January 1910 General Election

The Peers versus the People election

15 January – 10 February 1910 · The Mass Franchise · 670 seats, 336 for a majority

Fought over Lloyd George's People's Budget after the Lords rejected it, breaking constitutional convention. Asquith lost his majority and governed with Irish support, the price of which was Home Rule.

Prime Minister before

H. H. Asquith

Liberal

Prime Minister (continued)

H. H. Asquith

Liberal

Government formed

Liberal

Turnout

86.8%

electorate 7,694,741

The result

Sort by

Liberal

H. H. Asquith · 43.5%

274

seats

Conservative and Liberal Unionist

Arthur Balfour · 46.8%

272

seats

Irish Parliamentary

John Redmond · 1.2%

seats

Labour

Arthur Henderson · 7.0%

seats

All-for-Ireland

William O'Brien · 0.4%

seats


Liberal	H. H. Asquith	274	2,712,511	43.5%	-5.4
Conservative and Liberal Unionist	Arthur Balfour	272	2,919,236	46.8%	+3.4
Irish Parliamentary	John Redmond	71	74,047	1.2%	+0.6
Labour	Arthur Henderson	40	435,770	7.0%	+2.2
All-for-Ireland	William O'Brien	8	23,605	0.4%	+0.4

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.