Pitt up to Peel

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Died in 1820
Asked Pitt to form a government in December 1783, due to dislike of the Fox-North Coalition
Wanted Pitt to hold an election in January 1784, but Pitt refused, and the king relented
Convinced Peers to not support the Whigs, by telling them anyone who did would be his enemy
Also created new peers to support Pitt

Appointed as PM in December 1783
Had very little support initially, but as he was a good statesman, he gained support from independent factions
1783 bill bolstered county representation, as boroughs were won by Whigs
Election in March 1784, Pitt had enough support to win, Fox lost 100 MPs
185 were crown party and voted whatever the king favoured

National debt was £243 million in 1784
Pitt introduced the sinking fund in 1786
Indirect tax increased on items the rich used, like wig powder
New taxes on other thingsl ike carriages and gold plate
Tax on retail shops repealed after 1789 riots
Import duty of 119% on tea reduced to 25%, encouraged people to pay duties, doubled amount of tea through customs
Hovering Act 1787, customs officers search ships 12 miles from shore
Sinecures reduced

First introduced 1786
Set aside 1 million each year from taxes
Money bought government shares, and interest increased
Public debt reduced by 10 million by 1793
1792 another sinking fund
However these funds only dealt with long term debt

1783 Government only employed 3000 people
Government posts were used as political reward
The practice of sinecures was ended by 1806
Pitt appointed Richard Frewin, reformed customs 1787, all money put into a central fund and audited
India Act 1784 established a board of control to monitor East India Company
1785 Pitt tried to abolish 36 rotten boroughs, but it failed

1786 Eden treaty with France
Mercantilism became less influential
1785 treaty with Ireland dropped due to opposition
1785 treaty with United Provinces
Value of British trade to Europe doubled 1783-92
Deficit of 2.5 mil turned into a 2 mil surplus

1786
William Eden negotiated the treaty
Britain offered low duties on the import of wines
There were reductions by both countries on duties on textiles, pottery and leather goods
Silk was excluded due to the influence of London silk merchants
The treaty favoured Britain, who were producing more manufactured goods than France

Fox supported revolution
King and upper classes initially were apathetic, didn't like French leadership
Pitt hoped a new government would cooperate in trade
Burke wrote 'Reflections on the Revolution in France' in 1790, early opposition to the revolution, 13000 copies sold in 5 weeks, Whig minister who supported Catholic emancipation and American Revolution against the revolution
As violence grew, conservatives disliked revolution more
Some radical groups formed
Portland joined Pitt

London Corresponding Society 1792 - pro prison reform
Society for Constitutional Information reformed and published pro reform pamphlets
Society of the Friends of the People, led by Grey 1792 - pro electoral reform
1791 Thomas Paine 'Rights of Man' most successful political publication, 500k copies sold
Reform associations lacked uniform aims and unity
1791-2 bad harvest caused disturbances to grow

Spithead and Nore Mutinies
April 1797 crew of the Spithead mutiny for pay rise
This lasts for a month
Pardons given to all crews, and a pay rise given
May 1797 Nore inspired by Spithead
Blockaded London
Leaders wanted to sail to France, but everyone refused, mutiny broke down

Church and King groups attacked reformists
1795 Seditious meetings act, banned meetings of more than 50 people
1795 Treason act, made it treason to speak ill of the king
1794 suspension of Habeas Corpus, trials removed
1797 Incitement to Mutiny act in response to Spithead and Nore, punished mutineers with death

Fox-North coalition created some divisions
Fox supported French revolution, so when war broke out his followers dropped to only 50 as Duke of Portland joins Pitt
Burke 'Reflections on the Revolution in France,' 1790 Whig opposition to revolution
Fox repuation as a gambler and womaniser
Whig supported protectionism, seen as outdated after Eden treaty
Regency crisis
Fox wanted to appoint Prince of Wales as prince regent after George III goes mad in 1788
Pitt wanted to leave it to parliament
Fox arguing for monarchy, Pitt for parliament

