Writing in The Times on July 26, William Hague said that “it is a struggle to find a single one of our 55 prime ministers who have given sustained approval to the next incumbent”, and went on to claim that Macmillan did not “think highly of Douglas-Home’s tenure.” Alistair Lexden corrected him in a letter published on July 29.
Sir, William Hague does Harold Macmillan an injustice in saying that he did not “think highly of Douglas-Home’s tenure”. Macmillan noted in his diary on April 25, 1964, that “Alec is doing awfully well --- making fine speeches and giving a splendid lead.” After the narrow Tory election defeat the following October, he wrote: “Alec has done as well as anyone could have done.” Supermac is an exception to the rule that prime ministers are unimpressed by their successors.
Lord Lexden
Conservative Party historian
