THE OPPONENTS OF FREE TRADE

Election leaflet entitled 'Rothschild, the champion of free trade'. [1849].  RAL 000/429.
In 1846 Sir Robert Peel's Conservative government repealed the Corn Laws which had protected British agriculture from cheaper foreign imports.  Free trade was a policy supported by many Liberals including Lionel de Rothschild. However, free trade had its opponents amongst those who feared that it could threaten British businesses and jobs.  This leaflet would have circulated during Lionel's 1849 bye-election campaign following which he was re-elected by two-thirds of the vote, defeating Lord John Manners.

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