Alexander Frederick Douglas-Home, Baron Home of the Hirsel, (2 July 1903 – 9 October 1995) was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1963 to 1964. He was the last British prime minister born during the Edwardian era, and the last to hold office while a member of the House of Lords, before disclaiming his peerage and taking up a seat in the House of Commons for the remainder of his premiership. His reputation, however, rests more on his two periods serving as Britain's foreign minister than on his brief premiership.
A talented cricketer, he played first-class cricket at club and county level; he began serving in the Territorial Army from 1924. Douglas-Home (under the courtesy title Lord Dunglass) entered Parliament in 1931 and served as Neville Chamberlain's parliamentary aide, although his diagnosis in 1940 with spinal tuberculosis would immobilise him for two years. Having recovered enough to resume his political career, Douglas-Home lost his seat to Labour at the 1945 general election. He regained it in 1950, but left the Commons the following year when, on the death of his father, he entered the Lords as the 14th Earl of Home. Under the next Conservative government, Home was appointed to increasingly senior posts, such as Leader of the House of Lords and Foreign Secretary. In the latter post (1960–1963) he supported United States resolve in the Cuban Missile Crisis and was a signatory of the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in August 1963.
In October 1963, Harold Macmillan resigned as prime minister and Douglas-Home was chosen to succeed him. By the 1960s, it was unacceptable for a prime minister to sit in the House of Lords, so Home disclaimed his hereditary peerage and successfully stood for election to Parliament as Sir Alec Douglas-Home. The manner of his appointment was controversial, and two Macmillan Cabinet ministers refused to stay in office under him. Criticised by the Labour Party as an out-of-touch aristocrat, he came over stiffly in television interviews, by contrast with Labour leader Harold Wilson. As prime minister, Douglas-Home's demeanour and appearance remained aristocratic and old-fashioned. His understanding of economics was primitive, and he gave his chancellor, Reginald Maudling, free rein to handle financial affairs. He enjoyed dealing with foreign policy and his foreign secretary, Rab Butler, was not especially energetic, but there were no major crises or issues to resolve. The Conservative Party, having governed for nearly twelve years, lost its standing after the scandalous Profumo affair under Macmillan and, by Douglas-Home's premiership, seemed headed for heavy electoral defeat; his premiership was the second briefest of the twentieth century, lasting two days short of a year. Among the legislation passed under his government was the abolition of resale price maintenance in 1964.
Narrowly defeated in the 1964 general election, Douglas-Home resigned the party leadership in July 1965, having instituted a new and less secretive method for electing the leader. He later served in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Edward Heath at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (1970–1974), an expanded version of his former secretaryship. After the first of the twin Conservative defeats of 1974, he stood down at the second, the October 1974 election, and returned to the Lords as a life peer titled Baron Home of the Hirsel. He gradually retired from front-line politics and died in 1995, aged 92.
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Some of their strengths
Alec Douglas-Home has many admirable traits.
Based on spiritual traditions from around the world, they are someone who can be described as Intuitive, Imaginative, Intelligent, Diplomatic, Intense, Caring, and Practical.
Intuitive and Imaginative
According to Mysticism’s Astrology tradition, Alec Douglas-Home is someone who is a highly intuitive, creative and imaginative person who is very loyal, caring and compassionate to others. A person who is a bit of a "lone wolf".
Charming and Sophisticated
Based on Daoism’s Ba-Zi or ‘Chinese Zodiac’ tradition, people who know Alec Douglas-Home well know them as someone who can be classy, glamorous, and worldly, like jewelry.
Imaginative and Sentimental
According to Hinduism’s Jyotisha or ‘Vedic Astrology’ tradition, many would also describe Alec Douglas-Home as someone who is imaginative, sentimental, and in touch with emotions.
A person who has extremely good memory and analytical skills, likes to make sure that everyone gets along, enjoys all kinds of situations and people, has a talent for travel and languages, and who makes lifelong friends.
Perceptive and Visionary
Based on the Mayan Tzolk’in or ‘Mayan Astrology’ tradition, Alec Douglas-Home is someone who has a natural awareness about what is going on in the surrounding environment and the world at large, and a refined vision of how to navigate it.
They are also someone who is reflective, mysterious, and purposeful, who enjoys quiet and solo work, and who thrives in positions where there is no need to report to someone else.
Traditional and Patient
According to Judaism’s Kabbalah tradition, Alec Douglas-Home tends to be someone who is a patient person that is very emotional, has a very sharp memory, has an ability to understand people, and who tends to be traditional and frugal.
Some of Alec Douglas-Home's challenges
While Alec Douglas-Home has many strengths, nobody is perfect. They also have some challenging traits they need to manage.
For example, Alec Douglas-Home can be Emotional, Arrogant, Standoffish, Hesitant, Narcissistic, Status-seeking, and Irritable.
Emotional and Standoffish
One of Alec Douglas-Home's key challenges is that they are someone who can be emotional and standoffish.
Alec Douglas-Home must also exercise caution as they can have a hard time reconciling wants and needs, and can be short-tempered and aggressive.
Irritable and Moody
Alec Douglas-Home is someone who can be irritable and moody, have a tendency to experience self-doubt, be too secretive, can take too many risks, and who can have an extreme approach to managing personal finances.
Sensitive and Money-oriented
Finally, Alec Douglas-Home also can have mood swings, be overly sensititive, and be a bit rigid and materialistic.
