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Tamworth Manifesto

The Tamworth Manifesto was a political manifesto issued by Sir Robert Peel in 1834 in Tamworth. Which is widely credited by historians, as having laid down the principles upon which the modern British Conservative Party is based.

In November 1834 King William IV removed the Whig Prime Minister Lord Melbourne and asked the Duke of Wellington to form a ministry. Wellington was reluctant and recommended that the king choose Peel.

As a result Peel intended from the start, as the historian S.J Lee tells "to fully convince the country and electorate that there was a substanstial difference between his brand of conservatism and that of his predecessor and 'old tory' Wellington"

With that in mind, on the 18th of December, the Tamworth Manifesto was published by the press and read around the country.

Like many other manifestos in nineteenth century British politics it was formally an address to the electors of the leader's own constituency, but reproduce widely. Ironically Tamworth had no contest in 1834 as Peel was the only candidate and he was elected unopposed.

Peel's Aims dictated in the Tamworth Manifesto