Maudling Named Deputy Leader

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30822, 6 August 1965, Page 11

Maudling Named Deputy Leader

(N Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright)

LONDON, August 5.

Mr Edward Heath, the new Conservative Party leader, has named Mr Reginald Maudling, his chief rival in the tussle for the party leadership, as Deputy Leader.

Mr Heath, In announcing his “shadow cabinet” —officially hts consultative committee —chose Sir Alec Douglas-Home as the spokesman for External Affairs. But he also named Mr Christopher Soames, a son-in-law of Sir Winston Churchill, as foreign affairs spokesman. Mr Selwyn Lloyd, a former Foreign Minister, is named as Commonwealth affairs spokesman. Mr Enoch Powell, the third man in the contest for the Party leadership last week, becomes Defence spokesman. Two leading former Ministers, Mr Duncan Sandys and Mr Quintin Hogg, are listed in the shadow cabinet but have no departmental responsibilities. Juggling Mr Heath merely juggled the outgoing “shadow cabinet,” dropping nobody and introducing no new faces in his list of 21. Sir Alec Douglas-Home will fill the role of “Elder Statesman” in the Party. His external affairs position will enable him to intervene on Foreign Office matters—he was for several years Foreign

Secretary, and also on Commonwealth and colonial affairs. Foreign affairs as such, however, will be the special province of Mr Soames, until now the “shadow” Defence Minister. Mr Maudling's post of deputy leader is new in Conservative Party practice. In addition to deputising for Mr Heath whenever necessary, he will be a leading speaker in major Commons debates on any subject. Mr Heath resisted any temptation to find places in the “shadow cabinet” for members active in campaigning for him as party leader.