1886 United Kingdom general election in Wales

none 1886 United Kingdom general election in Wales Wales parliamentary no 1885 United Kingdom general election in Wales 1885 List of MPs elected in the 1885 United Kingdom general election 1892 United Kingdom general election in Wales 1892 All 34 Welsh seats to the House of Commons List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1886 1–27 July 1886 74.5% ( 7.7 pp) William Ewart Gladstone, 1892 (cropped).jpg 120 120 160 0 0 William Ewart Gladstone April 1880 Liberal Party (UK) Midlothian 29 seats, 58.3% 26 3 70,289 53.9% 4.4 pp Robert-Gascoyne-Cecil-3rd-Marquess-of-Salisbury (cropped).jpg 120 120 160 0 0 Marquess of Salisbury April 1881 Conservative Party (UK) Conservative-Liberal Unionist House of Lords 4 seats, 38.9% 6 2 40,439 31.1% 7.8 pp Picture of Spencer Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire.jpg 120 120 160 0 0 Marquess of Harrington 1886 Liberal Unionist Conservative-Liberal Unionist Rossendale Did not stand 2 2 19,609 15.0% New party From 1 to 27 July 1886, the 1886 United Kingdom general election was held in Wales, to elect all 670 members of the House of Commons, with 34 seats being in Wales.British Electoral Facts Colin Rallings Micheal Thrasher Total Politics 978-1-907278-03-7 13 2006British Electoral Facts 1885-1975 F.W.S. Craig Macmillan Press 3 2 0333197348 1976 34 seats represented territorial constituencies contested under the first past the post electoral system amongst 33 constituencies.https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn04458/ Research Briefing: Voting systems in the UK 10 January 2023 Library of the House of Commons 7 August 2026 The election came about as a result of the Liberal Party's resignation of Government and request for a parliamentary dissolution after a defeat in the House of Commons on the Government of Ireland Bill 1886, a major defeat within the Irish Home Rule movement.British Electoral Facts 1885-1975 F.W.S. Craig Macmillan Press 3 164 0333197348 1976 The Liberal Party support also brought a major split within the Liberals, leading the creation the Liberal Unionist Party under the leadership of Marquess of Harrington. The Liberal Unionists entered a broad alliance with the Conservative Party which would last until the Liberal Unionist merger into the latter political party in 1912. Despite the overwhelming trend across the United Kingdom at this election of the Liberal Party losing seats to the Conservatives and new Liberal Unionist Party in Scotland and England, the Liberal Party's results remained relatively stable in Wales. Candidates Below is a table summarising the candidates of the 1886 general election in Wales.https://api.parliament.uk/uk-general-elections/general-elections/14 UK General Elections Results 1832-2019 10 October 2026British Electoral Facts Colin Rallings Micheal Thrasher Total Politics 978-1-907278-03-7 13 2006Craig F. W. S. F. W. S. Craig British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885 1977 Macmillan Press London 978-1-349-02349-3 1st e-bookFerris, Wesley (2011). "The Candidates of the Liberal Unionist Party, 1886–1912". Parliamentary History. 30# 2: 142–157. doi:10.1111/j.1750-0206.2011.00246.x. Affiliation CandidatesLiberal Party 32Includes Liberal-Labour candidate William Abraham who stood in Rhondda.Conservative Party 14Liberal Unionist Party 10Candidates stood in Eifion, West Denbighshire, Flint Boroughs, Cardiganshire, Carmarthen Boroughs, West Carmarthenshire, Cardiff, South Glamorganshire, Swansea District, Swansea.Total 56 Analysis Across the United Kingdom, the Liberal Party under the leadership of William Ewart Gladstone lost 127 seats to the Conservative Party and the newly formed Liberal Unionist Party. However, despite the overwhelming trend of this occurring in England and Scotland, there was very change in terms of seats in Wales. Liberal Party The Liberal Party saw a relatively minor drop in vote share across Wales, only losing 3 seats. The Liberals maintained 26 seats in Wales as well as holding its Welsh majority vote of 53.9%. The Liberal Party retained the seats of Anglesey, Arfon, Eifion, East Denbighshire, Flint Boroughs, Flintshire, Merioneth, Montgomeryshire, Breconshire, Cardiganshire, Carmarthen Boroughs, East Carmarthenshire, West Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, Cardiff, East Glamorganshire, Mid Glamorganshire, South Glamorganshire, Gower, Swansea Town, North Monmouthshire and West Monmouthshire. The party also won both seats in the two-member constituency of Merthyr Tydfil.Craig F. W. S. F. W. S. Craig British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885 1977 Macmillan Press London 978-1-349-02349-3 1st e-book Liberal Party also gained Montgomery from the Conservative Party. William Abraham, who had won as an Independent Liberal-Labour candidate in 1885 in Rhondda. As William stood in the support of the Liberal Party, he had been regarded as in effect a winning candidate for the Liberal Party.Craig F. W. S. F. W. S. Craig