He became a
Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency of
New Romney in 1830, a position that he held until 11 March 1831. He was then elected MP of the
City of Durham in between 1831 and 1832, 1835 and 1841, and 5 April 1843 and 14 July 1843. He was an opponent of the reform bills of 1831–2, which would become the
Reform Act 1832, and wrote a pamphlet in opposition titled
Letter to the Duke of Rutland. In September 1855, he was elected an
Irish representative peer and was actively involved in the
House of Lords. He led the opposition to the Divorce Bill 1857 and Lord Wodehouse's Marriage Law Amendment (Deceased Wife's Sister) Bill 1859. == Personal life ==