As he did not enter the House of Commons, it is idle to speculate on what might have been his political career.
Probably it would have been undistinguished.

He was not a good speaker, and he was a bad party man.

His butler, who had been long with him, and knew him well, was once asked by a canvassing agent what his master's politics were.

"Well," he said reflectively, "when the Liberals are in, Mr.Froude is sometimes a Conservative.

When the Conservatives are in, Mr.Froude is always a Liberal." His own master, Carlyle, had been in early life an ardent reformer, and had hoped great things from the Act of 1832.