View source for 1892 United Kingdom general election

{{Short description|none}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2014}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 1892 United Kingdom general election
| country = United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
| type = parliamentary
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 1886 United Kingdom general election
| previous_year = 1886
| previous_mps = List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1886
| next_election = 1895 United Kingdom general election
| next_year = 1895
| seats_for_election = All [[List of United Kingdom Parliament constituencies (1885–1918)|670 seats]] in the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]]
| majority_seats = 336
| elected_mps = List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1892
| election_date = {{start and end dates|1892|7|4|1892|7|26|df=yes}}

<!--      Conservative and Liberal Unionist     -->| image1 = [[File:Robert-Gascoyne-Cecil-3rd-Marquess-of-Salisbury (cropped).jpg|160x160px]]
| leader1 = [[Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury|Marquess of Salisbury]]
| leader_since1 = April 1881
| party1 = [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] and [[Liberal Unionist]]
| leaders_seat1 = [[House of Lords]]
| last_election1 = 393 seats, 51.4%
| seats1 = '''314'''
| seat_change1 = {{decrease}}79
| popular_vote1 = '''2,028,586'''
| percentage1 = '''47.0%'''
| swing1 = {{decrease}}4.4 [[Percentage point|pp]]

<!--      Liberal      -->| image2 = [[File:William Ewart Gladstone, 1892 (cropped).jpg|160x160px]]
| leader2 = [[William Ewart Gladstone]]
| leader_since2 = April 1880
| party2 = Liberal Party (UK)
| leaders_seat2 = [[Midlothian (UK Parliament constituency) (1708–1918)|Midlothian]]
| last_election2 = 191 seats, 45.1%
| seats2 = 272{{efn|Includes [[Arthur Peel, 1st Viscount Peel|Arthur Peel]] (Speaker of the House of Commons) and [[Sir Edward Watkin]] (Independent Liberal)}}
| seat_change2 = {{increase}}80
| popular_vote2 = 1,958,598
| percentage2 = 45.4%
| swing2 = {{increase}}0.3 [[Percentage point|pp]]

<!--      Irish National Federation     -->| image3 = [[File:Justin McCarthy, 1891.jpg|160x160px]]
| leader3 = [[Justin McCarthy (1830–1912)|Justin McCarthy]]
| leader_since3 = 1891
| party3 = Irish National Federation
| leaders_seat3 = [[North Longford (UK Parliament constituency)|North Longford]]
| last_election3 = ''Part of [[Irish Parliamentary Party|IPP]]''
| seats3 = 72
| seat_change3 = {{increase}}72
| popular_vote3 = 224,528
| percentage3 = 5.2%
| swing3 = ''New party''

<!--      PMs       -->| title = [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]]
| posttitle = Prime Minister after<br/>election
| before_election = [[Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury|Marquess of Salisbury]]
| before_party = Conservative Party (UK)
| after_election = [[William Ewart Gladstone]]
| after_party = Liberal Party (UK)
| map_image = United Kingdom general election 1892.svg
| map_size = 330px
| map_caption = Colours denote the winning party
| turnout = 4,317,312<br>77.4% ({{increase}}3.2 [[Percentage point|pp]])
| map2_image = File:1892 UK GE Composition diagram.svg
| map2_caption = Diagram displaying the composition of the House of Commons following the election
}}
The '''1892 United Kingdom general election''' was held from 4 to 26 July 1892.  It saw the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservatives]], led by [[Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury|Lord Salisbury]] again win the greatest number of seats, but no longer [[majority government|a majority]] as [[William Ewart Gladstone]]'s [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberals]] won 80 more seats than in the [[1886 United Kingdom general election|1886 general election]]. The [[Liberal Unionists]] who had previously supported the Conservative government saw their vote and seat numbers go down.

Despite being split between [[Irish National League|Parnellite]] and [[Irish National Federation|anti-Parnellite]] factions, the Irish Nationalist vote held up well. As the Liberals did not have a majority on their own, Salisbury refused to resign on hearing the election results and waited to be defeated in a [[1892 vote of no confidence in the Salisbury ministry|vote of no confidence]] on 11 August. Gladstone formed a minority government dependent on Irish Nationalist support.

The Liberals had engaged in failed attempts at reunification between 1886 and 1887. Gladstone however was able to retain control of much of the Liberal party machinery, particularly the [[National Liberal Federation]]. Gladstone used the annual NLF meetings as a platform to consolidate various Liberal causes, particularly the Newcastle meeting of 1891, which gave its name to the radical [[Newcastle Programme]]. This programme placed Irish Home Rule first, followed by Welsh and Scottish disestablishment, reduction in factory work hours, free education, electoral reform, land reform, reform or abolition of the House of Lords, and the removal of duties on basic foods. This programme would later be disowned by the party leadership following the Liberal defeat in the 1895 election.<ref>{{harv|Haigh|1990|page=259}}</ref>

