Chapter Eight

1849-59

Moving on, Moving up

THESE TEN YEARS saw Disraeli become leader of the Conservatives in the House of Commons and his appointment as Chancellor of the Exchequer. One of the most unusual aspects is the triangular relationship between Disraeli, Lord Stanley (who became the 14th Earl of Derby in 1851), the leader of the party overall, and his son Lord Stanley (the 15th Earl of Derby after 1869). When Derby led the minority Conservative Governments in 1852 and 1858-9, Disraeli served as Chancellor of the Exchequer. In Disraeli's 1868 Government and for most of that of 1874-8 Derby's son was Foreign Secretary. The relations between the Prime Minister, the Chancellor and the Foreign Secretary are crucial in government but here the personal mix was even more complex.