TAYLOR, Michael Angelo (?1757-1834), of Bawtry, Yorks.

In 1784 Taylor was returned after a contest at Poole, having been recommended by Lord Howe and William Pitt. He also contested Preston, but was unsuccessful both at the poll and on petition. In his first speech, during a debate on parliamentary reform, 16 June 1784, Taylor said that while he intended to support Pitt ‘on all great national points’ he would always judge for himself, and he did not think the people anxious for parliamentary reform, but being a new Member, would not vote. His first known vote was for Fox on the Westminster scrutiny, 9 Feb. 1785, but he again affirmed his support for Pitt ‘against whom he might never give another [vote]’.Debrett, xv. 193, xvii. 111. A fairly frequent speaker, he introduced two bills for the reform of ecclesiastical courts, 5 May 1785 and 7 Mar. 1786. He supported Pitt on his Irish commercial propositions, and on Richmond’s fortifications plan, 27 Feb. 1786, for which he was a Government teller.

On 1 June 1786 Taylor spoke in favour of Burke’s motion against Warren Hastings;Stockdale, i. 21-22. became one of the managers of the impeachment; and, brought into close association with Fox and Burke, went into opposition, voting against Administration on Sir Elijah Impey’s impeachment, 9 May 1788, and over the Regency, 1788-9. He is said to have been the opposition candidate for Speaker in case of a change of Administration in 1789.

He died 16 July 1834.