Churchill war ministry

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 by King George VI following the resignation of Neville Chamberlain in the aftermath of the Norway Debate.

Churchill war ministry
1940–1945
Winston Churchill on 2 August 1944
Date formed	10 May 1940 (1940-05-10)
Date dissolved	23 May 1945 (1945-05-23)
People and organisations
Monarch	George VI
Prime Minister	Winston Churchill
Deputy Prime Minister	Clement Attlee (1942–1945)
Total no. of members	223 appointments
Member parties	Conservative Party Labour Party National Liberal Party Liberal Party National Labour
Status in legislature	Majority (coalition)
History
Legislature term(s)	37th UK Parliament
Incoming formation	Norway Debate
Predecessor	Chamberlain war ministry
Successor	Churchill caretaker ministry

At the outset, Churchill formed a five-man War Cabinet which included Chamberlain as Lord President of the Council, Clement Attlee as Lord Privy Seal and later as Deputy Prime Minister, Viscount Halifax as Foreign Secretary and Arthur Greenwood as a minister without portfolio. Although the original war cabinet was limited to five members, in practice they were augmented by the service chiefs and ministers who attended the majority of meetings. The cabinet changed in size and membership as the war progressed but there were significant additions later in 1940 when it was increased to eight after Churchill, Attlee and Greenwood were joined by Ernest Bevin as Minister of Labour and National Service; Anthony Eden as Foreign Secretary – replacing Halifax, who was sent to Washington D.C. as ambassador to the United States; Lord Beaverbrook as Minister of Aircraft Production; Sir Kingsley Wood as Chancellor of the Exchequer and Sir John Anderson as Lord President of the Council – replacing Chamberlain who died in November (Anderson later became Chancellor after Kingsley Wood's death in September 1943).

The coalition was dissolved in May 1945, following the final defeat of Germany, when the Labour Party decided to withdraw in order to prepare for a general election. Churchill, who was the leader of the Conservative Party, was asked by the King to form a new, essentially Conservative, government. It was known as the Churchill caretaker ministry and managed the country's affairs until completion of the general election on 26 July that year.

Background

Main article: Norway Debate

The 1935 general election had resulted in a Conservative victory with a substantial majority and Stanley Baldwin became Prime Minister. In May 1937, Baldwin retired and was succeeded by Neville Chamberlain who continued Baldwin's foreign policy of appeasement in the face of German, Italian and Japanese aggression. Having signed the Munich Agreement with Hitler in 1938, Chamberlain became alarmed by the dictator's continuing aggression and, in March 1939, signed the Anglo-Polish military alliance which supposedly guaranteed British support for Poland if attacked. Chamberlain issued the declaration of war against Germany on 3 September 1939 and formed a war cabinet which included Winston Churchill (out of office since June 1929) as First Lord of the Admiralty.[1]

Dissatisfaction with Chamberlain's leadership became widespread in the spring of 1940 after Germany successfully invaded Norway. In response, the House of Commons held the Norway Debate from 7 to 9 May. At the end of the second day, the Labour opposition forced a division which was in effect a motion of no confidence in Chamberlain. The government's majority of 213 was reduced to 81, still a victory but nevertheless a shattering blow for Chamberlain.[2]

9–13 May 1940: Creation of a new government

Neville Chamberlain resigned to make way for Churchill as Prime Minister.

On Thursday, 9 May, Chamberlain attempted to form a National Coalition Government. In talks at Downing Street with Viscount Halifax and Churchill, he indicated that he was quite ready to resign if that was necessary for Labour to enter such a government. Labour's leader Clement Attlee and his deputy Arthur Greenwood then joined the meeting, and when asked, they indicated that they must first consult their party's National Executive Committee (then in Bournemouth to prepare for the annual conference), but it was unlikely they could serve in a government led by Chamberlain; they probably would be able to serve under some other Conservative.[3]

After Attlee and Greenwood left, Chamberlain asked whom he should recommend to the King as his successor. The version of events given by Churchill is that Chamberlain's preference for Halifax was obvious (Churchill implies that the spat between Churchill and the Labour benches the previous night had something to do with that); there was a long silence which Halifax eventually broke by saying he did not believe he could lead the government effectively as a member of the House of Lords instead of the House of Commons.[4] Churchill's version gets the date wrong, and he fails to mention the presence of David Margesson, the government Chief Whip.[4][5][6]

Halifax's account omits the dramatic pause and gives an additional reason: "PM said I was the man mentioned as most acceptable. I said it would be hopeless position. If I was not in charge of the war (operations) and if I didn't lead in the House, I should be a cypher. I thought Winston was a better choice. Winston did not demur."[3] According to Halifax, Margesson then confirmed that the House of Commons had been veering to Churchill.

