Reform Bill 1831-1832

Turning point?

- Reform may not have been democratic or wholly representative, and certainly did not meet the demands of Cobbett, Hunt et al, but given the time of the reform campaign had been on the road and given the number of doors that were now open for further change ,this first act has to be seen as being very significant. - It brought on a 'culture of reform' - in local govt, in legislation on poverty, factory work, the Church etc. - irrevocable steps had been taken.

Under-representation - To equal-sized constituencies

- Under-representation was tackled but there was no move towards equal constituencies. - Representation given to new industry (Manchester etc.) and to under-represented trades e.g. woollen cloth (From in Somerset), shipping (Whitby) - Greater representation given to larger counties (e.g. Yorkshire) But: - In 1841 elections: 202 boroughs = <1000 voters; 63 boroughs = 1,000-2,000 voters; 58 boroughs = >2,000 voters up to a London borough of 34,000 voters. Manchester had c.7,000.

Paid MPs

No

Secret Ballot

No

Politically involved monarch

It had always been the intention of the Whigs to attack the power and patronage of the Crown and to a degree this happened in 1832. William IV might have assisted with his promise of new peers should the Lords prove uncooperative but: - His attempt to replace Early Grey in 1832 with first Peel and then Wellington failed. Grey had resigned over the King's refusal to create the new peers, Peel had refused to form a ministry or to join Wellington's and the Days of May had done what was left of the Duke's attempt. Popular agitation and the Commons had triumphed over both King and Lords. - William's attempt to replace Melbourne in 1834 with Peel's minority government lasted only 100 days. Peel called an election and the Whigs won a majority of over 100 (smaller but still substantial): again the electoral process and the Commons had triumphed over the Crown. - Governments were now chosen by the electorate rather than the crown.

Aristocracy - Popular government

Not a turning point - Electorate increased but remained only 20% of the adult male population - 70 seats in reformed Commons controlled by aristocrats (Gash estimate) - 1832-67 landowners = 70-80% of MPs - In 1847 40% of MPs were sons of aristocrats or related to aristocratic families - Industrialists seemed reluctant to leave their businesses - Chandos Amendment (enfranchised £50 tenants) increased the county electorate by c.130,000 tenant farmers who tended to vote according to landowners' wishes (1841 Lincolnshire = 32/44 parishes did exactly this) - There remained a number of small boroughs where aristocrats had considerable influence. Possibly a turning point: - 56 boroughs wholly disenfranchised, 30 more lost 1 of the 2 MPs, and these were largely redistributed to new boroughs (e.g. Manchester, Liverpool etc.) where aristocrats had no influence. - Larger electorate harder to influence + reduction in the working class electorate (in existing boroughs) also removed the electors most easily bought or otherwise influenced. - Changes in Scotland and Ireland were proportionately more dramatic than in England and Wales and hindered patronage - 1832 was a triumph for the Commons over the Lords - forced to accept the unacceptable by Grey's threat (supported by William IV) to create sufficient new Whig peers to see the Bill through.

Limited Franchise - Universal Suffrage

Not a turning point: - Property qualification was set deliberately to give the vote only to the respectable and responsible. - Henry Hunt proposed an amendment to include women - inevitably failed. - There was in fact a reduction in the number of electorate as in some boroughs, where the electorate had been broad, the existing voters could not pass their right to vote onto their heirs. - Preston 1832 = 5,300 voters (88% of adult male population) / Preston 1851 = 2,000 voters (11.6 % of adult male population) On the other hand the 40 shilling qualification became less exclusive over time as the economy boomed and many broke through this barrier.

1831 (April)

The Defeat of the Bill - When the vote was taken on second reading, the government won by 1 vote. However, when the bill was examined in detail, it was clear that major amendments were needed, therefore it was defeated. Whigs called for the King to dissolve parliament and call a general election (if they could win middle class support, then they could stay in power for years) - King was reluctant to agree. There had already been a general election six months before, + poor harvests / riots / political demonstrations = overheated atmosphere. Earl Grey persuaded King that reform would bring peace and stability - Whigs just had to achieve a majority in parliament. "The Bill, the whole Bill and nothing but the Bill" - across the country there was widespread support for this phrase. Even though most of the working class wouldn't get their vote, they were still attracted to it. This was the most major reform for over 200 years and many radicals believed it would lead to a reformed government - then manhood suffrage. Middle class didn't want manhood suffrage, but they wanted / needed mass support in order to make sure that the government didn't back down from their promises of reform. This kept up pressure towards the king and opponents in government. The election campaign was characterised by vast open air meetings with banners and music. The Times supported reform and gave huge coverage to meetings and petitions for reform. There was an appearance of class unity = image of relentless, unanimous movement for reform.

