Lord Stockton Found in the TRG Archives
In 1985 the TRG held a dinner to celebrate its 10th anniversary. The guest of honour was Lord Stockton (Harold Macmillan). His address to the assembled members of the TRG was recorded, albeit only the sound, and we recently found a copy in our archives (actually, it turned up underneath a pile of papers when we moved offices!).
In the future, we intend to add materials of this kind to an “Archives” section of the website. While this is under contstruction, we though you might like this little taster of what is to come.
The video is hosted by Google Video. If you have any problems playing it, let us know, as it may mean we change how we intend to place things on the website.
This is gold!! 30 years after he became Prime Minister here was Macmilan on top, if very quavery, form. I did wonder, hearing him at the beginning of the speech, whether he would really last the promised 35 minutes! He does - and it makes fascinating listening. Bearing in mind that he was speaking 6 years into the Thatcher government, this could have easily been a speech made by a Leader of the Opposition. The laughter that greets his gibes is the laughter of relief from a beleagoured minority of One Nation Tories (which also explains why they laugh at his disticntly unfunny comments at the beginning of the speech). The historic significance of the speech is, of course, centred round his infamous comments likening the privatisation programme to selling off the family silver (around 18 minutes in). It made headlines at the time, and given the nature of his analogy, sounded like a rather patrician snub to the distinctly non-patrician prime minister. He loathes the privatisation process, and asks why the receipts from north sea oil have been so poorly used. He also decries the cutting of the defence budget - we forget that the economics of Thatcherism gave no favours to the armed forces she so loved!
Supermac was wrong on some counts, right on others, but his attack on Thatcherism here was elegant and incisive and reminds us of the unapologetic nature of strong One Nation Tories. He counts Disraeli the greatest leader the party ever had, and endorses much of the post war consensus that Thatcher destroyed. This speech couldn’t be made today, and in hindsight he, like many others, didn’t understand the nature of the changes that were taking place. But it is a gem, and perhaps Macmillan has more in common with the present patrician leadership than he ever did with his eighties successor!
Comment by Giles Marshall — 7 December, 2006 @ 12:34 am
When Lord Hurd spoke at the TRG’s International lecture in September, he remarked that Blair would not have many of the problems he faces today if he had more historians advising him. There is clear evidence here that the same issue would not be a problem for any government advised by the members of the TRG!
Comment by Timothy Barnes — 7 December, 2006 @ 1:12 am
Well said, Giles. I particularly liked his reference to the Marshall Plan as the greatest act of generosity by any nation. Perhaps US foreign policy makers should be listening to this as part of their search for an alternative to the use of force in the Middle East! Macmillan was a man of his time, but unquestionably a great Tory leader.
Comment by Robert Buckland — 18 December, 2006 @ 8:40 pm
Lambeth Conservatives are seeking to mark the 20th anniversary of Brixton-born Harold Macmillan’s death by instructing the Council to put Harold Macmillan’s name into the street name bank. This means that in future a street, road, mews or close could be named after him. We are also trying to pin down the street or road in which he was born which of course may not still exist if the Luftwaffe had anything to do with it.
Comment by Councillor John Whelan — 24 December, 2006 @ 12:50 pm
John - Is there really nothing with his name already? That is sad and rather surprising. Good luck in getting it through!
Comment by Timothy Barnes — 3 January, 2007 @ 12:37 am
[...] Click here to listen to a speech by Lord Stockton (Macmilllan) to the TRG in [...]
Pingback by UCL Conservative Society » Harold Macmillan @ UCL — 5 March, 2007 @ 3:01 pm
Great you have found Harold MacMillan’s 10th Anniversary Speech in 1985. However, it was at the Royal Overseas League not the Carlton Club as stated on your website. I was there, it was a great evening.
Comment by Charles Elliott — 29 September, 2007 @ 3:23 pm
Fantastic. Should be compulsary, like school assembly, for parliamentarian before Prime Minister’s Questions. It would put some sanity back into public life, political thinking and serve as a yardstick of political purpose.
Comment by Dr Frederick Tampoe — 1 May, 2008 @ 11:57 am