{{UK general election navigation|clear=none|1885|1886|1892|1895|1900}}

==Results==
[[File:1892 UK parliament.svg|center|300px]]
{{Election summary begin with leaders| title = UK General Election 1892}}
{{Election summary party with leaders|
  |party      = Conservative and Liberal Unionist
  |leader     = [[Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury|Lord Salisbury]]
  |candidates = 606
  |seats      = 314
  |gain       = 21
  |loss       = 100
  |net        = &minus;79
  |votes      = 2,028,586
  |votes %    = 46.99
  |seats %    = 46.87
  |plus/minus = &minus;4.4
}}
{{Election summary party with leaders|
  |party      = Liberal Party (UK)
  |leader     = [[William Ewart Gladstone]]
  |candidates = 535
  |seats      = 271
  |gain       = 98
  |loss       = 19
  |net        = +79
  |votes      = 1,958,598
  |votes %    = 45.37
  |seats %    = 40.44
  |plus/minus = +0.2
  |government = 
  |vps        = 7,677
}}

{{Election summary party with leaders|
  |party      = Irish National Federation
  |leader     =  [[Justin McCarthy (1830–1912)|Justin McCarthy]]
  |candidates = 85
  |seats      = 72
  |gain       = 
  |loss       = 
  |net        = +72
  |votes      = 224,528
  |votes %    = 5.20
  |seats %    = 10.75
  |plus/minus = ''N/A''
  |vps        = 9,973
}}

{{Election summary party with leaders|
  |party      = Irish National League
  |leader     = [[John Redmond]]
  |candidates = 44
  |seats      = 9
  |gain       = 
  |loss       = 
  |net        = +9
  |votes      = 67,119
  |votes %    = 1.55
  |seats %    = 1.34
  |plus/minus = ''N/A''
  |vps        = 1,824
}}

{{Election summary party with leaders|
  |party      = Independent Labour
  |leader     = ''N/A''
  |candidates = 9
  |seats      = 3
  |gain       = 3
  |loss       = 0
  |net        = +3
  |votes      = 22,198
  |votes %    = 0.51
  |seats %    = 0.45
  |plus/minus = ''N/A''
  |vps        = 7,399
}}
{{Election summary party with leaders|
  |party      = Independent Conservative
  |leader     = ''N/A''
  |candidates = 4
  |seats      = 0
  |gain       = 0
  |loss       = 0
  |net        = 0
  |votes      = 5,556
  |votes %    = 0.13
  |seats %    =0
  |plus/minus = ''N/A''
  |vps        = N/A
}}
{{Election summary party with leaders|
  |party      = Independent Liberal
  |leader     = ''N/A''
  |candidates = 6
  |seats      = [[Hythe (UK Parliament constituency)|1]]
  |gain       = [[Hythe (UK Parliament constituency)|1]]
  |loss       = 0
  |net        = +1
  |votes      = 3,572
  |votes %    = 0.08
  |seats %    = 0.15
  |plus/minus = ''N/A''
  |vps        = 3,572
}}
{{Election summary party with leaders|
  |party      = Scottish United Trades Councils Labour Party
  |leader     = [[Chisholm Robertson]]
  |candidates = 4
  |seats      = 0
  |gain       = 0
  |loss       = 0
  |net        = 0
  |votes      = 2,313
  |votes %    = 0.05
  |seats %    =0 
  |plus/minus = ''N/A''
  |vps        = N/A
}}
{{Election summary party with leaders|
  |party      = Independent Nationalist
  |leader     = ''N/A''
  |candidates = 2
  |seats      = 0
  |gain       = 0
  |loss       = 0
  |net        = 0
  |votes      = 2,180
  |votes %    = 0.05
  |seats %    =0
  |plus/minus = ''N/A''
  |vps        = N/A
}}
{{Election summary with leaders|
  |party      = [[Scottish Parliamentary Labour Party|Scottish Parliamentary Labour]]
  |leader     = [[Keir Hardie]]
  |candidates = 3
  |seats      = 0
  |gain       = 0
  |loss       = 0
  |net        = 0
  |votes      = 1,866
  |votes %    = 0.04
  |seats %    =0
  |plus/minus = ''N/A''
  |vps        = N/A
}}
{{Election summary party with leaders|
  |party      = Social Democratic Federation
  |leader     = [[H. M. Hyndman]]
  |candidates = 2
  |seats      = 0
  |gain       = 0
  |loss       = 0
  |net        = 0
  |votes      = 659
  |votes %    = 0.02
  |seats %    =0
  |plus/minus = ''N/A''
  |vps        = N/A
}}
{{Election summary party with leaders|
  |party      = Independent (politician)
  |leader     = ''N/A''
  |candidates = 3
  |seats      = 0
  |gain       = 0
  |loss       = 0
  |net        = 0
  |votes      = 137
  |votes %    = 0.00
  |seats %    =0
  |plus/minus = ''N/A''
  |vps        = N/A
}}
|}

