Assassination of a Prime Minister

Political assassinations are not uncommon. It is inescapable part of a certain style of statecraft. Whether ‘Vishkanyas’ (recall Chanakya) are employed for this purpose or professionals are hired, whether they happen as a well contrived conspiracy or personal revenge, leaders and politicians, Presidents and Prime Ministers, Monarchs and Regents, in history, have fallen to a bullet or slaughtered by a sword. Some of these assassinations are talked about for a long time while some of them are quickly forgotten.
There is one assassination, though, that was as little known as it was scarcely remembered. Spencer Perceval has the distinction of the only Prime Minister of Britain to have been assassinated. Not for political reasons but due to the uncontrolled wrath and frustration of a citizen.
On May 11, 1812 Spencer Perceval, the prime Minister of Britain, was shot at by a man John Bellingham as he entered the lobby of House of Commons. Bellingham, who was quietly sitting by the fire place, took out a pistol and shot at Perceval’s chest. Perceval fell down, shouting, ‘I am murdered’. Member of Parliament William Smith, who happened to be around rushed to Perceval’s side but of no avail. The doctor declared him dead leaving Smith with convulsive sobs.
Bellingham however, did not budge from that place. He not only did not try to escape but shouted at the top of his voice, “I have been denied the redress of my grievances by government,” adding: “I have been ill-treated. They all know who I am and what I am . . . I am a most unfortunate man and feel sufficient justification for what I have done.”
He was arrested and was tried four days later at the Old Bailey. His attorney attempted to use the insanity defence, but the judge rejected this, an action which Bellingham himself agreed with. Less than eight hours later and after only 15 minutes’ deliberation the jury found him guilty and the judge sentenced him to death.
He was executed on Monday, May 18, 1812, in less than a week of the murder committed by him.
Bellingham was a merchant, born in Liverpool, who was angry with the British government over a perceived lack of help when he had been imprisoned while working in Russia. In 1804 he was falsely jailed for debt in Russia and could get no help from the British Embassy. Released after serving five years in prison, he launched a campaign demanding compensation from the British Government. He failed and his mounting sense of rage and injustice led him to this horrible crime.
Did the murder create a huge uproar as Britain was robbed of a future great statesman? Apparently not. Because, the murder of the Prime Minister did not stir a chord in the hearts of British people. He was perceived to be anti- working class who had done nothing for them. At least a sizable public was generally supportive of the assassination, Bellingham having been met by crowds wishing to shake his hand when he was transferred to Newgate Prison.
Perceval was just 49 when he met his untimely and unlikely death. A lawyer by profession, he was seen as a decent man, perhaps a little insensitive, who had risen in the Tory Party to become Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1807, then Prime Minister in 1809. A colleague once described him thus: “He is not a ship of the line, but he carries many guns, is tight-built, and is out in all weathers.”
His Prime Ministership was fairly weak riven by one crisis or the other including the riots by Luddites and an economic depression. But by 1812 he had become stable little anticipating the tragedy that awaited him.
As an ironic twist of fate, the descendants of both – Henry Bellingham and Roger Percival, many years later stood for the same seat in Parliament at the same time.
Neither of them won.