1811 protests began
Started in Nottingham and spread
In 1812 machine breaking was made a capital offence
January 1812 a factory was burned down
Clash between 100 rioters and soldiers in April
17 executions in 1813
12000 troops stationed in industrial areas in response

1806 continental system disturbed trade
Rapid growth in cities
Severe drought in 1812
Wheat prices rose to 126s a quarter
War with the US disrupted trade
1816 income tax repealed, but specific tax raised, disproportionately affecting the poor

Demand for British products fell, particularly the iron industry
Government expenditure fell, 40 million out of circulation
Overseas trade took time to recover
300000 demobilised troops returned, unemployment skyrockets
Poor Law meant that those who wanted help had to return to their original town to receive it

Founded by John Cartwright in 1812
Clubs formed all over the country inspired by him
Inspired other organisations such as the Patriotic Union society

1819
Patriotic Union Society organises a meeting, where Henry Hunt is speaking
50-60000 people gather in St Peter's Field in Manchester
Hunt's arrest ordered, yeomanry attack the crowd
15 killed, 400 wounded
Led to the Six Acts

Richard Carlisle's 'Sherwin's political register' and 'The Republican' emerge in 1819
William Cobbett's 'The Political Register' reaches a circulation of 40000
Government legislation banning seditious meetings made it hard to meet
The organisation of Political Union Societies present 2000 petitions in 1818

Blanketeers attempted to march on London in March 1817
However, the march was infiltrated by spies, and broken up by troops at Stockport
It was a peaceful march
The leader, John Johnson, was arrested, but released in 1818

June 1817
Armed uprising that began in Derbyshire
Jeremiah Brandreth led 300 workers to march to Nottingham
Oliver the spy was among them, and the uprising was destroyed, and Brandreth hanged

A government spy urged a group of London radicals to murder the cabinet
The house where they met in Cato Street was raided, and a conspirator killed
5 were transported and 4 hanged in 1820

George III died in 1820 and his son became king George IV
He had been living apart from his wife, Queen Caroline, and wanted a divorce
It was believed that she was cheating on him while abroad
In June 1820 she arrived in England to claim her right to be queen and George persuaded Liverpool to introduce a bill to end the marriage to stop it
The Whig opposition supported the queen, along with radical forces but this was mainly just to oppose the government
The bill failed in the face of popular protest
However, the protests died down afterwards, even when she was barred from the coronation in July
Her death in August caused little mourning
This was when radicalism began to go on the decline

1816
Henry Hunt addressed crowd
Wanted to seize control of the tower of London through rioting
One of the meetings led to the raiding of a gunsmith, and shooting with troops
Started the period of riots, led to suspension of Habeas Corpus

In 1812 machine breaking was made punishable by death
In 1817 Habeas Corpus was suspended, allowing imprisonment without a trial, caused by Spa Field meeting
Seditious meeting were banned
Pitt’s Gagging Acts were reintroduced
The Six Acts were reintroduced after the Peterloo massacre of 1819
However, the government still had to rely on legislation and local forces to deal with unrest
The repressive legislation still had to be passed by Parliament
Trial by Jury meant that popular radicals were not hanged
Game Laws 1816 made poaching illegal

After Peterloo, protests sweep the country
New acts introduced to prevent radicalism
Training prevention act - any person attending a meeting for the purpose of receiving training arrested
Seizure of arms act - private property searched and weapons confiscated
Misdemeanours act - Reduced opportunity for bail
Seditious meetings act - blocked meetings of 50 or more peoplw
Seditious Libels act - punished radical publications
Stamp duties act - increased tax to cover radical publications more

Introduced in 1815
Designed to reduce foreign competition for British wheat farmers
Price of wheat was expected to fall after war, but this kept it artificially inflated to at least 80s a quarter
Britain had not been self sufficient in corn since 1760
Game laws worsened conditions
In 1828 legislation was moderated to a sliding scale
Faced little opposition after 1819 as the price fell anyway

The cabinet was rearranged in 1822
Peel placed into Home Office
Huskisson in Board of Trade
Robinson Chancellor of the Exchequer
Better overall economic and political conditions at this time, so more progressive policies were sought after

