The Death of Lord Liverpool as the Most Important Reason for the Collapse of the Tory Ministries

The Death of Lord Liverpool as the Most Important Reason for the Collapse of the Tory Ministries

The strength of Lord Liverpool, cruelly described by Benjamin Disraeli

as the “arch mediocrity,” was brought to attention after his death in

1828. It was clear that his moderate stance towards controversial

issues had helped to unite a much-divided party. In unifying the

“High” and “Low” Tories, the “Catholics” and the “Protestants,”

Liverpool had succeeded where his successors would fail. However, the

post-Liverpool Tories were also weakened by the issue of Catholic

Emancipation, whose profile was raised through the infamous County

Clare elections. One must further question how Liverpool’s survival

might have helped the Tories to overcome this ever-present obstacle.

The man considered by Gash as “the most underrated Prime Minister in

history” would surely have helped.

The criticisms of Lord Liverpool’s tenure stem largely from the

distinct lack of progress within Britain during his reign. With

governments in Europe moving towards less conservative and more

democratic systems, Britain appeared static. However, the unrest

caused during this period pales in insignificance when compared to the

political situation after Liverpool’s death. His moderate outlook had

ensured that he found favour with both High and Low Tories, two groups

with distinctly different ideologies. The High Tories, a traditionally

ultra-Conservative faction, saw reform as disruptive and unbeneficial.

They looked to Liverpool because of his moderate stance over the

economic and administrative structure of the country, and because of

his refusal to even consider allowing ...

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...ipation and parliamentary reform against his will. Thus, his

death seems a less important factor. However, I feel the Prime

Ministers’ failings were of the same level as the circumstances of the

time, as the two factors are so heavily linked. On the other hand,

more astute politicians may have handled the circumstances better.

The failings of Liverpool’s successors weakened the Tories position

and devalued their ideologies. Furthermore, his survival past 1827

could not have helped alleviate the ministers’ circumstances; by that

point, he had left his post anyway. Thus, one can see weak politicians

placed in extraordinarily pressured conditions could not have

sustained the Tory ministries, with or without Liverpool’s survival.

It was not his “mediocrity” that weakened the Tories, but the fatal

timing of his departure.