Parliamentary Reform

1
Parliamentary Reform

• Was the Reform Act a watershed in British party
  political and electoral history?

2
The Representation of the People Act, 1832

• Franchise
• Boroughs 10 householder
• Counties 40s property owner, 10 copyholders,
  renting/leasing land worth 50 (Chandos)
• Seat redistribution
• According to OGorman borough seats from 465 to
  399 and county seats from 188 to 253
• Election method
• Polling period two weeks to two days
• Greater number of polling booths/places
• Register of electors to be compiled.

3
Why was this not a watershed?

• The continuity interpretation.
• The politics of influence was still hugely
  important landed interests continued to prosper.
• Anomalies in the system remained South
  over-represented, small towns represented whilst
  larger towns were not.
• No change in who represented the people MPs
  reflected landed interests, they were not paid.
• Little change to the status of voting
• Parliaments lasted seven years, no secret ballot,
  franchise still property based.

4

• However, it is too easy for us to stress the
  elements of continuity post -1832. Yes, much of
  the old system remained and continued to
  privilege a small number, but the fight for the
  Reform Act was a politicising experience and as
  OGorman says, the old days could never be
  recaptured.

5
Why was 1832 a watershed?

• ¼ of Parliamentary seats eliminated
• Franchise was changed and standardised
• More seats were contested 29 in 1831, to c. 2/3
  in 1832, 35, 37 and 41.
• Electorate almost doubled c. 340,000 to 656,000.
  (OGorman)
• Poll methods changed, esp. in the counties.
• Urban centres became more prominent

6

• The reform door had been opened and, it would
  never again be in the power of the politicians to
  close it. (OGorman)

7
Effect on political parties

• It effectively modernised them.
• Development of Club government the Carlton
  Club (Tory) and the Reform Club (Whig).
• Function changed registration and mobilisation
  of voters parties rooted in communities.
• Electoral politics was party-politicised
  greater partisanship.

8

• Although much of the old system remained (e.g.
  patronage and anomalies) and that the Act went no
  way to producing a resemblance of the
  parliamentary democracy we enjoy today, it should
  be considered a watershed in British politics. It
  made significant changes to the franchise, the
  number of voters and the number of seats
  contested but its most important change was the
  modernisation of political parties.