Peel home secretary in January 1822
Crime rising, from 1809-16 there were 30000 convictions, from 1817-25 there were double
Legal penalties were extreme, so juries were reluctant to accuse
Peel introduced reform, removing the death penalty for offences involving £2 of property and many other trivial crimes 180 in total
278 laws repealed, replaced by 8 consolidation laws
Juries regulation act in 1825 regulated qualifications for jury service across the country
Judges were paid salaries
However, many offences still carried the death penalty, such as forgery
Same amount of executions per year as pre radical times (63 avg)

Gaols act 1823 required all counties and major towns to maintain prisons
Medical care and education made available to prisoners
Parliamentary committee 1822 to debate police force, but failed
1828 new committee favoured change
1829 Metropolitan Police force created

Huskisson
Trade reciprocity act 1823 facilitated commercial agreements with other countries
1825 repeal of Navigation Acts allowed British exports to be carried by ships without British crews, opened trade
Maximum duty set at 30%
Navigation Acts changed to allow colonies free trade
Customs revenue increased by 64% in the period 1821-7

Robinson lowers corn law duty in 1822
Robinson introduced tax reductions to counter Corn Laws such as halving window tax
1826 Corn Laws suspended

In 1823-4 there was a boom in investment
600 companies formed from interest in South American trade
Banks lent lots of money, but investors suspected they were not sound
80 banks failed in a matter of weeks
1500 bankruptcies in the first half of 1826
Government limited the money in circulation, and allowed the BofE to set up regional branches
Robinson also suspends the Corn Laws for a year to account for the crisis

Combination acts introduced 1799
Select committee in the House of Commons found the Acts increased agitation in 1822
1824 acts repealed
Workers striked
Act in 1825 outlawed picketing, limiting union power

Corporation acts forbade anyone from running city or town councils unless they were church of England
Russell proposed repeal in 1828, it passed
Catholics still disciminated against
Nonconformists still paid the Anglican church
Only Anglican ministers could marry people

Catholics were 80% of Irelands population
Whigs introduced bill in 1817 for emancipation which failed
1823 Daniel O'Connell sets up Catholic Association, which was supported by middle and working class
Act of 1825 made collection of money with the aim of changing the church illegal
O'Connell wins an election at County Clare
March 1829 Peel introduces Catholic Emancipation, passes
Qualification for voting in Ireland increased from £2 to £10, so not all good

He relied on more energetic and characterful colleagues such as Castlereagh, as well as having repressive and reactionary policies, and causing a split in the government after his ill health in 1827
Liverpool kept the most contentious issues, eg Catholic emancipation, as open questions in order to avoid divides
He also accepted the need for change, and allowed Whig ideas, such as penal reform
He was assisted by the resignation of Grenville, leader of the Whigs, in 1820
As Grenville had moved to support Liverpool’s policies, his supporters generally gave support to Liverpool after he left
Liverpool was pressured into some unpopular measures, eg the Queen Caroline affair and the Corn Law, he did act independently, eg Importation Act 1822, allowing corn to be imported over a certain price - however this price was never met until 1828
He also overrode the Kings objection to some ministers, such as Canning

Liverpool retires in 1827, dies shortly after
Canning is unable to form a ministry, as the Whigs and Tories did not support him
But he was given a position reluctantly by the king
He attempted to modify the Corn Laws, and was defeated by Wellington's opposition
Died in August 1827, after a few months in office

King attempts to stop Wellington or Peel being PM, promotes Viscount Goderich, who lasts 5 months
Wellington becomes PM in January 1828
Peel supported him in the Commons, but he faces Whig peer opposition in the Lords
He spoke in the Lords in November 1830, about the lack of need for Parliamentary reform, and soon loses his position

League of armed neutrality formed by Sweden in 1780 after Britain searches neutral ships in the American revolutionary war
Joined by Prussia, Austria, the Netherlands, Naples and the Ottomans by 1782
France was on good terms with Russia, the Holy Roman Empire, and Prussia
Britain entirely isolated

