We saw last week that the Russell government stood back from the Great Irish Famine to the point of practically criminal negligence. But what was it doing in the meantime?

Well, it turns out that it wasn’t achieving much. It was a minority government, only able to hang on to office because of the divisions in the Conservative Party. Indeed, the most dramatic events mostly surrounded the figure of the Foreign Secretary, Lord Palmerston. His most remarkable action as his behaviour over the Don Pacifico affair, a striking example of the use of gunboat diplomacy.

It was also another instance of the maverick behaviour which ultimately led to his fall. And, thanks to his tit-for-tat with John Russell, that was quickly followed by the fall of the whole government. It had stayed in office thanks to the divisions in the main Opposition party, and it was brought down by the divisions in its own.

Illustration: Pen and ink portrait of Lord Palmerston, by Harry Furniss