Constituency : Pontefract 1860-85, Edinburgh South 1886-92
Hugh was one of the more significant by-election victors when he came in at Pontefract in January 1860 replacing the Tory William Overend who had been obliged to resign. Hugh had been a defeated candidate in 1859.
Hugh was a London vicar's son educated at Cheam and Cambridge.The novelist and spy Erskine Childers was his cousin. In 1850 he and his wife emigrated to Australia. He joined the government of Australia and served as a school inspector, immigration agent and auditor-general. He was also a railway director and instrumental in the founding of the University of Melbourne. He was the chairman of a bank in England and an Indian railway, and deputy-chair of an Australian bank He returned to Britain in 1857.
Hugh made his mark in debates on colonial matters and sat on a royal commission on penal servitude in 1864 which resulted in the abolition of transportation.
Hugh's ministerial career began under Palmerston in 1864 as Civil Lord of the Admiralty. In 1865 the role of Financial Secretary to the Treasury was added and he held both posts until the end of Russell's government. At the Treasury he worked closely with Gladstone and became a close friend and disciple.
In 1867 Hugh moved an amendment to the Second Reform Act to make compounding optional everywhere.
In 1868 Hugh joined Gladstone's cabinet as First Lord of the Admiralty. Gladstone wanted him to keep a tight rein on naval expenditure seeing him as "a man likely to scan with a rigid eye the civil expenses of the Naval Service". He was thought to be autocratic and overbearing .Hugh delivered a budget just below the £10M mark and neutralised the Board of Admiralty by narrowing its remit and rarely convening meetings. He was embarrassed by the sinking of HMS Captain which he commissioned against advice. His own son Leonard died on the ship. He attempted to shift the blame to the Controller of the Navy Spencer Robinson who complained that "His endeavours were directed to throw the blame which might be supposed to attach to himself, on those who had throughout expressed their disapproval of such methods of construction".Hugh replaced him but himself had to resign on health grounds in 1871.
Hugh retired to the Continent but was sufficiently recovered to take the post of Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in 1872. The by-election to take up the post was the first to use a secret ballot. He stood down in 1873 to make way for Bright to take the role.
When the Liberals came back in 1880 Hugh was Secretary for War for which he had little liking and against the opposition of the queen. He carried through the re-organisation of the army on territorial lines, improved the pay and conditions of non-commissioned officers and abolished flogging.His cost reduction programme was stymied by the Boers and the invasion of Egypt in 1882. That year he was switched to Chancellor of the Exchequer which was more to his liking. His 1885 budget raising alcohol duty and income tax to meet a shortfall was rejected by Parliament and the beleaguered government fell.
Hugh was defeated at Pontefract in 1885 but returned in a by-election the following year at Edinburgh South as an independent Home Ruler ( this before Gladstone's announced conversion ). He was Home Secretary in Gladstone's third ministry and got the financial clauses in the Home Rule bill changed by threatening resignation.
After leaving government Hugh's health began to fail and he stood down in 1892 . He created some debate with his 1894 report on Irish finance after chairing a commission. His contention that the Irish were being charged too much tax was used as a political weapon in the drive for greater autonomy and the report's implications were still being debated in the 1920s.
Hugh became very portly in later life and his HCE initials were said to stand for "Here Comes Everybody".
He died in 1896 aged 68.
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