In a letter to Churchill written that night,[7] Bob Boothby asserted that parliamentary opinion was hardening against Halifax, claiming in a postscript that according to Liberal MP Clement Davies, "Attlee & Greenwood are unable to distinguish between the PM & Halifax and are not prepared to serve under the latter". Davies (who thought Chamberlain should go, and be replaced by Churchill) had lunched with Attlee and Greenwood (and argued his case) shortly before they saw Chamberlain.[8] Labour's Hugh Dalton, however, noted in his diary entry for 9 May that he had spoken with Attlee, who "agrees with my preference for Halifax over Churchill, but we both think either would be tolerable".[9]

On the morning of Friday, 10 May, Germany invaded the Netherlands and Belgium. Chamberlain initially felt that a change of government at such a time would be inappropriate, but upon being given confirmation that Labour would not serve under him, he announced to the War Cabinet his intention to resign.[10] Scarcely more than three days after he had opened the debate, Chamberlain went to Buckingham Palace to resign as Prime Minister. Despite resigning as PM, however, he continued to be the leader of the Conservative Party. He explained to the King why Halifax, whom the King thought the obvious candidate,[11] did not want to become Prime Minister. The King then sent for Churchill and asked him to form a new government; according to Churchill, there was no stipulation that it must be a coalition government.[12]

At 21:00 on 10 May, Chamberlain announced the change of Prime Minister over the BBC. Churchill's first act as Prime Minister was to ask Attlee to come and see him at Admiralty House. Next, he wrote to Chamberlain to thank him for his promised support. He then began to construct his coalition cabinet: before he went to bed at 03:00 on Saturday, 11 May, six hours after Chamberlain's original announcement, Churchill had established the composition of the new War Cabinet and appointed the heads of the three Service Ministries.[13]

Clement Attlee was the serving deputy to Churchill from 1942.

On Saturday, 11 May, the Labour Party agreed to join a national government under Churchill's leadership and he was able to form his war cabinet. In his biography of Churchill, Roy Jenkins described the Churchill cabinet as one "for winning", while the former Chamberlain cabinet was one "for losing".[14] Labour leader Clement Attlee relinquished his official role as Leader of the Opposition to become Lord Privy Seal (until 19 February 1942 when he was appointed Deputy Prime Minister). Arthur Greenwood, Labour's deputy leader, was appointed a minister without portfolio.[15]

The main problem for Churchill as he became Prime Minister was that he was not the leader of the majority Conservative Party and, needing its support, was obliged to include Chamberlain in the war cabinet, but this was not to Labour's liking. Initially, Churchill proposed to appoint Chamberlain as both Leader of the House of Commons and Chancellor of the Exchequer. Attlee objected and Churchill decided to appoint Chamberlain as Lord President of the Council. The fifth member of the war cabinet was Halifax, who retained his position as Foreign Secretary.[16] Instead of Chamberlain, Kingsley Wood became Chancellor but, until 3 October 1940, he was not a member of the war cabinet.[17]

Churchill appointed himself as Leader of the House (it was normal procedure until 1942 for a prime minister in the Commons to lead the House) and created for himself the new role of Minister of Defence, so that he would be permanent chair of the Cabinet Defence Committee which included the three service ministers and the three service chiefs.[18] Anthony Eden became Secretary of State for War, Labour's A. V. Alexander succeeded Churchill as First Lord of the Admiralty and the leader of the Liberal Party, Sir Archibald Sinclair, became Secretary of State for Air.[19] The three service Chiefs of Staff (CoS) at this time were Admiral Sir Dudley Pound, the First Sea Lord; Air Marshal Sir Cyril Newall, the Chief of the Air Staff; and Field Marshal Sir Edmund Ironside, the Chief of the Imperial General Staff (CIGS). (On 27 May, Ironside was replaced at Churchill's request by his deputy Field Marshal Sir John Dill, and Ironside became Commander-in-Chief, Home Forces.)[20]

By Monday, 13 May, most of the senior government posts were filled. That day was Whit Monday, normally a bank holiday but cancelled by the incoming government. A specially convened sitting of the House of Commons was held and Churchill spoke for the first time as Prime Minister:[21]

I beg to move, that this House welcomes the formation of a Government representing the united and inflexible resolve of the nation to prosecute the war with Germany to a victorious conclusion.

He explained that a War Cabinet of five members had been formed to represent the unity of the nation with all three main party leaders agreeing to serve either in the War Cabinet or in high executive office. Churchill was hoping to complete all ministerial appointments by the end of the 14th. He announced an adjournment of Commons business until the 21st and apologised for making only a short address for the present. Even so, his speech has become one of his most famous because he concluded with his statement of intent:[22]

I would say to the House, as I said to those who have joined this Government: "I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat". We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many long months of struggle and of suffering. You ask, what is our policy? I will say: It is to wage war, by sea, land and air, with all our might and with all the strength that God can give us; to wage war against a monstrous tyranny never surpassed in the dark, lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy. You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word: It is victory, victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival. Let that be realised; no survival for the British Empire, no survival for all that the British Empire has stood for, no survival for the urge and impulse of the ages, that mankind will move forward towards its goal. But I take up my task with buoyancy and hope. I feel sure that our cause will not be suffered to fail among men. At this time I feel entitled to claim the aid of all, and I say, "Come then, let us go forward together with our united strength".

