Lapse of the Licencing Act

Question 1

Lapse of the Licencing Act:

Date

Answer 1

1695

Question 2

Lapse of the Licencing Act:

Summary/ Significance

Answer 2

Ending of the Licencing Act had previously led to a heavy censorship of the press.

Electorate were better informed than they ever had been as a result of the ending of the Licensing Act.

This new press freedom allowed for political pamphleteering and journalism to influence the votes of the 200,000 men that could vote.

• Meant that partisan politics was increasing.

From E. Vallance:

• There is strong evidence that after 1695 voting in the Commons was conducted largely along party lines, with only 14% of MPs regularly engaging in cross-party voting