George Canning

1827

George Canning

After a prolonged delay of 54 days – the longest ministerial interregnum in British history -- Canning (1770-1827) formed the mixed Whig/liberal Tory ministry which was almost certainly his first choice, leaving out almost all his former Ministerial colleagues. He lasted only 119 days, the shortest tenure in history, during which he lost the excellent Liverpool/Huskisson Corn Bill, although he capably presented the budget that Goderich had been too cowardly to reveal. In terms of tenure and achievement, he ranks close to the bottom of this list, below Wilmington, Devonshire and Rosebery, albeit above his successor, Goderich. Of course, in terms of talent, he was much better than that, but his colleagues disliked and distrusted him, he gained office exploiting that failing, and he did not last long enough to overcome it.

More biographical information can be found in Canning's Chronology entry

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