In reply, Hastings Lees-Smith as acting Leader of the Opposition announced that Labour would vote for the motion to assure the country of a unified political front.[23] After several other members had spoken, including David Lloyd George and Stafford Cripps, the House divided on the question: "That this House welcomes the formation of a Government representing the united and inflexible resolve of the nation to prosecute the war with Germany to a victorious conclusion". 381 members voted "aye" in favour of the motion and, apart from the two tellers for the "noes", the wartime coalition was endorsed unanimously.[24]

Leader of the Opposition

There was no de facto Leader of the Opposition from 11 May 1940 until Attlee resumed the role on 23 May 1945. The Labour Party appointed an acting Leader of the Opposition whose job, although he was in effect a member of the national government, was to ensure the continued functionality of the House of Commons. Due process in the Commons requires someone, even a member of the government, to fill the role even if there is no actual opposition.[25] The first acting leader was Hastings Lees-Smith, the MP for Keighley, who died in office on 18 December 1941. He was briefly succeeded by Frederick Pethick-Lawrence and then, from 22 February 1942, by Arthur Greenwood who had left the War Cabinet, until 23 May 1945.[26]

14 May 1940 to 23 May 1945

• 2 August 1940: Lord Beaverbrook, Minister of Aircraft Production, joined the War Cabinet.
• 22 September 1940: resignation of Neville Chamberlain for health reasons (terminal colon cancer).
• October 1940: Sir John Anderson succeeded Chamberlain as Lord President and joined the War Cabinet. Sir Kingsley Wood, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Ernest Bevin, the Minister of Labour, also entered the War Cabinet. Lord Halifax assumed the additional job of Leader of the House of Lords.
• 9 November 1940: death of Neville Chamberlain.
• 22 December 1940: Anthony Eden succeeded Lord Halifax as Foreign Secretary (Eden held the post until 26 July 1945) and joined the War Cabinet as its eighth member. Halifax became Ambassador to the United States. His successor as Leader of the House of Lords was not in the War Cabinet.
• May 1941: Beaverbrook ceased to be Minister of Aircraft Production, but remained in the War Cabinet as Minister of State. His successor was not in the War Cabinet.
• June 1941: Beaverbrook became Minister of Supply, remaining in the War Cabinet.
• 1941: Oliver Lyttelton entered the Cabinet as Minister-Resident for the Middle East.
• 4 February 1942: Lord Beaverbrook became Minister of War Production; his successor as Minister of Supply was not in the War Cabinet.
• 19 February 1942: Beaverbrook resigned and no replacement Minister of War Production was appointed for the moment. Clement Attlee became Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister. Sir Stafford Cripps succeeded Attlee as Lord Privy Seal and took over the position of Leader of the House of Commons from Churchill. Sir Kingsley Wood left the War Cabinet, though remaining Chancellor of the Exchequer.
• 22 February 1942: Arthur Greenwood left the War Cabinet to assume the role of Leader of the Opposition, necessary for House of Commons functionality, till 23 May 1945.[26]
• March 1942: Oliver Lyttelton filled the vacant position of Minister of Production ("War" was dropped from the title). Richard Casey (a member of the Australian Parliament) succeeded Oliver Lyttelton as Minister-Resident for the Middle East.
• October 1942: Sir Stafford Cripps retired as Lord Privy Seal and Leader of the House of Commons and left the War Cabinet. His successor as Lord Privy Seal (Viscount Cranborne) was not in the Cabinet, Anthony Eden took the additional position of Leader of the House of Commons. The Home Secretary, Herbert Morrison, entered the Cabinet.
• 21 September 1943: death of Sir Kingsley Wood.
• September 1943: Sir John Anderson succeeded Sir Kingsley Wood as Chancellor of the Exchequer, remaining in the War Cabinet. Clement Attlee succeeded Anderson as Lord President, remaining also Deputy Prime Minister. Attlee's successor as Dominions Secretary was not in the Cabinet.
• November 1943: Lord Woolton entered the Cabinet as Minister of Reconstruction.
• January to November 1944: Lord Moyne replaced Richard Gardiner Casey as Minister-Resident for the Middle East.

End of the ministry, 23 May 1945

In October 1944, Churchill had proposed to the Commons that the current Parliament, which had begun in 1935, should be extended by a further year. He correctly anticipated the defeat of Germany in the spring of 1945 but he did not expect the end of the Far East war until 1946. He therefore recommended that the end of the European war should be "a pointer (to) fix the date of the (next) General Election".[27]

Attlee, along with Eden and others, attended the San Francisco Conference and had returned to London by 18 May 1945 (ten days after V-E Day) when he met Churchill to discuss the future of the coalition. Attlee, in agreement with Churchill, wanted it to continue until after the Japanese surrender but he discovered that others in the Labour Party, especially Morrison and Bevin, wanted an election in October after Parliament ended. On 20 May, Attlee attended his party conference and found that opinion was against him so he informed Churchill that Labour must leave the coalition.[28]

On 23 May, Labour left the coalition to begin their general election campaign. Churchill resigned as prime minister but the King asked him to form a new government, known as the Churchill caretaker ministry, until the election was held in July. Churchill agreed and his new ministry, essentially a Conservative one, held office for the next two months until it was replaced by Attlee's Labour government after their election victory.

War Cabinet members

Ministers who held War Cabinet membership, 1940–1945[29]

