Since 1815, the Corn Laws had been in force to protect British cereal producers against competition from foreign imports. They kept the price of grain (and thus of bread) artificially high, and thus were highly unpopular with the poor, although supported by landlords and farmers as part of the economy theory of mercantilism. In 1827, on the recommendation of President of the Board of Trade William Huskisson, Prime Minister George Canning proposed a measure that would introduce a sliding scale for import duties on grain. However, the Duke of Wellington in the House of Lords insisted on amendments to the bill, after which it was no longer a document that the government was prepared to endorse, and it did not become law.
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Citation: Editors, Litencyc. "Duke of Wellington blocks Canning's Corn Law in the House of Lords". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 30 August 2013 [https://staging.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=4644, accessed 23 November 2024.]
