1822 - 1827

George Canning (1770-1827) was brought up as a Whig; but repelled by the French Revolution, he attached himself to William Pitt on his entry into Parliament in 1793. When Pitt's principal allies were reunited in government in 1809, he became foreign Secretary, and his bitter and personal rivalry with Castlereagh dominated ministerial politics. When Spencer Perceval was assassinated in 1812, Canning tried, but failed to form a government, and went onto the back benches. Though he returned to the cabinet in 1814, his support for Queen Caroline - whom the King was attempting to divorce - wrecked his political chances again. Castlereagh's suicide in 1822 revived his career: he replaced his enemy as foreign Secretary and as Leader of the Commons in the ministry headed by Lord Liverpool. He remained for the next five years, brilliant as foreign Secretary and at offending people. His support for Catholic emancipation created a cabinet crisis in 1825; the invitation to him to succeed Liverpool after his resignation due to ill-health in 1827 provoked the resignation of half of the government. He lasted only a few months as prime minister before succumbing himself to a fatal illness.