Constituency : Tralee 1829-31, Northampton 1831-59
Robert was the son of a lawyer and MP. He was educated at Eton and Oxford. He was a junior whip under Lords Grey and Melbourne. When Melbourne returned to office in 1839 he made Robert Secretary of the Board of Control until 1839 when he was moved to Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies. He was contemptuous of the Irish describing them in 1847 as "Incapable of the honest exertion, the prudence, and the integrity, which were the characteristics of the poor of this country". He was overlooked by Russell until the very end of the ministry in 1852 when he was Secretary at War for a mere fortnight. On coming to power in 1855 Palmerston promoted him to the Cabinet as President of the Board of Control where he had to deal with the Indian Mutiny. He held the post until 1858.
Immediately after the 1859 election Robert was raised to the peerage as Baron Lyveden.
He died in 1873 aged 73.
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