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- Author: Peter D.G. Thomas x
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This chapter discusses political events in Great Britain during the final year of the first decade of George III's regime. In 1970, the King's opponents pitted the power of the House of Commons against that of the Crown, but circumstances tipped the balance in favour of the monarchy. The chapter suggests that the success of Prime Minister Lord North enabled George III to defy ‘faction’ and make good his royal claim to have a prime minister of his own choice.
This chapter sums up the key findings of this study on the first decade of George III's reign as King of Great Britain. The ministry at George III's ascension was a coalition of all the Whig groups, and the next five ministries were all reshuffles of the Whig pack, none entailing a complete change of cabinet membership. This political situation allowed George III to exercise the significant power that lay with the Crown and act in accord with much contemporary opinion. The chapter argues that the British political scene between the accession of George III and the outbreak of the American War was a time when the two sides in Parliament were administration and opposition, and not Tories and Whigs.