Third Derby–Disraeli ministry
The Conservative government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland that began in 1866 and ended in 1868 was led by Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby in the House of Lords and Benjamin Disraeli in the House of Commons.
History
Lord Derby became prime minister for the third time, after the fall of John Russell, 1st Earl Russell's Liberal government, in 1866. His Chancellor of the Exchequer, Benjamin Disraeli, was instrumental in passing the Second Reform Act in 1867.After the parliamentary session, which produced the Second Reform Bill, Disraeli's eventual assumption of the leadership of the Conservative Party was all but assured. While he was still opposed by elements of the party's right wing, his role in securing the passage of the bill, in particular his showing against William Ewart Gladstone, had won him the adulation of a wide base of the parliamentary party. The only unknown was the health of the Earl of Derby, still very much prime minister, Conservative leader, and Disraeli's colleague.
Derby's health, however, had been in decline for some time, and he finally resigned in February and advised Queen Victoria to send for Disraeli. Thus on 27 February 1868 Benjamin Disraeli became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He reportedly said of the event later, "I have climbed to the top of the greasy pole." However, the Conservatives were still a minority in the House of Commons, and the enaction of the Reform Bill required the calling of new election. Disraeli's term as prime minister would therefore be fairly short, unless the Conservatives managed to win the general election.
Although all the cabinet posts were at his disposal, Disraeli made only a few changes: he replaced Lord Chelmsford as Lord Chancellor with Lord Cairns, and brought in George Ward Hunt as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Disraeli and Chelmsford had never got on, and in Disraeli's view, Cairns was a far stronger minister. He also chose the Earl of Malmesbury to succeed Derby as Leader in the House of Lords.
The Irish Church
The principal issue of the 1868 parliamentary session was the Irish question, manifested this time in the debate over the Anglican Church of Ireland.Fate
The Conservatives were defeated by the Liberals in the general election of 1868, and the new Liberal leader William Ewart Gladstone formed his first government.Cabinets
June 1866 – February 1868
Changes
- March 1867: Lord Carnarvon, Lord Cranborne, and General Peel resign from the cabinet over the Reform Bill. They are succeeded by the Duke of Buckingham, Sir Stafford Northcote, and Sir John Pakington, respectively. Taking their places were three new members of the cabinet: the Duke of Marlborough, the Duke of Richmond, and Henry Lowry-Corry.
- May 1867: Gathorne Hardy replaces Spencer Walpole as Home Secretary. Walpole remains in the cabinet as Minister without Portfolio. Hardy's replacement as President of the Poor Law Board is not in the cabinet.
February 1868 – December 1868
Changes
- September 1868: The Earl of Mayo leaves the cabinet to become Viceroy of India. His successor is not in the cabinet.
List of ministers
| Office | Name | Date |
| Prime Minister First Lord of the Treasury | Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby | 28 June 186625 February 1868 |
| Prime Minister First Lord of the Treasury | Benjamin Disraeli | 27 February 18681 December 1868 |
| Chancellor of the Exchequer | Benjamin Disraeli | 6 July 1866 |
| Chancellor of the Exchequer | George Ward Hunt | 29 February 1868 |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury | Thomas Edward Taylor | 14 July 1866 |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury | Gerard Noel | 11 November 1868 |
| Financial Secretary to the Treasury | George Ward Hunt | 14 July 1866 |
| Financial Secretary to the Treasury | George Sclater-Booth | 4 March 1868 |
| Junior Lords of the Treasury | Gerard Noel | 12 July 18662 November 1868 |
