Dylan Macmillan appointed Prime Minister
Dylan Macmillan pictured in Committee Room A before the results were announced
Dylan Macmillan has become Britain’s new Prime Minister after being invited to form a government by Her Majesty the Queen following his victory in the Conservative leadership contest.
Macmillan was elected Leader of the Conservative Party, replacing Aubyn Myerscough, with the votes of 190 Conservative MPs to the 160 who cast votes for Home Secretary William Croft.
The former Foreign Secretary, 67, becomes the 52nd person to hold the office and the oldest upon appointment since Neville Chamberlain in 1937. Macmillan had served as Foreign Secretary in the Myerscough government after previously also holding the role under Marcus Drummond-Macbeath, who he additionally served as Deputy Prime Minister. Macmillan had further served as Transport Secretary under Margaret Thatcher.
Macmillan’s victory followed an endorsement from Harry Saxon, the former Environment Secretary, after Saxon was eliminated in the first ballot of the leadership contest. This followed weeks of division between the two as a result of the Maastricht ratification vote, although the two former rivals subsequently announced they were joining forces to provide unity ahead of the upcoming general election.
The new government will have only a few weeks in office before a general election must be called, during which time they will need to pass a budget and outline their priorities ahead of the forthcoming campaign.
- Former Foreign Secretary appointed after winning Conservative leadership by 190 to 160 margin
- Macmillan had been endorsed in the second round of contest by former rival Harry Saxon
- General election due within three months as weeks remain until Parliament must be dissolved
Dylan Macmillan pictured in Committee Room A before the results were announced
Dylan Macmillan has become Britain’s new Prime Minister after being invited to form a government by Her Majesty the Queen following his victory in the Conservative leadership contest.
Macmillan was elected Leader of the Conservative Party, replacing Aubyn Myerscough, with the votes of 190 Conservative MPs to the 160 who cast votes for Home Secretary William Croft.
The former Foreign Secretary, 67, becomes the 52nd person to hold the office and the oldest upon appointment since Neville Chamberlain in 1937. Macmillan had served as Foreign Secretary in the Myerscough government after previously also holding the role under Marcus Drummond-Macbeath, who he additionally served as Deputy Prime Minister. Macmillan had further served as Transport Secretary under Margaret Thatcher.
Macmillan’s victory followed an endorsement from Harry Saxon, the former Environment Secretary, after Saxon was eliminated in the first ballot of the leadership contest. This followed weeks of division between the two as a result of the Maastricht ratification vote, although the two former rivals subsequently announced they were joining forces to provide unity ahead of the upcoming general election.
The new government will have only a few weeks in office before a general election must be called, during which time they will need to pass a budget and outline their priorities ahead of the forthcoming campaign.
Redgrave | A-Team