WI: Robert Peel lives longer

[Plumber]

The historian Boyd Hilton argues Peel knew from 1844 he was going to be deposed as Conservative leader—many of his MPs had taken to voting against him and the rupture within the party between liberals and paternalist which had been so damaging in the 1820s, but masked by the issue of reform in the 1830s was brought to the surface over the Corn Laws. Hilton's hypothesis is that Peel wished to actually be deposed on a liberal issue so that he might later lead a Peelite/Whig/Liberal alliance.

So, how about it? WI Peel had not been thrown off his horse? Would a surviving Peel try to become the first Liberal Prime Minister? Would he succeed? And if not, then what would he do?

 

[Jonathan]

So, how about it? WI Peel had not been thrown off his horse? Would a surviving Peel try to become the first Liberal Prime Minister? Would he succeed? And if not, then what would he do?

So, on 29 June 1850, while riding his horse, on Constitution Hill in London, Robert Peel is able to steady his steed when the creature was frightened, however this near-death experience, throws Peel into thinking about where he wants to go politically, thinking maybe he should have really accepted the Whig/Radical coalition, when their members suggested it a year before,

Within a year of the even on Constitution Hill, on 30 June 1851, Peel sits down with Lord Aberdeen and William Gladstone, in his private study to discuss their views, this is the founding of The Liberal Party, with political views that favoured social reform, personal liberty, reducing the powers of the Crown and the Church of England, free trade and minimal government interference in the economy and an extension of the electoral franchise.

On 19 December 1852, over six years out of office, Sir Robert Peel, with Queen Victoria's blessing formed the first Liberal Government of Britain.