John Wilkes

John Wilkes (17 October 1727 – 26 December 1797) was an English radical, journalist and politician.

Outlaw

Wilkes's opponents were quick to strike back. A manuscript of Wilkes was obtained and produced in the House of Lords where it was declared libel. Moves were soon underway to expel Wilkes again and this time he fled to Paris before his expulsion or trial. He was found guilty, in absentia, of obscene libel and of seditious libel and was declared an outlaw.

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Wilkes hoped for a change in power to remove the charges, but after exhausting his money and stock of goodwill on the continent he returned to England in 1768. He returned intending to stand as MP on an anti-government ticket; curiously, warrants were not issued for his immediate arrest. He stood in London and lost but was quickly elected MP for Middlesex before surrendering to the King's Bench in April and on waiving his right to immunity he was sentenced to two years and fined £1,000. The charge of outlawry was overturned. When Wilkes was imprisoned on May 10 of that year for writing an article for The North Briton severely criticising King George III, rioting broke out in London.

Related Topics:
1768 - Middlesex - May 10 - George III - London

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Wilkes expected an immediate pardon, which he did not receive; he was also expelled from Parliament in February 1769. He was re-elected by Middlesex in the same month only to be expelled and re-elected in March. In April, having been expelled and winning election again, Parliament declared his opponent the winner. In defiance Wilkes had himself elected an alderman of London in 1769, using his supporters' group, the Society for the Defence of the Bill of Rights, to campaign for him. Wilkes eventually succeeded in convincing Parliament into expunging the resolution barring him from sitting.

Related Topics:
1769 - Alderman - Society for the Defence of the Bill of Rights

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