 When Macmillan resigned, he awarded Cunningham a baronetcy in his resignation honours.Cunningham remained on the backbenches, known as one to the right of Ulster Unionism and a friend of Ian Paisley, through the rest of the 1960s, he frequently clashed with Harold Wilson during this period, but decided to retire at the 1970 general election.He was Master of the Drapers Company in 1973–74.