Neville Chamberlain formed the Chamberlain war ministry in the United Kingdom in 1939.
On 3 September 1939, Neville Chamberlain, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, reconstructed his existing government so as to be suited for the Second World War. The most dramatic change to the ministerial line-up saw the return of Winston Churchill as First Lord of the Admiralty. Other changes included Lord Caldecote replacing Lord Maugham as Lord Chancellor, Sir John Anderson replacing Sir Samuel Hoare as Home Secretary (Hoare became Lord Privy Seal with a wide-ranging brief) and the return of Anthony Eden to the government as Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs. However, the administration was not a true national unity government as it was made up primarily of Conservatives with support from some National Labour and National Liberal members. There were no representatives from the Labour Party or Liberal Party.
The government was notable for having a small War Cabinet consisting of only the principal and service ministers, with most other government positions serving outside the Cabinet. The War Cabinet included Chamberlain, Hoare, Chancellor of the Exchequer Sir John Simon, Foreign Secretary Lord Halifax, Churchill, Secretary of State for Air Sir Kingsley Wood, Minister for Coordination of Defence Lord Chatfield, Lord Hankey (as Minister without Portfolio) and Secretary of State for War Leslie Hore-Belisha. Oliver Stanley replaced Hore-Belisha in January 1940 while Chatfield left the war cabinet in April 1940.
The government ended on 10 May 1940 when Chamberlain resigned and was succeeded by Winston Churchill who formed the War Coalition.
Upon the outbreak of the war, Chamberlain carried out a fullscale reconstruction of the government and introduced a small War Cabinet who were as follows:
Neville Chamberlain – Prime Minister and Leader of the House of CommonsSir Samuel Hoare – Lord Privy SealSir John Simon – Chancellor of the ExchequerLord Halifax – Secretary of State for Foreign AffairsLeslie Hore-Belisha – Secretary of State for WarSir Kingsley Wood – Secretary of State for AirWinston Churchill – First Lord of the AdmiraltyLord Chatfield – Minister for Coordination of DefenceLord Hankey – Minister without PortfolioJanuary 1940 – Oliver Stanley succeeds Leslie Hore-Belisha as Secretary of State for War.April 1940 – Hoare swaps Lord Privy Seal with Wood for Secretary of State for Air. Lord Chatfield leaves the Government and the office of Minister for Coordination of Defence is abolished.Lord Caldecote – Lord ChancellorLord Stanhope – Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of LordsSir John Anderson – Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentMalcolm MacDonald – Secretary of State for the ColoniesAnthony Eden – Secretary of State for Dominion AffairsLord Zetland – Secretary of State for India and BurmaJohn Colville – Secretary of State for ScotlandOliver Stanley – President of the Board of TradeLord De La Warr – President of the Board of EducationSir Reginald Dorman-Smith – Minister of AgricultureErnest Brown – Minister of Labour and National ServiceWalter Elliot – Minister of HealthEuan Wallace – Minister of TransportLeslie Burgin – Minister of SupplyWilliam Shepherd Morrison – Minister of Food and Chancellor of the Duchy of LancasterHerwald Ramsbotham – First Commissioner of WorksLord Macmillan – Minister of InformationRonald Cross – Minister of Economic WarfareSir Walter Womersley – Minister of PensionsGeorge Tryon – Postmaster GeneralLord Winterton – Paymaster-GeneralSir Donald Somervell – Attorney GeneralSir Terence O'Connor – Solicitor GeneralDavid Margesson – Chief WhipOctober 1939 – The position of Minister of Shipping is created, with Sir John Gilmour the first holder.November 1939 – Lord Winterton resigns as Paymaster-General and no successor is appointed.January 1940 – Oliver Stanley becomes Secretary of State for War and a member of the War Cabinet in succession to Leslie Hore-Belisha (resigned) (see above) and is succeeded as President of the Board of Trade by Andrew Duncan. Lord Macmillan resigns as Minister of Information and is succeeded by Sir John Reith.April 1940 – Robert Hudson succeeds Sir John Gilmour (deceased) as Minister of Shipping. Lord De La Warr exchanges President of the Board of Education with Herwald Ramsbotham for First Commissioner of Works. William Shepherd Morrison swaps the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster for the Postmaster General with George Tryon and is succeeded as Minister of Food by Lord Woolton.May 1940 – Sir Terence O'Connor dies and no new Solicitor General is appointed before the government falls.Members of the Cabinet are in bold face.
