8 1 8 ▁to ▁ 1 8 2 0 , ▁for ▁New ▁Rom ney ▁from ▁ 1 8 3 0 ▁to ▁ 1 8 3 2 , ▁and ▁sat ▁for ▁East ▁Som erset ▁from ▁ 1 8 3 4 ▁to ▁ 1 8 6 5 ▁as ▁a ▁Conserv ative . ▁During ▁his ▁time ▁as ▁MP ▁for ▁East ▁Som erset , ▁he ▁was ▁returned ▁uno pp osed ▁at ▁all ▁elections ▁bar ▁one . ▁▁ ▁He ▁volunt arily ▁retired ▁his ▁seat ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 5 ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁subsequently ▁held ▁from ▁ 1 8 7 8 ▁by ▁Sir ▁William ' s ▁son , ▁Sir ▁Philip ▁Mil es . ▁▁ ▁He ▁served ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁ 3 5 ▁years ▁ 7 ▁months ▁and ▁ 3 0 ▁days , ▁making ▁him ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁longest ▁serving ▁MP s ▁in ▁the ▁UK ' s ▁parliament . ▁ ▁Sir ▁William ▁was ▁a ▁sta unch ▁Conserv ative , ▁opposed ▁to ▁the ▁Reform ▁Act ▁and ▁was ▁a ▁protection ist ▁who ▁fav oured ▁the ▁Corn ▁Law ▁and ▁supported ▁the ▁Duke ▁of ▁Richmond ' s ▁Central ▁Agricult ural ▁Prote ction ▁Society ▁( known ▁as ▁the ▁" Ant i - Le ague "). ▁▁ ▁A ▁great ▁supp orter ▁of ▁the ▁protection ist ▁instinct s ▁of ▁Benjamin ▁Dis ra eli ▁whose ▁sympath ies ▁lay ▁with ▁the ▁land own ing ▁interest ▁in ▁the ▁Party , ▁Mil es ▁supported ▁Dis ra eli ' s ▁early ▁career ▁and ▁was ▁described ▁in ▁The ▁Ath ena e um ▁as ▁" ch ief ly ▁responsible ▁for ▁his ▁appointment ".