United Kingdom general election, 1852

E571991

The United Kingdom general election of 1852 was a mid-19th-century parliamentary contest that resulted in a fragile Conservative minority government and highlighted the growing political realignment over free trade and economic policy.

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United Kingdom general election, 1852 canonical 1

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Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf United Kingdom general election
associatedGovernment First Derby ministry
chamberElected House of Commons
characteristic highlighted divisions over free trade
produced a fragile parliamentary balance
chronologicalPosition first United Kingdom general election of the 1850s
context post-Corn Law political realignment
country United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
electoralBody British electorate (pre-1867 franchise)
electoralFranchise limited, property-based franchise
endDate 1852-07-31
era Victorian era
followedBy fall of Derby ministry, 1852
governmentHeadAfterElection Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby
hasLanguage English
house House of Commons of the United Kingdom
leadingParty1 Conservative Party (UK) (historic)
leadingParty2 Whig Party (UK)
linked to: British Whig Party
legislatureTerm 16th Parliament of the United Kingdom
mainIssue economic policy
free trade
monarch Queen Victoria
nextElection United Kingdom general election, 1857
notableOutcome Conservatives emerged as largest single party
Peelites held balance of power
no party secured an overall majority
numberOfSeatsContested 654
otherSignificantParty Irish Independent Opposition
Peelite faction
parliamentNumber 16
partOf parliamentary history of the United Kingdom
previousElection United Kingdom general election, 1847
primeMinisterAfterElection Lord Derby
primeMinisterAfterElectionParty Conservative Party (UK) (historic)
primeMinisterBeforeElection Lord Derby
primeMinisterBeforeElectionParty Conservative Party (UK) (historic)
relatedReform repeal of the Corn Laws
resultingGovernment Conservative minority government
significance marked continuing transition from old Tory–Whig system to modern party politics
startDate 1852-07-07
tookPlaceIn England
Ireland
Scotland
Wales
tookPlaceUnder constitutional monarchy
typeOfContest general election
votingSystem first-past-the-post

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The Earl of Derby (first term as Prime Minister) officeContestedIn United Kingdom general election, 1852