author
Robert Peel
A central figure in 19th-century British politics, he is remembered both for helping shape the modern Conservative Party and for creating the Metropolitan Police. His career combined practical reform with dramatic political risk, especially when he pushed through the repeal of the Corn Laws.
1 Audiobook
Oxford
by Robert Peel, Harry Christopher Minchin
About the author
Born in Lancashire in 1788, Sir Robert Peel studied at Harrow and Christ Church, Oxford, then entered Parliament at a young age. He went on to serve as Home Secretary and twice as prime minister, becoming one of the most influential British statesmen of his era.
Peel is often called the father of modern policing because he established the Metropolitan Police in London in 1829. He also backed a series of administrative and criminal-law reforms, earning a reputation as a careful, effective reformer rather than a fiery public orator.
His second premiership is especially famous for the 1846 repeal of the Corn Laws, a move he supported during a time of crisis despite fierce opposition from many in his own party. That decision split his supporters, but it cemented his place in history as a leader willing to sacrifice power for policy.