Bedford Whigs
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Bedford Whigs
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| Leader(s) |
4th Duke of Bedford, 1st Marquess of Stafford |
| Founded | 1751 |
| Dissolved | 1783 |
| Headquarters | Bedfordshire |
| Ideology |
Whiggism Parliamentarism Anti-war |
| National affiliation | Whigs |
The Bedford Whigs (or Bedfordites) were an 18th-century British political faction, led by John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford. Other than Bedford himself, notable members included John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich; Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Gower; Richard Rigby, who served as principal Commons manager for the group; Thomas Thynne, 3rd Viscount Weymouth; Edward Thurlow; and George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough
The Bedfordites emerged as a specific faction in the wake of Bedford's dismissal as Secretary of State in 1751. Initially, Bedford opposed the ministry, dominated by the Old Corps Whigs led by Prime Minister Henry Pelham and his brother the Duke of Newcastle. Following Pelham's death in 1754, Bedford aligned himself with Henry Fox, and after Fox became Secretary of State in late 1755, some of Bedford's followers accepted jobs in the new administration. When the Devonshire-Pitt ministry was formed in November 1756, Bedford gave it his blessing by accepting the post of Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and continued in that office in the Newcastle-Pitt ministry which followed.
Over the course of the Seven Years' War, however, Bedford came into considerable disagreement with Pitt on the conduct of the war. In 1760–1761, despite his doubts about the constitutionality of the influence the new king George III's favorite, the Earl of Bute, Bedford generally allied himself to Bute in Cabinet in order to advocate for peace. Bedford played a significant role in bringing about Pitt's fall, and himself served as the principal peace negotiator for Britain at the Paris Peace Conference of 1762–1763.
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