 | ||
Similar Edward Smith‑Stanley - 14th Earl, Edward Henry Stanley D, Frederick Stanley - 16th Earl, Edward Smith‑Stanley - 13th Earl | ||
The First Derby ministry, known as the "Who? Who?" Ministry, was a short-lived British Conservative Government which was in power for a matter of months in 1852. Lord Derby was the Prime Minister and Benjamin Disraeli served as Chancellor of the Exchequer. It marked the first time the protectionist wing of the Tory party had taken office since the Corn Laws schism of 1846.
Contents
History
After the fall of Lord John Russell's Whig government in early 1852, the Tory leader Lord Derby formed a government. The conservatives had been weakened by the defection of the Peelites, and many of the new Cabinet ministers were men of little experience. The government became known as the Who? Who? Ministry due to the lack of prominence of its ministers. The government was in a significant minority, and lasted less than a year, collapsing in December. The Whigs and Peelites then formed a coalition government under the Peelite leader Lord Aberdeen.
Though the government had little impact, it attracted derision through its plethora of new political names, which demonstrated the relative inexperience of the party. Only four members of the Cabinet (Derby himself, St Leonards, Lonsdale, and Herries) were existing Privy Councillors and many others were complete political unknowns. This led the then octogenarian and largely deaf Duke of Wellington, then in his last year, to shout out "Who? Who?" as each new cabinet member was announced in the House of Lords.
List of ministers
Cabinet members are listed in bold face.