| Junior Lords of the Treasury | Sir Graham Graham-Montgomery | 12 July 18661 December 1868 |
| Junior Lords of the Treasury | Henry Whitmore | 12 July 18661 December 1868 |
| Junior Lords of the Treasury | Lord Claud Hamilton | 2 November 18681 December 1868 |
| Lord Chancellor | Frederic Thesiger, 1st Baron Chelmsford | 6 July 1866 |
| Lord Chancellor | Hugh Cairns, 1st Baron Cairns | 29 February 1868 |
| Lord President of the Council | Richard Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Grenville, 3rd Duke of Buckingham and Chandos | 6 July 1866 |
| Lord President of the Council | John Spencer-Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough | 8 March 1867 |
| Lord Privy Seal | James Harris, 3rd Earl of Malmesbury | 6 July 1866 |
| Secretary of State for the Home Department | Spencer Horatio Walpole | 6 July 1866 |
| Secretary of State for the Home Department | Gathorne Hardy | 17 May 1867 |
| Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department | Somerset Lowry-Corry, 4th Earl Belmore | 10 July 1866 |
| Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department | Sir James Fergusson, 6th Baronet | 1 August 1867 |
| Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department | Sir Michael Hicks Beach, 9th Baronet | 10 August 1868 |
| Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs | Edward Stanley, Lord Stanley | 6 July 1866 |
| Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs | Edward Egerton | 6 July 1866 |
| Secretary of State for War | Jonathan Peel | 6 July 1866 |
| Secretary of State for War | Sir John Pakington 1st Baronet | 8 March 1867 |
| Under-Secretary of State for War | William Pakenham, 4th Earl of Longford | 7 July 1866 |
| Surveyor-General of the Ordnance | vacant | — |
| Secretary of State for the Colonies | Henry Herbert, 4th Earl of Carnarvon | 6 July 1866 |
| Secretary of State for the Colonies | Richard Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Grenville, 3rd Duke of Buckingham and Chandos | 8 March 1867 |
| Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies | Charles Adderley | 6 July 1866 |
| Secretary of State for India | Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, Viscount Cranborne | 6 July 1866 |
| Secretary of State for India | Sir Stafford Northcote, 8th Baronet | 8 March 1867 |
| Under-Secretary of State for India | Sir James Fergusson, 6th Baronet | 6 July 1866 |
| Under-Secretary of State for India | Charles Hepburn-Stuart-Forbes-Trefusis, 20th Baron Clinton | 31 July 1867 |
| First Lord of the Admiralty | Sir John Pakington 1st Baronet | 12 July 1866 |
| First Lord of the Admiralty | Henry Lowry-Corry | 8 March 1867 |
| First Secretary of the Admiralty | Lord Henry Lennox | 16 July 1866 |
| Civil Lord of the Admiralty | Charles du Cane | 12 July 1866 |
| Civil Lord of the Admiralty | Frederick Stanley | 29 August 1868 |
| Chief Secretary for Ireland | Robert Bourke, 1st Baron Naas | 10 July 1866 |
| Chief Secretary for Ireland | John Wilson-Patten | 29 September 1868 |
| Lord Lieutenant of Ireland | James Hamilton, 2nd Marquess of Abercorn | 13 July 1866 |
| President of the Poor Law Board | Gathorne Hardy | 12 July 1866 |
| President of the Poor Law Board | William Courtenay, 11th Earl of Devon | 21 May 1867 |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Poor Law Board | Ralph Earle | 12 July 1866 |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Poor Law Board | George Sclater-Booth | 1 March 1867 |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Poor Law Board | Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, 9th Baronet | 28 February 1868 |
| Minister without Portfolio | Spencer Horatio Walpole | 17 May 18671 December 1868 |
| President of the Board of Trade | Sir Stafford Northcote, 8th Baronet | 6 July 1866 |
| President of the Board of Trade | Charles Gordon-Lennox, 6th Duke of Richmond | 8 March 1867 |
| Vice-President of the Board of Trade | Stephen Cave | 10 July 1866 |
| First Commissioner of Works | Lord John Manners | 6 July 1866 |
