This led to his becoming the leading figure within the conservative faction of the Whig Party, which he dubbed the "Old Whigs", as opposed to the pro-French Revolution "New Whigs", led by Charles James Fox.
Den gjorde Burke til et fremtrædende medlem i den konservative fløj af whig-partiet (som han gav navnet "Old Whigs", de gamle whig'er) i modsætning til de pro-revolutionære "New Whigs" (nye whig'er) anført af Charles James Fox.