Lord Drummond is a fictional character

Fictional character

A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...

 in the Palliser series of novels

Palliser novels

The Palliser novels are six novels by Anthony Trollope.The common thread is the wealthy aristocrat and politician Plantagenet Palliser and his wife Lady Glencora...

 by Anthony Trollope

Anthony Trollope

Anthony Trollope was one of the most successful, prolific and respected English novelists of the Victorian era. Some of his best-loved works, collectively known as the Chronicles of Barsetshire, revolve around the imaginary county of Barsetshire...

. For historical holders of the title, see Lord Drummond

Lord Drummond

Lord Drummond may refer to:*Lord Drummond of Cargill, created in 1488 and held since 1605 by the Earl of Perth*Lord Drummond of Stobhall, created in 1605 along with the Earldom of Perth...

.

Lord Drummond first appears in Phineas Redux

Phineas Redux

Phineas Redux is a novel by Anthony Trollope, first published in 1873 as a serial in The Graphic. It is the fourth of the "Palliser" series of novels and the sequel to the second book of the series, Phineas Finn.-Synopsis:...

(1873) as Secretary of State for War

Secretary of State for War

The position of Secretary of State for War, commonly called War Secretary, was a British cabinet-level position, first held by Henry Dundas . In 1801 the post became that of Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. The position was re-instated in 1854...

 in the Conservative

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...

 government of Mr Daubeny. As a peer, he sits in 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....

. He and a Mr Boffin are the only members of the government to resign over the Prime Minister's controversial proposals for reform of the Church of England

Church of England

The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...

. Mr Daubeny's government eventually falls over the issue, but on his return to power Lord Drummond rejoins him as Secretary of State for the Colonies

Secretary of State for the Colonies

The Secretary of State for the Colonies or Colonial Secretary was the British Cabinet minister in charge of managing the United Kingdom's various colonial dependencies....

. When the Duke of Omnium

Plantagenet Palliser

Plantagenet Palliser, Duke of Omnium and Earl of Silverbridge, is a main character in the Palliser series of novels, also known as the "Parliamentary Novels," by Anthony Trollope....

 forms his Coalition Government at the beginning of The Prime Minister (1876), Lord Drummond remains at the Colonial Office, and remains loyal to the Duke although there is some tension between them. However, when the Duke makes the little-known Earl of Earlybird a Knight of the Garter in preference to Lord Drummond, the latter peer openly falls out with his Prime Minister.

The opposition of Lord Drummond and several others of the government over the issue of County Suffrage leads to the downfall of the Coalition, and Mr Gresham forms a weak Liberal

Liberal Party (UK)

The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...

 Government. This government falls early in The Duke's Children

The Duke's Children

The Duke's Children is a novel by Anthony Trollope, first published in 1879 as a serial in All the Year Round. It is the sixth and final novel of the "Palliser" series.-Synopsis:...

(1879), and Lord Drummond becomes Conservative Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...

. Relations are strained between him and his Leader of the House of Commons

Leader of the House of Commons

The Leader of the House of Commons is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom who is responsible for arranging government business in the House of Commons...

, Sir Timothy Beeswax, and for a while it seems likely that Lord Drummond will resign in Sir Timothy's favour. However, Lord Drummond prefers to let the Liberals take power than allow for the continuance of his own party under Sir Timothy Beeswax, and so Mr Monk forms a Liberal government (with the Duke of Omnium as Lord President of the Council

Lord President of the Council

The Lord President of the Council is the fourth of the Great Officers of State of the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord High Treasurer and above the Lord Privy Seal. The Lord President usually attends each meeting of the Privy Council, presenting business for the monarch's approval...

).