United Kingdom general election, 1847

United Kingdom general election, 1847

1841 ←
29 July–26 August 1847
Members elected
→ 1852
members

All 656 seats in the House of Commons
329 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Lord John Russell Lord Stanley Daniel O'Connell
Party Whig Conservative Irish Repeal
Leader since October 1842 July 1846 15 April 1840
Leader's seat City of London Baron Stanley County Cork
Last election 271 seats, 41.1% 367 seats, 56.9% 20 seats, 1.9%
Seats won 292 325 36
Seat change 21 42 16
Popular vote 259,311 205,481 14,128
Percentage 53.8% 42.7% 2.9%
Swing 12.7% 14.2% 1.0%

PM before election

Lord John Russell
Whig

Subsequent PM

Lord John Russell
Whig

1837 election MPs
1841 election MPs
1847 election MPs
1852 election MPs
1857 election MPs

The 1847 United Kingdom general election saw candidates calling themselves Conservatives win the most seats, in part because they won a number of uncontested seats. However, the split among the Conservatives between the majority of Protectionists, led by Lord Stanley, and the minority of free traders, known also as the Peelites, led by former prime minister Sir Robert Peel, left the Whigs, led by Prime Minister Lord John Russell, in a position to continue in government.

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.

Contents

Results

United Kingdom General Election 1847
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/-
  Whig 292 + 21 53.8 259,311 + 12.7
  Conservative 325 - 42 42.7 205,481 - 14.2
  Irish Repeal 36 + 16 2.9 14,128 + 1.0
  Chartist 1 1 0 + 1 0.6 2,848 0
  Others 2 2 0 + 2 0.1 661 N/A

Total votes cast: 482,429. "Others" includes Irish Confederate Party.

Voting summary

Popular vote
Whig
  
53.75%
Conservative
  
42.59%
Irish Repeal
  
2.93%
Chartist
  
0.59%
Others
  
0.14%

Seats summary

Parliamentary seats
Whig
  
44.51%
Conservative
  
49.54%
Irish Repeal
  
5.49%
Chartist
  
0.15%
Others
  
0.3%

References