British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885 1977 Macmillan Press London 978-1-349-02349-3 1st e-bookBritish Electoral Facts Colin Rallings Micheal Thrasher Total Politics 978-1-907278-03-7 13 2006British Electoral Facts 1885-1975 F.W.S. Craig Macmillan Press 3 2 0333197348 1976 As such, the Liberal Party had won two seats, however lost five. Conservatives and Liberal Unionists The Conservatives Party itself stood far fewer candidates than at the last election in Wales, standing no candidates against Liberal Unionist candidates, with the Conservatives suffering a loss in vote share more widely. Nevertheless, the Conservative Party won Carnarvon Boroughs, Pembroke and Haverfordwest and Monmouth Boroughs from the Liberal Party. The Conservative Party also retained Denbigh Boroughs, Radnorshire and South Monmouthshire.Craig F. W. S. F. W. S. Craig British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885 1977 Macmillan Press London 978-1-349-02349-3 1st e-book As such, with its sinlge loss to the Liberals, the Conservatives took six seats in Wales. The newly formed Liberal Unionist Party, which had formed from split in the Liberal Party over Irish Home Rule, stood 10 candidates in Wales at the election, though saw limited success in Wales. Former Liberal MP Henry Vivian retained his seat of Swansea District unopposed, representing a gain from the Liberal Party, although would rejoin the Liberal Party before the next election. In West Denbighshire, William Cornwallis-West, also a former Liberal MP, retained his seat unopposed which was also a gain from the Liberal Party.Craig F. W. S. F. W. S. Craig British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885 1977 Macmillan Press London 978-1-349-02349-3 1st e-bookFerris, Wesley (2011). "The Candidates of the Liberal Unionist Party, 1886–1912". Parliamentary History. 30# 2: 153. doi:10.1111/j.1750-0206.2011.00246.x. Another former Liberal MPs David Davies re-contested his seat of Cardiganshire, along with John Jones Jenkins in Carmarthen Boroughs, however both lost their seats to a Liberal candidates. The seats were, therefore, retains for the Liberal Party. Jenkins would successfully attempt the seat subsequently in 1895, however.British Electoral Facts Colin Rallings Micheal Thrasher Total Politics 978-1-907278-03-7 13 2006British Electoral Facts 1885-1975 F.W.S. Craig Macmillan Press 3 2 0333197348 1976Ferris, Wesley (2011). "The Candidates of the Liberal Unionist Party, 1886–1912". Parliamentary History. 30# 2: 156. doi:10.1111/j.1750-0206.2011.00246.x. Former Liberal MP and former Lord Mayor of London Sir James Lawrence contended West Carmarthenshire, however was defeated. Henry Brand, former Liberal MP for Stroud, was also unsuccessful in Cardiff. Several other unsuccessful candidates contended the remaining seat who were not themselves former MPs.Ferris, Wesley (2011). "The Candidates of the Liberal Unionist Party, 1886–1912". Parliamentary History. 30# 2: 153-156. doi:10.1111/j.1750-0206.2011.00246.x. Results +PartyBritish Electoral Facts Colin Rallings Micheal Thrasher Total Politics 978-1-907278-03-7 13 2006British Electoral Facts 1885-1975 F.W.S. Craig Macmillan Press 3 2 0333197348 1976SeatsAggregate votes Total Gains Losses Net Of total (%) Total Of total (%)Adjusted for multi-member constituencies. Change (%)   Liberal 26 2Includes Liberal-Labour MP William Abraham in Rhondda. 5 3 76.5 70,289 53.9 4.4   Conservative-Liberal Unionist 8 colspan=2 New 4 23.5 60,048 46.1 New Conservative Party (UK) 6 3 1 2 17.6 40,439 31.1 7.8 Liberal Unionist Party 2 colspan=2 New 2 5.9 19,609 15.0 New   Other non-contested 0 colspan=2 1William Abraham in Rhondda retained his seat but is recognised as standing with support of the Liberal Party. His seat is regarded as a Liberal seat. — 0 0.0 Total 34 0 100.0 130,337 100.0 0.0 Registered voters, and turnout 174,892Electorate in contested constituencies. The total electorate was 282,242.British Electoral Facts 1885-1975 F.W.S. Craig Macmillan Press 3 75 0333197348 1976 74.5British Electoral Facts 1885-1975 F.W.S. Craig Macmillan Press 3 75 0333197348 1976 7.7 Popular vote Popular vote #ddd 600px 410px Liberal Liberal Party (UK) 53.9 Conservative Conservative Party (UK) 31.1 Liberal Unionist Liberal Unionist Party 15.0 Popular vote (alliances) #ddd 600px 410px Liberal Liberal Party (UK) 53.9 Con-LU Conservative and Liberal Unionist 46.1 Parliament seats Parliament seats #ddd 600px 410px Liberal Liberal Party (UK) 76.5 Conservative Conservative Party (UK) 17.6 Liberal Unionist Liberal Unionist Party 5.9 Parliament seats (alliances) #ddd 600px 410px Liberal Liberal Party (UK) 76.5 Con-LU Conservative and Liberal Unionist 23.5 See also 1886 United Kingdom general election in England 1886 United Kingdom general election in Scotland 1886 United Kingdom general election in Ireland List of MPs for constituencies in Wales (1886–1892) Notes References Politics Wales United Kingdom Category:1886 in Wales Category:1880s elections in Wales 1886 #Wales