20 February 1851

Lord John Russell’s Whig Government is defeated in the House of Commons

The defeat came on the second reading of the Militia Bill. The bill, hastily introduced in response to public concern at deteriorating relations with France, attracted considerable criticism most notably from Lord Palmerston, still smarting at his dismissal by Russell two months earlier. Palmerston moved to amend the bill, the government opposed him but Palmerston carried the day by a majority of 13. The government which had been struggling for some time immediately resigned with some relief. Writing to his brother a few days later, Palmerston put it bluntly, ‘I have had my tit-for-tat with John Russell and I turned him out on Friday last.’