On 31st of January 1855, the UK Prime Minster George Hamilton Gordon, Lord Aberdeen resigned.

The UK Government at the time was a coalition of Free Traders, Whigs and Peelites. It was a time of unstable government after the defeat of the previous minority Government Disraeli’s budget and a vote of no confidence.

The UK was at the height of building its Empire upon which its wealth was built.

Despite being a global power it was entrenched in The Crimean War which was not going well.

MPs voted in favour of a parliamentary investigation into the conduct of the war which got a huge majority of votes. Prime Minister Lord Aberdeen resigned.