1847 United Kingdom general election
{{Short description|none}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2014}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 1847 United Kingdom general election
| country = United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
| type = parliamentary
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 1841 United Kingdom general election
| previous_year = 1841
| previous_mps = outgoing members
| next_election = 1852 United Kingdom general election
| next_year = 1852
| turnout = 482,429
| seats_for_election = All 656 seats in the House of Commons
| majority_seats = 329
| elected_mps = elected members
| election_date = {{start and end dates|1847|7|29|1847|8|26|df=yes}}
| image1 = 150x150px
| leader1 = Lord Stanley
| leader_since1 = July 1846
| party1 = Conservative Party (UK)
| leaders_seat1 = House of Lords
| last_election1 = 367 seats, 51.6%
| seats1 = 325Including Peelites.
| seat_change1 = {{decrease}}42
| popular_vote1 = 205,481
| percentage1 = 42.6%{{efn|name=uncontested|Several country and university seats held by Conservatives were uncontested, and many urban multi-member constituencies that tended to vote Liberal had multiple candidates, so this is an misleading figure. Therefore, national swing is not applicable to elections in this era.}}
| swing1 = {{decrease}}9.0 pp
| image2 = 150x150px
| leader2 = Lord John Russell
| leader_since2 = October 1842
| party2 = Whigs (British political party)
| leaders_seat2 = City of London
| last_election2 = 271 seats, 46.2%
| seats2 = 292{{efn|name=speaker}}
| seat_change2 = {{increase}}21
| popular_vote2 = 259,311
| percentage2 = 53.8%{{efn|name=uncontested}}
| swing2 = {{increase}}7.6 pp
| image3 = {{eppt|Repeal Association}}
| leader3 = John O'Connell
| leader_since3 = 15 May 1847
| party3 = Repeal Association
| leaders_seat3 = Limerick City
| last_election3 = 20 seats, 1.9%
| seats3 = 36
| seat_change3 = {{increase}}16
| popular_vote3 = 14,128
| percentage3 = 2.9%
| swing3 = {{increase}}1.0 pp
| title = Prime Minister
| posttitle = Prime Minister after election
| before_election = Lord John Russell
| before_party = Whigs (British political party)
| after_election = Lord John Russell
| after_party = Whigs (British political party)
| map2_image = File:1847 UK GE Composition diagram.svg
| map2_caption = Composition of the House of Commons after the election
}}
{{UK general election navigation|1837|1841|1847|1852|1857}}
The 1847 United Kingdom general election was held from 29 July to 26 August 1847. It saw the Conservatives win the most seats but remain divided between Protectionists and Peelites. This allowed the Whigs, led by Prime Minister Lord John Russell, to retain power.{{cite web |last1=White |first1=Isobel |last2=Durkin |first2=Mary |title=General Election Dates 1832-2005 |url=https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN04512/SN04512.pdf |publisher=House of Commons |date=15 November 2007}}
The general election was held amid the Great Irish famine.{{Cite web |title=Signs of `famine fatigue' increase |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/signs-of-famine-fatigue-increase-1.97294 |access-date=2025-03-22 |website=The Irish Times |language=en}} 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. The constituency of Sudbury, which elected two members, was disfranchised for this election. This accounts there being two fewer seats in the House of Commons as compared to the previous election, though no redistribution took place.
