Commons 1690-1715

The accession of Queen Anne on 8 Mar. 1702 necessitated a general election, though this was not held until after she had appointed a new ministry. Anne’s natural predilection towards the Tories and her commitment to the Church of England was apparent in her first speech from the throne when she expressed a heart that was ‘entirely English’, a sentiment that chimed well with Tory propaganda.

During the spring and summer of 1701 public opinion crystallized in favour of war against France. The French King’s provocations made clear his expansionist aims in Europe and their threat to English interests. The 1701-2 Parliament – which like its predecessor lasted for only a single session – was largely concerned with the preparations for war, and made rapid progress with necessary measures. But the death of William III on 8 Mar.

William III’s new ministry was predominantly Tory, consisting of such senior Tory figures as Lords Godolphin and Rochester, and Sir Charles Hedges. Robert Harley’s involvement in the negotiation made it clear that he, too, would play a vital role in the House of Commons, though he refused a post in the new ministry.

The 1698 Parliament was to last only two sessions, witnessing the gradual collapse of the Junto ministry and its piecemeal replacement by men of Tory stamp. As politics adjusted to peacetime conditions a serious clash of wills emerged between King and Parliament over issues directly concerning the interests and prerogative of the monarch. These issues were brought to a head by a resurgent Country opposition as Whigs who had supported the Junto during the war, but now found common purpose with the Tories.

The Triennial Act – passed in December 1694 despite earlier royal vetoes – decreed that no future parliament was to last longer than three years. Country MPs had clamoured for regular elections to deter ministers from ‘corrupting’ parliament by employing patronage, pensions or other inducements to build up reliable court support among MPs. Although the Act did little to stop ministerial influence over the House of Commons, it completely transformed the face of politics.

Following the ‘Glorious Revolution’ the brief Convention Parliament of 1689-90 and the enactment of the Bill of Rights initiated a period of political experiment. The balance of power had shifted significantly towards Parliament, but much remained uncertain with new sets of relationships still to be evolved between legislators and the king’s ministers. The most pressing problem was money.