Past Prime Ministers
William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne
Whig 1782 to 1783
鈥淭he sun of Great Britain will set whenever she acknowledges the independence of America 鈥� the independence of America would end in the ruin of England.鈥�
Born
2 May 1737, Dublin, Ireland
Died
7 May 1805, London
Dates in office
1782 to 1783
Political party
Whig
Interesting facts
In power at the time of the treaty of Paris which ended the American Revolutionary War/American War of Independence.
Biography
The Earl of Shelburne was unfairly branded 鈥榯he Jesuit of Berkeley Square鈥� on account of his reputation as a dissembler. His reformist inclinations, political independence and vituperative speeches certainly made him a difficult colleague, with more appeal to posterity than to his contemporary politicians.
Read more about William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne on the