Netherlands, 7 states ruled by a Stadtholder
Britain had strong links to the provinces - coastal border that wasn't France, so needed to be maintained
A pro-French patriot party had grown, and was trying to overthrow the House of Orange
The wife of the Stadtholder was the sister of the King of Prussia, so Prussian troops were crushing the Patriots in 1787
Patriots appealed to France for help, and Pitt gave money to the House of Orange
1788 triple alliance signed with Prussia and the United Provinces - Prussia hoped for British support against Russia
Britain supplied the Orange forces with ammunition and money, and let 20000 Prussian troops defeat the Patriots in September 1787

Eastern front and rival to Russia
Protestant nation
Partitioned Poland with Russia in 1795
Sends 20000 troops to support United Provinces in 1787

Summer 1789
Spanish outpost in Nootka Sound seize a British trading ship
Public outcry leads to the mobilisation of the navy
Spain was not assisted by France, and therefore wanted to avoid war
Peace negotiations were reached:
Spain renounced its territorial claims to the area
British ships were allowed to trade over ten leagues away from a Spanish settlement
Britain could form trading posts in unoccupied areas
Great benefits earned by Britain

April 1792 France went to war with Prussia and Austria
1792 September massacres, turns Britain support against France
Britain still refused to intervene due to fear of Russian expansion, as well as monetary issues
Austria and Prussia also seemed too strong to fall
French invasion of Belgium, and declaration of support for all revolutionary activity in Europe, in 1792, angered Britain
French embargo on Dutch and British shipping and French invasion of Holland increased fears
Britain declared war in Febrary 1793
France still takes United Provinces by 1795

War against the Ottomans led to the capture of Ochako in December 1788
1789 most of the lower Danube taken
Control of Eastern Mediterranean threatened, as well as land routes to India
New ports were constructed in Crimea
Prussia feared losing control of Poland, so sided with Britain
Pitt moved 36 ships to the Baltic, threatening war unless Ochako was returned
Fox forced Pitt to stand down
Leads to an end to the triple alliance, as Prussia was angry Britain did not stand up to Russia

1793 Pitt develops navy, 661 naval vessels, more than 2x France
In 1794 Admiral Howe destroyed 22 ships at the Battle of the Glorious First of June
1795 Quota Acts forced the provision of recruits, but many of these were criminals, leading to mutinies in 1757
Spain defeated by Britain at the battle of Cape Vincent 1797
The Battle of Camperdown in October 1797 also weakened the Dutch, another naval ally of France
French invasion of Egypt stopped at battle of Aboukir bay, by Nelson in 1798
The destruction of the Danish fleet in 1801 prevented France from using ships from another nation, as well as stopping the revival of the League of Armed neutrality
1805 naval supremacy confirmed at Trafalgar

1798
Nelson destroys Napoleon's fleet in Egypt
This allows him to maintain naval blockades of France
Prevented France from intervening in India or to cut off British routes to Asia

1802
Britain allowed to increase army size by 75000
All British maritime conquests surrendered with exception of Ceylon and
Trinidad
Cape of Good Hope surrendered to Batavian Republic
Britain and France agreed to give up all acquisitions made in Egypt
France agreed to evacuate southern Italy
Broken by 1803

Pitt tried to achieve peace in 1797, this failed
Crushed Irish rebellion in 1798
Tried to create a coalition with Austria and Russia, but this was overturned with Austrian defeat at Marengo
Seized French colonies, Tobago, St Lucia, Trinidad
Stopped the attempt to revive the League of Armed neutrality by destroying the Danish fleet
War no closer to being won by 1806, when Pitt died

£9 million to Prussia and Austria over the course of the war
Money to Austria was wasted, as Austria was defeated in the battle of Marengo 1800
Trebled indirect taxation
Subsidies only accounted for 8% of total wartime expenditures
46m given over course of the war
Income tax introduced in 1799 to fund war
Raised 6 out of the expected 10 million
Revised in 1803, brought in an additional 50%

