1957–1964 : The Macmillan Administration

Abstract

The public’s initial reaction to Harold Macmillan was positive, with one in two approving of his appointment as prime minister, and the balance of opinion thinking that Mr Butler would have been a worse choice. One in two also felt that the government should carry on, though two in five thought that there should be a general election. When asked what was the most urgent problem facing the government, Suez topped the list with 38 per cent, followed by the cost of living (20 per cent). The balance of opinion was that the change in leadership would help to settle the Suez question, but the public were evenly divided on whether it would bring peace to the Middle East. The change was expected to help improve Commonwealth relations and improve relations with the United States, but, closer to home, it was not thought to stop the bitter political arguments of the previous months.