Electoral Reform Act

• Aristocratic influence - Pocket Boroughs
• Corruption
• No Secret Ballot
• No Representation in towns cities - Rotten Boroughs
• No Votes for Middle and Working classes.

Yes

• Upper Middle Class - Revolution
• Middle Class - Representation
• Working Class - Rights (to have a say)

No

Upper Middle Class:

• "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"
• Reform = Revolution
• Losing Power

1. New King was unpopular - Monarchy controlled government is unpopular

2. Political Unions - more created - more pressure on govt.

3. PM/Whigs resigned - Tories rejected the Act - 50 whig peers created to pass act.

4. 1st rejection in HOL - riots by WC in derby, nottingham, bristol etc.

5. Press (the Times and local papers e.g. Leeds Mercury) spread news in favour of reform

6. Events:

• 1828-1830: Poor Harvests
• 1829 & 1831: Economic Slumps
• 1831-2: Cholera Epidemic
• 1830: Swing Riots

The Franchise

Counties - No Change (Property 40+ Shillings p.a.)

Boroughs - Instead of Before Cars, People Smoked Fumes, owning property £10 + per annum (Though working class max £8).

Redistribution of seats

• 56 -2
• 36 -1
• 22 +2

Problems Still Not Solved

• Still tiny boroughs
• 3,200,000 still did not have the vote
• South has more MPs than North, but less people.
• No Secret Ballot
• MPs Still Unpaid
• NO WORKING CLASS VOTE!