The 1874 United Kingdom general election saw the incumbent Liberals, led by William Gladstone, lose decisively, even though it won a majority of the votes cast.[1]Benjamin Disraeli's Conservatives won the majority of seats in the House of Commons, largely because they won a number of uncontested seats. It was the first Conservative victory in a general election since 1841. Gladstone's decision to call an election surprised his colleagues, for they were aware of large sectors of discontent in their coalition. For example, the nonconformists were upset with education policies; many working-class people disliked the new trade union laws and the restrictions on drinking. The Conservatives were making gains in the middle-class, Gladstone wanted to abolish the income tax, but failed to carry his own cabinet. The result was a disaster for the Liberals, who went from 387 MPs to only 242. Conservatives jumped from 271 to 350. Gladstone himself noted: "We have been swept away in a torrent of gin and beer".[2]
The election saw the Irish of the Home Rule League become a significant third party in Parliament, with 60 of 101 of the seats for Ireland. This had been the first general election that used a secret ballot following the 1872 Secret Ballot Act. The Irish Nationalist gains could well be attributed to the effects of the Secret Ballot Act, as tenants faced less of a threat of eviction if they voted against the wishes of their landlords. Also in this election, the first two working-class MPs were elected: Alexander MacDonald and Thomas Burt, both members of the Miners' Union, were elected as Liberal-Labour (Lib–Lab) MPs in Stafford and Morpeth, respectively.[3] The 1867 Reform Act eroded the legislative power of the rural gentry. The 1874 election, especially in Ireland, saw great landowners losing their county seats to tenant farmers.[4]
This is the only time since the introduction of the secret ballot that a party has been defeated despite receiving an absolute majority of the popular vote. This was primarily because over 100 Conservative candidates were elected unopposed. This meant no votes were cast in those 100 places where the Conservative candidates were anticipated to be popular; in the seats where Liberal candidates did stand, they polled a high proportion of the vote on average.
The election saw 652 MPs elected, six fewer than at the previous election. Following allegations of corruption, the Conservative-held constituencies of Beverley and Sligo Borough, and the Liberal-held constituencies of Bridgwater and Cashel, had been abolished.
Hurst, Michael (1972), "Liberal versus Liberal: The General Election of 1874 in Bradford and Sheffield", Historical Journal, 15 (4): 669–713, doi:10.1017/s0018246x00003502, S2CID 145108784
McIntyre, William David. "Disraeli's election blunder: The straits of Malacca issue in the 1874 election." Culture, Theory and Critique 5.1 (1961): 76-105.
Maehl, William Henry (1963), "Gladstone, the Liberals, and the Election of 1874", Historical Research, 36 (93): 53–69, doi:10.1111/j.1468-2281.1963.tb00622.x
Roberts, Martin (2001), Britain: 1846–1964: The Challenge of Change, Oxford University Press
Roberts, Matthew. "Election Cartoons and Political Communication In Victorian England" Cultural & Social History (2013) 10#3 pp 369–395, covers 1860 to 1890.
May 05, 2023
1874, united, kingdom, general, election, incumbent, liberals, william, gladstone, lose, decisively, even, though, majority, votes, cast, benjamin, disraeli, conservatives, majority, seats, house, commons, largely, because, they, number, uncontested, seats, fi. The 1874 United Kingdom general election saw the incumbent Liberals led by William Gladstone lose decisively even though it won a majority of the votes cast 1 Benjamin Disraeli s Conservatives won the majority of seats in the House of Commons largely because they won a number of uncontested seats It was the first Conservative victory in a general election since 1841 Gladstone s decision to call an election surprised his colleagues for they were aware of large sectors of discontent in their coalition For example the nonconformists were upset with education policies many working class people disliked the new trade union laws and the restrictions on drinking The Conservatives were making gains in the middle class Gladstone wanted to abolish the income tax but failed to carry his own cabinet The result was a disaster for the Liberals who went from 387 MPs to only 242 Conservatives jumped from 271 to 350 Gladstone himself noted We have been swept away in a torrent of gin and beer 2 1874 United Kingdom general election 1868 31 January 17 February 1874 1874 01 31 1874 02 17 1880 outgoing memberselected members All 652 seats in the House of Commons327 seats needed for a majority First party Second party Third party Leader Benjamin Disraeli William Gladstone Isaac ButtParty Conservative Liberal Home RuleLeader since 27 February 1868 3 December 1868 November 1873Leader s seat Buckinghamshire Greenwich Limerick CityLast election 271 seats 38 7 387 seats 61 2 Did not contestSeats won 350 242 60Seat change 79 