United Kingdom general election, 1885

The 1885 UK general election was from 24 November to 18 December 1885. This was the first general election after an extension of the franchise and redistribution of seats. For the first time a majority of adult males could vote and most constituencies returned a single-member to Parliament. It saw the Liberals, led by William Gladstone, win the most seats, but not an overall majority. As the Irish Nationalists held the balance of power between them and the Conservatives, this exacerbated divisions within the Liberals over Irish Home Rule and led to a split and another general election the following year.

Results

Election Summary Party with Candidates
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidates = 575
seats = 319
gain =
loss =
net = - 33
votes = 2,199,198
votes % = 47.4
seats % =
plus/minus = - 7.3
government = yesElection Summary Party with Candidates
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidates = 597
seats = 247
gain =
loss =
net = + 10
votes = 2,020,927
votes % = 43.5
seats % =
plus/minus = + 1.0Election Summary Party with Candidates
party = Irish Parliamentary Party
candidates = 91
seats = 86
gain =
loss =
net = + 23
votes = 310,608
votes % = 6.9
seats % =
plus/minus = + 4.1Election Summary Party with Candidates
party = Independent Liberal
candidates = 35
seats = 11
gain = 11
loss = 0
net = + 11
votes = 55,652
votes % = 1.3
seats % =
plus/minus = "N/A"Election Summary with Candidates
party = Independent Liberal and Crofter
candidates = 6
seats = 4
gain = 4
loss = 0
net = + 4
votes = 16,551
votes % = 0.4
seats % =
plus/minus = "N/A"Election Summary Party with Candidates
party = Independent Conservative
candidates = 8
seats = 2
gain = 2
loss = 0
net = + 2
votes = 12,599
votes % = 0.3
seats % =
plus/minus = "N/A"Election Summary with Candidates
party = Independent Lib-Lab
candidates = 4
seats = 1
gain = 1
loss = 0
net = + 1
votes = 8,232
votes % = 0.2
seats % =
plus/minus = "N/A"Election Summary Party with Candidates
party = Independent (politician)
candidates = 6
seats = 0
gain = 0
loss = 0
net = 0
votes = 6,570
votes % = 0.1
seats % =
plus/minus = "N/A"Election Summary Party with Candidates
party = Independent Nationalist
candidates = 2
seats = 0
gain = 0
loss = 0
net = 0
votes = 2,889
votes % = 0.1
seats % =
plus/minus = "N/A"Election Summary with Candidates
party = Scottish Land Restoration
candidates = 5
seats = 0
gain = 0
loss = 0
net = 0
votes = 2,359
votes % = 0.0
seats % =
plus/minus = "N/A"Election Summary with Candidates
party = Irish Loyalist
candidates = 6
seats = 0
gain = 0
loss = 0
net = 0
votes = 1,869
votes % = 0.0
seats % =
plus/minus = "N/A"Election Summary Party with Candidates
party = Social Democratic Federation
candidates = 3
seats = 0
gain = 0
loss = 0
net = 0
votes = 657
votes % = 0.0
seats % =
plus/minus = "N/A"

"Total votes cast: 4,638,235. All parties shown."

Voting summary

bar box
title=Popular vote
titlebar=#ddd
width=600px
barwidth=380px
bars=

eats summary

bar box
title=Parliamentary seats
titlebar=#ddd
width=600px
barwidth=380px
bars=

ee also

*MPs elected in the UK general election, 1885
*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918
*Representation of the People Act 1884
*Redistribution of Seats Act 1885

References

*F. W. S. Craig, "British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987"
* [http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/politics.htm Spartacus: Political Parties and Election Results]
* [http://www.election.demon.co.uk/geresults.html United Kingdom election results - summary results 1885-1979]