Initially, the outlook was difficult. Suez left Britain humiliated and had heavily damaged relations with the US. Many Tory MPs were angered by how Eden had quickly folded when under pressure. Several prominent Conservatives resigned over colonial policy, including eight MPs who resigned the party whip in May 1957 when the government recommended that British ships continue to use the Suez Canal and pay the fees to do so, a final concession of defeat.

Macmillan sought to distance himself from Eden, setting a reputation as an ‘unflappable’ leader. In a prominent place in Number 10, he hung a quote from Gilbert and Sullivan “Quiet, calm deliberation disentangles every knot”. The consensus amongst those who served them both was that Macmillan was a far better leader and decision maker than Eden.

In March 1957, Macmillan met President Eisenhower in Bermuda. He succeeded in winning over the American President, who had known during the war, and Eisenhower agreed to supply Britain with guided missiles. Later, Macmillan would negotiate a similar agreement with President John F. Kennedy for the US to supply Polaris nuclear missiles. Consequently, Britain began to rely heavily on these weapons, and conscription came to an end, with a smaller professional military replacing the conscripts.

Eisenhower visited Britain in 1959, where he remained extremely popular, and even conducted a televised broadcast with Macmillan from Number 10. Macmillan visited Moscow to meet Soviet leader Nikita Khruschev in 1959.

Further afield, Macmillan supported Middle Eastern allies in the Persian Gulf, Jordan, and Kuwait, by the speedy deployment of British forces in 1957, 1958, and 1961. Macmillan also committed British forces to protect independent Malaysia from Indonesia, leading to the undeclared ‘Confrontation’ which lasted for three years before Indonesia desisted.

Macmillan also facilitated decolonisation with most of Britian’s African colonies, along with Malaya, becoming independent during his premiership. In 1960, he told the Parliament of South Africa that ‘The wind of change is blowing through this continent. Whether we like it or not, this growth of national consciousness is a political fact.’ It was a courageous gesture but did nothing to dissuade South Africa’s leaders from an official policy of apartheid.

At home, Macmillan was less innovative. Few major reforms or pieces of legislation were passed during his premiership. On economics, he was a One Nation Tory and was happy with the post-war consensus. His economic advisers urged him to do something about Britain’s economic problems, and in January 1958 the Chancellor and two junior ministers resigned over the direction of economic policy. Macmillan simply dismissed the problems as ‘little local difficulties’ and departed for a Commonwealth tour. The sangfroid was admirable, particularly with memories of Eden so strong, but the unwillingness to confront industrial and economic challenges was not.

It was also during Macmillan’s premiership that Number 10 Downing Street was rebuilt. In 1960, Macmillan moved into Admiralty House, and the builders moved into Number 10. They found rotten wooden foundations, dry rot, and a building that was structurally unsound. Ultimately, Macmillan was only able to move back into Downing Street in September 1963, over a year after the expected date. Downing Street was consequently left in considerably more robust condition when Macmillan left a month later, than when he had arrived in 1957 (even if periodic renovation would, and does, continue).

In 1959, Macmillan called an election under the slogan “Life’s Better Under the Conservatives”. The economy had largely recovered from the previous year’s recession and living standards were rising. He won a majority of over 100.

However, Macmillan’s second ministry was a good deal less successful than his first. In 1961, he announced his intention of joining Britain to the European Economic Community and began negotiations. These seemed to be going well. However, in January 1963, French President Charles de Gaulle vetoed Britain’s membership. Macmillan became depressed by the failure, writing in his diary that all his government’s policies ‘are ruined’ as a result.

In June 1962, after several disappointing by-elections, Macmillan reshuffled his government, dismissing seven Cabinet ministers and nine junior ministers. The reshuffle seemed panicked and Macmillan’s reputation for unflappability was damaged. Newspapers called it a ‘Night of the Long Knives’ conducted by ‘Mack the Knife’.

Macmillan’s government was also deeply shaken by the Vassall spy scandal, when it was revealed in 1962 that a Civil Servant named John Vassall had spied for the Soviet Union. Worse followed. In 1963, news of the Profumo affair broke, in which Conservative Secretary of State for War John Profumo was having an affair with Christine Keeler, who herself had a sexual relationship with the Soviet naval attaché. The story had many layers and fascinated the media and the country for months in 1963. Profumo resigned, though not before misleading the House of Commons. Macmillan was humiliated and satirists pilloried his government.

Macmillan began to consider resignation in 1963. The mood in the Conservative Party was worsening and he was increasingly unpopular. Though he initially decided to continue to the next election, in early October, Macmillan, wrongly thinking he was dying, chose to resign.

Macmillan had lasted nearly seven years and was fourth longest serving Prime Minister of the century. By the end of Macmillan’s time in power, he was regularly satirised as a symbol of a decaying establishment. He had lost his youthful radicalism. Little major legislation and few reforms were carried out during his premiership, which was very much a conservative one. He left Britain’s deep economic problems for others to deal with. Nevertheless, he was a more effective foreign policy Prime Minister, achieving the remarkable feat of restoring Britain’s reputation and alliances after the Suez disaster.