1830 General Election
29 July – 1 September 1830 · The Unreformed Commons · 658 seats, 330 for a majority
George IV's death forced an election as reform agitation surged. Wellington's Tories lost ground, he lost a confidence vote within months, and Earl Grey formed the Whig ministry that would carry the Reform Act.
Prime Minister before
Duke of Wellington
Tory
Prime Minister after
Earl Grey
Whig
Government formed
Whig
Turnout
—
The result
| Share of Commons | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tory | Duke of Wellington | 250 | 62,554 | 38.4% | — | |
| Whig | Marquess of Lansdowne | 196 | 96,536 | 59.3% | — | |
| Ultra-Tories | Sir Edward Knatchbull | 60 | 2,305 | 1.4% | — |
Before 1918, party labels were looser and many seats went uncontested, so vote totals and shares understate real support. Seat counts are the reliable measure.