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1846-67. Main events. Time of general economic prosperity But political scene was confused and unstable Tories split after 1846 into:- Peelites (Supporters of Peel) include Gladstone, Lord Aberdeen. Protectionists (Opposed Peel) –Led by Lord Derby, included Disraeli
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Main events • Time of general economic prosperity • But political scene was confused and unstable • Tories split after 1846 into:- • Peelites (Supporters of Peel) include Gladstone, Lord Aberdeen. • Protectionists (Opposed Peel) –Led by Lord Derby, included Disraeli • The two groups would have nothing to do with each other. Peelites usually voted with the Whigs. • Lord John Russell (the Whig leader) could form a government with Peelite support – Whigs did not have a majority.
Whigs improved position in 1847 – 325 seats to Tory protectionists 243. But Peelites with 89 seats held the balance Whigs could not afford to offend Peelites 1852 election – Peelites dwindled to 45 (Peel died 1850) still held balance Peelite Lord Aberdeen PM 185205 1857 election Peelites down to 29 Mp’s – most had joined the Whigs (Now becoming known as Liberals. Conservatives had still not recovered from split anly in govt for 3 short spells in this period
Domestic Politics • Mostly uneventful:- • Domestic • 1848 – final fling of Chartism • Social Reforms by Lord John Russell 1846-52 • Gladstone Chancellor of Exchequer 1852-66- continued with move towards free trade (Budgets of 1860-40 • Most striking feature was in economy – Golden Age of Victorian Britain • Foreign Policy • Crimean War 1854-46 • Indian Mutiny 1857 • Palmerston’s Foreign Policy 1859-65
Need for Pol Reform • During 1860’s need for more Political reform came to forefront • Derby’s Conservative government was responsible for Second reform Act of 1867 • Major step forward towards democracy • But the newly enlarged electorate responded at the general election of 1868 bhy voting in a Liberal Government with a majority of over 100