Tory Bad Boys – Part 03 Reginald Maudling

Reggie was one of the big beasts of the Tory Party in the 50s and 60s. He was another who was hovering around the leadership along with RAB Butler. Neither of them quite managed to get the top job and in Reggie’s case it was fortuitous for the Tories he didn’t, the man was an out and out crook. He was Ted “Grocer” Heath’s main opponent for the leadership in 1965. He was the Tory MP for Chipping Barnet from 1950 to 1974. He passed away in 1979 at the tender age of 61 from kidney failure and cirrhosis of the liver. The implication there is that he was fond of a drink. Puffins beware !

Reggie was Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1962 to 1964 and Home Secretary from 1970 to 1972. Following the 1951 election Winston made Reggie a junior Minister at the Ministry of Civil Aviation. After Maggie took over as leader Reggie clashed with her over economic policy and got his marching orders in November 1976. He summarised his career as hired by Winston Churchill and fired by Margaret Thatcher.

In 1969 Reggie was the president of the Real Estate Fund of America. Its chief executive was imprisoned for fraud. Reggie had been an adviser to the Peachey Property Corporation. The chairman, Sir Eric Miller, embezzled company money and later took his own life. Reggie also lobbied on behalf of the crook John Poulson for more aid for Malta. This ended up with the Maltese government losing a lot of money. There was a parliamentary inquiry and its conclusion was that Maudling had indulged in conduct inconsistent with the standards this House is entitled to expect from its members.

While Home Secretary Maudling’s business dealings were attracting attention. He had been a director of John Poulson’s company since 1966 and Poulson had obtained some very lucrative contracts. Reggie’s help was not a hindrance. Poulson’s main way of getting business was through bribery and once Maudling’s proximity became widely known his position as Home Secretary became untenable and he stepped down.

I don’t think they ever caught Reggie with his hands in the till but he was often around shady dealings. Only a fool would suggest he had not profited one way or another. The Tories backed him and he escaped punishment by the usual weasel words and trickery. This effectively ended his career and both he and his wife took to heavy drinking to ease their way in life. The bottle had played a part in his life, as early as 1963 he had been described as “well refreshed” in the same way that George Brown was often described as “tired and emotional”.

He was obviously a man with flaws and they found him out eventually.
 

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