Derby Dilly

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Derby Dilly. O'Connell's belittling phrase for the moderate Whigs who, led by four cabinet ministers including Edward Stanley, heir to the Derby earldom, seceded from the reformers in 1834 and began a restructuring of parties. William IV's hopes for a Dilly/Conservative coalition were dashed, but most of the defectors had become Conservatives by 1841. Dilly was slang for a diligence or rapid stage-coach.

Bruce Coleman

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