Portfolio	Minister	Party		Joined war cabinet	Left war cabinet	Notes and citations
Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury	Winston Churchill		Conservative	10 May 1940	23 May 1945	Churchill also held the offices of Minister of Defence and Leader of the House of Commons.
Deputy Prime Minister	Clement Attlee		Labour	19 February 1942	23 May 1945	New office created for Attlee to have general responsibility for domestic affairs.
Minister of Defence	Winston Churchill		Conservative	10 May 1940	23 May 1945	Minister of Defence was a new role created by Churchill for himself to hold full responsibility for prosecution of the war.
Leader of the House of Commons	Winston Churchill		Conservative	10 May 1940	19 February 1942	Churchill relinquished this role on 19 February 1942. Succeeded by Cripps.
	Sir Stafford Cripps		Labour	19 February 1942	22 November 1942	Previously British Ambassador to the Soviet Union. Simultaneously Lord Privy Seal. Became Minister of Aircraft Production (outside the war cabinet) and was succeeded by Eden as Leader of the House. His successor as Lord Privy Seal (Cranborne) was not in the war cabinet.
	Anthony Eden		Conservative	22 November 1942	23 May 1945	Eden succeeded Cripps as Leader of the House and was simultaneously Foreign Secretary.
Lord President of the Council	Neville Chamberlain		Conservative	10 May 1940	29 September 1940	Resigned for health reasons (cancer of the colon) and died on 9 November 1940.
	Sir John Anderson		National	3 October 1940	24 September 1943	Succeeded Chamberlain. Previously Home Secretary (from 12 May 1940), but was outside the war cabinet. Became Chancellor and was succeeded by Attlee.
	Clement Attlee		Labour	24 September 1943	23 May 1945	Succeeded Anderson who became Chancellor on death of Kingsley Wood.
Lord Privy Seal	Clement Attlee		Labour	11 May 1940	15 February 1942	Change of role in February 1942. Succeeded by Cripps.
	Sir Stafford Cripps		Labour	19 February 1942	22 November 1942	Previously British Ambassador to the Soviet Union. Simultaneously Leader of the House. Became Minister of Aircraft Production (outside the war cabinet) and was succeeded by Eden as Leader of the House. His successor as Lord Privy Seal (Cranborne) was not in the war cabinet.
Foreign Secretary	Viscount Halifax		Conservative	10 May 1940	22 December 1940	Was replaced by Eden and sent to Washington DC as British Ambassador to the United States.
	Anthony Eden		Conservative	22 December 1940	23 May 1945	Succeeded Halifax. Previously Secretary of State for War (from 11 May 1940), but was outside the war cabinet. From November 1942, Eden was also Leader of the House.
Home Secretary	Herbert Morrison		Labour	22 November 1942	23 May 1945	Appointed Home Secretary on 2 October 1940 but was outside the war cabinet until 22 November 1942.
Chancellor of the Exchequer	Sir Kingsley Wood		Conservative	3 October 1940	22 February 1942	Appointed Chancellor on 12 May 1940 but was outside the war cabinet until 3 October. Left the war cabinet in February 1942 but remained Chancellor until his death on 21 September 1943.
	Sir John Anderson		National	24 September 1943	23 May 1945	Appointed on death of Kingsley Wood. Previously Lord President.
Minister without portfolio	Arthur Greenwood		Labour	11 May 1940	22 February 1942	Left the war cabinet and was acting Leader of the Opposition until 23 May 1945.
Minister of Labour and National Service	Ernest Bevin		Labour	3 October 1940	23 May 1945	Appointed Minister of Labour and National Service on 13 May 1940 but was outside the war cabinet until 3 October 1940.
Minister of Aircraft Production	Lord Beaverbrook		Conservative	2 August 1940	30 April 1941	New office created for Beaverbrook who was new to politics. Successor (Moore-Brabazon) was not in the war cabinet.
Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs	Clement Attlee		Labour	15 February 1942	24 September 1943	Succeeded Cranborne. Successor (Cranborne again) was not in the war cabinet.
Minister of State	Lord Beaverbrook		Conservative	1 May 1941	29 June 1941	Nominal role only. Beaverbrook had no specific portfolio.
Minister of Supply	Lord Beaverbrook		Conservative	29 June 1941	4 February 1942	Succeeded Duncan. Successor (Duncan again) was not in the war cabinet.
Minister of War Production	Lord Beaverbrook		Conservative	4 February 1942	19 February 1942	New office created for Beaverbrook. Succeeded by Lyttelton as Minister of Production.
Minister of Production	Oliver Lyttelton		Conservative	12 March 1942	23 May 1945	Succeeded Beaverbrook. The office was initially called Minister of War Production when created on 4 February 1942.
Minister of Reconstruction	Lord Woolton		National	11 November 1943	23 May 1945	New role created to lead post-war planning. Woolton was previously Minister of Food (from 3 April 1940), but was outside the war cabinet.
Minister-Resident for the Middle East	Oliver Lyttelton		Conservative	29 June 1941	12 March 1942	New role created to relieve military commanders of civil responsibility. Lyttelton was previously President of the Board of Trade (from 3 October 1940), but was outside the war cabinet. Became Minister of Production and was succeeded by Casey.
	Richard Casey		National	12 March 1942	14 January 1944	Previously Australian Ambassador to the United States. Became Governor of Bengal and was succeeded by Moyne.
	Lord Moyne		Conservative	14 January 1944	6 November 1944	Succeeded Casey. Previously the Deputy Minister-Resident. Was assassinated by Jewish militants on 6 November 1944. Moyne was succeeded by Sir Edward Grigg, but he was outside the war cabinet.

