1880 United Kingdom general election facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
1880 United Kingdom general election

← 1874 31 March – 27 April 1880 (1880-03-31 – 1880-04-27) 1885 →
← List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1874 List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1880 →
All 652 seats in the House of Commons 327 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party Third party   Leader Spencer Cavendish Benjamin Disraeli William Shaw Party Liberal Conservative Home Rule League Leader since January 1875 27 February 1868 May 1879 Leader's seat North East Lancashire House of Lords County Cork Last election 242 seats, 52.0% 350 seats, 44.3% 60 seats, 3.7% Seats won 352 237 63 Seat change 110 113 3 Popular vote 1,836,423 1,426,349 95,528 Percentage 54.7% 42.5% 2.8% Swing 2.7% 1.8% 0.9%
Colours denote the winning party
Prime Minister before election Earl of Beaconsfield Conservative Prime Minister after the election William Gladstone Liberal

The 1880 United Kingdom general election was a big election held in the United Kingdom from March 31 to April 27, 1880. During a general election, people vote for members of Parliament (MPs) to represent them in the House of Commons. The party that wins the most seats usually forms the government.

This election was very exciting. The Liberals, led by William Gladstone, ran a strong campaign. Gladstone gave powerful speeches, especially during his "Midlothian campaign." He strongly criticized the foreign policy of the government led by Benjamin Disraeli, who was then known as the Earl of Beaconsfield. Gladstone called Disraeli's policies "immoral."

The Liberals won a huge victory, getting one of their largest majorities ever. The Conservatives came in a distant second. Because of this big win, William Gladstone became the Prime Minister for the second time. This election was the last time any party other than the Conservatives won more than half of all the votes.

Key Issues in the 1880 Election

The Conservative government faced two main problems that led to their defeat. These were the struggling economy and strong criticism of their foreign policy.

Economic Troubles for Britain

The 1870s were a tough time for Britain's economy. There was a worldwide economic slowdown, sometimes called the "Long Depression." This meant that prices, profits, and jobs all decreased. Many working-class families faced hardship because wages were falling.

Britain also had a policy of free trade, which meant goods could enter the country without high taxes. This made it hard for British farmers to compete with cheap wheat coming from North America. The situation got even worse in 1879, which had the worst harvest of the century in Britain. People blamed the party in power, the Conservatives, for these economic difficulties. The Liberals often pointed out the growing budget deficit, showing that the government was not managing money well.

Criticism of Foreign Policy

William Gladstone and the Liberals strongly attacked Benjamin Disraeli's foreign policy. Gladstone, who was very religious and believed in strong morals, said Disraeli's actions on the world stage were wrong. He argued that Disraeli's policies led to expensive and unnecessary adventures abroad. Gladstone also claimed these policies were bad for peace and hurt smaller nations.

Historians say that while some of Gladstone's points had truth, much of his criticism was exaggerated. It was part of a big political fight, similar to how Disraeli had criticized the Liberals in the past.

Disraeli's Challenges

Benjamin Disraeli, as the Earl of Beaconsfield, was now a member of the House of Lords. This meant he could not actively campaign or give speeches to the public during the election. This made it hard for his party to fight back against Gladstone's powerful speeches.

Even though Disraeli had worked to make the Conservative Party more organized, he was mostly connected with wealthy landowners in the countryside. He didn't have a good understanding of the growing middle class in cities, who were becoming more important in politics. This lack of connection also hurt his party's chances.

Election Results

The election results showed a clear win for the Liberals. Disraeli's Conservative Party lost many seats, especially in Scotland, Ireland, and the cities.

How People Voted

This chart shows the percentage of votes each main party received:

Seats Won in Parliament

This chart shows how many seats each party won in the House of Commons:

Images for kids

• 

  A painting by Alfred George Palmer of election night outside Exeter Guildhall

• 

  Crowds wait outside Leeds Town Hall to hear the result

See also

• List of MPs elected in the 1880 United Kingdom general election
• 1880 United Kingdom general election in Ireland
• 1880 United Kingdom general election in Scotland