# Second Disraeli ministry

Benjamin Disraeli was appointed Prime Minister of the United Kingdom for a second time by Queen Victoria after William Ewart Gladstone's government was defeated in the 1874 general election. Disraeli's foreign policy was seen as immoral by Gladstone, and following the latter's Midlothian campaign, the government was heavily defeated in the 1880 general election, whereupon Gladstone formed his second government. The ailing Disraeli, by now created Earl of Beaconsfield, died in April 1881.

## Cabinet
### February 1874 – April 1880

| Office | Name | Term |
| First Lord of the Treasury | Benjamin Disraeli† | February 1874 – April 1880 |
| Lord Chancellor | The Lord Cairns§ | February 1874 – April 1880 |
| Lord President of the Council | The Duke of Richmond | February 1874 – April 1880 |
| Lord Privy Seal | The Earl of Malmesbury | February 1874 – August 1876 |
| Lord Privy Seal | The Earl of Beaconsfield | August 1876 – April 1878 |
| Lord Privy Seal | The Duke of Northumberland | April 1878 – April 1880 |
| Home Secretary | Richard A. Cross | February 1874 – April 1880 |
| Foreign Secretary | The Earl of Derby | February 1874 – April 1878 |
| Foreign Secretary | The Marquess of Salisbury | April 1878 – April 1880 |
| Secretary of State for the Colonies | The Earl of Carnarvon | February 1874 – February 1878 |
| Secretary of State for the Colonies | Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, Bt | February 1878 – April 1880 |
| Secretary of State for War | Gathorne Hardy‡ | February 1874 – April 1878 |
| Secretary of State for War | Sir Frederick Stanley | April 1878 – April 1880 |
| Secretary of State for India | The Marquess of Salisbury | February 1874 – April 1878 |
| Secretary of State for India | The Viscount Cranbrook | April 1878 – April 1880 |
| Chancellor of the Exchequer | Sir Stafford Northcote, Bt | February 1874 – April 1880 |
| First Lord of the Admiralty | George Ward Hunt | February 1874 – August 1877 |
| First Lord of the Admiralty | William Henry Smith | August 1877 – April 1880 |
| President of the Board of Trade | Viscount Sandon | April 1878 – April 1880 |
| Postmaster General | Lord John Manners | February 1874 – April 1880 |
| Chief Secretary for Ireland | Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, Bt | August 1877 – February 1878 |
| incumbent not in the cabinet ||
| Leader of the House of Commons | Benjamin Disraeli | February 1874 – August 1876 |
| Leader of the House of Commons | Sir Stafford Northcote, Bt | August 1876 – April 1880 |
| Leader of the House of Lords | The Duke of Richmond | February 1874 – August 1876 |
| Leader of the House of Lords | The Earl of Beaconsfield | August 1876 – April 1880 |
† The Earl of Beaconsfield from August 1876. § The Earl Cairns from September 1878. ‡ The Viscount Cranbrook from May 1878.

#### Notes

* The Earl of Beaconsfield served as both First Lord of the Treasury and Lord Privy Seal from August 1876 to April 1878.

#### Changes

* August 1876: Beaconsfield succeeds the Earl of Malmesbury as Lord Privy Seal while remaining First Lord of the Treasury.
* August 1877: George Ward Hunt dies and is succeeded as First Lord of the Admiralty by William Henry Smith. Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, the Chief Secretary for Ireland, enters the cabinet.
* February 1878: Sir Michael Hicks-Beach succeeds the Earl of Carnarvon as Colonial Secretary. Hicks-Beach's successor as Chief Secretary for Ireland is not in the cabinet.
* April 1878: The Duke of Northumberland succeeds Beaconsfield as Lord Privy Seal; the latter remains First Lord of the Treasury. The Marquess of Salisbury succeeds the Earl of Derby as Foreign Secretary. The Viscount Cranbrook succeeds Salisbury at the India Office. Sir Frederick Stanley succeeds Cranbrook at the War Office.

