5. PEEL AND THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY

- divided, progressive tories joined whigs, ultra tories furous about catholic emancipation.
- divided about parliamentary reform, for or against
- no election success in 1832
- reform proposals would end alot of tory control in rotten boroughs

- refused to condemn reform but did not want to be seen as supportive
- did not want to put barrier between wellington and be accused of supporting whigs
- oppsed reform debated 1830-32 but did not block entirely
- refused to take office may 1832 when earl grey resigned

how did peel change the tory party?

- unable to consult with members of his party
- repeal of corn laws 1846 deeply unpopular
- loathed by disreali
- seen as taking party away from the constitution
- weelington unhappy with direction of party

what where the events 1834-5

- introduced act to authorise civil marriage and allow non conformists to arrainge the marriage services not under the church of england.
- began an enquiry which led to the reform of tithes in 1835

what was the 1839 ladies of the bedchamber crisis?

- peel wins a mojority, significant as they used to be seen as old fashioned party with extreme opponents to change

- budjet deficit of 1.8 mill, much public spending to pay off debt from french war
- economic downturn hit trade
- social support for chartism
- bad harvest and high bread prices
- anti-corn law league, middle class agrigation

- 1842 budget, reintroduction of income tax (7p to the £ levied on incomes over 150) raises 3 mill over 3 years and pays for the reduction on duties on 750 articles
- by 1845 deficit turned into surplus of 3.4 mill, 430 items now free of duty and maintained the income tax

- established a register of joint stock companies where companies could be registered for free
- helped as previously a company could only have legal status via act of parliament or royal approval
- this reduced illegal bussiness and made it much easier and cheaper

- only bank of england could now issue paper money
- can only issue notes to the value of its gold reserve and 14 mill on top (tying to the gold standard)
- aimed for money to retain its value
- gold discoveries in california meant more gold in circulation

- gave parliament the power to limit rail profits to purchase railways for the state and to inspect the accounts of railway companies
- required cheap travel for working class

- defecit becomes surplus
- boosts confidence in the currency
- regulates railways
- increases trade
- regulates companies
BUT... leaves social issues undelt resulted from economic boom he facilitated

- has a single focus, repeal corn laws
- anti corn law association set up in london 1836
- anti corn law association in manchester 1838
- anti corn law league national in manchester 1839
- most support comes from northern middle classes
-dominant leaders, richard cobden and john bright

1815- liverpool introduced, no foreign corn allowed until price of british grown corn reaches 80 sh a quarter
1828- wellington introduces sliding scale,
- foreign corn allowed but import tax of 34 sh 8p when price of british 52 sh or less.
- a gradual decreas import tax when b.corn between 52-73
- import tax of 1 sh when b.corn 73 sh or over
1842- peel amended to modify sliding scale
- import tax 20 sh when b.corn 51 sh or less
- gradual r=decrease import tax between 51-73
-import tax 1 sh if b.com 73 sh or over
1845, majority against repeal 132 votes

- it opposed free trade
- workers needed cheaper bread
- increased cost of manufacturing, harming employers ect.
- puts other countries off buying b.corn as we arent buying theirs
-middle classes arent represented

- they had already been amended, not untouchable by gov
- corn laws unafected as not large amount of foreign corn anyway (bad harvests)
- foreign corn expensive to import, not that much cheaper
- low bread prices exuse to reduce wages
- refoorms passed after 1834 not been in landowners interests

1. trying to get anti corn law mps elected
- 1841 won mps in walsall and manchester
-league supporters bought property in counties to qualify to vote (spending 250 mill)
- ensured qualified supporters registered to vote
-victories south lancashiire, 1845 and yorkshire, 1846
2.holding big public meetings
- substansial support from non confortmists
-free trade hall opened central manchester
3. other tactiics
- lectures, bazzars, rallies, banners, posters, ladies goups ect.
-sub of £50 carried one vote
- newspapers, anti corn law circulation

- no effective appeal to powerful landed interest
- working classes supicious of pressure groups, cobden reluctant to link classes
-associated with low wage economy
- 'anti-league' able to pick holes in leagues case
-inedaquate attempts to win parliamentary seats
- people moving to repeal already
- wouldnt have convinced peel if he wasnt already in support, no revolutionary activity

- law and order might break down unless action taken, potato famine
- cobdens arguments unfluenced him
- whigs now supported repeal, a party that people may vote for
- supported free trade
- had support from most of cabinet
- acted on what he considered was right
- could count on the lords
- provisions of 1815 act had come into effect rarely

- resentment at the repeal of corn laws
- june 1846, irish coercion bill defeated and he resigned (defeated by own backbench whigs and irish)
-style of leaderhsip resented, seen as cold, untrustworthy, and promoting interests of manufacturers.
-unpopular policies
-not big enough supporter of church of england