Reginald Maudling

statesman Chancellor of the Exchequer politiciqan

March 7, 1917 (age 61)

London, City of London, United Kingdom

At the beginning of World War II, he joined the intelligence section of the Royal Air Force and then became secretary to Sir Archibald Sinclair (an old Liberal leader and later Viscount Thurso), who was then secretary of state for air. In the postwar years, Maudling began to pursue a political career. He was trumped in his bid for the Heaton and Isleworth seat during the 1945 general election, but soon joined the Conservative parliamentary secretariat, which amalgamated with the party’s research department in 1948. During this time, he advised both Winston Churchill and Anthony Eden on financial matters. In February 1950 he won the Barnet constituency in the general election, representing it until his death in 1979 (in 1974 the constituency was renamed Chipping Barnet). He then became a junior minister, first as parliamentary secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation in April 1952, and then as economic secretary from November 1952 until April 1955. In 1955, when Anthony Eden replaced Winston Churchill as prime minister, Maudling was given the post of minister of supply, and therewith membership in the Privy Council; but he was discontented in this ministry, the function of which was merely to'act as go-between for customer and supplier. He approved of the British intervention in the Suez Canal in 1956 as “morally correct” and felt no need to resign in the wake of the political defeat of Eden’s government. In 1957 he was appointed paymaster-general, and he remained in this post until 1959, acting at the same time as deputy to the minister of fuel and power. In 1959 he became president of the Board of Trade, in which capacity he argued forcibly against British entry into the Common Market. For nine months, between October 1961 and July 1962, Maudling served as colonial secretary, negotiating a new constitution for independent Zambia. In July 1962 he became chancellor of the exchequer, replacing J. S. B. Lloyd (later Lord Selwyn-Lloyd), from whom he inherited the “pay pause” policy. In February 1963 he continued in the same line, approving a recommendation by the National Economic Development Council that a 4 percent limit on pay increases be maintained. His 1963 budget was considered cautious. Although his 1964 budget called for an increase of £100 million in indirect taxation, that amount was insufficient to curb consumer spending and the influx of imports that was occurring. The economy was moving into a balance-of-payments crisis as the October 1964 general election approached, but Maudling was reluctant to impose harsher constraints in a preelection budget. In the end, the government was swept out of power, to be replaced by a new Labour administration under Harold Wilson. Maudling later claimed that Wilson’s government had inherited a balance-of-payments deficit of only £600 million; but Labour claimed that the actual deficit was closer to £800 million. In 1963, out of office and with his financial reputation stained, Maudling became deputy leader of the Conservative Party, and he continued in this position until 1972. In 1970, with the formation of Edward Heaths Conservative government, it was almost inevitable that he would become home secretary. His liberal instincts ensured that repatriation became less central to the Immigration Bill he prepared; but the same instincts meant that he was not the right person to deal with the problem of vio¬lence between the Catholic and Protestant communities in Northern Ireland. He reluctandy agreed to internment as a means of controlling terrorism; and he recognized the need for a sec¬retary of state for Northern Ireland, separate from the Home Office. He was forced to resign as home secretary in July 1972, following the bankruptcy of John Poulson, an architect and builder with whom Maudling had had dealings in the 1960s. The Poulson affair was subject to criminal investigation by the metropolitan police, over which the home secretary had jurisdiction. In the course of the investigation, a conflict of interest emerged when it was revealed that although Maudling had received no salary from Poulson, Poulson had contributed generously to a charitable trust favored by Maudling’s wife. Maudling returned briefly to public life when Margaret Thatcher replaced Edward Heath as Conservative leader in 1975, joining her shadow cabinet; but he lost his position in November 1976. He died on 14 February 1979

Reginald Maudling Edit Profile

statesman Chancellor of the Exchequer politiciqan

Background

Reginald Maudling was born in London on 7 March 1917, the only child of Reginald George Maudling and his wife, Elizabeth Emilie Pearson.

Education

He was educated at Merchant Taylors’ School and at Merton College, Oxford, and then trained to become a barrister, being called to the bar at Middle Temple in 1940.