{{Hatnote|Total votes cast: 4,317,312.<ref>All parties shown.</ref><br/>Electorate: 6,160,541 (5,614,202 in contested seats)<br/>Turnout: 77.4%
<ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120130011015/http://www.election.demon.co.uk/geresults.html|archive-date=30 January 2012|url=http://www.election.demon.co.uk/geresults.html|title=General Election Results 1885-1979|access-date=10 June 2022|url-status=dead}}</ref>
}}

===Voting summary===
{{bar box
|title=Popular vote
|titlebar=#ddd
|width=600px
|barwidth=350px
|bars=
{{bar percent|Conservative and Liberal Unionist|{{party color|Conservative and Liberal Unionist}}|46.99}}
{{bar percent|'''Liberal'''|{{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}|45.37}}
{{bar percent|Irish National Federation|{{party color|Irish National Federation}}|5.20}}
{{bar percent|Irish National League|{{party color|Irish National League}}|1.55}}
{{bar percent|Independent Labour|{{party color|Independent Labour}}|0.51}}
{{bar percent|Independent Conservative|{{party color|Independent Conservative}}|0.13}}
{{bar percent|Independent Liberal|{{party color|Independent Liberal}}|0.08}}
{{bar percent|Others|#777777|0.17}}
}}

===Seats summary===
{{bar box
|title=Parliamentary seats
|titlebar=#ddd
|width=600px
|barwidth=350px
|bars=
{{bar percent|Conservative and Liberal Unionist|{{party color|Conservative and Liberal Unionist}}|46.72}}
{{bar percent|'''Liberal'''|{{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}|40.60}}
{{bar percent|Irish National Federation|{{party color|Irish National Federation}}|10.75}}
{{bar percent|Irish National League|{{party color|Irish National League}}|1.34}}
{{bar percent|Independent Labour|{{party color|Independent Labour}}|0.45}}
{{bar percent|Independent Liberal|{{party color|Independent Liberal}}|0.15}}
}}

==See also==
* [[List of MPs elected in the 1892 United Kingdom general election]]
* [[Parliamentary franchise in the United Kingdom 1885–1918]]
* [[1892 United Kingdom general election in Ireland]]
* [[1892 United Kingdom general election in Scotland]]
* [[1892 United Kingdom local elections]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
{{refbegin}}
* Blaxill, Luke. ''From: The War of Words: The Language of British Elections, 1880–1922'' (2020) pp.&nbsp;81–123.
* {{citation |last=Cawood |first=Ian |title=The 1892 General Election and the Eclipse of the Liberal Unionists |journal=Parliamentary History |volume=29 |pages=331–357 |number=3 |year=2010 |doi=10.1111/j.1750-0206.2010.00137.x |doi-access=free }}
* {{citation |last=Cawood |first=Ian |title=The Unionist 'Compact' in West Midland Politics 1891–1895 |journal=Midland History |year=2013}}
* {{citation |author-link=F. W. S. Craig |first=F. W. S. |last=Craig |title=British Electoral Facts: 1832–1987 |year=1989 |location=Dartmouth |publisher=Gower |isbn=0900178302 }}
* {{citation |last=Craig |first=F. W. S. |title=British Parliamentary Election Results 1885–1918 |publisher=Macmillan |year=1974}}
* {{citation |ref={{harvid|The Guardian}} |date=26 July 2013 |title=From the archive, 26 July 1892: Britain's first Asian MP elected |url=https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2013/jul/26/election-naoroji-finsbury-1892 |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=2 May 2018}}
* {{citation |editor-last=Haigh |editor-first=Christopher |year=1990 |title=The Cambridge Historical Encyclopedia of Great Britain and Ireland |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0NrVJb1rWq0C&q=1892+general+election+salisbury&pg=PA259 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=9780521395526 |editor-link=Christopher Haigh }}
* {{cite journal |last1=Lloyd-Jones |first1=Naomi |title=The 1892 general election in England: Home Rule, the Newcastle programme and positive Unionism |journal=Historical Research |date=2020 |volume=93 |issue=259 |pages=73–104 |doi=10.1093/hisres/htz009|doi-access=free }}
* {{citation |last=Pelling |first=Henry |author-link=Henry Pelling |title=Social Geography of British Elections 1885–1910 |year=1967}}{{publisher missing}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
* [http://www.spartacus-educational.com/GE1892.htm Spartacus: Political Parties and Election Results]
* [http://www.election.demon.co.uk/geresults.html United Kingdom election results—summary results 1885–1979] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120130011015/http://www.election.demon.co.uk/geresults.html |date=30 January 2012 }}

{{British elections}}

[[Category:1892 United Kingdom general election| ]]
[[Category:1892 elections in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:1892 in the United Kingdom|General election]]
[[Category:General elections to the Parliament of the United Kingdom|1892]]
[[Category:July 1892]]
[[Category:Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury]]
[[Category:William Ewart Gladstone]]