Robert Anthony Eden, 1st Earl o Avon, KG, MC, PC (12 Juin 1897 – 14 Januar 1977) wis a Breetish Conservative politeecian who served three periods as Foreign Secretar an then a relatively brief term as Prime Meenister o the Unitit Kinrick frae 1955 tae 1957.
Achievin rapid promotion as a young Member o Pairlament, he becam Furrin Secretar aged 38, afore resignin in protest at Neville Chamberlain's appeasement policy taewart Mussolini's Italy. He again held that poseetion for maist o the Seicont Warld War, an a third time in the early 1950s. Haein been depute tae Winston Churchill for awmaist 15 years, he succeedit him as the leader o the Conservative Pairty an prime meenister in Apryle 1955, an a month later wan a general election.
Eden's warldwide reputation as an opponent o appeasement, a "man o peace", an a skilled diplomat wis owershaidaed in 1956 whan the Unitit States refuised tae support the Anglo-French militar response tae the Suez Creesis, that creetics athort pairty lines regairdit as an historic setback for Breetish foreign policy, seegnallin the end o Breetish predominance in the Middle East. Maist historians argie that he made a series o blunners, espeicially nae realisin the deepth o American opposeetion tae militar action. Twa month efter orderin an end tae the Suez operation, he resigned as prime meenister on grunds o ill heal an acause he wis widely suspectit o haein misled the Hoose o Commons ower the degree o collusion wi Fraunce an Israel.
Eden is generally rankit amang the least successfu Breetish prime meenisters o the 20t century, awtho twa braidly sympathetic biografies (in 1986 an 2003) hae gane some wey tae shiftin the balance o opeenion. Biografer D. R. Thorpe descrived the Suez Creesis as "a truly tragic end tae his premiership, an ane that came tae assume a disproportionate importance in ony assessment o his career."
