Harold Macmillan: Nepotism on a grand scale
A shocking fact (from part 2 of Andrew Marr's excellent Modern History of Britain):
"Within months of taking office, Macmillan was leading a government within which 35 ministers, out of 85, were related to him by marriage including 7 in the cabinet; which was all male and had only two members who had not gone to a grand public shool, Eton being the most popular".

I'm pleasantly surprised at Andrew Marr's series - these little facts could so easily be missed out but he uses them so well. I particularly liked his anecdote about the Austin Mini.
Posted by: Victor Houghton | June 05, 2007 at 02:20 PM