Ministers outside the War Cabinet

Government ministers who held offices without War Cabinet membership, 1940–1945[29]

Portfolio	Minister	Party		Took office	Left office	Notes and citations
Assistant Postmaster-General	Charles Waterhouse		Conservative	17 May 1940	1 March 1941	Waterhouse was appointed by Chamberlain in 1939 and confirmed by Churchill in May 1940. In March 1941, he became Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade.
	Allan Chapman		Conservative	1 March 1941	4 March 1942	Chapman became Under-Secretary of State for Scotland.
	Robert Grimston		Conservative	4 March 1942	23 May 1945	Grimston was Treasurer of the Household, 1939–1942.
Attorney General	Sir Donald Somervell		Conservative	15 May 1940	23 May 1945	Somervell had held the office from 18 March 1936 and was re-confirmed by Churchill in May 1940.[30]
Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms	Lord Snell		Labour	31 May 1940	21 April 1944	Snell died in office on 21 April 1944 and the position remained unfilled until Fortescue's appointment in March 1945.
	Earl Fortescue		Conservative	22 March 1945	23 May 1945
Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard	Lord Templemore		Conservative	31 May 1940	23 May 1945
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster	Lord Hankey		Independent	14 May 1940	20 July 1941
	Duff Cooper		Conservative	20 July 1941	11 November 1943
	Ernest Brown		Liberal National	11 November 1943	23 May 1945
Civil Lord of the Admiralty	Sir Austin Hudson, Bt		Conservative	15 May 1940		[31]
	Richard Pilkington		Conservative	4 March 1942
Comptroller of the Household	William Whiteley		Labour	17 May 1940
	William John		Labour	12 March 1942
	George Mathers		Labour	2 October 1944
Deputy Minister of State	Lord Moyne		Conservative	27 August 1942	28 January 1944
Financial Secretary to the Admiralty	George Hall		Labour	4 February 1942		[32]
	James Thomas		Conservative	25 September 1943		[32]
Financial Secretary to the Treasury	Harry Crookshank		Conservative	15 May 1940
	Ralph Assheton		Conservative	7 February 1943
	Osbert Peake		Conservative	29 October 1944
Financial Secretary to the War Office	Richard Law		Conservative	17 May 1940
	Duncan Sandys		Conservative	20 July 1941
	Arthur Henderson		Labour	7 February 1943
First Commissioner of Works	Lord Tryon		Conservative	18 May 1940	3 October 1940	Renamed Ministry of Works and Planning from 11 February 1942, and Ministry of Works from February 1943.
	Sir John Reith		National	3 October 1940	22 February 1942
	Lord Portal		Conservative	22 February 1942	21 November 1944
	Duncan Sandys		Conservative	21 November 1944	23 May 1945
First Lord of the Admiralty	A. V. Alexander		Labour	11 May 1940		[33]
Lord Advocate	Thomas Cooper		Conservative	15 May 1940
	James Reid		Conservative	5 June 1941
Lord Chancellor	Viscount Simon		Liberal National	12 May 1940		Chancellor of the Exchequer under Chamberlain. Made Viscount on 13 May 1940.
Lord Commissioner of the Treasury (junior)	William Whytehead Boulton		Conservative	12 May 1940	13 March 1942
	Patrick Buchan-Hepburn		Conservative	12 May 1940	26 June 1940	[34]
	Stephen Furness		Liberal National	12 May 1940	18 May 1940	[34]
	Patrick Munro		Conservative	12 May 1940	13 March 1942	[34]
	James Stuart		Conservative	12 May 1940	14 January 1941
	Wilfred Paling		Labour	18 May 1940	8 February 1941
	James Thomas		Conservative	26 June 1940	25 September 1943
	Thomas Dugdale		Conservative	8 February 1941	23 February 1942	Dugdale was a Deputy Chief Whip.[35]
	William Murdoch Adamson		Labour	1 March 1941	2 October 1944	[34]
	Arthur Young		Conservative	23 February 1942	3 July 1944
	John McEwen		Conservative	13 March 1942	6 December 1944	[34]
	Leslie Pym		Conservative	13 March 1942	23 May 1945
	Alec Beechman		Liberal National	25 September 1943	23 May 1945
	Cedric Drewe		Conservative	3 July 1944	23 May 1945
	William John		Labour	2 October 1944	23 May 1945	[35]
	Patrick Buchan-Hepburn		Conservative	6 December 1944	23 May 1945	[34]
Lord in Waiting	Lord Alness		Liberal National	31 May 1940	23 May 1945
	Viscount Clifden		Liberal	31 May 1940	23 May 1945
	Earl Fortescue		Conservative	31 May 1940	22 March 1945
	Marquess of Normanby		Conservative	22 March 1945	23 May 1945
Lord Privy Seal	Viscount Cranborne		Conservative	22 November 1942		also Leader of the House of Lords
	Lord Beaverbrook		Conservative	24 September 1943
Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries	Robert Hudson		Conservative	14 May 1940
Minister of Aircraft Production	John Moore-Brabazon		Conservative	1 May 1941	22 February 1942
	John Llewellin		Conservative	22 February 1942	22 November 1942
	Sir Stafford Cripps		Labour	22 November 1942	23 May 1945
Minister of Economic Warfare	Hugh Dalton		Labour	15 May 1940	22 February 1942
	Viscount Wolmer		Conservative	22 February 1942	23 May 1945
Minister of Food	Lord Woolton		Conservative	13 May 1940	11 November 1943	Woolton was first appointed 3 April 1940 by Chamberlain and retained by Churchill. On 11 November 1943, he joined the war cabinet as Minister of Reconstruction.
	John Llewellin		Conservative	11 November 1943	23 May 1945
Minister of Fuel and Power	Gwilym Lloyd George		Liberal	3 June 1942	23 May 1945	New office.
Minister of Information	Duff Cooper		Conservative	12 May 1940		Attended War Cabinet from 28 May 1940
	Brendan Bracken		Conservative	20 July 1941
Minister of Shipping	Ronald Cross		Conservative	14 May 1940		Merged into Minister of War Transport 1 May 1941
Minister of Social Insurance	Sir William Jowitt		Labour	8 October 1944		Renamed Minister of National Insurance 17 November 1944
