Conservative Party (UK) leadership election, 1965
Encyclopedia
The Conservative Party
leadership election of July 1965 was held to find a successor to Sir Alec Douglas-Home
.
It was the first time that a formal election by the parliamentary party had taken place, previous leaders having emerged through a consultation process. This procedure had fallen into disrepute following the manoeuverings over the leadership at the 1963 party conference which had led to the appointment of Douglas-Home, then a hereditary member of the House of Lords
.
There were three candidates for the party leadership - Edward Heath
, then Shadow Chancellor; Reginald Maudling
, Shadow Foreign Secretary; and Enoch Powell
, Shadow Transport Minister. Maudling, the most experienced and publicly known of the candidates, was generally considered to be the favourite. Heath, however, fought a more effective leadership campaign, organised by his young lieutenant Peter Walker
.
The result of the ballot on 27 July was as follows.
The rules in place required the victor to have both an absolute majority (which Heath had narrowly achieved) and, in the first ballot, at least a 15% lead of votes actually cast (not counting abstaining members - this would be changed in time for the 1990 contest). As Heath had not achieved the latter hurdle, the election could therefore have gone to further rounds. However Maudling conceded defeat and Heath was duly declared leader.
Powell had not expected to win, but said he had "left his calling card", ie. publicly demonstrated himself to be a potential future leader. However, by the next time the leadership fell vacant in 1975, he had become an Ulster Unionist and so was no longer eligible to stand.
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
leadership election of July 1965 was held to find a successor to Sir Alec Douglas-Home
Alec Douglas-Home
Alexander Frederick Douglas-Home, Baron Home of the Hirsel, KT, PC , known as The Earl of Home from 1951 to 1963 and as Sir Alec Douglas-Home from 1963 to 1974, was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from October 1963 to October 1964.He is the last...
.
It was the first time that a formal election by the parliamentary party had taken place, previous leaders having emerged through a consultation process. This procedure had fallen into disrepute following the manoeuverings over the leadership at the 1963 party conference which had led to the appointment of Douglas-Home, then a hereditary member of the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
.
There were three candidates for the party leadership - Edward Heath
Edward Heath
Sir Edward Richard George "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE, PC was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and as Leader of the Conservative Party ....
, then Shadow Chancellor; Reginald Maudling
Reginald Maudling
Reginald Maudling was a British politician who held several Cabinet posts, including Chancellor of the Exchequer. He had been spoken of as a prospective Conservative leader since 1955, and was twice seriously considered for the post; he was Edward Heath's chief rival in 1965...
, Shadow Foreign Secretary; and Enoch Powell
Enoch Powell
John Enoch Powell, MBE was a British politician, classical scholar, poet, writer, and soldier. He served as a Conservative Party MP and Minister of Health . He attained most prominence in 1968, when he made the controversial Rivers of Blood speech in opposition to mass immigration from...
, Shadow Transport Minister. Maudling, the most experienced and publicly known of the candidates, was generally considered to be the favourite. Heath, however, fought a more effective leadership campaign, organised by his young lieutenant Peter Walker
Peter Walker, Baron Walker of Worcester
Peter Edward Walker, Baron Walker of Worcester, MBE, PC , was British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he served in the Cabinet as the Environment Secretary , Trade and Industry Secretary , Agriculture Minister , Energy Secretary and Welsh Secretary...
.
The result of the ballot on 27 July was as follows.
| First Ballot: 27 July 1965 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Edward Heath Edward Heath Sir Edward Richard George "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE, PC was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and as Leader of the Conservative Party .... |
150 | 50.4 | |
| Reginald Maudling Reginald Maudling Reginald Maudling was a British politician who held several Cabinet posts, including Chancellor of the Exchequer. He had been spoken of as a prospective Conservative leader since 1955, and was twice seriously considered for the post; he was Edward Heath's chief rival in 1965... |
133 | 44.6 | |
| Enoch Powell Enoch Powell John Enoch Powell, MBE was a British politician, classical scholar, poet, writer, and soldier. He served as a Conservative Party MP and Minister of Health . He attained most prominence in 1968, when he made the controversial Rivers of Blood speech in opposition to mass immigration from... |
15 | 5.0 | |
The rules in place required the victor to have both an absolute majority (which Heath had narrowly achieved) and, in the first ballot, at least a 15% lead of votes actually cast (not counting abstaining members - this would be changed in time for the 1990 contest). As Heath had not achieved the latter hurdle, the election could therefore have gone to further rounds. However Maudling conceded defeat and Heath was duly declared leader.
Powell had not expected to win, but said he had "left his calling card", ie. publicly demonstrated himself to be a potential future leader. However, by the next time the leadership fell vacant in 1975, he had become an Ulster Unionist and so was no longer eligible to stand.