1880 General Election

31 March – 27 April 1880 · The Mass Franchise · 652 seats, 327 for a majority

Gladstone's Midlothian campaign, the first modern stump-speaking tour, turned foreign policy morality into a mass electoral cause and swept Disraeli from office. Campaigning would never be the same.

Prime Minister before

Earl of Beaconsfield

Conservative

Prime Minister after

William Gladstone

Liberal

Government formed

Liberal

Turnout

—

The result

Sort by

Liberal

Marquess of Hartington · 54.7%

352

seats

Conservative

The Earl of Beaconsfield · 42.5%

237

seats

Home Rule

William Shaw · 2.8%

seats


Liberal	Marquess of Hartington	352	1,836,423	54.7%	+2.7
Conservative	The Earl of Beaconsfield	237	1,426,349	42.5%	-1.8
Home Rule	William Shaw	63	95,528	2.8%	-0.9

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.