History Extra podcast Robert Peel: life of the week
Sep 29, 2025
Dr. Richard Gaunt, an Associate Professor at the University of Nottingham and biographer of Robert Peel, dives into the life of this complex politician. He discusses Peel's establishment of the Metropolitan Police and the pivotal Corn Laws that shaped public opinion. Gaunt sheds light on Peel's controversial political reversals, his significant reforms, and how the Irish Famine influenced his free trade stance. The conversation highlights Peel's impact on modern governance and his enduring legacy in today's political landscape.
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Peel's Lasting Political Weight
- Robert Peel was a consequential 19th-century PM who served in parliament for 40 years and shaped major reforms.
- His actions on policing, economy and Ireland left long-lasting effects still felt today.
New-Money Background
- Peel came from newly wealthy Lancashire industrialists and retained a Lancastrian accent that marked him as outsider among elites.
- His family's fortune funded his elite education at Harrow and Oxford, enabling a political career.
Early, Rapid Rise To Power
- Peel entered Parliament at about 21 and became a junior minister within a year, showing a precocious political rise.
- He spent most of his career in office, shaping policy through long ministerial service rather than flashy rhetoric.