## List of ministers

Cabinet members are listed in bold face.
| Office | Name | Date |
| Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury | Benjamin Disraeli | 20 February 1874 – 21 April 1880 |
| Chancellor of the Exchequer | Sir Stafford Northcote, Bt | 21 February 1874 |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury | William Hart Dyke | 21 February 1874 |
| Financial Secretary to the Treasury | W. H. Smith | 21 February 1874 |
| Financial Secretary to the Treasury | Frederick Stanley | 14 August 1877 |
| Financial Secretary to the Treasury | Sir Henry Selwin-Ibbetson, Bt | 2 April 1878 |
| Junior Lords of the Treasury | Viscount Mahon | 4 March 1874 – 16 February 1876 |
| Junior Lords of the Treasury | Rowland Winn | 4 March 1874 – 21 April 1880 |
| Junior Lords of the Treasury | Sir James Dalrymple-Horne-Elphinstone, Bt | 4 March 1874 – 21 April 1880 |
| Junior Lords of the Treasury | Viscount Crichton | 16 February 1876 – 21 April 1880 |
| Lord Chancellor | The Lord Cairns | 21 February 1874 |
| Lord President of the Council | The Duke of Richmond | 21 February 1874 |
| Lord Privy Seal | The Earl of Malmesbury | 21 February 1874 |
| Lord Privy Seal | Benjamin Disraeli | 12 August 1876 |
| Lord Privy Seal | The Duke of Northumberland | 4 February 1878 |
| Secretary of State for the Home Department | R. A. Cross | 21 February 1874 |
| Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department | Sir Henry Selwin-Ibbetson, Bt | 25 February 1874 |
| Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department | Sir Matthew White Ridley, Bt | 6 April 1878 |
| Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs | The Earl of Derby | 21 February 1874 |
| Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs | The Marquess of Salisbury | 2 April 1878 |
| Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs | Robert Bourke | 23 February 1874 |
| Secretary of State for War | Gathorne Hardy | 21 February 1874 |
| Secretary of State for War | Frederick Stanley | 2 April 1878 |
| Under-Secretary of State for War | The Earl of Pembroke | 2 March 1874 |
| Under-Secretary of State for War | The Earl Cadogan | 24 May 1875 |
| Under-Secretary of State for War | Viscount Bury | 4 March 1878 |
| Financial Secretary to the War Office | Frederick Stanley | 26 February 1874 |
| Financial Secretary to the War Office | Robert Loyd-Lindsay | 13 August 1877 |
| Surveyor-General of the Ordnance | Lord Eustace Cecil | 26 February 1874 |
| Secretary of State for the Colonies | The Earl of Carnarvon | 21 February 1874 |
| Secretary of State for the Colonies | Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, Bt | 4 February 1878 |
| Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies | James Lowther | 25 February 1874 |
| Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies | The Earl Cadogan | 2 March 1878 |
| Secretary of State for India | The Marquess of Salisbury | 21 February 1874 |
| Secretary of State for India | The Viscount Cranbrook | 2 April 1878 |
| Under-Secretary of State for India | Lord George Hamilton | 22 February 1874 |
| Under-Secretary of State for India | Edward Stanhope | 6 April 1878 |
| First Lord of the Admiralty | George Ward Hunt | 21 February 1874 |
| First Lord of the Admiralty | W. H. Smith | 14 August 1877 |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty | Algernon Egerton | 21 February 1874 |
| Civil Lord of the Admiralty | Sir Massey Lopes, Bt | 4 March 1874 |
| Chief Secretary for Ireland | Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, Bt | 27 February 1874 |
| Chief Secretary for Ireland | James Lowther | 15 February 1878 |
| Lord Lieutenant of Ireland | The Duke of Abercorn | 2 March 1874 |
| Lord Lieutenant of Ireland | The Duke of Marlborough | 11 December 1876 |
| Postmaster-General | Lord John Manners | 21 February 1874 |
| President of the Board of Trade | Sir Charles Adderley | 21 February 1874 |
| President of the Board of Trade | Viscount Sandon | 4 April 1878 |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade | George Cavendish-Bentinck | 2 March 1874 |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade | Edward Stanhope | 18 November 1875 |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade | John Gilbert Talbot | 4 April 1878 |
| Vice-President of the Committee on Education | Viscount Sandon | 2 March 1874 |
| Vice-President of the Committee on Education | Lord George Hamilton | 4 April 1878 |
| Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | Thomas Edward Taylor | 2 March 1874 |
| President of the Local Government Board | George Sclater-Booth | 21 February 1874 |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Local Government Board | Clare Sewell Read | 21 February 1874 |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Local Government Board | Thomas Salt | January 1876 |
| Paymaster General | Stephen Cave | 20 April 1874 |
| Paymaster General | David Plunket | 24 March 1880 |
| First Commissioner of Works | Lord Henry Lennox | 21 March 1874 |
| First Commissioner of Works | Gerard Noel | 14 August 1876 |
| Attorney General | Sir John Burgess Karslake | 27 February 1874 |
| Attorney General | Sir Richard Baggallay | 20 April 1874 |
| Attorney General | Sir John Holker | 25 November 1875 |
| Solicitor General | Sir Richard Baggallay | 27 February 1874 |
| Solicitor General | Sir John Holker | 20 April 1874 |
| Solicitor General | Sir Hardinge Giffard | 25 November 1875 |
| Judge Advocate General | Stephen Cave | 7 March 1874 |
| Judge Advocate General | George Cavendish-Bentinck | 24 November 1875 |
| Lord Advocate | Edward Gordon | 26 February 1874 |
| Lord Advocate | William Watson | 21 July 1874 |
| Solicitor General for Scotland | John Millar | 4 March 1874 |
| Solicitor General for Scotland | William Watson | 21 July 1874 |
| Solicitor General for Scotland | John Macdonald | 5 December 1876 |
| Attorney General for Ireland | John Thomas Ball | 12 March 1874 |
| Attorney General for Ireland | Henry Ormsby | 21 January 1875 |
| Attorney General for Ireland | George Augustus Chichester May | 27 November 1875 |
| Attorney General for Ireland | Edward Gibson | 15 February 1877 |
| Solicitor General for Ireland | Henry Ormsby | 12 March 1874 |
| Solicitor General for Ireland | David Plunkett | 29 January 1875 |
| Solicitor General for Ireland | Gerald Fitzgibbon | 3 March 1877 |
| Solicitor General for Ireland | Hugh Holmes | 14 December 1878 |
| Lord Steward of the Household | The Earl Beauchamp | 21 February 1874 |
| Lord Chamberlain of the Household | The Marquess of Hertford | 21 February 1874 |
| Lord Chamberlain of the Household | The Earl of Mount Edgcumbe | 7 May 1879 |
| Vice-Chamberlain of the Household | The Viscount Barrington | 2 March 1874 |
| Master of the Horse | The Earl of Bradford | 7 March 1874 |
| Treasurer of the Household | Earl Percy | 2 March 1874 |
| Treasurer of the Household | Lord Henry Thynne | 14 December 1875 |
| Comptroller of the Household | Lord Henry Somerset | 2 March 1874 |
| Comptroller of the Household | Earl of Yarmouth | 4 February 1879 |
| Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms | The Marquess of Exeter | 2 March 1874 |
| Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms | The Earl of Shrewsbury | 4 February 1875 |
| Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms | The Earl of Coventry | 28 May 1877 |
| Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard | The Lord Skelmersdale | 2 March 1874 |
| Master of the Buckhounds | The Earl of Hardwicke | 2 March 1874 |
| Mistress of the Robes | The Duchess of Wellington | 2 March 1874 |
| Lords in Waiting | The Earl of Dunmore | 2 March 1874 – 21 April 1880 |
| Lords in Waiting | The Earl of Roden | 2 March 1874 – 6 January 1880 |
| Lords in Waiting | The Viscount Hawarden | 2 March 1874 – 21 April 1880 |
| Lords in Waiting | The Lord Bagot | 2 March 1874 – 21 April 1880 |
| Lords in Waiting | The Lord de Ros | 2 March 1874 – 21 April 1880 |
| Lords in Waiting | The Lord Elphinstone | 2 March 1874 – 21 April 1880 |
| Lords in Waiting | The Lord Walsingham | 2 March 1874 – 29 May 1875 |
| Lords in Waiting | The Earl of Jersey | 29 May 1875 – 4 July 1877 |
| Lords in Waiting | The Lord Henniker | 4 July 1877 – 21 April 1880 |
| Lords in Waiting | The Earl of Onslow | 17 February 1880 – 21 April 1880 |
| Extra Lord in Waiting | The Lord Sackville | 1 October 1876 – 1 October 1888 |

### Notes

* ↑ Created Earl of Beaconsfield 21 August 1876; also Leader of the House of Commons 1874–1876 and Leader of the House of Lords 21 August 1876 – 21 April 1880.
* ↑ Also Leader of the House of Commons 1876–1880.
* ↑ Inherited a baronetcy 1875.
* ↑ Created Earl Cairns on 27 September 1878.
* ↑ Also Leader of the House of Lords 21 February 1874 – 21 August 1876.
* ↑ Created Earl of Beaconsfield on 21 August 1876.
* ↑ Entered the Cabinet 12 August 1876.