Page "Statute of Anne" Paragraph 13

With the end of the Parliamentary session came the first general election under the Triennial Act 1694, which required the Monarch to dissolve Parliament every 3 years, causing a general election.

This led to the " golden age " of the English electorate, and allowed for the forming of two major political parties-the Whigs and Tories.

At the same time, with the failure to renew the Licensing Act, a political press developed.

While the Act had been in force only one official newspaper existed ; the London Gazette, published by the government.

After its demise, a string of newspapers sprang into being, including the Flying Post, the Evening Post and the Daily Courant.

Newspapers had a strong bias towards particular parties, with the Courant and the Flying Post supporting the Whigs and the Evening Post in favour of the Tories, leading to politicians from both parties realising the importance of an efficient propaganda machine in influencing the electorate.

This added a new dimension to the Commons ' decision to reject two new renewals of the Licensing Act in the new Parliamentary session.