William Pitt the Younger who had previously served as Prime Minister. The younger Pitt's prime ministerial tenure, which came during the reign of George III, was dominated by major events in Europe, including the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars. Pitt, although often referred to as a Tory, or "new Tory", called himself an "independent Whig" and was generally opposed to the development of a strict partisan political system. He led Britain in the great wars against France and Napoleon. Pitt was an outstanding administrator who worked for efficiency and reform, bringing in a new generation of outstanding administrators. He increased taxes to pay
William Pitt the Younger republic" naval mutiny at the Nore in June 1797 led by Richard Parker who blockaded London for a time inspired a more repressive approach from Pitt who made it clear he would not negotiate with Parker, whom he wanted to see hanged as a mutineer. In response to the naval mutinies of 1797, Pitt passed an act that made it unlawful to advocate breaking oaths to the Crown and passed the Defense of the Realm act in 1798, which further restricted civil liberties. In 1797, Pitt was forced to protect the kingdom's gold reserves by preventing individuals from exchanging banknotes