Minister of Supply	Herbert Morrison		Labour	12 May 1940	2 October 1940
	Sir Andrew Rae Duncan		Conservative	3 October 1940
	Sir Andrew Rae Duncan		Conservative	4 February 1942
Minister of Town and Country Planning	William Morrison		Conservative	30 December 1942		Minister designate until 7 February 1943
Minister of War Transport	Lord Leathers		Conservative	1 May 1941
Minister-Resident for the Middle East	Sir Edward Grigg		Conservative	21 November 1944	23 May 1945	Grigg succeeded Lord Moyne who was assassinated on 6 November. The post was moved outside the war cabinet after Moyne's death.
Minister-Resident for North-west Africa	Harold Macmillan		Conservative	30 December 1942
Minister-Resident for West Africa	Viscount Swinton		Conservative	8 June 1942
	Harold Balfour		Conservative	21 November 1944
Minister-Resident for Washington, DC	John Llewellin		Conservative	22 November 1942
	Ben Smith		Labour	11 November 1943
Minister without portfolio	Sir William Jowitt		Labour	30 December 1942	8 October 1944
Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty	Sir Victor Warrender, Bt		Conservative	17 May 1940
Parliamentary Secretary for India and Burma	Duke of Devonshire		Conservative	17 May 1940
	Earl of Munster		Conservative	1 January 1943
	Earl of Listowel		Labour	31 October 1944
Parliamentary Secretary for the Home Department	William Mabane		Liberal National	15 May 1940	3 June 1942
	Ellen Wilkinson		Labour	8 October 1940	23 May 1945
Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education	James Chuter Ede		Labour	15 May 1940
Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade	Gwilym Lloyd George		Liberal	15 May 1940		Also Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food from 22 October 1940
	Charles Waterhouse		Conservative	8 February 1941
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries	Lord Moyne		Conservative	15 May 1940	8 February 1941
	Tom Williams		Labour	15 May 1940	23 May 1945
	Duke of Norfolk		Conservative	8 February 1941	23 May 1945
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Aircraft Production	John Llewellin		Conservative	15 May 1940
	Frederick Montague		Labour	1 May 1941
	Ben Smith		Labour	4 March 1942
	Alan Lennox-Boyd		Conservative	11 November 1943
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation	Robert Perkins		Conservative	22 March 1945
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Economic Warfare	Dingle Foot		Liberal	17 May 1940
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food	Robert Boothby		Conservative	15 May 1940
	Gwilym Lloyd George		Liberal	22 October 1940
	William Mabane		Liberal National	3 June 1942
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Fuel and Power	Geoffrey Lloyd		Conservative	3 June 1942	23 May 1945	Geoffrey Lloyd and Tom Smith held the position jointly.
	Tom Smith		Labour	3 June 1942	23 May 1945
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health	Florence Horsbrugh		Conservative	15 May 1940
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Information	Harold Nicolson		National Labour	17 May 1940
	Ernest Thurtle		Labour	20 July 1941
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Labour	Ralph Assheton		Conservative	15 May 1940	4 February 1942
	George Tomlinson		Labour	8 February 1941	23 May 1945
	Malcolm McCorquodale		Conservative	4 February 1942	23 May 1945
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of National Insurance	Charles Peat		Conservative	22 March 1945	23 May 1945
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Pensions	Ellen Wilkinson		Labour	17 May 1940	8 October 1940
	Lord Tryon		Conservative	8 October 1940
	Wilfred Paling		Labour	8 February 1941
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Production	George Garro-Jones		Labour	10 September 1942
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Shipping	Sir Arthur Salter		Independent	15 May 1940
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Supply	Harold Macmillan		Conservative	15 May 1940	4 February 1942
	Lord Portal		Conservative	4 September 1940	22 February 1942
	Ralph Assheton		Conservative	4 February 1942	7 February 1943
	Charles Peat		Conservative	4 March 1942	22 March 1945
	Duncan Sandys		Conservative	7 February 1943	21 November 1944
	John Wilmot		Labour	21 November 1944	23 May 1945
	James de Rothschild		Liberal	22 March 1945	23 May 1945
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Town and Country Planning	Henry Strauss		Conservative	30 December 1942
	Arthur Jenkins		Labour	22 March 1945
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport	Frederick Montague		Labour	18 May 1940	1 May 1941
	John Llewellin		Conservative	1 May 1941	4 February 1942
	Sir Arthur Salter		Independent	29 June 1941	4 February 1942
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works	George Hicks		Labour	19 November 1940	23 May 1945
	Henry Strauss		Conservative	4 March 1942	30 December 1942
Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury	Sir Charles Edwards		Labour	17 May 1940	12 March 1942	Succeeded by Whiteley. This was a jointly held sinecure position for the Government Chief Whip. Edwards held it for Labour with first Margesson and then Stuart for Conservative.
	David Margesson		Conservative	17 May 1940	22 December 1940	Succeeded by Stuart. This was a jointly held sinecure position for the Government Chief Whip. Margesson held it for Conservative with Edwards for Labour. Margesson had been in the role since November 1931.
