Fox–North coalition

The Fox–North coalition was a government in Great Britain that held office during 1783.Chris Cook and John Stevenson, British Historical Facts 1760–1830, Macmillan, 1980 As the name suggests, the ministry was a coalition of the groups supporting Charles James Fox and Lord North. It was headed by William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland, who became Prime Minister on 2 April 1783. History Fox was a Whig by background, and North came from the nominal Tory Party; however, both had fallen out with the government of Lord Shelburne. They combined their forces in the House of Commons to throw out Shelburne's ministry and then form a government of their own.

King George III despised the government, and Fox in particular, but found that no other ministry could be formed at this stage despite several offers to William Pitt the Younger. Consequently, the King declined to provide the government with the normal tools of patronage, and it was forced to look elsewhere.

The Treaty of Paris was signed during this government on 3 September 1783, formally ending the American Revolutionary War. The government also came under strain when, from the opposition, Pitt introduced a proposal for electoral reform to tackle bribery and rotten boroughs. The proposal did not pass, but caused tensions within the coalition which contained both proponents and opponents of political reform.

The British East India Company was in trouble; Fox proposed nationalising it, thus providing the government with a new source of appointments so that it could reward and maintain support. The East India Bill was introduced and passed in the Commons, but the King remained deeply opposed. He informed the House of Lords that he would regard any peer who voted for the bill as his enemy. The bill was defeated on 17 December 1783 and the King immediately dismissed the coalition. It was succeeded by a government formed by William Pitt the Younger.

After being dismissed, Fox and North tried to force Pitt from power through defeat in the House of Commons, but he refused to resign. The response of opinion in the country, evidenced by petitions, resolutions of borough corporations and the actions of the London mobs, showed strong opposition to the coalition and support for Pitt. In March 1784 a general election was called in which Pitt's government made massive gains, especially in constituencies decided by popular votes.

Principal members of the government

OfficeNameDateFirst Lord of the Treasuryalso Leader of the House of LordsWilliam Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland2 April 1783Secretary of State for the Home Departmentalso joint Leader of the House of CommonsFrederick North, Lord North2 April 1783Secretary of State for Foreign AffairsCharles James Fox2 April 1783Lord President of the CouncilDavid Murray, Viscount Stormont2 April 1783Lord ChancellorIn Commission9 April 1783Lord Privy SealFrederick Howard, 5th Earl of Carlisle2 April 1783First Lord of the AdmiraltyAugustus Keppel, 1st Viscount Keppel8 April 1783Chancellor of the ExchequerLord John Cavendish5 April 1783Master-General of the OrdnanceGeorge Townshend, 4th Viscount Townshend28 April 1783First Lord of TradeThomas Robinson, 2nd Baron Granthamcontinued in officeChancellor of the Duchy of LancasterJohn Dunning, 1st Baron Ashburtoncontinued in officeEdward Smith-Stanley, 12th Earl of Derby29 April 1783Treasurer of the NavyCharles Townshend11 April 1783Secretary at WarRichard FitzPatrick11 April 1783Paymaster of the ForcesEdmund Burke8 April 1783Lord Lieutenant of IrelandRobert Henley, 2nd Earl of Northington1783

Fox–North coalition

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