The dire economic situation had already brought down a Conservative cabinet, in which Take Ionescu was the Finance Minister.
The Conservative cabinet of that time did not look into the issue.
At 43, and like many of those likely to serve in a Conservative cabinet, he has limited experience in government.
Hepburn made a public show of austerity by auctioning off the chauffeur driven limousines used by the previous Conservative cabinet.
Such delaying tactics by the Prime Minister meant that the Conservative cabinet never really had a chance to consider an orderly legislative program.
The representatives he picked were a sad sextet who easily earned their reputation as the Conservative cabinet's least effective ministers.
When the time came for the Conservative cabinet to approve acceptance of the warheads, another issue arose.
As soon as it had, the remainder of the Conservative cabinet converged on 24 Sussex to offer Diefenbaker pledges of their continued support.
Having received permission from the Conservative cabinet to depart, he left for Rio de Janeiro on 8 February, arriving ten days later.
So influential did Smith become that Lord Hailsham was sent up to Newcastle by the Conservative cabinet to try to counter him.