Results
{{Election summary begin| title = UK General Election 1847}}
{{Election summary party|
|party = Whigs (British political party)
|seats = 292{{efn|name=speaker|The seat and vote count figures for the Whigs given here include the Speaker of the House of Commons}}
|gain =
|loss =
|net = +21
|votes = 259,311
|votes % = 53.75
|seats % =44.51
|plus/minus = +6.9
|government = yes
|vps = 888
}}
{{Election summary party|
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|seats = 325
|gain =
|loss =
|net = −42
|votes = 205,481
|votes % = 42.59
|seats % =49.54
|plus/minus = −8.2
|vps = 632
}}
{{Election summary party|
|party = Repeal Association
|seats = 36
|gain =
|loss =
|net = +16
|votes = 14,128
|votes % = 2.93
|seats % =5.49
|plus/minus = +1.0
|vps = 392
}}
{{Election summary|
|party = Chartist
|seats = 1
|gain = 1
|loss = 0
|net = +1
|votes = 2,848
|votes % = 0.59
|seats % =0.15
|plus/minus = 0
|vps = 2,848
}}
{{Election summary|
|party = Irish Confederation
|seats = 2
|gain = 2
|loss = 0
|net = +2
|votes = 661
|votes % = 0.14
|seats % =0.30
|plus/minus = N/A
|vps = 331
}}
|}
{{hatnote|Total votes cast: 482,429.Conservative totals include Liberal Conservatives.}}
=Voting summary=
{{bar box
|title=Popular vote
|titlebar=#ddd
|width=600px
|barwidth=380px
|bars=
{{bar percent|Whig|{{party color|Whigs (British political party)}}|53.75}}
{{bar percent|Conservative|{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}|42.59}}
{{bar percent|Irish Repeal|{{party color|Repeal Association}}|2.93}}
{{bar percent|Chartist|#dddddd|0.59}}
{{bar percent|Others|#777777|0.14}}
}}
=Seats summary=
{{bar box
|title=Parliamentary seats
|titlebar=#ddd
|width=600px
|barwidth=380px
|bars=
{{bar percent|Whig|{{party color|Whigs (British political party)}}|44.51}}
{{bar percent|Conservative|{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}|49.54}}
{{bar percent|Irish Repeal|{{party color|Repeal Association}}|5.49}}
{{bar percent|Chartist|#dddddd|0.15}}
{{bar percent|Others|#777777|0.3}}
}}
=Regional results=
==Great Britain==
| class="wikitable sortable"
! colspan=2 |Party ! Candidates ! Unopposed ! Seats ! Seats change ! Votes ! % ! % change |
| {{Party name with colour|Conservative Party (UK)}} & Liberal Conservatives
| align=right| 373 | align=right| 180 | align=right| 285 | align=right| | align=right| 194,223 | align=right| 43.1 | align=right| |
| {{Party name with colour|Whigs (British political party)}}
| align=right| 360 | align=right| 125 | align=right| 267 | align=right| | align=right| 253,376 | align=right| 56.2 | align=right| |
| bgcolor="#DDDDDD"|
| Chartist | align=right| 9 | align=right| 0 | align=right| 1 | align=right| +1 | align=right| 2,848 | align=right| 0.6 | align=right| |
| class="sortbottom" style="font-weight: bold; text-align: right; background: #f2f2f2;"
! colspan="2" style="padding-left: 1.5em; text-align: left;" | Total | align=right| 742 | align=right| 305 | align=right| 553 | align=right| {{same position}} | align=right| 450,447 | align=right| 100 | align=right| |
===England===
| class="wikitable sortable"
! colspan=2 |Party ! Candidates ! Unopposed ! Seats ! Seats change ! Votes ! % ! % change |
| {{Party name with colour|Conservative Party (UK)}} & Liberal Conservatives
| align=right| 319 | align=right| 149 | align=right| 239 | align=right| | align=right| 170,407 | align=right| 42.1 | align=right| |
| {{Party name with colour|Whigs (British political party)}}
| align=right| 297 | align=right| 92 | align=right| 222 | align=right| | align=right| 230,656 | align=right| 57.2 | align=right| |
| bgcolor="#DDDDDD"|
| Chartist | align=right| 9 | align=right| 0 | align=right| 1 | align=right| +1 | align=right| 2,848 | align=right| 0.7 | align=right| |
| class="sortbottom" style="font-weight: bold; text-align: right; background: #f2f2f2;"
! colspan="2" style="padding-left: 1.5em; text-align: left;" | Total | align=right| 625 | align=right| 241 | align=right| 462 | align=right| {{same position}} | align=right| 403,911 | align=right| 100 | align=right| |
===Scotland===
| class="wikitable sortable"
! colspan=2 |Party ! Candidates ! Unopposed ! Seats ! Seats change ! Votes ! % ! % change |
| {{Party name with colour|Whigs (British political party)}}
| align=right| 48 | align=right| 21 | align=right| 33 | align=right| +2 | align=right| 20,092 | align=right| 81.7 | align=right| +20.9 |