1. 1792, Prussia and Austria, joined by Holland and England in 1793 and others
All left the coalition, only England left still fighting
2. 1798, England brings together Russia, Ottoman empire, and Austria
Destroyed after the defeat at Marengo 1800, and treaty of Amiens 1802 signed by Addington
3. 1805, England recruits Russia, Austria, Naples and Sweden
Despite victory at Trafalgar, coalition breaks due to Austerlitz
4. 1806, Prussia joins remains of third coalition
Prussian army destroyed by France, England alone again
5. 1809, England and Austria
Austria forced to sign Peace of Vienna
6. 1813, Russia, Prussia and England after the failed Russian campaign
Treaty of Chaumont pledged to defeat Napoleon 1814
Defeated Napoleon in April at Fontainebleau
7. 1815, all of Europe against a new risen Napoleon
Defeated at Waterloo, June 1815

December 1805
Austria Russian coalition attack outnumbered French forces
Clever French tactics allowed Napoleon to kill 16000, and win, breaking 3rd coalition apart

Supported Austria in 1809, but they were defeated
Created 6th coalition after Russian campaign, defeated Napoleon
Naval blockade gave British vessels the right to stop and seize cargo from any ship
Also blockaded ports that did not accept British goods
Faced by Continental system
Naval power key, most French ships destroyed at Trafalgar

Introduced 1806
This blocked all mainland European trade with Britain
This was ambitious, as Britain depended on trade and industry, so a blockade could lead to internal unrest
To achieve this France had to ensure the cooperation of all European countries
This led to a French invasion of Portugal and Spain, which allowed Britain to send troops to Europe

Napoleon occupies Portugal 1807, who refused Continental system, and also faced resistance from Spain when trying to impose his brother as king
Spanish forces defeated the French at Baylen in July 1808
In 1808 Britain sent 15000 men to Portugal to drive out the French
Britain permitted over 20000 French soldiers to be evacuated
Napoleon returned and the British were evacuated at La Coruna 1808, but returned in 1809
By 1811 French driven from Portugal
1812 Wellington advances into Spain and takes Madrid
Guerilla warfare from Spain ties up French troops

1814, agreements signed with Russia, Prussia and Austria
Cash subsidies given to those who fought
Each country agreed to put 150k soldiers in the field, important to defeat of Napoleon
Castlereagh pays £26m in subsidies to the other countries involved

June 1815
24000 British
69000 French
Wellington held off the French until Prussian forces arrived and defeated Napoeleon

Foreign secretary 1812-22, until he killed himself
Rejected Napoleon's peace terms in 1812
Made concessions to the USA in 1814 at the Treaty of Ghent
Negotiated Treaty of Chaumont in 1814, bound Austria, Russia and Prussia to the goal of defeating France
Represented Britain at the Congress of Vienna 1815

1815
They acquired Malta, the Ionian islands, and Heligoland, granting naval bases
They also gained the islands of Ceylon and Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, reinforcing their position in South Asia
Tobago and St Lucia in the West Indies offered valuable profits from sugar
The purchase of the Cape of Good Hope from the Dutch gave Britain a naval base between the Atlantic and Indian oceans
French boundaries reduced to 1790

Congress of Aix-La-Chapelle 1818 readmitted the French monarchy
Castlereagh refused the Russian plan to create a standing army to put down revolution
Congress of Troppau 1820, unrest in Germany and Italy
Monarchs wanted action, Castlereagh refused
Congress of Verona 1822
Castlereagh died, but he stated britain should not intervene to prevent revolution

Foreign secretary in 1822
Did not continue Congress system
Supported Spain's constitutional monarchy, that came about due to an 1820 revolution
Canning did not maintain a relationship with Metternich, Austrian foreign minister
He could not sway Austria, and could not prevent a French invasion of Spain in 1823

Canning wanted to ensure intervention in Spain did not prevent independence of its colonies
Latin American trade consisted of 10% of British exports
Canning refused to cooperate with any plans for Spain or Portugal to regain control
1825 recognised the independence of Mexico, Buenos Aires and Colombia