Career

At the beginning of World War II, he joined the intelligence section of the Royal Air Force and then became secretary to Sir Archibald Sinclair (an old Liberal leader and later Viscount Thurso), who was then secretary of state for air.

In the postwar years, Maudling began to pursue a political career. He was trumped in his bid for the Heaton and Isleworth seat during the 1945 general election, but soon joined the Conservative parliamentary secretariat, which amalgamated with the party’s research department in 1948. During this time, he advised both Winston Churchill and Anthony Eden on financial matters.

In February 1950 he won the Barnet constituency in the general election, representing it until his death in 1979 (in 1974 the constituency was renamed Chipping Barnet). He then became a junior minister, first as parliamentary secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation in April 1952, and then as economic secretary from November 1952 until April 1955. In 1955, when Anthony Eden replaced Winston Churchill as prime minister, Maudling was given the post of minister of supply, and therewith membership in the Privy Council; but he was discontented in this ministry, the function of which was merely to'act as go-between for customer and supplier. He approved of the British intervention in the Suez Canal in 1956 as “morally correct” and felt no need to resign in the wake of the political defeat of Eden’s government.

In 1957 he was appointed paymaster-general, and he remained in this post until 1959, acting at the same time as deputy to the minister of fuel and power. In 1959 he became president of the Board of Trade, in which capacity he argued forcibly against British entry into the Common Market.

For nine months, between October 1961 and July 1962, Maudling served as colonial secretary, negotiating a new constitution for independent Zambia. In July 1962 he became chancellor of the exchequer, replacing J. S. B. Lloyd (later Lord Selwyn-Lloyd), from whom he inherited the “pay pause” policy. In February 1963 he continued in the same line, approving a recommendation by the National Economic Development Council that a 4 percent limit on pay increases be maintained. His 1963 budget was considered cautious. Although his 1964 budget called for an increase of £100 million in indirect taxation, that amount was insufficient to curb consumer spending and the influx of imports that was occurring. The economy was moving into a balance-of-payments crisis as the October 1964 general election approached, but Maudling was reluctant to impose harsher constraints in a preelection budget. In the end, the government was swept out of power, to be replaced by a new Labour administration under Harold Wilson. Maudling later claimed that Wilson’s government had inherited a balance-of-payments deficit of only £600 million; but Labour claimed that the actual deficit was closer to £800 million.

In 1963, out of office and with his financial reputation stained, Maudling became deputy leader of the Conservative Party, and he continued in this position until 1972. In 1970, with the formation of Edward Heaths Conservative government, it was almost inevitable that he would become home secretary. His liberal instincts ensured that repatriation became less central to the Immigration Bill he prepared; but the same instincts meant that he was not the right person to deal with the problem of vio¬lence between the Catholic and Protestant communities in Northern Ireland. He reluctandy agreed to internment as a means of controlling terrorism; and he recognized the need for a sec¬retary of state for Northern Ireland, separate from the Home Office.

He was forced to resign as home secretary in July 1972, following the bankruptcy of John Poulson, an architect and builder with whom Maudling had had dealings in the 1960s. The Poulson affair was subject to criminal investigation by the metropolitan police, over which the home secretary had jurisdiction. In the course of the investigation, a conflict of interest emerged when it was revealed that although Maudling had received no salary from Poulson, Poulson had contributed generously to a charitable trust favored by Maudling’s wife.

Maudling returned briefly to public life when Margaret Thatcher replaced Edward Heath as Conservative leader in 1975, joining her shadow cabinet; but he lost his position in November 1976. He died on 14 February 1979

Achievements

Рe helped form the European Free Trade Association in November 1959, consisting of Britain, the Scandinavian countries, Portugal, and Switzerland. Yet when Prime Minister Harold Macmillan began to press for British entry to the Common Market in 1961, Maudling became an advocate of Market membership, although he continued to oppose a unified European state.

Connections

In 1939 he married Beryl Laverick.

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