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(1849–95) Conservative, Woodstock 1874–85,

South Paddington 1885–95

Churchill’s career was one of those that promised much but delivered little. Despite being the architect of a new, populist form of Conservatism, which he called ‘Tory Democracy’, his main contribution to political history was his dramatic resignation.

From the outset of his political career in 1874 – the year when his son Winston was born – Churchill was seen as a rising star. But he had a knack of antagonizing the very people whose influence and support he needed. In 1875, he helped to save his brother from being named as co-respondent in Lord Aylesford’s divorce case by threatening to publicize incriminating letters sent by one of Aylesford’s friends to Lady Aylesford. Since that friend was the Prince of Wales, this was not, perhaps, the shrewdest move, and social ostracism beckoned for several years. He survived this, however, and began to build up his own power base within the Conservative Party.

His success in appealing to the grass roots made him a force to be reckoned with, although he never endeared himself to Sir Stafford Northcote, the leader of his party in the Commons. He openly undermined Northcote in opposition after 1880, with the creation of a party-within-a-party, the so-called ‘Fourth Party’. However, this did not matter unduly, as Northcote was rapidly being eclipsed by the party leader in the Lords, the Marquis of Salisbury. Salisbury recognized Churchill’s significance and made him Secretary of State for India and then Chancellor of the Exchequer (which he combined with the job of Leader of the Commons). But in 1886, Churchill threw away all his political advantage by attempting to bluff Salisbury. He threatened to resign in order to achieve cuts in defence. Salisbury called the bluff and let him go.

After his resignation, it seemed as if he might return, but no opportunity ever arose. Salisbury refused to offer him the Paris Embassy that he sought. Meanwhile, his health deteriorated. It was (and still is) widely suspected that he was suffering from secondary, and then tertiary, syphilis. Despite his son’s subsequent denial of this diagnosis, Lord Randolph’s behaviour became ever more erratic, and he died in 1895. We suspect that history might not have paid him much attention at all, had it not been for the achievements of his more successful son.