In November 1709 the clergyman Henry Sacheverell had delivered a sermon fiercely criticising the government's policy of toleration for Protestant dissenters and attacking the personal conduct of the ministers.

The trial enraged a large section of the population, and riots in London led to attacks on dissenting places of worship and cries of "Church in Danger".

Queen Anne, disliking the Junto and sensing that the government could not survive long, gradually replaced it with a Tory ministry throughout the summer of 1710.

Harley's ministry faced increasing pressure from the extremists whose position in Parliament had been enormously strengthened by the result.

The returning officer in each county or parliamentary borough fixed the precise date (see hustings for details of the conduct of the elections).