The secretary of state for Commonwealth relations was a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, responsible for dealing with the United Kingdom's relations with members of the Commonwealth of Nations (its former colonies). The minister's department was the Commonwealth Relations Office (CRO).
The position was created in 1947 out of the old positions of Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs and Secretary of State for India. In 1966, the position was merged with that of the Secretary of State for the Colonies to form that of Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs, which was in turn merged with the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in 1968 to create the new position of Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. The equivalent position today is the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs.
Secretaries of state for Commonwealth relations, 1947–1966 Portrait Name Term of office Political party Ministry Christopher Addison1st Viscount Addison 7 July1947 7 October1947 Labour Attlee(I & II) Philip Noel-BakerMP for Derby 7 October1947 28 February1950 Labour Patrick Gordon WalkerMP for Smethwick 28 February1950 26 October1951 Labour General Hastings Ismay1st Baron Ismay 28 October1951 12 March1952 – Churchill III Robert Gascoyne-Cecil5th Marquess of Salisbury 12 March1952 24 November1952 Conservative Philip Cunliffe-Lister1st Viscount Swinton 24 November1952 7 April1955 Conservative Alec Douglas-Home14th Earl of Home 7 April1955 27 July1960 Conservative Eden Macmillan(I & II) Duncan SandysMP for Streatham 27 July1960 16 October1964 Conservative Douglas-Home Arthur BottomleyMP for Middlesbrough East 18 October1964 1 August1966 Labour Wilson
Shadow secretaries of state for commonwealth relations Name Entered office Left office Political party Shadow Cabinet Patrick Gordon WalkerMP for Smethwick 15 July 1955 15 February 1956 Labour AttleeGaitskell Arthur Creech Jones 15 February 1956 24 January 1958 Labour Arthur Bottomley 24 January 1958 November 1959 Labour Hilary Marquand November 1959 November 1961 Labour John Strachey November 1961 15 July 1963 Labour Brown Wilson Unknown 15 July 1963 16 October 1964 Labour Duncan Sandys 16 October 1964 5 August 1965 ConservativeDouglas-Home Selwyn Lloyd 5 August 1965 19 April 1966 ConservativeHeath Reginald Maudling 19 April 1966 1 August 1966 Conservative
References
Foreign and Commonwealth Office website