Great Britain: Shake-Up

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>Defense Minister Harold Watkinson, who has been accused of fatally weakening Britain's armed forces (conscription ended during his tenure of office). His successor: Peter Thorneycroft, 52, former Chancellor of the Exchequer and Minister of Aviation, an urbane, acerbic politician who likes to be called a "Tory" because the word is "short, sharp and abusive." — Lord Chancellor Viscount Kilmuir, 62, who for seven years presided over the judiciary. Successor: Sir Reginald Manningham-Buller, Attorney-General, widely nicknamed "Reggie Bullying-Manner." — Sir David Eccles. 57, Education Minister, a publicity-conscious politician who tried to cope with Britain's teacher shortage. Successor: Sir Edward Boyle, 38, who at 27 was Britain's youngest M.P. and is touted as a political comer. > Dr. Charles Hill, 58. Minister of Housing. Successor: Sir Keith Joseph, a member of Lloyd's and Minister of State at the Board of Trade. He is one of the few Tory Jews in Parliament.

Stand or Fall. Chief gainer in the Cabinet shuffle is dependable, tough-minded Richard Austen Butler, 59, promoted from the Home Ministry to the newly created post of First Secretary of State, becoming, in effect, heir apparent to Macmillan. But the fact that Macmillan has named "Rab" Butler to the No. 2 Cabinet post does not mean necessarily that he will ever obtain No. 1 Since he is now even more closely tied to the Prime Minister and his policies. Butler's political fortunes largely depend on Macmillan's remaining more or less successfully in office. The vacant Home Ministry went to Henry Brooke, the abstemious former Paymaster General who once called himself the "most hated man in England" after pushing through a bill raising rents for 800,000 citizens.

Four important Cabinet ministers remained firmly in place. Edward Heath is still Lord Privy Seal in charge of Common Market negotiations; the Colonial Office has been put under the able administration of Duncan Sandys, who already heads Commonwealth Relations; and Lord Home continues as the Foreign Secretary. One surprise to outsiders was the survival of Iain Macleod as party chairman because he is widely blamed for the Tories' repeated defeats. Macmillan feels that this criticism is unfair, that Macleod deserves more time to show what he can do.

After this radical operation, Harold Macmillan more than ever will have to stand or fall by the success of his administration. The new Cabinet certainly improves the government's "image," but many critics feel that the new faces are mostly familiar Establishment types, and that, for instance, any practical business talent is lacking among them. The Conservative Daily Telegraph optimistically announced: "The government has a fresher and stronger look." Opposition leaders were derisive. Labor's Hugh Gaitskell called the Cabinet shake-up "a political massacre which can only be interpreted as a gigantic admission of failure." Joseph Grimond, chief of the renascent Liberals, declared: "After twelve years in office, it is too late for the Tories to try and put a new face on their administration."