1847 United Kingdom general election explained

Election Name:1847 United Kingdom general election
Country:United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Type:parliamentary
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1841 United Kingdom general election
Previous Year:1841
Previous Mps:outgoing members
Next Election:1852 United Kingdom general election
Next Year:1852
Seats For Election:All 656 seats in the House of Commons
Majority Seats:329
Elected Mps:elected members
Leader1:Lord Stanley
Leader Since1:July 1846
Party1:Conservative Party (UK)
Leaders Seat1:House of Lords
Last Election1:367 seats, 51.6%
Seats1:325[1]
Seat Change1:42
Popular Vote1:205,481
Percentage1:42.6%
Swing1:9.0%
Leader2:Lord John Russell
Leader Since2:October 1842
Party2:Whigs (British political party)
Leaders Seat2:City of London
Last Election2:271 seats, 46.2%
Seats2:292
Seat Change2:21
Popular Vote2:259,311
Percentage2:53.8%
Swing2:7.6%
Image3:No image.svg
Leader3:John O'Connell
Leader Since3:15 May 1847
Party3:Repeal Association
Leaders Seat3:Limerick City
Last Election3:20 seats, 1.9%
Seats3:36
Seat Change3:16
Popular Vote3:14,128
Percentage3:2.9%
Swing3:1.0%
Prime Minister
Posttitle:Prime Minister after election
Before Election:Lord John Russell
Before Party:Whigs (British political party)
After Election:Lord John Russell
After Party:Whigs (British political party)
Map2 Image:File:1847 UK GE Composition diagram.svg
Map2 Caption:Composition of the House of Commons after the election

The 1847 United Kingdom general election was conducted between 29 July 1847 and 26 August 1847 and resulted in the Whigs in control of government despite candidates calling themselves Conservatives winning the most seats. The Conservatives were divided between Protectionists, led by Lord Stanley, and a minority of free-trade Tories, known also as Liberal Conservatives or the Peelites for their leader, former prime minister Sir Robert Peel. This left the Whigs, led by Prime Minister Lord John Russell, in a position to continue in government.[2]

The Irish Repeal group won more seats than in the previous general election, while the Chartists gained the only seat they were ever to hold, Nottingham's second seat, held by Chartist leader Feargus O'Connor.

The election also witnessed the election of Britain's first Jewish MP, the Liberal Lionel de Rothschild in the City of London. Members being sworn in were however required to swear the Christian Oath of Allegiance, meaning Rothschild was unable actually to take his seat until the passage of the Jews Relief Act in 1858. The constituency of Sudbury, which elected two members, was disfranchised for this election. This accounts there being two fewer seats in the House of Commons as compared to the previous election, though no redistribution took place.

Results

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Regional results

Great Britain

Party CandidatesUnopposedSeatsSeats changeVotes%% change
& Liberal Conservatives373180285194,22343.1
360125267253,37656.2
Chartist901+12,8480.6
Total742305553450,447100
England
Party CandidatesUnopposedSeatsSeats changeVotes%% change
& Liberal Conservatives319149239170,40742.1
29792222230,65657.2
Chartist901+12,8480.7
Total625241462403,911100
Scotland
Party CandidatesUnopposedSeatsSeats changeVotes%% change
482133+220,09281.7+20.9
& Liberal Conservatives231620-23,50918.3-20.0
Total71375323,601100
Wales
Party CandidatesUnopposedSeatsSeats changeVotes%% change
& Liberal Conservatives22152011,11489.5
1312121,39410.5
Total35273212,508100

Ireland

Party CandidatesUnopposedSeatsSeats changeVotes%% change
382429align=right rowspan=2-110,29431.0align=right rowspan=2-6.1
119119643.0
51183614,12843.6
3311255,93520.2
3026292.0
100320.2
Total1376210331,982100

Universities

Party CandidatesUnopposedSeatsSeats changeVotes%% change
& Liberal Conservatives9069,19388.2
2001,23411.8
Total110610,427100

External links

Notes and References

  1. Including Peelites.
  2. Web site: White . Isobel . Durkin . Mary . General Election Dates 1832-2005 . House of Commons . 15 November 2007.