George Canning (1827) - Prime Minister - Parliament

George Canning was born on the 11th April, 1770 and was educated at Eton and Oxford before embarking on a career in law. After being introduced to a string of politicians, Canning finally became an MP in the House of Commons. Under Pitt he became the secretary of state for foreign affairs and later he joined the opposition party to Addington’s government.

As time went on he again joined the government by becoming the Duke of Portland’s foreign minister. For a short while Canning took a backseat in politics and started writing. Eventually though he became the MP for Liverpool. After the resignation of Lord Liverpool, King George IV interviewed Canning, Peel and Wellington for the post of Prime Minister and Canning was chosen. Even before being appointed his health was deteriorating and this meant his period in office was short-lived.

"Away with the cant of 'Measures not men'! - the idle supposition that it is the harness and not the horses that draw the chariot along. If the comparison must be made (...) men are everything, measures comparatively nothing"

"I consider it to be the duty of a British statesman in internal as well as external affairs, to hold a middle course between extremes; avoiding alike extravagancies of despotism or the licentiousness of unbridled freedom"

"The happiness of constant occupation is infinite"