In 1910 he became a Conservative Member of Parliament and in 1916 took an important part in overthrowing Asquith and manoeuvring Lloyd George into the premiership. By 1918 he owned the Evening Standard, the Sunday Express, and Daily Express, with a record world circulation. Through these newspapers he supported the Hoare–Laval pact and Chamberlain’s appeasement of Hitler by the Munich Pact (1938). In 1940 he became Minister of Aircraft Production and a member of Churchill’s war cabinet and his efforts in producing fighter aircraft were significant in ensuring that the Battle of Britain was won.