A History of British Elections since 1689

Chris Cook, John Stevenson

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2014
• Print ISBN: 9781138283213
• eBook ISBN: 9781317693000
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: British History
• Index: History

A History of British Elections since 1689 represents a unique single-volume authoritative reference guide to British elections and electoral systems from the Glorious Revolution to the present day.

The main focus is on general elections and associated by-elections, but Chris Cook and John Stevenson also cover national referenda, European parliament elections, municipal elections, and elections to the Welsh and Northern Irish assemblies and the Scottish parliament. The outcome and political significance of all these elections are looked at in detail, but the authors also discuss broader themes and debates in British electoral history, for example: the evolution of the electoral system, parliamentary reform, women's suffrage, constituency size and numbers, elimination of corrupt practices, and other important topics. The book also follows the fortunes not only of the major political parties but of fringe movements of the extreme right and left.

Combining data, summary and analysis with thematic overviews and chronological outlines, this major new reference provides a definitive guide to the long and varied history of British elections and is essential reading for students of British political history.

1 Chronology of British electoral history

1215	Magna Carta establishes that some form of wider consent is necessary for Royal taxation.
1225–26	The Royal Council imports from private law the Roman Law doctrine ‘What touches all should be approved by all’ when discussing the issue of Papal taxation. Decade sees first evidence of knights of the shire attending assemblies to grant taxes.
1236	First official use of the Latin term for Parliament – parliamentum.
1237	Parliament of 1237 grants the king a tax approved by, amongst others, the ‘earls, barons, knights and freemen’. ‘Knights of the shire’ present at subsequent assemblies at Westminster.
1254	Elections of two knights from each shire ‘in place of each and all in their counties’ to attend Parliament. First instance of system of local representation by two representatives from each shire which only ends in 1918.
1261–65	Summons of two knights for each shire to the Parliaments of 1261, 1264 and 1265 establishes norm for county representation at subsequent Parliaments.
1265	Simon de Montfort summons burgesses from York, Lincoln and other towns to Parliament. Representatives from towns rise to 220 by 1295 Parliament.
1295	The ‘Model Parliament’ (coined by William Stubbs) summoned by Edward I with two knights of the shire, two citizens from each city and two burgesses from each borough ‘with full and sufficient power’ on behalf of themselves and their communities. Commons assent sought for the dethronement of Edward II; 42 petitions presented by the Commons on behalf of their constituents. Commons choose their first Speaker.
1327	Commons assent sought for the dethronement of Edward II; 42 petitions presented by the Commons on behalf of their constituents.
1376	Commons choose their first Speaker.
1400	Articles for the deposition of Richard II accuse him of setting aside elected MPs and putting in his own nominees.
1430	Statute determines that the franchise in the counties shall be all the 40-shilling freeholders (see p. 234) resident in the county.
1534	Beginning of period of Thomas Cromwell’s ‘management’ of elections.
1536	The Canterbury election. The town was compelled, on orders from Thomas Cromwell, to reverse its election and instead choose two Crown nominees.
1581	Commons establishes its claim to judge the qualifications of elected members.
1586	Case of the disputed Norfolk election: Commons decide in favour of the disputed first election. Beginnings of the custom to appoint Standing Committees at the opening of each Parliament to decide disputed elections.
1604	Goodwin’s Case. The Commons has to assert its right to settle questions of disputed elections.
1641	Triennial Act introduced by the Long Parliament to enforce regular calling of Parliament by stipulating that a new Parliament be called no later than three years after the dissolution of the previous one. It contained provisions for holding elections and convening Parliament if the monarch failed to observe the terms of the statute.
1653	Oliver Cromwell’s ‘Instrument of Government’ increased the threshold of the county franchise to £200 freeholders, provided for triennial Parliaments and more equal electoral districts.
1654	Parliament restores the lower county franchise limit to 40 shillings.
1660	Franchise measures of the Protectorate annulled at Restoration, though Triennial Act remains in force.
1664	Triennial Act amended, removing self-enforcement clauses and allowing monarchs to rule without calling Parliament.
1689	Bill of Rights accuses James II of ‘violating the freedom of election’ of MPs and asserts as ‘ancient rights and liberties’ ‘that election of members of Parliament ought to be free’ and the right of subjects to petition the Crown.
1694	New Triennial Act passed, limiting the term of Parliament to three years. Beginning of ‘rage of party’ with ten general elections between 1695 and 1715.
1695	Three Acts of Parliament attempt unsuccessfully to impose a minimum age for voters of 21 and reduce bribery.
1696	Last Determinations Act declared illegal any return from a city or borough contrary to the ‘last determination’ of who was entitled to vote, effectively fixing existing franchises and preventing attempts to widen them. Almost immediately the House of Commons decided that it did not bind or regulate decisio...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• List of tables
• Preface and acknowledgements
• Maps
• Introduction
• 1 Chronology of British electoral history
• Part I British general elections: the pre-modern era
• Part II Modern British general elections since 1918
• Part III The mechanics of elections
• Part IV Other British voting
• Part V Reference glossaries
• Select Bibliography
• Index