Editing Gordon Riots (section)

==Aftermath==
The riots damaged the reputation of Britain across Europe, where many saw British [[constitutional monarchy]] as an inherently unstable form of government. This came at a time when Britain was searching for allies, particularly Catholic Austria, in the American War of Independence to challenge the strong coalition the French had built.<ref>Simms p. 640</ref> Britain had also initiated secret negotiations with Catholic Spain to end Spanish support of the United States. After learning of the riots, the Spanish government pulled back from peace negotiations with Britain, concerned that the disorder would lead to a widespread collapse of the current British administration.<ref>Richard Morris, ''The Peacemakers: The Great Powers and American Independence'' (New York: Harper & Row, 1965), pp. 59–60.</ref>

The riots highlighted the problems Britain faced by not having a professional police force, a notion which was opposed as foreign and [[Absolutism (European history)|absolutist]]. The day after the riots broke out, the [[William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne|Earl of Shelburne]] shocked many by proposing in parliament that Britain should consider forming a force modelled on the French police.<ref>Hibbert pp. 64–65</ref><ref>A Greater London Professional Police Force—the [[Metropolitan Police Service]]—was not established until 29 September 1829. The [[City of London Police]] would not be established until 1839.</ref>

The riots damaged the popularity of the radical politician [[John Wilkes]], who led citizen militia against the rioters.<ref name="z097">{{cite book | last=Thomas | first=Peter D. G. | title=John Wilkes: A Friend to Liberty | publisher=Oxford University Press | publication-place=Oxford | date=1996-03-28 | isbn=978-0-19-820544-9 | page=188}}</ref> Many of his followers saw this as a betrayal; some of them may have been among the rioters. A pamphlet and a book of poems defending the role of Gordon were written and published by the polemicist and hymn-writer [[Maria De Fleury]].<ref>''The Feminist Companion to Literature in English'', eds Virginia Blain, Patricia Clements and Isobel Grundy (London: Batsford, 1990), p. 276.</ref>

The events at the Bank of England started a tradition where a detachment of soldiers, usually from the [[Brigade of Guards]], would march to the bank to perform security duties. Until 1963 the duty was performed by the Guards in [[Home Service Dress]] with [[bearskin]], though tennis shoes were worn inside the bank.{{citation needed|date=November 2024}} From that date until 31 March 1973 the detachment became more functional than ceremonial, doing their duties in service dress with automatic weapons.<ref>p. 113 Lindsay, Oliver ''Once a Grenadier: The Grenadier Guards 1945–1995'' Pen and Sword, 14 Mar 1996</ref>