 Having ruled himself out of the race when the news of Macmillan 's illness broke , Home angered at least two of his cabinet colleagues by changing his mind . Macmillan quickly came to the view that Home would be the best choice as his successor , and gave him valuable behind @-@ the @-@ scenes backing . He let it be known that if he recovered he would be willing to serve as a member of a Home cabinet . He had earlier favoured Hailsham , but changed his mind when he learned from the British ambassador to the US that the Kennedy administration was uneasy at the prospect of Hailsham as Prime Minister , and from his chief whip that Hailsham , seen as a right @-@ winger , would alienate moderate voters . 
