Canning, Goderich and Wellington

Question 1

When did Canning become PM?

Answer 1

In 1827, after the resignation of Liverpool

Question 2

What did contemporary politician and essayist Croker say about Canning?

Answer 2

‘His genius is a bright flame’

Question 3

What was Canning’s relationship with Liverpool?

Answer 3

He was one of Liverpool’s political favourites

Question 4

Why is the long-term impact of Canning so hard to pinpoint?

Answer 4

Because he came in and out of office so frequently

Question 5

Why Canning disliked by many tories despite his ability?

Answer 5

His ideas were too advanced, he was too flamboyant and this led to many tories doubting whether he could be trusted

Question 6

What was the consequence of Canning being such a divisive figure when he became PM?

Answer 6

Half the cabinet detested him and many tories refused to serve under him altogether

Question 7

What were the three main reasons why Canning was disliked by his cabinet?

Answer 7

• They disagreed with his support for Catholic Emancipation
• Critical of his liberal, populist approach to foreign policy
• The aristocrats in parliament looked down on his humble background - his mother was an impoverished actress

Question 8

How did Canning respond to the fact that many tories refused to serve underneath him?

Answer 8

He appointed 4 Whigs to his cabinet

Question 9

What was Canning’s relationship with the Whigs?

Answer 9

They saw him as natural ally, liberal-minded and flexible, and the majority gave him commons support, in a coalition with the majority moderate Tories

Question 10

Why did George IV accept Canning as PM?

Answer 10

Because he could command a commons majority and was popular within the country

Question 11

Why was Canning not able to achieve much as PM?

Answer 11

• George IV insisted that Catholic Emancipation remained an open question despite Canning’s support for the issue
• Wellington destroyed his attempt to reform the Corn Laws in the laws by introducing a sliding scale
• Canning died in 1827, after a short spell of interests, meaning his tenure lasted just 119 days

Question 12

What was Lord Goderich’s political background before becoming PM?

Answer 12

He had had a successful career as chancellor in Liverpool’s government. Canning then made him Leader of the House of Lords during his short spell as PM

Question 13

Why did Lord Goderich have such a difficult time acting as Leader of the House of Lords in the Canning government?

Answer 13

Because most lords were tories and failed to cooperate with anything Canning tried to do, and Grey’s Whigs wanted to replace a Canning government with a completely Whig cabinet

Question 14

Why was Goderich such a poor PM?

Answer 14

• George IV was reluctant to appoint him
• He was impotent in the role and showed few signs of leadership. He was miserable in the role that was clearly unsuited for him
• He resigned after 4 months before even meeting parliament

Question 15

Who did the new Tory government of 1928 have at its head?

Answer 15

The Duke of Wellington

Question 16

Why was Wellington not as adept at holding together a cabinet as Liverpool?

Answer 16

Because of his authoritarian manner

Question 17

What was the relationship between Wellington and Peel during the Wellington government?

Answer 17

Peel agreed to become Wellington’s Home Secretary and lead the commons on the condition that as the Canningnites were included, as their ideas were popular with the people

Question 18

Why did Wellington fall foul of the Ultra Tories?

Answer 18

Because he refused to include Lord Eldon, the previous Lord Chancellor

Question 19

Who were the Ultra Tories?

Answer 19

Believed it was their duty to support the status quo. Concerned with retaining the Corn Laws and uneasy about the idea of free trade. Suspicious of Canning’s liberal ideas

Question 20

Why do many people see Wellington as a poor government leader?

Answer 20

He appeared to lack resolution of its legislative programme, giving way when he felt threatened by the opposition, at other times he would dig his heels in, showing a lack of judgement in his decisions

Question 21

Give an example of Wellington’s poor leadership

Answer 21

He accepted the resignation of Huskisson, one of his strongest minsters, over the proposed disenfranchisement of two corrupt boroughs, causing further resignations

Question 22

What was the consequence of Wellington’s clumsy leadership?

Answer 22

He lost the confidence of many groups in the commons, meaning he could no longer command a steady majority

Question 23

What made Wellington’s 1828 cabinet reshuffle particularly controversial?

Answer 23

It raised the issue of Catholic Emancipation, as he appointed an Irish Protestant MP, Vesey Fitzgerald, who represented County Clare. The subsequent by election after a cabinet appointment was usually a foregone conclusion, but this one was one by Irish Catholic lawyer Daniel O’Donnell

Question 24

What was the negative consequence of Liverpool’s resignation for the Tory party?

Answer 24

He had been an expert at holding together a precocious cabinet, full of diversity and strong characters. Without this, divisions began to emerge within the Tory hierarchy and the party began to disintegrate

Question 25

Describe the 4 different factions that Canning had to deal with after replacing Liverpool

Answer 25

• A pro corn law faction of industrialist who opposed Huskisson’s sliding scale as they feared that it would not offer protection for home grown produce
• A group led by Huskisson who recognised the importance of industrial growth and the need to encourage expansion through free trade measures
• Traditional Tories, who would consider reform as long as it did not disturb the preservation of the constitution, church and state. This meant that they were opposed to things like Catholic Emancipation and parliamentary reform
• The Ultra Tories were a more extreme version of the traditional Tories, intolerant of any measures that would disturb their patrimony and were prepared to vote themselves out of office to uphold their rigid anti-reform principles

Question 26

Define patrimony

Answer 26

One’s inheritance; in this sense the political inheritance of the Ultra Tories, with their elite and privileged position

Question 27

What does Richard Brown say was the main reason for Tory resignations under Canning?

Answer 27

Catholic Emancipation

Question 28

How did the 1929 Catholic Emancipation Act damage the party?

Answer 28

It led to further divisions, ultimately meaning the break up of Pitt’s coalition under Wellington, which had governed successfully for such a long time under Pitt and Liverpool

Question 29

Why was Huskisson’s death tactically an issue for the Wellington government?

Answer 29

It meant that Wellington could not invite him into his cabinet to form an alliance with the more progressive Tories

Question 30

Describe how Wellington made the Tories appear weak compared to the Whigs in the lead up to their eventual replacement

Answer 30

• Violence was spreading across England in response to a weak harvest and economic recession
• He gave a reaction speech against reform, claiming that the existing system was near perfect, which was not in keeping with the mood at the time

Question 31

How did Wellington resign?

Answer 31

Over a minor government defeat, and with great relief

Question 32

What was ironic about Wellington’s government?

Answer 32

Despite his reactionary approach, it actually several important, long lasting reforms