Established a constitutional monarchy 1822
Canning sent 5000 marines (1826) to Lisbon to support the succession of Donna Maria, instead of Miguel who the Spanish supported
Canning persuaded Brazil to accept a member of the Portuguese royal family as its viceroy

Castlereagh had maintained good relations
Monroe doctrine of 1823, which stated that any further European intervention into independent American states would be seen as aggression and thus, grounds for war, claiming US interests in the continent as a whole irritated Canning

Began in 1821 against the Ottoman empire
Many British viewed the Greeks sympathetically
Mehmet Ali treated Greek rebels with brutality in 1826, increasing sympathy
Russia supported Greece, worrying Canning, who thought Russia would expand their power, threatening routes to India
Canning tried to establish relations with Austria to prevent Russian expansion, but this failed
1827 Canning supported Greek independence, signing a treaty and allowing him to influence Russia's actions
Russia, Britain and France defeated an Ottoman fleet at the Battle of Navarino in 1827
1830 an independent Greek state was created by the London protocols
Russia took the mouth of the Danube from Turkey in 1829

2 MPs each
Towns with a royal charter
Rules for who could vote were not established
In 92 boroughs the vote was open to freemen
203 boroughs
200000 voters

Anyone owning property worth over 40 shillings could vote
Called 40 shilling freeholders
239000 voters

Electors were given drink and bribes
In 1784 only 72 constituencies had a contested election

Founded in 1780 by Christopher Wyvill
Yorkshire voters were resentful of the corrupt elections
They attempted to elect independent MPs
County Associations formed in 12 counties
The country gentlemen were worried by the Gordon Riots and the movement ended

Formed in 1792
Formed by Charles Grey
80 societies were created with this name as it spread
None focused exclusively on reforming Parliament
Formed after French Revolution

April 1785
36 small boroughs purchased with consent
72 seats redistributed
Voting rights given to landowners who held land on long leases
Bill was defeated 248-174

Irishman, entered Parliament in 1783
Proposed reform in 1790, extending the franchise to all households
He lost and did not return to Parliament

Society of the Friends of the People, present a petition in 1793, rejected by Parliament
1809, Francis Burdett (leader of London Hampden Club) puts forward a reform proposal, wanting secret ballot, only one supporter in the Commons
He failed again in 1817 and 18, but was successful in putting forward a motion for consideration of Catholics in 1825, showing it was reform, and not his failure, that faced resistance
60k reformers attended a reform protest in Manchester 1819, the Peterloo Massacre

Whigs were more pro reform in the 1780s, seeing it as essential to preventing more radical change
Grey put forward two reform bills in 1792-3 and both were blocked
They came to power in 1806-7 under Grenville
They wanted to abolish the slave trade, which happened in 1807
They wanted concessions for Catholics, but the king resisted
After they did not come to power until 1830
Agitation in Ireland led to the Catholic Emancipation act 1829, splitting the Tory party
Earl Grey comitted to reform

Failed reform in 1785, after support for French rev (reflections on the revolution in France. Burke), attitudes hardened
Tories wanted to prevent change through disallowing any reform whatsoever
Catholic Emancipation caused massive splits between the Liberal Tories and the Ultra-Tories

1818 election there was bribery in the Cornish borough of Grampound
23 voters put on trial
Russell attempted to remove Grampound's voting and give it to Leeds, but it was blocked
Liverpool gave the votes to Yorkshire instead
East Retford had its electorate selling their votes in 1818 and 1820
The Whigs wanted to transfer the seats to Birmingham
Tories instead enlarged the constituency

Founded in 1829 by Thomas Atwood
Birmingham unrepresented in Parliament, despite a population of 144000
BPU first reform petition had 8000 signatures
Demanded more frequent general elections and the payment of MPs

