

The Minister for Co-ordination of Defence was a British Cabinet-level position established in 1936 to oversee and co-ordinate the rearmament of Britain's defences. It was abolished in 1940.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chamberlain war ministry</span> Government of the United Kingdom September 1939 – May 1940

Neville Chamberlain formed the Chamberlain war ministry in 1939 after declaring war on Germany. Chamberlain led the country for the first eight months of the Second World War, until the Norway Debate in Parliament led Chamberlain to resign and Winston Churchill to form a new ministry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Army Ministry</span> Former Japanese government ministry (1872–1945)

The Army Ministry, also known as the Ministry of War, was the cabinet-level ministry in the Empire of Japan charged with the administrative affairs of the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA). It existed from 1872 to 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Second Baldwin ministry</span> Government of the United Kingdom

Stanley Baldwin of the Conservative Party formed the second Baldwin ministry upon his reappointment as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom by King George V after the 1924 general election. His second ministry ended following the so-called "Flapper Election" of May 1929.

Defence Australia is a department of the Government of Australia charged with the responsibility to defend Australia and its national interests. Along with the Australian Defence Force (ADF), it forms part of the Australian Defence Organisation (ADO) and is accountable to the Commonwealth Parliament, on behalf of the Australian people, for the efficiency and effectiveness with which it carries out the Government's defence policy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ministry of Defence (India)</span> Indian Executive Department

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government relating directly to national security and the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the ceremonial commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the country. The Ministry of Defence provides policy framework and resources to the armed forces to discharge their responsibility in the context of the defence of the country. The Indian Armed Forces and Indian Coast Guard under the Ministry of Defence are primarily responsible for ensuring the territorial integrity of India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Churchill war ministry</span> UK government during World War II

The Churchill war ministry was the United Kingdom's coalition government for most of the Second World War from 10 May 1940 to 23 May 1945. It was led by Winston Churchill, who was appointed Prime Minister of the United Kingdom by King George VI following the resignation of Neville Chamberlain in the aftermath of the Norway Debate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ministry of Defence (1947–1964)</span> 1947–1964 United Kingdom government ministry responsible for coordinating national defence

The Ministry of Defence was a department of the British Government responsible for defence and the British Armed Forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Head of the Armed Forces</span> Commander-in-chief of the United Kingdom

Head of the Armed Forces is the position of the sovereign of the United Kingdom as commander-in-chief of the British Armed Forces. However, supreme military authority has been delegated by the monarch to the Defence Council of the United Kingdom, a body officially charged with the direction and administration of the Armed Forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Navy Department (Ministry of Defence)</span>

The Navy Department was a former ministerial service department of the British Ministry of Defence responsible for the control and direction of His Majesty's Naval Service. It was established on 1 April 1964 when the Admiralty was absorbed into a unified Ministry of Defence, where it became the Navy Department. Political oversight of the department originally lay with the Minister of Defence for the Royal Navy (1964-1967) it then passed to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence for the Royal Navy (1967–1981), then later to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces (1981-1990), and finally the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (1991–1997).

References

  1. Records of the Ministry of Defence. Ministry of Defence. 1808–2022.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)