| Vice-President of the Committee on Education | Henry Lowry-Corry | 12 July 1866 |
| Vice-President of the Committee on Education | Lord Robert Montagu | 19 March 1867 |
| Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | William Courtenay, 11th Earl of Devon | 10 July 1866 |
| Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | John Wilson-Patten | 26 June 1867 |
| Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | Thomas Edward Taylor | 7 November 1868 |
| Paymaster General | Stephen Cave | 10 July 1866 |
| Postmaster-General | James Graham, 4th Duke of Montrose | 19 July 1866 |
| Attorney General | Sir Hugh Cairns | 10 July 1866 |
| Attorney General | Sir John Rolt | 29 October 1866 |
| Attorney General | Sir John Burgess Karslake | 18 July 1867 |
| Solicitor General | Sir William Bovill | 10 July 1866 |
| Solicitor General | Sir John Burgess Karslake | 29 November 1866 |
| Solicitor General | Sir Charles Jasper Selwyn | 18 July 1867 |
| Solicitor General | Sir William Brett | 10 February 1868 |
| Solicitor General | Sir Richard Baggallay | 16 September 1868 |
| Judge Advocate General | John Mowbray | 12 July 1866 |
| Lord Advocate | George Patton | 12 July 1866 |
| Lord Advocate | Edward Gordon | 28 February 1867 |
| Solicitor General for Scotland | Edward Gordon | 12 July 1866 |
| Solicitor General for Scotland | John Millar | 6 March 1867 |
| Attorney General for Ireland | John Edward Walsh | 25 July 1866 |
| Attorney General for Ireland | Michael Morris | 1 November 1866 |
| Attorney General for Ireland | Hedges Eyre Chatterton | 1867 |
| Attorney General for Ireland | Robert Warren | 1867 |
| Attorney General for Ireland | John Thomas Ball | 1868 |
| Solicitor General for Ireland | Michael Morris | 3 August 1866 |
| Solicitor General for Ireland | Hedges Eyre Chatterton | 8 November 1866 |
| Solicitor General for Ireland | Robert Warren | 1867 |
| Solicitor General for Ireland | Michael Harrison | 1867 |
| Solicitor General for Ireland | John Thomas Ball | 1868 |
| Solicitor General for Ireland | Henry Ormsby | 1868 |
| Lord Steward of the Household | John Spencer-Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough | 10 July 1866 |
| Lord Steward of the Household | Charles Bennet, 6th Earl of Tankerville | 19 March 1867 |
| Lord Chamberlain of the Household | Orlando Bridgeman, 3rd Earl of Bradford | 10 July 1866 |
| Vice-Chamberlain of the Household | Lord Claud Hamilton | 10 July 1866 |
| Treasurer of the Household | William Cecil, Baron Burghley | 10 July 1866 |
| Treasurer of the Household | Percy Egerton Herbert | 27 February 1867 |
| Comptroller of the Household | Charles Yorke, Viscount Royston | 10 July 1866 |
| Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms | Charles Bennet, 6th Earl of Tankerville | 10 July 1866 |
| Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms | William Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Exeter | 20 March 1867 |
| Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard | Henry Cadogan, 4th Earl Cadogan | 10 July 1866 |
| Master of the Buckhounds | Charles Colville, 1st Baron Colville of Culross | 10 July 1866 |
| Chief Equerry and Clerk Marshal | Lord Alfred Paget | 1 July 1859 |
| Mistress of the Robes | Elizabeth Wellesley, Duchess of Wellington | 25 April 1861 |
| Lords in Waiting | William Drummond, 7th Viscount Strathallan | 13 July 18661 December 1868 |
| Lords in Waiting | Cornwallis Maude, 4th Viscount Hawarden | 13 July 18661 December 1868 |
| Lords in Waiting | William Bagot, 3rd Baron Bagot | 13 July 18661 December 1868 |
| Lords in Waiting | Henry Hepburne-Scott, 7th Lord Polwarth | 13 July 186616 August 1867 |
| Lords in Waiting | Edward Crofton, 2nd Baron Crofton | 13 July 18661 December 1868 |
| Lords in Waiting | Edward Bootle-Wilbraham, 2nd Baron Skelmersdale | 13 July 18661 December 1868 |
| Lords in Waiting | Richard Somerset, 2nd Baron Raglan | 13 July 18661 December 1868 |
| Lords in Waiting | George Baillie-Hamilton, 10th Earl of Haddington | 7 September 18671 December 1868 |
;Notes