1885 United Kingdom general election

Common card · No. 320156

The 1885 United Kingdom general election was held from 24 November to 18 December 1885. The first general election after an extension of the franchise and redistribution of seats, it saw the Liberals lose their majority. The election came about due to the resignation of the Liberal Government and request for a dissolution after a defeat in the House of Commons on an amendment to the Finance Bill by the Liberal Party. The Marquess of Salisbury formed subsequently a minority Conservative Government but within five months he requested a dissolution. The election saw the Liberals, led by William Gladstone, win the most seats, but not an overall majority, so a minority government was necessary. The Irish Nationalists held the balance of power between the Liberals and the Conservatives who sat with a large number of allied Unionist MPs (their name reflecting their support for the Union of Great Britain and Ireland). The pressure of minority government status exacerbated divisions within the Liberals...

Read on Wikipedia · Image Samuel Alexander Walker, Public domain