1847 United Kingdom general election

none August 2024 May 2014 1847 United Kingdom general election United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland parliamentary no 1841 United Kingdom general election 1841 outgoing members 1852 United Kingdom general election 1852 482,429 All 656 seats in the House of Commons 329 elected members 1847 7 29 1847 8 26 yes 150x150px Lord Stanley July 1846 Conservative Party (UK) House of Lords 367 seats, 51.6% 325Including Peelites. 42 205,481 42.6%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 a misleading figure. Therefore, national swing is not applicable to elections in this era. 9.0 pp 150x150px Lord John Russell October 1842 Whigs (British political party) City of London 271 seats, 46.2% 292speaker 21 259,311 53.8%uncontested 7.6 pp Repeal Association John O'Connell 15 May 1847 Repeal Association Limerick City 20 seats, 1.9% 36 16 14,128 2.9% 1.0 pp Prime Minister Prime Minister after election Lord John Russell Whigs (British political party) Lord John Russell Whigs (British political party) File:1847 UK GE Composition diagram.svg Composition of the House of Commons after the election 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.White Isobel Durkin Mary General Election Dates 1832-2005 https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN04512/SN04512.pdf House of Commons 15 November 2007 The general election was held amid the Great Irish famine.Signs of `famine fatigue' increase https://www.irishtimes.com/news/signs-of-famine-fatigue-increase-1.97294 2025-03-22 The Irish Times 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 center|300px UK General Election 1847 Whigs (British political party) 292speaker The seat and vote count figures for the Whigs given here include the Speaker of the House of Commons +21 259,311 53.75 44.51 +6.9 yes 888 Conservative Party (UK) 325 −42 205,481 42.59 49.54 −8.2 632 Repeal Association 36 +16 14,128 2.93 5.49 +1.0 392 Chartism 1 1 0 +1 2,848 0.59 0.15 +0.4 2,848 Irish Confederate Party 2 2 0 +2 661 0.14 0.30 N/A 331 |} Total votes cast: 482,429.Conservative totals include Liberal Conservatives. Voting summary Popular vote #ddd 600px 380px Whig Whigs (British political party) 53.75 Conservative Conservative Party (UK) 42.59 Irish Repeal Repeal Association 2.93 Chartist Chartism 0.59 Others #777777 0.14 Seats summary Parliamentary seats #ddd 600px 380px Whig Whigs (British political party) 44.51 Conservative Conservative Party (UK) 49.54 Irish Repeal Repeal Association 5.49 Chartist Chartism 0.15 Others #777777 0.3 Regional results Great Britain Party Candidates Unopposed Seats Seats change Votes % % change Conservative Party (UK) & Liberal Conservatives 373 180 285 194,223 43.1 Whigs (British political party) 360 125 267 253,376 56.2 Chartism 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 Party (UK) & Liberal Conservatives 319 149 239 170,407 42.1 Whigs (British political party) 297 92 222 230,656 57.2 Chartism 9 0 1 +1 2,848 0.7 Total 625 241 462 403,911 100 Scotland Party Candidates Unopposed Seats Seats change Votes % % change Whigs (British political party) 48 21 33 +2 20,092 81.7 +20.9 Conservative Party (UK) & 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 Party (UK) & Liberal Conservatives 22 15 20 11,114 89.5 Whigs (British political party) 13 12 12 1,394 10.5 Total 35 27 32 12,508 100 Ireland Party Candidates Unopposed Seats Seats change Votes % % change Irish Conservative Party 38 24 29 −1 10,294 31.0 −6.1 Peelite 11 9 11 964 3.0 Repeal Association 51 18 36 14,128 43.6 Whigs (British political party) 33 11 25 5,935 20.2 Irish Confederate Party 3 0 2 629 2.0 independent politician 1 0 0 32 0.2 Total 137 62 103 31,982 100 Universities Party Candidates Unopposed Seats Seats change Votes % % change Conservative Party (UK) & Liberal Conservatives 9 0 6 9,193 88.2 Whigs (British political party) 2 0 0 1,234 11.8 Total 11 0 6 10,427 100 Notes n References Further reading F. W. S. Craig F. W. S. Craig British Electoral Facts: 1832–1987 1989 Dartmouth Gower 0900178302 British Electoral Facts 1832–1999 Colin Rallings Colin Rallings Michael Thrasher Michael Thrasher Ashgate Publishing Ltd 2000 External links Spartacus: Political Parties and Election Results Category:1847 elections in the United Kingdom General election 1847 Category:July 1847 Category:August 1847 Category:1840s elections in Ireland Category:1847 United Kingdom general election Category:Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby Category:John Russell, 1st Earl Russell Category:Great Famine (Ireland)