History of william gladstone
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Although Gladstone was born and brought up in Liverpool and always retained a slight Lancashire accent, he was of Scottish descent on both his mother's and father's side of the family. Many believed Gladstone had neglected military affairs and had not acted promptly enough to save the besieged Gordon. His government created a national elementary programme and made major reforms in the justice system and the civil service.
At the beginning of each session, Gladstone would passionately urge the Cabinet to adopt new policies, while Palmerston would fixedly stare at a paper before him. He had a keen interest in theology and literature and was very widely-read. When the Conservatives split in 1846, Gladstone followed Peel in becoming a Liberal-Conservative.
He was educated at Eton and Oxford University and was elected to parliament in 1832, as a Tory. A month later, however, he stood as a candidate in South Lancashire, where he was elected third MP (South Lancashire at this time elected three MPs).
Significantly, Gladstone succeeded in steadily reducing the income tax over the course of his tenure as chancellor.
In 1859, he joined the Liberals, becoming their leader in 1867 and the following year, prime minister for the first time. In the second ministry of Robert Peel, he served as president of the Board of Trade (1843–1844). He resigned as prime minister in 1885 and declined Victoria's offer of an Earldom. London: J. Murray, 1910.
Protestantism and Catholicism in Their Bearing upon the Liberty and Prosperity of Nations. Toronto: Belford Bros., 1876.
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All links retrieved May 8, 2023. She once complained "He always addresses me as if I were a public meeting." Gladstone was known affectionately by his supporters as the "Grand Old Man" (Disraeli is said to have remarked that GOM should have stood for “God's Only Mistake”) or "The People's William." He is still regarded as one of the greatest British prime ministers, with Winston Churchill and others citing Gladstone as their inspiration.
He continued this practice even after he'd been elected prime minister decades later.
William Ewart Gladstone
Gladstone was elected Tory MP for Newark in December 1832, aged 23, with ultra-conservative views.
In Parliament he spoke out against the abolition of slavery, because his family used slaves on their West Indian plantation.
In December 1831 after sitting for his final examinations, he learned that he had indeed achieved the double first he had long desired. He rejoined Peel’s government later that year as Colonial Secretary.
When the Tory party broke apart in 1846, Gladstone followed Peel in becoming a Liberal-Conservative, now believing strongly in free trade.
Gladstone's second administration—both as prime minister and again as chancellor of the exchequer until 1882—lasted from June 1880 to June 1885.
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