	James Stuart		Conservative	14 January 1941	23 May 1945	This was a jointly held sinecure position for the Government Chief Whip. Stuart succeeded Margesson and held it for Conservative with first Edwards and then Whiteley for Labour.
	William Whiteley		Labour	12 March 1942	23 May 1945	This was a jointly held sinecure position for the Government Chief Whip. Whiteley succeeded Edwards and held it for Labour with Stuart for Conservative.
Paymaster General	Viscount Cranborne		Conservative	15 May 1940		Office vacant 3 October 1940[36]
	Lord Hankey		Independent	20 July 1941
	Sir William Jowitt		Labour	4 March 1942		[36]
	Lord Cherwell		Conservative	30 December 1942
President of the Board of Education	Herwald Ramsbotham		Conservative	14 May 1940
	Rab Butler		Conservative	20 July 1941		Renamed Minister of Education 3 August 1944
President of the Board of Trade	Sir Andrew Rae Duncan		Conservative	12 May 1940
	Oliver Lyttelton		Conservative	3 October 1940
	Sir Andrew Rae Duncan		Conservative	29 June 1941
	John Llewellin		Conservative	4 February 1942
	Hugh Dalton		Labour	22 February 1942
Secretary for Mines	David Grenfell		Labour	15 May 1940
Secretary for Petroleum	Geoffrey Lloyd		Conservative	15 May 1940	3 June 1942	Combined into Minister for Fuel and Power
Secretary for Overseas Trade	Harcourt Johnstone		Liberal	15 May 1940
Secretary of State for Air	Sir Archibald Sinclair, Bt		Liberal	11 May 1940
Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs	Viscount Caldecote		Conservative	14 May 1940		also Leader of the House of Lords
	Viscount Cranborne		Conservative	3 October 1940
	Viscount Cranborne		Conservative	24 September 1943		also Leader of the House of Lords
Minister of Health	Malcolm MacDonald		National Labour	13 May 1940
	Ernest Brown		Liberal National	8 February 1941
	Henry Willink		Conservative	11 November 1943
Secretary of State for India and Burma	Leo Amery		Conservative	13 May 1940
Secretary of State for Scotland	Ernest Brown		Liberal National	14 May 1940
	Tom Johnston		Labour	8 February 1941
Secretary of State for the Colonies	Lord Lloyd		Conservative	12 May 1940		also Leader of the House of Lords from 22 December 1940
	Lord Moyne		Conservative	8 February 1941	27 August 1942	also Leader of the House of Lords
	Viscount Cranborne		Conservative	22 February 1942		also Leader of the House of Lords
	Oliver Stanley		Conservative	22 November 1942
Secretary of State for the Home Department and Minister for Home Security	Sir John Anderson		National	12 May 1940	3 October 1940
	Herbert Morrison		Labour	2 October 1940	22 November 1942	Joined war cabinet on 22 November 1942, still as Home Secretary
Minister of Civil Aviation	Viscount Swinton		Conservative	8 October 1944		New office
Minister of Transport	Sir John Reith		National	14 May 1940
	John Moore-Brabazon		Conservative	3 October 1940		became Minister of War Transport 1 May 1941
Secretary of State for War	Anthony Eden		Conservative	11 May 1940	22 December 1940	Eden became Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and joined the war cabinet. He was succeeded by Margesson at the War Department.
	David Margesson		Conservative	22 December 1940	22 February 1942	Succeeded Eden. Margesson was removed from office and replaced by his Permanent Under-Secretary, James Grigg.
	Sir James Grigg		National	22 February 1942	23 May 1945	Succeeded Margesson.
Minister for Pensions	Sir Walter Womersley		Conservative	15 May 1940
Solicitor General	Sir William Jowitt		Labour	15 May 1940
	Sir David Maxwell Fyfe		Conservative	4 March 1942
Solicitor General for Scotland	James Reid		Conservative	15 May 1940
	David King Murray		Conservative	5 June 1941
Treasurer of the Household	Robert Grimston		Conservative	17 May 1940	4 March 1942	Grimston was appointed by Chamberlain in 1939 and confirmed by Churchill in May 1940. He became Assistant Postmaster-General in March 1942.
	Sir James Edmondson		Conservative	12 March 1942
Under-Secretary of State for Air	Harold Balfour		Conservative	15 May 1940	21 November 1944
	Lord Sherwood		Liberal	20 July 1941	23 May 1945
	Rupert Brabner		Conservative	21 November 1944	27 March 1945
	Quintin Hogg		Conservative	12 April 1945	23 May 1945
Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs	Geoffrey Shakespeare		Liberal National	15 May 1940
	Paul Emrys-Evans		Conservative	4 March 1942
Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs	Rab Butler		Conservative	15 May 1940
	Richard Law		Conservative	20 July 1941
	George Hall		Labour	25 September 1943
Under-Secretary of State for Scotland	Joseph Westwood		Labour	17 May 1940	23 May 1945
	Henry Wedderburn		Conservative	8 February 1941	4 March 1942
	Allan Chapman		Conservative	4 March 1942	23 May 1945
Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies	George Hall		Labour	15 May 1940
	Harold Macmillan		Conservative	4 February 1942
	Duke of Devonshire		Conservative	1 January 1943
Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department	Osbert Peake		Conservative	15 May 1940
	Earl of Munster		Conservative	31 October 1944
Under-Secretary of State for War	Sir Edward Grigg		Conservative	17 May 1940	4 March 1942
	Sir Henry Page Croft		Conservative	17 May 1940	23 May 1945
	Arthur Henderson		Labour	4 March 1942	7 February 1943
Postmaster-General	William Morrison		Conservative	15 May 1940
	Harry Crookshank		Conservative	7 February 1943
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household	Sir James Edmondson		Conservative	17 May 1940
	William Whytehead Boulton		Conservative	12 March 1942
	Arthur Young		Conservative	13 July 1944

