Private Secretaries to the Prime Minister

The importance of the Prime Minister in British foreign policy decision-making has long been accepted by historians. However, whilst much attention has been given to high level contacts between leaders and to the roles played by the Premiers themselves, much less is known about the people advising and influencing them. In providing day-to-day assistance to the Prime Minister, the Private Secretary could wield significant influence on policy outcomes. This book examines the activities of those who advised Prime Ministers from Winston Churchill (1951-55) to Margaret Thatcher during her first administration (1979-83).