1837 United Kingdom general election

1837 United Kingdom general election
24 July – 18 August 1837 (1837-07-24 – 1837-08-18)
All 658 seats in the House of Commons
330 seats needed for a majority
Turnout798,025
  First party Second party
 
Leader Viscount Melbourne Sir Robert Peel
Party Whig Conservative
Leader since 16 July 1834 19 December 1834
Leader's seat House of Lords Tamworth
Last election 385 seats, 57.2% 273 seats, 42.8%
Seats won 344[a] 314
Seat change 41 41
Popular vote 418,331 379,694
Percentage 52.4% 47.6%
Swing 4.8 pp 4.8 pp
Colours denote the winning party
Composition of the House of Commons after the election
Prime Minister before election

Viscount Melbourne
Whig

Prime Minister after
election

Viscount Melbourne
Whig

The 1837 United Kingdom general election was held from 24 July to 18 August 1837, following the death of King William IV and the accession of Queen Victoria. The election saw the Whigs secure their fourth consecutive victory, though the Conservatives, led by Robert Peel, continued to gain ground.

The election marked the last time that a Parliament was dissolved as a result of the demise of the Crown. The dissolution of Parliament six months after a demise of the Crown, as provided for by the Succession to the Crown Act 1707, was abolished by the Reform Act 1867.

Results

UK General Election 1837
Party Candidates Votes
Stood Elected Gained Unseated Net % of total % No. Net %
  Whig 510 344[a] −41 52.28 52.42 418,331 −4.8
  Conservative 484 314 +41 47.72 47.58 379,694 +4.8

Voting summary

Popular vote
Whig
 
 52.42%
Conservative
 
 47.58%

Seats summary

Parliamentary seats
Whig
 
 52.28%
Conservative
 
 47.72%

Regional results

Great Britain

Party Candidates Unopposed Seats Seats change Votes % % change
Conservative 414 102 284 +46 353,000 48.2 +5.4
Whig 422 81 271 −46 379,961 51.8 −5.4
Total 836 183 555 732,961 100
England
Party Candidates Unopposed Seats Seats change Votes % % change
Conservative 348 80 239 +39 321,124 48.9 +6.3
Whig 352 60 225 −39 347,549 51.1 −6.3
Total 658 177 464 491,540 100
Scotland
Party Candidates Unopposed Seats Seats change Votes % % change
Whig 49 15 33 −5 22,082 54.0 −8.8
Conservative 35 7 20 +5 18,569 46.0 +8.8
Total 84 22 53 40,651 100
Wales
Party Candidates Unopposed Seats Seats change Votes % % change
Conservative 25 11 19 +2 11,616 52.8 −11.1
Whig 20 6 13 −2 10,144 47.2 +11.1
Total 45 17 32 21,760 100

Ireland

Main article: United Kingdom general election, 1837 (Ireland)
Party Candidates Unopposed Seats Seats change Votes % % change
Whig/Repeal Coalition 88 34 73 +5 38,370 58.5 +9.9
Irish Conservative 70 19 30 −5 26,694 41.5 −9.9
Total 158 53 103 65,064 100

Universities

Party Candidates Unopposed Seats Seats change Votes % % change
Conservative 6 4 6 1,691 90.1
Whig 1 0 0 186 9.9
Total 6 6 6 1,877 100

Notes

  1. ^ a b The seat and vote count figures for the Whigs given here include the Speaker of the House of Commons

References

  • Craig, F. W. S. (1989), British Electoral Facts: 1832–1987, Dartmouth: Gower, ISBN 0900178302
  • Rallings, Colin; Thrasher, Michael, eds. (2000), British Electoral Facts 1832–1999, Ashgate Publishing Ltd
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