| {{Party name with colour|Conservative Party (UK)}} & Liberal Conservatives
| align=right| 23 | align=right| 16 | align=right| 20 | align=right| −2 | align=right| 3,509 | align=right| 18.3 | align=right| −20.0 |
| class="sortbottom" style="font-weight: bold; text-align: right; background: #f2f2f2;"
! colspan="2" style="padding-left: 1.5em; text-align: left;" | Total | align=right| 71 | align=right| 37 | align=right| 53 | align=right| {{same position}} | align=right| 23,601 | align=right| 100 | align=right| |
===Wales===
| class="wikitable sortable"
! colspan=2 |Party ! Candidates ! Unopposed ! Seats ! Seats change ! Votes ! % ! % change |
| {{Party name with colour|Conservative Party (UK)}} & Liberal Conservatives
| align=right| 22 | align=right| 15 | align=right| 20 | align=right| | align=right| 11,114 | align=right| 89.5 | align=right| |
| {{Party name with colour|Whigs (British political party)}}
| align=right| 13 | align=right| 12 | align=right| 12 | align=right| | align=right| 1,394 | align=right| 10.5 | align=right| |
| class="sortbottom" style="font-weight: bold; text-align: right; background: #f2f2f2;"
! colspan="2" style="padding-left: 1.5em; text-align: left;" | Total | align=right| 35 | align=right| 27 | align=right| 32 | align=right| {{same position}} | align=right| 12,508 | align=right| 100 | align=right| |
==Ireland==
| class="wikitable sortable"
! colspan=2 |Party ! Candidates ! Unopposed ! Seats ! Seats change ! Votes ! % ! % change |
| {{Party name with colour|Irish Conservative Party}}
| align=right| 38 | align=right| 24 | align=right| 29 | align=right rowspan=2| −1 | align=right| 10,294 | align=right| 31.0 | align=right rowspan=2| −6.1 |
| {{Party name with colour|Peelite}}
| align=right| 11 | align=right| 9 | align=right| 11 | align=right| 964 | align=right| 3.0 |
| {{Party name with colour|Repeal Association}}
| align=right| 51 | align=right| 18 | align=right| 36 | align=right| | align=right| 14,128 | align=right| 43.6 | align=right| |
| {{Party name with colour|Whigs (British political party)}}
| align=right| 33 | align=right| 11 | align=right| 25 | align=right| | align=right| 5,935 | align=right| 20.2 | align=right| |
| {{Party name with colour|Irish Confederate Party}}
| align=right| 3 | align=right| 0 | align=right| 2 | align=right| | align=right| 629 | align=right| 2.0 | align=right| |
| {{Party name with colour|independent politician}}
| align=right| 1 | align=right| 0 | align=right| 0 | align=right| | align=right| 32 | align=right| 0.2 | align=right| |
| class="sortbottom" style="font-weight: bold; text-align: right; background: #f2f2f2;"
! colspan="2" style="padding-left: 1.5em; text-align: left;" | Total | align=right| 137 | align=right| 62 | align=right| 103 | align=right| | align=right| 31,982 | align=right| 100 | align=right| |
==Universities==
| class="wikitable sortable"
! colspan=2 |Party ! Candidates ! Unopposed ! Seats ! Seats change ! Votes ! % ! % change |
| {{Party name with colour|Conservative Party (UK)}} & Liberal Conservatives
| align=right| 9 | align=right| 0 | align=right| 6 | align=right| {{same position}} | align=right| 9,193 | align=right| 88.2 | align=right| |
| {{Party name with colour|Whigs (British political party)}}
| align=right| 2 | align=right| 0 | align=right| 0 | align=right| {{same position}} | align=right| 1,234 | align=right| 11.8 | align=right| |
| class="sortbottom" style="font-weight: bold; text-align: right; background: #f2f2f2;"
! colspan="2" style="padding-left: 1.5em; text-align: left;" | Total | align=right| 11 | align=right| 0 | align=right| 6 | align=right| {{same position}} | align=right| 10,427 | align=right| 100 | align=right| |
Notes
{{notelist}}
{{reflist|group=n}}
References
{{reflist}}
Further reading
- {{citation |author-link=F. W. S. Craig |first=F. W. S. |last=Craig |title=British Electoral Facts: 1832–1987 |year=1989 |location=Dartmouth |publisher=Gower |isbn=0900178302 }}
- {{citation |title=British Electoral Facts 1832–1999 |editor1-first=Colin |editor1-last=Rallings |editor1-link=Colin Rallings |editor2-first=Michael |editor2-last=Thrasher |editor2-link=Michael Thrasher |publisher=Ashgate Publishing Ltd |year=2000}}
External links
- [http://www.spartacus-educational.com/politics.htm Spartacus: Political Parties and Election Results]
{{British elections}}
Category:1847 elections in the United Kingdom
Category:1840s elections in Ireland
Category:1847 United Kingdom general election