Whig Junto

As the members of the Junto entered the Lords — Somers was made Lord Keeper in 1693[6] and was promoted to a barony four years later,[7] Wharton succeeded his father as Baron Wharton in 1696,[8] Russell was created Earl of Orford in 1697[9] and Montagu(e)[n 1] was created Baron Halifax in 1700 — their hold on the Commons weakened and by 1700 the Junto was largely out of power.

[10] In 1701 Somers, Orford and Halifax were impeached but survived the attack[11] and late in the year the Junto seemed set to return to power in order to help the king rally support for the War of the Spanish Succession.

However, King William's death in March 1702 delayed their return: Queen Anne detested them and refused to include them in the ministry, which was instead dominated by High Tories, with whom her sympathies lay.

Whigs however took full control of the government in 1715, and despite a brief internal split remained totally dominant, reaching new heights with the creation of the first recognised Prime Minister, Robert Walpole.

This was however until King George III, coming to the throne in 1760, ensured the creation of more peerages for Tories — they sought to dispel a naturally resultant economic favouritism based on politics, caused by this long renewed period of ascendancy and promised greater royal concessions.