The Conservative government under

Benjamin Disraeli Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield (21 December 1804 – 19 April 1881) was a British statesman, Conservative Party (UK), Conservative politician and writer who twice served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He played a ...

had been defeated at the 1868 general election, so in December 1868 the victorious

William Ewart Gladstone William Ewart Gladstone ( ; 29 December 1809 – 19 May 1898) was a British politican, starting as Conservative MP for Newark and later becoming the leader of the Liberal Party (UK), Liberal Party. In a career lasting over 60 years, he ...

formed his first government. He introduced reforms in the

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

(including the abolition of the purchase system), the legal system (establishing the Supreme Court of Judicature) and the

Civil Service The civil service is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil service personnel hired rather than elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leadership. A civil service offic ...

, and disestablished the Church of Ireland. In foreign affairs he pursued a peaceful policy. His ministry was defeated in the 1874 election, whereupon Disraeli formed a ministry and Gladstone retired as Leader of the Liberal Party.C. Cook and B. Keith, ''British Historical Facts 1830–1900''

Cabinet

December 1868 – February 1874

Notes

:† The Earl de Grey was created the Marquess of Ripon in 1871. :‡ Henry Austin Bruce was created Baron Aberdare in 1873. *William Gladstone served as both First Lord of the Treasury and Chancellor of the Exchequer between August 1873 and February 1874.

Changes

*July 1870: On the death of Lord Clarendon, Lord Granville succeeds him as Foreign Secretary. Lord Kimberley succeeds Granville as Colonial Secretary, and Lord Halifax succeeds Kimberley as Lord Privy Seal. W.E. Forster enters the cabinet as vice president of the council. *January 1871: Chichester Fortescue succeeds Bright at the Board of Trade. Lord Hartington succeeds Fortescue as Chief Secretary for Ireland. Hartington's successor as Postmaster-General is not in the Cabinet. *March 1871: G.J. Goschen succeeds Childers at the Admiralty. James Stansfeld succeeds Goschen at the Poor Law Board (which becomes the Local Government Board later that year). *August 1872: Hugh Childers returns to the Cabinet as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. *October 1872: Lord Selborne succeeds Lord Hatherley as Lord Chancellor. *August 1873: Lord Aberdare (formerly Henry Austin Bruce) succeeds Lord Ripon as Lord President. Robert Lowe succeeds Aberdare as Home Secretary. Gladstone himself takes over the Exchequer. *September 1873: John Bright returns to the Cabinet, succeeding Childers at the Duchy of Lancaster.

List of ministers

Cabinet members are listed in bold face. ;Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gladstone 1 Ministries of Queen Victoria British ministries

Government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a State (polity), state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive (government), execu ...

1860s in the United Kingdom 1868 establishments in the United Kingdom 1870s in the United Kingdom 1874 disestablishments in the United Kingdom Ministry 1 Cabinets established in 1868 Cabinets disestablished in 1874