United Kingdom general election, 1859

In the 1859 United Kingdom general election, the Whigs, led by Lord Palmerston, held their majority in the House of Commons over the Earl of Derby's Conservatives. This election is also considered to be the first to be contested by the Liberal Party - a name unofficially adopted to cover the alliance of Whigs, Peelites, Radicals and Irish Brigade who had previously voted against the Derby administration in the House of Commons that had lead to the election. It was also the last general election entered by the Chartists, before their organisation was dissolved.

Results

Election Summary Party with Candidates
party = British Whig Party
candidates = 298
seats = 356
gain =
loss =
net = - 21
votes = 372,117
votes % = 65.7
seats % =
plus/minus = - 0.2
government = yesElection Summary Party with Candidates
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidates = 394
seats = 298
gain =
loss =
net = + 34
votes = 193,232
votes % = 34.3
seats % =
plus/minus = + 0.3Election Summary with Candidates
party = Chartist
candidates = 1
seats = 0
gain = 0
loss = 0
net = 0
votes = 151
votes % = 0.0
seats % =
plus/minus = - 0.1

"Total votes cast: 565,500"

References

*F. W. S. Craig, "British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987"
* "British Electoral Facts 1832-1999", compiled and edited by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher (Ashgate Publishing Ltd 2000)
* [http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/politics.htm Spartacus: Political Parties and Election Results]