5th Parliament of William III

Robert Harley, the Tory member for Radnor, who had declined a post in William III's new ministry, was elected Speaker of the House.

One was the issue of the succession, following the death of Princess Anne's only surviving child during the Summer and the other was the threat of war with France.

Initially Parliament was of one accord as far as the ratification of the second Partition Treaty, which was an agreement between Britain and other powers to decide the division of the Spanish kingdom and Empire upon the death on 1 November 1700 of the imbecilic King Carlos II without heirs.

When Parliament discovered that the King's emissary Lord Portland had already concluded the treaty without their knowledge or approval he was impeached, followed by Junto members Charles Montagu, the Earl of Orford and John Somers.

Outspoken Tory reluctance to finance another war with Spain had mellowed by the end of the Parliament.