Melbourne as a Whig PM Flashcards
What was the main goal William IV had in mind when he invited Lord Melbourne to form a government in August 1834?
He wanted to safeguard himself against policies he disliked, probably because of Melbourne’s conservative approach to reform
Describe Melbourne’s conservative reputation?
- He was part of Canning’s Tory government for its brief lifespan
- Said that change is a great danger and a great evil
- Did not see any more necessity for reform after the GRA
What did critics say about Melbourne’s conservative approach?
They interpreted this as either a lack of a clear plan or simple laziness
Why was Melbourne met with discord from both sided of the political spectrum in his early days as PM
- He refused the King’s request to include Peel and Wellington to form a quasi-coalition
- He upset the radical Whigs by excluding them from his cabinet in an attempt to appease the King
Why was excluding Whig Radicals from the cabinet a big mistake?
Because many of them, like Brougham, would not sit back in silence
Why was the death of Lord Althorp’s father detrimental an issue for Melbourne?
Because he thought that Althorp as chancellor was they key to achieving cooperation and stability of the commons. However, the death of his father meant he inherited his Earldom and was therefore obliged to take up his seat in the lords
What lead to the dismissal of Melbourne’s government by William IV?
Melbourne insisted on promoting Lord Russell to the position of chancellor to replace Althorp. The King disliked Russell’s radical tendencies and dismissed the government, despite the fact that it held a commons majority
What does Briggs suggest allowed the King to dismiss Melbourne and replace him with Peel?
Whig ineptitude; suggesting that if Grey had been more assertive then the King would not have been able to act in what was at this point an unconstitutional manner
Why do McCord and Purdue suggest that Melbourne allowed the King to dismiss him even though he was acting in an unconstitutional manner?
They said that he put up little resistance because he was actually relieved by this decision
What was the consequence of the King deciding to interfere and replace Melbourne with Peel?
It angered the Whigs and Radicals and they made a concerted effort to bring down Peel within just a few months
What replaced the Peel government after it was brought down in just a few months?
Melbourne returned to office, but with fewer Whig supporters, meaning he had to rely on Radical and Irish MPs
How did Lord Russell respond to the King’s unconstitutional behaviour?
By forming the 1835 Lichfield House Compact with Daniel O’Connell, leader of the Irish MPs
What did the 1835 Lichfield House Compact do?
Promised Irish support for the Whigs in parliament and a Whig commitment to carry through Irish reforms when the Whigs returned to power. The radicals were too divided to make a pact with Irish MPs
Why did the Lichfield House Compact come back to bite the 2nd Wellington government?
Because they now had to uphold their end of the bargain
Who were the Irish MPs led by?
Daniel O’Connell
What did the Irish MPs use the LHC to do?
Call for an end of the Act of Union, which seriously discredited the Whig government
How did the Whigs fail to bring about Church reform?
They failed to get a reasonable measure through the lords to abolish the system of church rates, which imposed a burden on Nonconformists
Why was a GE held in August 1837?
Due to the death of William IV
Why did the death of William IV give a boost to Melbourne?
The young, politically inexperienced Queen Victoria expressed a preference for him over Peel
Explain Melbourne’s brief resignation?
He resigned over what he saw as a vote of no confidence in parliament, but then quickly returned when Peel refused to form a government
Describe Melbourne’s 3rd government
He limped on for two more years in the face of an economic crisis to which he had no solution - there was high unemployment and discontent but he still refused to entertain the idea of further reform
What were the two new sources of radical agitation that plagued Melbourne’s 3rd government?
The Chartist Movement and Anti-Corn Law League, neither of which were handled well by the government
What happened in the July 1841 GE?
Support drained away from the Whigs and the Conservatives won
Why were Russel’s attempts at introducing a free trade budget in 1841 not enough to convince voters to support the Whigs?
Because the budget had been in deficit despite direct and indirect taxes going up since 1837
