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National Government
28 May 1937 - 10 May 1940
Foreign policy and appeasement dominated the Cabinet. As the prospect of war grew, Neville Chamberlain's Conservative government was heavily criticised. The Phoney War and the humiliating defeat in Norway ended the Conservative-dominated National Government in favour of a coalition under Churchill. There was no election due to the Second World War.
| Position | Name | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Prime Minister | N. Chamberlain* | 28 May 37 - 10 May 40 |
| Lord President of the Council | Viscount Halifax | 28 May 37 - 9 Mar 38 |
| Viscount Hailsham | 9 Mar 38 - 31 Oct 38 | |
| Viscount Runciman | 31 Oct 38 - 10 May 40 | |
| Lord Chancellor | Viscount Hailsham | 28 May 37 - 9 Mar 38 |
| Viscount Caldecote | 3 Sep 39 - 10 May 40 | |
| Lord Privy Seal | Earl De La Warr | 28 May 37 - 31 Oct 38 |
| Sir J. Anderson | 31 Oct 38 - 3 Sep 39 | |
| Sir S. Hoare* | 3 Sep 39 - 3 Apr 40 | |
| Sir K. Wood | 3 Apr 40 - 10 May 40 | |
| Chancellor of the Exchequer | Sir J. Simon* | 28 May 37 - 10 May 40 |
| Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs | A. Eden | 21 Dec 35 - 21 Feb 38 |
| Viscount Halifax* | 21 Feb 38 - 10 May 40 | |
| Secretary of State for Home Affairs | Sir S. Hoare | 28 May 37 - 3 Sep 39 |
| Sir J. Anderson | 3 Sep 39 - 10 May 40 | |
| First Lord of the Admiralty | A. Duff Cooper | 28 May 37 - 27 Oct 38 |
| Earl Stanhope | 27 Oct 38 - 3 Sep 39 | |
| W. Churchill* | 3 Sep 39 - 10 May 40 | |
| Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries | W. Morrison | 28 May 37 - 29 Jan 39 |
| Sir R. Doman-Smith | 29 Jan 39 - 10 May 40 | |
| W. Elliott | 28 Sep 32 - 7 Jun 35 | |
| Secretary of State for Air | Sir P. Cunliffe-Lister | 28 May 37 - 16 May 38 |
| Sir K. Wood* | 16 May 38 - 3 Apr 40 | |
| Sir S. Hoare | 3 Apr 40 - 10 May 40 | |
| Secretary of State for the Colonies | J. Thomas | 25 Aug 31 - 5 Nov 31 |
| W. Ormsby-Gore | 28 May 37 - 28 May 38 | |
| M. MacDonald | 28 May 38 - 10 May 40 | |
| Ministry for the Co-ordination of Defence | J. Thomas | 25 Aug 31 - 5 Nov 31 |
| Dominions | M. MacDonald | 28 May 37 - 16 May 38 |
| Lord Stanley | 16 May 38 - 31 Oct 38 | |
| M. MacDonald | 31 Oct 38 - 29 Jan 39 | |
| Sir T. Inskip | 29 Jan 39 - 3 Sep 39 | |
| A. Eden | 3 Sep 39 - 10 May 40 | |
| President of the Board of Education | Earl Stanhope | 28 May 37 - 27 Oct 38 |
| Earl De La Warr | 27 Oct 38 - 3 Apr 40 | |
| H. Ramsbotham | 3 Apr 40 - 10 May 40 | |
| Minister for Food | Lord Woolton | 3 Apr 40 - 10 May 40 |
| Minister of Health | Sir K. Wood | 28 May 37 - 16 May 38 |
| W. Elliott | 16 May 38 - 10 May 40 | |
| Secretary of State for India | Marquis of Zetland | 28 May 37 - 10 May 40 |
| Minister of Information | Lord MacMillan | 4 Sep 39 - 5 Jan 40 |
| Sir J. Reith | 5 Jan 40 - 10 May 40 | |
| Minister for Labour | E. Brown | 28 May 37 - 10 May 40 |
| Duchy of Lancaster | Earl Winterton | 11 Mar 38 - 29 Jan 39 |
| W.Morrison | 29 Jan 39 - 4 Sep 39 | |
| Minister without Portfolio | L. Burgin | 21 Apr 39 - 14 Jul 39 |
| Lord Hankey* | 3 Sep 39 - 10 May 40 | |
| Secretary for Scotland | W. Elliott | 28 May 37 - 16 May 38 |
| J. Colville | 16 May 38 - 10 May 40 | |
| Minister for Shipping | Sir J. Gilmour | 13 Oct 39 - 3 Apr 40 |
| R. Hudson | 3 Apr 40 - 10 May 40 | |
| Minister for Supply | L. Burgin | 14 Jul 39 - 10 May 40 |
| President of the Board of Trade | O. Stanley | 28 May 37 - 5 Jan 40 |
| Sir A. Duncan | 5 Jan 40 - 10 May 40 | |
| Minister for Transport | L. Burgin | 28 May 37 - 21 Apr 39 |
| E. Wallace | 21 Apr 39 - 20 May 40 | |
| Secretary of State for War | L. Hore-Belisha* | 28 May 37 - 5 Jan 40 |
| O. Stanley | 5 Jan 40 - 10 May 40 |
Notes:
In this period new Cabinet posts were created to cope with the demands of the Second World War. Individuals marked * were made part of the War Cabinet on 3 September 1939.
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