ABSTRACT

Judged purely on election outcomes, Benjamin Disraeli's time at the centre of Conservative politics must be judged a substantial failure. Salisbury was Disraeli's obvious successor, although the party decided initially to divide the leadership. In the Conservative government in 1886, Randolph Churchill became Leader of the House of Commons and Chancellor of the Exchequer. His relationship with Salisbury was always uneasy, although the two men's political views were similar. Arthur Balfour became a Conservative MP in 1874; Salisbury appointed him President of the Local Government Board in 1886. After the July 1886 election, the Conservatives had an overall majority of more than a hundred and fifty, thanks to support from Liberal Unionists, who left their party over Home Rule. Salisbury returned became the Prime Minister in August 1886.