Northampton has the dubious claim of being the only town in Britain whose MP has been assassinated whilst in office as Prime Minister (1806-1812).
Spencer Perceval was Northampton’s MP from 1796 until his assassination on 11th May 1812 . He was shot dead in the lobby of the House of Commons by one John Bellingham, a Liverpool merchant with a grievance against the government.
Bellingham was detained, tried, convicted and hanged at Newgate Prison on 18th May, one week after the assassination.
One of Perceval’s best-known sayings, during a debate on corrupt electoral practices, is : “I have nothing to say to the nothing that has been said.” Very Churchillian !
Perceval is the only British Prime Minister to have been assassinated.