1st Parliament of Queen Anne

The 1st Parliament of Queen Anne was summoned by Queen Anne of England on 2 July 1702 and assembled on 20 August 1702 (but prorogued until 20 October 1702). Its composition was 298 Tories, 184 Whigs and 31 others, representing a large swing to the Tories since the previous election. Robert Harley, the member for Radnor, was re-elected Speaker of the House of Commons.

Parliaments of England 1604–1705
Parliament Date Blessed Parliament 1604 Addled Parliament 1614 3rd Parliament of King James I 1621 4th Parliament of King James I 1624 Useless Parliament 1625 2nd Parliament of King Charles I 1626 3rd Parliament of King Charles I 1628 Short Parliament Apr 1640 Long Parliament (1) Nov 1640 Oxford Parliament 1644 Long Parliament (2) 1645 Rump Parliament (1) 1648 Barebone's Parliament 1653 First Protectorate Parliament 1654 Second Protectorate Parliament 1656 Third Protectorate Parliament 1659 Rump Parliament (2) 1659 Long Parliament (3) 1660 Convention Parliament 1660 Cavalier Parliament 1661 Habeas Corpus Parliament 1679 Exclusion Bill Parliament 1680 Oxford Parliament 1681 Loyal Parliament 1685 Convention Parliament 1689 2nd Parliament of King William III and Queen Mary II 1690 3rd Parliament of King William III 1695 4th Parliament of King William III 1698 5th Parliament of King William III 1701 6th Parliament of King William III Dec 1701 1st Parliament of Queen Anne 1702 2nd Parliament of Queen Anne 1705
List of Parliaments of England

Robert Harley, Speaker

Queen Anne's new ministry was Tory dominated, led by Sidney Godolphin, 1st Earl of Godolphin at the Treasury and Marlborough as the commander of the army (The major War of the Spanish Succession was now in full progress). Anne's commitment to the Church of England also ensured the presence of several High Church Tories in the government, including her uncle Laurence Hyde, 1st Earl of Rochester. However, disputes between Godolphin and Rochester forced the latter’s resignation from the Cabinet in February 1703. The attitudes of the High Church Tories hardened against the expensive war and they became obstructive to the point that Queen Anne was obliged to replace them at the end of the second session. The speaker Robert Harley replaced Lord Nottingham as Secretary of State for the Northern Department in addition to his Parliamentary role.

The third session saw the Aliens Bill introduced, which threatened that unless Scotland agreed to negotiate terms for union with England and accepted the Hanoverian succession by 25 December 1705, there would be a ban on the import of Scottish products. In addition Scots would also lose the privileges accorded to English nationals, endangering their rights to any property they held in England.

Following a prorogation in March 1705, the Parliament was dissolved on 5 April 1705.