The Whigs used the laissez-faire argument when they did not really have laissez-faire. Britain had high tariffs on corn and other grains that could have allowed Ireland and Britain to import food other than potatoes. Navigation laws also required only British ships to bring goods to British ports, which further reduced any import of food.

One year later, the British government did intervene by building workhouses to help house the poor tenant farmers. However this made the situation worse because instead of the British government funding the houses, they taxed the Irish landowners triggering mass evictions of the poor tenant farmers.