‘Night of the Long Knives’ 1962

• Macmillan tries to deal with ‘drift’ and reassert authority

• Fired seven cabinet members suddenly and without warning

• Resuffle meant to remove Chancellor of Exchequer, (Selwyn Lloyd) but its scope was far more savage than expected.

• It was meant to stamp his authority on the party in reality he lost the trust and respect of many of his Conservatives colleagues.