Suez Canal Speech

Written by Benjamin Disraeli

Narrated by Peter Quest

In 1875, Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli purchased 44% of the Suez Canal’s stock from the bankrupt Egyptian Khedive. He did not consult Parliament, but rather, acted quickly to obtain relative control over this vital point in British trade routes. Disraeli delivered this speech to the House of Commons in 1876, explaining his decision. This choice was ultimately both popular and profitable, and it has been noted as one of Disraeli’s greatest acts as prime minister.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Audio Sommelier
• Release date: Nov 13, 2018
• ISBN: 9781644081259

Benjamin Disraeli

Benjamin Disraeli was a British statesman and politician who twice served as prime minister of the United Kingdom. He played a central role in the creation of the modern Conservative Party, defining its policies and its broad outreach. Disraeli is remembered for his influential voice in world affairs, his political battles with the Liberal Party leader William Ewart Gladstone, and his one-nation conservatism or “Tory democracy”. He made the Conservatives the party most identified with the British Empire, and used military action to expand it, both of which were popular among British voters. Disraeli was also a novelist, publishing works of fiction even as prime minister.