Sir Valentine John Blake, 12th Baronet (23 June 1780 – January 1847)[1][2] was an Irish Repeal Association and Tory politician.
Despite his earlier assurances, Blake did not establish a working relationship with the government either at Westminster or Dublin, holding out for the entire patronage of Galway town in order to maintain his election prospects.
In the end, Blake felt he was "cheated of his rights" and came to see Robert Peel, who was then Chief Secretary for Ireland, as a Machiavellian figure.
After several attempts, he reminded the prime minister of the "unrewarded services" of his ancestor, Sir Walter Blake, 6th Baronet, but Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool was still unable to help him.
Despite being often absent from parliament and declaring he would not attend unless it was necessary—including voting prematurely in defence of the Irish master of the rolls bill—he held the seat until 1820, when he was defeated.