1742 vote of no confidence against the government of Sir Robert Walpole
The 1742 vote of no confidence against the government of Sir Robert Walpole was the first time that a Prime Minister of the United Kingdom resigned after a vote of no confidence by the House of Commons. Robert Walpole was regarded as the first Prime Minister of Great Britain, although he did not officially enjoined that title. He had been continually in office since 1721 and relied the continuance of his government on the confidence of the King as well as that of the Parliament.
As early as 1739, Walpole told the House of Commons that the ministry should be accountable to the Parliament.[1] During the following years, the support for the government in the House of Commons decreased gradually. In January 1742, the government introduced in a petition against the return of 2 Members of Parliament for Chippenham in recently held by-elections. The petition was defeated in the House of Commons by a vote of 235 to 236 on 28 January.[2]
| Yes votes | 235 |
|---|---|
| No votes | 236 |
Walpole saw this defeat as the loss of the Parliament's confidence in his ministry. As a result, he submitted his resignation as First Lord of the Treasury and Chancellor of the Exchequer on 11 February and was replaced by The Earl of Wilmington. Walpole had been created The Earl of Orford by King George II on 6 February and left the House of Commons.[3] However, the principle of Cabinet collective responsibility had not been established and the other members of Walpole's ministry remained in office.
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