145 60Popular vote 1 091 708 1 281 159 90 234Percentage 44 3 52 0 3 7 Swing 5 6 9 2 New partyColours denote the winning partyPrime Minister before electionWilliam GladstoneLiberal Prime Minister after election Benjamin DisraeliConservativeThe election saw the Irish of the Home Rule League become a significant third party in Parliament with 60 of 101 of the seats for Ireland This had been the first general election that used a secret ballot following the 1872 Secret Ballot Act The Irish Nationalist gains could well be attributed to the effects of the Secret Ballot Act as tenants faced less of a threat of eviction if they voted against the wishes of their landlords Also in this election the first two working class MPs were elected Alexander MacDonald and Thomas Burt both members of the Miners Union were elected as Liberal Labour Lib Lab MPs in Stafford and Morpeth respectively 3 The 1867 Reform Act eroded the legislative power of the rural gentry The 1874 election especially in Ireland saw great landowners losing their county seats to tenant farmers 4 This is the only time since the introduction of the secret ballot that a party has been defeated despite receiving an absolute majority of the popular vote This was primarily because over 100 Conservative candidates were elected unopposed This meant no votes were cast in those 100 places where the Conservative candidates were anticipated to be popular in the seats where Liberal candidates did stand they polled a high proportion of the vote on average The election saw 652 MPs elected six fewer than at the previous election Following allegations of corruption the Conservative held constituencies of Beverley and Sligo Borough and the Liberal held constituencies of Bridgwater and Cashel had been abolished Contents 1 Results 1 1 Voting summary 1 2 Seats summary 1 3 Regional results 1 3 1 Great Britain 1 3 1 1 England 1 3 1 2 Scotland 1 3 1 3 Wales 1 3 2 Ireland 1 3 3 Universities 2 See also 3 Notes 4 References and further readingResults Edit 350 242 60Conservative Liberal Home Rule UK General Election 1874Party Candidates VotesStood Elected Gained Unseated Net of total No Net Liberal 489 242 139 37 12 51 95 1 281 159 9 5 Conservative 507 350 79 53 68 44 27 1 091 708 5 9 Home Rule 80 60 0 0 60 9 20 3 66 90 234 N A Others 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 12 2 936 0 0Total votes cast 2 466 037 5 Voting summary Edit Popular voteLiberal 51 95 Conservative 44 27 Home Rule 3 66 Others 0 12 Seats summary Edit Parliamentary seatsLiberal 37 12 Conservative 53 68 Home Rule 9 2 Regional results Edit Great Britain Edit Party Seats Seats change Votes changeConservative 319 85 1 000 006 44 6Liberal 230 93 1 241 381 55 4Lib Lab 2 2Other 0 2 0 0Total 551 4 2 241 389 100England Edit Party Seats Seats change Votes changeConservative 280 69 905 239 46 2Liberal 171 75 1 035 268 53 8Lib Lab 2 2Other 0 2 0 0Total 451 4 1 940 509 100Scotland Edit Party Seats Seats change Votes changeLiberal 40 11 148 345 68 4Conservative 18 11 63 193 31 6Total 58 211 538 100Wales Edit Party Seats Seats change Votes changeLiberal 19 4 57 768 60 9Conservative 14 4 31 574 39 1Total 33 89 342 100Ireland Edit Main article United Kingdom general election 1874 Ireland Party Seats Seats change Votes changeHome Rule 60 60 90 234 39 6 Conservative 31 6 91 702 40 8 1 1 Liberal 10 56 39 778 18 4 39 5 Other 0 2 934 1 2Total 101 2 224 648 100Universities Edit Party Seats Seats change Votes changeConservative 7 1Liberal 2 1Total 9 100All University candidates were elected unopposed See also EditList of MPs elected in the 1874 United Kingdom general election 1874 United Kingdom general election in IrelandNotes Edit William Henry Maehl Gladstone the Liberals and the Election of 1874 Historical Research 1963 36 93 53 69 Roberts 2001 p 332 Whitfield Bob 2001 The Extension of the Franchise 1832 1931 Heinemann p 240 ISBN 9780435327170 David F Krein The Great Landowners in the House of Commons 1833 85 Parliamentary History 32 3 2013 460 476 Others include the Catholic Union References and further reading EditCraig F W S 1989 British Electoral Facts 1832 1987 Dartmouth Gower ISBN 0900178302 Hurst Michael 1972 Liberal versus Liberal The General Election of 1874 in Bradford and Sheffield Historical Journal 15 4 669 713 doi 10 1017 s0018246x00003502 S2CID 145108784 McIntyre William David Disraeli s election blunder The straits of Malacca issue in the 1874 election Culture Theory and Critique 5 1 1961 76 105 Maehl William Henry 1963 Gladstone the Liberals and the Election of 1874 Historical Research 36 93 53 69 doi 10 1111 j 1468 2281 1963 tb00622 x Rallings Colin Thrasher Michael eds 2000 British Electoral Facts 1832 1999 Ashgate Publishing Ltd Roberts Martin 2001 Britain 1846 1964 The Challenge of Change Oxford University Press Roberts Matthew Election Cartoons and Political Communication In Victorian England Cultural amp Social History 2013 10 3 pp 369 395 covers 1860 to 1890 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 1874 United Kingdom general election amp oldid 1150111133, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
