How successful was Lord Liverpool as PM?
Cards (8)
- Lord Liverpool Strengths:
- he was in office for 15 years
- prevented splits and quarrels within his own party
- stopped the Luddites
- overcame wars with the USA and with France
- quelled popular discontent
- advanced careers of younger politicians such as Peel and Canning
- introduced some reforms
- protects agriculture
- lead an effective government
- contentious issues were treated as open questions
- Lord Liverpool: Weaknesses
- Peterloo
- arch-mediocrity —> said by Disraeli
- Corn Laws 1815
- relied on the talents of others
- supported the King over the Queen Caroline Affair -> made the government unpopular
- ignored pressing issues like Parliamentary Reform and the revisiting of the Corn Laws
- introduced repressive measures
- did not combat the social problems caused by industrialisation
- Canning Strengths:
- attempted to amend Corn Laws and Catholic Emancipation
- pro-reform —> liberal Tory
- semi popular with the people
- middle class backgrounds
- Canning Weaknesses:
- unable to command support + ineffective as a result
- unpopular -> lack of support
- died
- failed to stop key issues
- Duke of Wellington: Strengths
- traditionalist
- war hero -> very well liked
- more popular and had support
- introduced Catholic Emancipation + sliding scale for the corn law
- assertive personality
- Duke of Wellington: Weaknesses
- authoritarian
- lost majority
- public speech against reform in 1830
- anti-reform
- Tory split
- riots as the economy was getting worse
- Was Liverpool the better leader?
- he lasted longer and achieved more
- held the party together for 15 years
- Canning was unable to command support + was ineffective
- Wellington opposed reform and ending up passing some divisive measures
- advised speech against parliamentary reform
- Wellington’s government collapsed after 2 years
- Goderich was prime minister for 144 days, this was because he found it miserable and he lacked control over political factions