Political career of Rab Butler (1941–1951)
British politician (1902–1982) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Richard Austen Butler, Baron Butler of Saffron Walden, KG, CH, PC, DL (9 December 1902 – 8 March 1982), generally known as R. A. Butler and familiarly known from his initials as Rab, was a British Conservative politician.
The Lord Butler of Saffron Walden | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 13 July 1962 – 18 October 1963 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | Harold Macmillan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Anthony Eden (1955) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | William Whitelaw (1979) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Secretary of State | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 13 July 1962 – 18 October 1963 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | Harold Macmillan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Position established | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | George Brown (1964) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chancellor of the Exchequer | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 28 October 1951 – 20 December 1955 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | Winston Churchill Anthony Eden | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Hugh Gaitskell | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Harold Macmillan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 20 October 1963 – 16 October 1964 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | Alec Douglas-Home | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Alec Douglas-Home | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Patrick Gordon-Walker | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Home Secretary | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 14 January 1957 – 13 July 1962 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | Harold Macmillan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Gwilym Lloyd-George | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Henry Brooke | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chairman of the Conservative Party | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 14 October 1959 – 9 October 1961 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leader | Harold Macmillan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | The Viscount Hailsham | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Iain Macleod | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leader of the House of Commons | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 20 December 1955 – 9 October 1961 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | Anthony Eden Harold Macmillan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Harry Crookshank | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Iain Macleod | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Father of the House | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 16 October 1964 – 19 February 1965 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Winston Churchill | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Robin Turton | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lord Privy Seal | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 20 December 1955 – 14 October 1959 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | Anthony Eden Harold Macmillan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Harry Crookshank | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | The Viscount Hailsham | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Minister of Labour and National Service | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 25 May 1945 – 26 July 1945 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | Winston Churchill | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Ernest Bevin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | George Isaacs | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Minister of Education President of the Board of Education (1941–44) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 20 July 1941 – 25 May 1945 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | Winston Churchill | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Herwald Ramsbotham | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Richard Law | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 25 February 1938 – 20 July 1941 Served with The Earl of Plymouth (1938–40) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | Neville Chamberlain Winston Churchill | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sec. of State | The Viscount Halifax Anthony Eden | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | The Viscount Cranborne | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Richard Law | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 1965–1982 Life Peerage | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Member of Parliament for Saffron Walden | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 30 May 1929 – 19 February 1965 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | William Mitchell | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Peter Kirk | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Richard Austen Butler (1902-12-09)9 December 1902 Attock Serai, British India (now Attock, Pakistan) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Died | 8 March 1982(1982-03-08) (aged 79) Great Yeldham, Essex, England, UK | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Political party | Conservative | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alma mater | Pembroke College, Cambridge | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
From July 1941 to May 1945 Butler served as President of the Board of Education, his first Cabinet level post, although he was not a member of the small War Cabinet. His Education Act of 1944 for England and Wales, widely known as "the Butler Act", helped reshape postwar society. It responded to wartime demands for a greater role for Christianity in state schools while at the same time resolving the decades-old controversy over state support for the cash-strapped church schools, an issue which had been unpopular with nonconformists who by the 1940s made up a powerful voice in the NUT. The Act absorbed most Anglican schools into the state system, while others, including Roman Catholic schools, received financial aid whilst remaining largely autonomous. Butler's role was to secure passage by negotiations with interested parties from Churchill, who was initially reluctant to bring in a major bill, to the churches, from educators to MPs.[1] Butler helped to achieve a consensus among vested interests and opinion formers. Much of the framework remained intact until 1988 Act.[2] The Butler Act was the first of the enactments which brought in the postwar Welfare State[3] and the only one for which the Conservatives could claim credit.[4] The Act also resolved confusion over two other issues, by creating a clear divide between primary and secondary schools at age 11 and by raising the school leaving age to 15, with provision to raise it further to 16 (not implemented until 1971). In accordance with education doctrine of the time the Act left the door open for, but did not specifically prescribe, selection of children by aptitude at age 11. The recommendation of the Fleming Committee to provide state scholarship places at fee-paying public schools was not implemented.
During these years Butler nursed the unrequited ambition of being appointed Viceroy of India. He served as Minister of Labour in the short-lived Churchill caretaker ministry (May-July 1945), then narrowly held his seat at Saffron Walden on a split opposition vote in the Labour landslide of July 1945. In opposition he was chairman of the Conservative Research Department and played an important role in rebuilding the Conservative Party, including issuing a number of Charters (one of which was the Industrial Charter) outlining party policy and largely accepting many of the reforms of the Labour Government, thus helping to establish the postwar cross-party "consensus".