First Bill: March 1831
Rejected in the Commons, causes the dissolution of Parliament, due to no Whig Majority despite Earl Grey PM
General election, Whigs gain majority
Second Bill: June 1831
Rejected October in the Lords due to the intervention of Bishops
Causes the Bristol riots, setting up of the National Political union October 1831
Third Bill: December 1831
Lords attempted to change bill, couldn't reject it due to popular pressure, Grey asked King to create 50 peers, resigns when he does not
Causes widespread violence and Wellington cannot form a government
Grey returns, King makes more reform peers, Great Reform Act passed

Swing Riots
Bristol riots
In Dorset 1831 Tory supporters were attacked
Whigs arrested 2000 people
Troops used to restore order across the South
Most violence was contained, little linkage between urban violence and political action
However, it showed the danger of the reform crisis

1830
Letters demanding wage rises sent to magistrates and landowners, signed 'Captain Swing'
In Dorset supporters of the Tory candidate were attacked
2000 people arrested
Caused by rural poverty and loss of jobs due to threshing machines

October 1831
Charles Wetherall, opponent of reform, began the local court
500 people rioted, Wetherall responded with threats
Bishop's palace burnt down, Bristol gaol attacked
Rioters controlled the city for 3 days

The growth of the BPU and other unions in other cities increased pressure to pass a reform bill
From November 1830 to March 1831, 654 pro reform petitions were sent to Parliament by middle-class organisations
At the BPU meeting in 1831, Attwood made an inspiring speech which was circulated in newspapers worldwide
Political unions were now established around the country, based on the rules and aims of the BPU
October 1831 the Globe newspaper warned that the working class might have to be armed, and the Poor Man’s Guardian proposed collaboration between middle class unions and the working people
Attwood proposed setting up a National Guard in which middle-class groups would have arms after Lords rejected Reform

1832, after the Lords slowed the Great Reform Act and the king refused to create new peers
Vacuum, no government presiding
Unions threatened a tax strike and a run on the banks if the Tories formed a government
£1.6 million withdrawn in May 1832
Wellington was unable to form a government
Grey returned to office, king made 50 Whig peers
Wellington circulated a letter among Tory peers, encouraging them to desist from further opposition, and warning them of the consequences of continuing

Wellington unable to form a government in 1832
King did not block the bill, and agreed to form some pro-reform peers
Peel refused to join the 1832 Tory government, removing legitimacy

Number of voters in county seats increased by 55%, in borough seats by 41%
Electorate overall increased by 49%
20% of adult males had the vote
However, only 5% in Ireland
Women who were able to vote before 1832 lost that ability, due to a statutory bar
However, many voters became disenfranchised, such as potwallopers
However, this was not entirely true, as everyone who had the vote before 1832 maintained it afterwards, and only after they died was the electorate reduced
Electorate up 300k in 1833
Plural voting remained, multiple votes for those who had more than one type of qualification to vote, such as property in 2 boroughs
To offset tory losses, tenants who paid £50 rent were allowed to vote in the Chandos amendment

56 boroughs with 111 MPs disenfranchised
30 boroughs lost 1 MP
2 boroughs with 4 MPs lost 2
Seats redistributed
22 large towns in the North, including Leeds, gained 2 seats
This had been unachievable before, think East Retford
Therefore a greater level of representation for the North, Birmingham finally gained seats despite being the largest city outside of london

Proportion of contested seats rose from 40% to 60%
30% fall in votes split between the parties
Resulted in a partisan shift in Parliament
However, composition of Parliament did not change- 1834 only 17% had a business background
Additionally, still some party splits, 70% of Whig, liberal or radical members voted against Melbourne’s government
Peel supported 1834 Poor Law amendment by Whigs

1832 election won with 300 more seats than the Tories
The act assisted the Whigs, slowed reform but did not cause radical change
Reduced the scandals which had caused outrage
Grey spends £500 on a painting commemorating the reform, shows his desire for reform

Most pocket boroughs lost belonged to the Tories
Chandros Amendment extended the vote to tenants paying an annual rent of £50
Tenants followed the will of their landlords due to a lack of a secret ballot
Landlords usually voted Tory
Not all bad for the Tories