in 1774 he was returned unopposed as member of parliament for durham county and was a supporter of lord north’s administration. he was returned again in 1780 although it was said of him shortly after that ‘he holds the business of the house in great contempt, generally comes down after dinner, and is always the first to call for the question.’ he was re-elected in 1784 and at the time of the regency crisis in 1788 complained of being recalled to parliament. there is no record of his ever having spoken in the house and appeared to prefer hunting to spending time at parliament. in 1789 he became anxious about his seat citing the threat of an alien banker and was defeated in the 1790 british general election