1831 (March)

The First Reform Bill - When the Reform Bill was presented to the House of Commons in March 1831, it was met by shock from most MPs. They were expecting a fairly moderate bill but instead they got: 60 boroughs deprived of both MPs, 47 boroughs deprived of one MP (seats going to new, industrialised towns) and all those who owned / rented a house worth more than £10 a year could vote - in the boroughs Tories were 'horrified' at the proposals. Sir Robert Peel, Tory leader in the Commons opposed the bill because he thought that it wasn't final and that people would still demand further change. In response to Peel + Tories, a Whig named Thomas Macaulay claimed that most working class households wouldn't qualify for the new £10 franchise, therefore the bill was aimed at pleasing the middle classes, therefore they feel secure / stable, therefore there is no threat of a revolution. The Tories did't want to give in to reform as they thought it would 'endanger' political system / Whigs believed passing reform would subdue revolution by winning middle class + stifling demand for universal manhood suffrage.

1832 (May)

The King Recalls the Whigs - On 14th May, Wellington had to face the fact that he couldn't form a government. The King was forced to recall the Whigs on their condition that enough Lords were to be created to pass the Bill. Instead, the King had the Lords drop all of their opposition to the Bill, which was then passed in June.

1831 (June-October)

The Second Reform Bill - Whigs returned to power with a 130 seat majority - pro-reform candidates in counties triumphed whilst aristocratic patrons were defeated. Whigs then introduced a slightly more moderate Reform Bill. The main amendment was that voting was extended to tenants who rented £50 a year of land, not just those owning property worth £2 (Chandos Clause) - concession to landed classes (tenant farmers would vote same way as landlords). Whigs, who were mostly landlords were very content. Their main aim was to preserve a Britain dominated by the landed classes. The Second Reform Bill passed by the House of Commons in September 1831. The Next step was to pass it through the Tory-led House of Lords. Thomas Atwood (head of BPU) organised 100,00 strong, orderly march in Birmingham. A petition was made for parliament to approve. The next day, he presented the petition to parliament. The Times warned the aristocracy not to resist. PM Earl Grey warned peers of a rejection. Lords rejected Bill and riots broke out in Nottingham, Derby and Bristol. Many government buildings were destroyed and Bristol's city centre was ruined. Whigs / Tories / Aristocracy / middle class were shocked at the level of violence. Some feared that it would discredit reform movement. Strengthened Tories' argument that reform would lead to a revolution - important for reformers both inside and outside parliament to show movement was organised at developed - in this way government could not suppress meetings / blame reformers for demonstration. Middle class leaders of political unions understood that mass support was necessary: a well coordinated national reform movement. Leaders were caught between Tory opponents and the masses. The latter threatened to discredit moderate reformers and scare Whig government into losing its nerve. More radical / militant members of political unions demanded forceful agitation. Some radical leaders, including MP Henry Hunt, realised that the Reform Bill "excluded 9/10 of the male adult population". Whigs and allies had to take initiative.

1831 (December) - 1832 (May)

The Third Reform Bill - December 1831, the Whigs introduced a third Reform Bill and it passed through the Commons with a 2:1 majority - would the Lords reject it? What action would the government take? What was the attitude of the King? The King, under pressure from Earl Grey, would consider creating new Lords to pass the bill, but for how long? MPs though that it was too much pressure - Whig leaders weakening. April 1832, Grey introduced Bill in House of Lords. He spoke of the agitation in Britain and the right for intelligent people to have a say in the government - Lords passed new Bill,but still had to be picked apart by their committee.

Party politics

There was an element of "party advantage" in passing the Act: the Whigs secured substantial majorities in 1832, 1835 and 1837. There are also examples of increased party activity. - Registration became the key weapon and organisation was essential: Tory Carlton Club (1832) and Whig Reform Club (1836) founded, and party agents abounded locally trying to register their party's supporters and disqualify those of the opposition. - The large number of elections in the 1830s + the organisation brought on by registration made it hard for MPs to remain independent.

Corruption and Patronage - Reformed electoral practices

There was continued patronage and influence, but its extent was reduced. - Most notorious rotten and pocket boroughs disenfranchised (Dunwich, Old Sarum etc.) - In 1832 74% of constituencies had a contested election; before 1832 it had never been higher then 40% - in Wales in 1830 not one seat had been contested. - Some landlords raised tenants to 40 shilling freehold so as to allow them to vote (as the landlord wished) - Some voters touted for business among political patrons. - There was much corruption still to be undone in 1883.

1832 (May)

Whig resignation - Pressure building up outside parliament. Attwood - "I would rather die than see the great bill reform rejected or mutilated in any of its great parts or provisions". Grey + Whigs told King they would resign if Bill did not pass - King called their bluff, then looked to Tories to form a government. Whigs were surprised / relieved after months of tension and pressure - could reform be settled with Tory government? Wellington (new PM) realised that some form of legislation / reform would have to be passed in order to calm agitation. Some Tories refused, still angered by Wellington / Peel's push for Catholic emancipation. Peel realised this must be done, but he didn't want to be the one to do it, not after refusing the first Bill. Political Unions attempted to block Tory administration whilst Wellington tried to form a government (Days of May). The phrase "To Stop the Duke, Go for Gold" was created at the meeting to encourage people with paper money to trade it in for gold so as to deplete the stocks and cause a financial crash = peaceful, widespread resistance. Wellington hated political unions, no matter their method or motivation. In order to deal with them he was ready to use force (telling soldiers to 'rough-sharpen' their swords). What followed were days full of tension and gossip. Gold stocks continued to deplete. Lord Rothschild suggested recalling Earl Grey.