William (Willie) Whitelaw was a British politician who served as Prime Minister (1975 - 1979). He was elected Tory leader following the resignation of Reginald Maudling in 1972. The first Conservative Prime Minister for since Harold MacMillan, his landslide victory in the 1975 general election ended 16 years of Labour government. Whitelaw's first government prioritised trade union reform and stabilising the economy, this involved making large cuts in public spending.