References

1. Jenkins 2001, pp. 551–552.
2. Jenkins 2001, pp. 576–582.
3. quoted in Gilbert, as from David Dilks, ed. (1971). The Diaries of Sir Alexander Cadogan O.M 1938–45. London: Cassel. p. 280 (diary entry for 9 May 1940). ISBN 978-03-04937-37-0.
4. Churchill 1968, pp. 523–524.
5. Jenkins 2001, p. 583.
6. Shakespeare 2017, p. 362.
7. cited in Gilbert: "Letter of 9 May 1940, marked by Churchill 'secret, for dinner, in a box'; Churchill papers 2/392".
8. Schneer, Jonathan (16 March 2015). Ministers at War. Oneworld Publications. p. 28. ISBN 978-17-80746-14-2.
9. quoted in Thomas-Symonds, Nicklaus (1 March 2012). Attlee: A Life in Politics. I.B.Tauris. pp. 94–95. ISBN 978-08-57730-74-9.
10. War Cabinet No. 119 of 1940, 4.30 p.m. (there were three War Cabinet meetings that day): Cabinet papers 65/7 cited in Gilbert.
11. Wheeler-Bennett 1958, pp. 433–434.
12. Churchill 1968, p. 525.
13. Gilbert 1983, pp. 299–314.
14. Jenkins 2001, pp. 714–715.
15. Jenkins 2001, p. 587.
16. Jenkins 2001, pp. 587–588.
17. Jenkins 2001, p. 588.
18. Hermiston 2016, p. 27.
19. Hermiston 2016, p. 26.
20. Hastings 2009, p. 25.
21. "His Majesty's Government – Churchill". Hansard, House of Commons, 5th Series, vol. 360, col. 1501. 13 May 1940. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
22. "His Majesty's Government – Churchill". Hansard, House of Commons, 5th Series, vol. 360, col. 1502. 13 May 1940. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
23. "His Majesty's Government – Lees-Smith". Hansard, House of Commons, 5th Series, vol. 360, cols 1504–1505. 13 May 1940. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
24. "His Majesty's Government – Division". Hansard, House of Commons, 5th Series, vol. 360, col. 1525. 13 May 1940. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
25. "Ministers of the Crown Act 1937". Modern Law Review. Blackwell Publishing. 1 (2): 145–148. 1937. doi:10.1111/j.1468-2230.1937.tb00014.x. ISSN 0026-7961.
26. Jenkins 2001, p. 685.
27. Hermiston 2016, p. 356.
28. Jenkins 2001, p. 790.
29. Butler & Butler 1994, pp. 17–20.
30. "Mr Donald Somervell". Hansard. London: UK Parliament. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
31. "Civil Lord of the Admiralty". Hansard. UK Parliament
32. "Financial Secretary to the Admiralty". Hansard. UK Parliament
33. "First Lord of the Admiralty". Hansard. UK Parliament
34. "Junior Lord of the Treasury". Hansard. UK Parliament
35. "Deputy Chief Whip" Hansard. UK Parliament
36. "Paymaster-General". Hansard. UK Parliament

Bibliography

• Butler, David; Butler, Gareth (1994). British Political Facts 1900–1994 (7 ed.). Basingstoke and London: The Macmillan Press.
• Churchill, Winston (1967) [1st pub. 1948]. From War to War: 1919–1939. The Gathering Storm. The Second World War. I (9th ed.). London: Cassell & Co. Ltd.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Churchill, Winston (1968) [1st pub. 1948]. The Twilight War: 3 September 1939 – 10 May 1940. The Gathering Storm. The Second World War. II (9th ed.). London: Cassell & Co. Ltd.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Churchill, Winston (1970) [1st pub. 1949]. The Fall of France: May – August 1940. Their Finest Hour. The Second World War. III (9th ed.). London: Cassell & Co. Ltd.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Gilbert, Martin (1983). Winston S. Churchill, Vol. 6: Finest Hour, 1939–1941. Heinemann. ISBN 978-04-34130-14-6.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Hastings, Max (2009). Finest Years. Churchill as Warlord, 1940–45. Hammersmith: Harper Collins. ISBN 978-00-07263-67-7.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Hermiston, Roger (2016). All Behind You, Winston – Churchill's Great Coalition, 1940–45. London: Aurum Press. ISBN 978-17-81316-64-1.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Jenkins, Roy (2001). Churchill. London: MacMillan Press. ISBN 978-03-30488-05-1.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Owen, David (2016). Cabinet's Finest Hour. London: Haus Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-19-10376-55-3.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Shakespeare, Nicholas (2017). Six Minutes in May. London: Vintage. ISBN 978-17-84701-00-0.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Wheeler-Bennett, John (1958). King George VI, His Life and Reign. London: Macmillan. OCLC 655565202.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

External links

• Cawood, Ian (10 May 2013). "Liberal-Conservative Coalitions - "a farce and a fraud"?". History & Policy. History & Policy.
• "Cabinet papers, 1939–1945". National Archives.
• "Photo of the Churchill Coalition Government, 1940–45". Imperial War Museum.

Preceded by Chamberlain war ministry	Government of the United Kingdom 1940–1945	Succeeded by Churchill caretaker ministry