United Kingdom general election, 1885
United Kingdom general election, 1885
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The 1885 United Kingdom 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 Ewart 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
| UK General Election 1885 |
|
Candidates |
Votes |
| Party |
Standing |
Elected |
Gained |
Unseated |
Net |
% of total |
% |
No. |
Net % |
| |
Liberal |
575 |
319 |
|
|
- 33 |
|
47.4 |
2,199,198 |
- 7.3 |
| |
Conservative |
597 |
247 |
|
|
+ 10 |
|
43.5 |
2,020,927 |
+ 1.0 |
| |
Irish Parliamentary |
91 |
86 |
|
|
+ 23 |
|
6.9 |
310,608 |
+ 4.1 |
| |
Independent Liberal |
35 |
11 |
11 |
0 |
+ 11 |
|
1.3 |
55,652 |
N/A |
| |
Independent Liberal and Crofter |
6 |
4 |
4 |
0 |
+ 4 |
|
0.4 |
16,551 |
N/A |
| |
Independent Conservative |
8 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
+ 2 |
|
0.3 |
12,599 |
N/A |
| |
Lib-Lab |
4 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
+ 1 |
|
0.2 |
8,232 |
N/A |
| |
Independent |
6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0.1 |
6,570 |
N/A |
| |
Independent Nationalist |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0.1 |
2,889 |
N/A |
| |
Scottish Land Restoration |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0.0 |
2,359 |
N/A |
| |
Irish Loyalist |
6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0.0 |
1,869 |
N/A |
| |
Social Democratic Federation |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0.0 |
657 |
N/A |
Total votes cast: 4,638,235. All parties shown.
Voting summary
| Popular vote |
|
|
|
|
|
| Liberal |
|
47.41% |
| Conservative |
|
43.57% |
| Irish Parliamentary |
|
6.7% |
| Independent |
|
2.03% |
| Others |
|
0.29% |
Seats summary
| Parliamentary seats |
|
|
|
|
|
| Liberal |
|
47.61% |
| Conservative |
|
36.87% |
| Irish Parliamentary |
|
12.84% |
| Lib-Lab |
|
0.15% |
| Independent |
|
2.54% |
See also
References