7 0 0 . ▁ ▁Political ▁career ▁At ▁the ▁ 1 6 9 5 ▁general ▁election , ▁New port ▁was ▁returned ▁as ▁Member ▁of ▁Parliament ▁for ▁Lud low ▁and ▁also ▁became ▁a ▁fre eman ▁of ▁Lud low . ▁At ▁the ▁ 1 6 9 8 ▁general ▁election , ▁he ▁was ▁initially ▁defeated ▁at ▁Lud low , ▁but ▁pet ition ed ▁and ▁was ▁se ated ▁on ▁ 1 ▁March ▁ 1 6 9 9 . ▁In ▁ 1 6 9 9 ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁the ▁post ▁of ▁Commission er ▁of ▁Custom s ▁which ▁he ▁held ▁until ▁ 1 7 1 2 . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁general ▁election ▁of ▁January ▁ 1 7 0 1 ▁New port ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁MP ▁for ▁Win ch else a ▁but ▁irregular ities ▁in ▁the ▁poll ▁resulted ▁in ▁the ▁Mayor ▁being ▁imprison ed ▁and ▁the ▁election ▁declared ▁void ▁on ▁ 2 7 ▁February ▁ 1 7 0 1 . ▁There ▁was ▁no ▁re - e lection ▁before ▁the ▁November ▁ 1 7 0 1 ▁election ▁at ▁which ▁New port ▁did ▁not ▁stand . ▁ ▁New port ▁returned ▁to ▁parliament ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 7 1 5 ▁general ▁election , ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁returned ▁uno pp osed ▁as ▁MP ▁for ▁( M uch ) ▁W en lock ▁on ▁the ▁interest ▁of ▁his ▁brother , ▁Lord ▁Brad ford . ▁Also ▁in ▁ 1 7 1 5 , ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁a ▁Lord ▁of ▁the ▁Tre as ury ▁and ▁held ▁this ▁office ▁until ▁ 1 7 1 8 . ▁He ▁vac