Canningites were a faction of

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

Tories in the first decade of the 19th century through the 1820s who were led by

George Canning George Canning (; 11 April 17708 August 1827) was a British Tory statesman. He held various senior cabinet positions under numerous prime ministers, including two important terms as foreign secretary, finally becoming Prime Minister of the U ...

. The Canningites were distinct within the Tory party because they favoured Catholic emancipation and

free trade Free trade is a trade policy that does not restrict imports or exports. In government, free trade is predominantly advocated by political parties that hold Economic liberalism, economically liberal positions, while economic nationalist politica ...

. After the incapacity of

Lord Liverpool Robert Banks Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool (7 June 1770 – 4 December 1828) was a British Tory statesman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1812 to 1827. Before becoming Prime Minister he had been Foreign Secretary, ...

in 1827, Canning was asked to form a government. Because Canning did not have the full support of the Tory party, which was split between Canningites and Ultra-Tories, he created a coalition government with his Canningites allying themselves with the Whigs. Canning died in August 1827 and the Canningite Lord Goderich became Prime Minister, but his government collapsed in January 1828. The Canningites then allied themselves with the Tories, led by the

Duke of Wellington Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and above sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they ar ...

. They resigned in May 1828, though, on the issue of allocating seats from disenfranchised corrupt boroughs to the new growing cities of England. Now usually known as the 'Huskissonites' (after their new leader,

William Huskisson William Huskisson (11 March 177015 September 1830) was a British statesman, financier, and Member of Parliament for several constituencies, including Liverpool. He is commonly known as the world's first widely reported railway passenger ca ...

) the group numbered a bare dozen or so in the House of Commons, with greater support in the House of Lords. For the next year and half they acted as a separate group between the two main parties, and were courted by both. After Huskisson died in 1830 (in a railway accident, the first recorded casualty of this new form of transport), the remainder of the group decided to join the Whigs and voted against the Tory government in a parliament in favour of electoral reform. Wellington resigned as prime minister and the surviving Canningite/Huskissonites joined the new Whig cabinet of

Earl Grey Earl Grey is a title in the peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1806 for General Charles Grey, 1st Baron Grey. In 1801, he was given the title Baron Grey of Howick in the County of Northumberland, and in 1806 he was created Viscoun ...

in November 1830. Very soon after, they ceased to act as a recognisable separate political grouping. In addition to Goderich and Huskisson, prominent Canningites included: * Granville Leveson-Gower * Edward John Littleton * Viscount Palmerston * William Sturges Bourne * Robert John Wilmot-Horton *

Charles Grant Charles or Charlie Grant may refer to: Arts and entertainment * C.J. Grant (Charles Jameson Grant, ), American editorial cartoonist * Charles L. Grant (1942–2006), American novelist * Charles Grant (actor) (born 1957), American actor * Charles G ...

References

Defunct political parties in the United Kingdom Political party factions in the United Kingdom Political parties established in the 19th century 1820s establishments in the United Kingdom Political parties disestablished in 1830 1830 disestablishments in the United Kingdom F. J. Robinson, 1st Viscount Goderich George Canning {{UK-poli-stub

See also

References