United Kingdom general election, 1847

United Kingdom general election, 1847

29 July–26 August 1847

All 656 seats in the House of Commons 329 seats needed for a majority   First party Second party Third party   Leader Lord Stanley Lord John Russell John O'Connell Party Conservative Whig Irish Repeal Leader since July 1846 October 1842 15 May 1847 Leader's seat Baron Stanley City of London Limerick City Last election 367 seats, 50.9% 271 seats, 46.9% 20 seats, 1.9% Seats won 325 (including Peelites led by Peel) 292 36 Seat change 42 21 16 Popular vote 205,481 259,311 14,128 Percentage 42.7% 53.8% 2.9% Swing 8.2% 6.9% 1.0%

PM before election Lord John Russell Whig Subsequent PM Lord John Russell Whig

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.

The election also witnessed the election of Britain's first Jewish MP; the Liberal Lionel de Rothschild in the City of London. Members being sworn in were however required to swear the Christian Oath of Allegiance, meaning Rothschild was unable actually to take his seat until the passage of the Jews Relief Act in 1858.

Results

Total votes cast: 482,429. Conservative totals include Liberal Conservatives.

Voting summary

Seats summary

Regional Results

Great Britain

Party		Candidates	Unopposed	Seats	Seats change	Votes	%	% Change
	Conservative & Liberal Conservatives	373	180	285		194,223	43.1
	Whig	360	125	267		253,376	56.2
	Chartist	9	0	1	1	2,848	0.6
Total		742	305	553		450,447	100

England

Party		Candidates	Unopposed	Seats	Seats change	Votes	%	% Change
	Conservative & Liberal Conservatives	319	149	239		170,407	42.1
	Whig	297	92	222		230,656	57.2
	Chartist	9	0	1	1	2,848	0.7
Total		625	241	462		403,911	100

Scotland

Party		Candidates	Unopposed	Seats	Seats change	Votes	%	% Change
	Whig	48	21	33	2	20,092	81.7	20.9
	Conservative & Liberal Conservatives	23	16	20	2	3,509	18.3	20.0
Total		71	37	53		23,601	100

Wales

Party		Candidates	Unopposed	Seats	Seats change	Votes	%	% Change
	Conservative & Liberal Conservatives	22	15	20		11,114	89.5
	Whig	13	12	12		1,394	10.5
Total		35	27	32		12,508	100

Ireland

Party		Candidates	Unopposed	Seats	Seats change	Votes	%	% Change
	Conservative	38	24	29	1	10,294	31.0	6.1
	Liberal Conservatives	11	9	11		964	3.0
	Repeal	51	18	36		14,128	43.6
	Whig	33	11	25		5,935	20.2
	Irish Confederate	3	0	2		629	2.0
	Independent	1	0	0		32	0.2
Total		137	62	103		31,982	100

Universities

Party		Candidates	Unopposed	Seats	Seats change	Votes	%	% Change
	Conservative & Liberal Conservatives	9	0	6		9,193	88.2
	Whig	2	0	0		1,234	11.8
Total		11	0	6		10,427	100

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)
• Spartacus: Political Parties and Election Results

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