In the
1859 United Kingdom general election, the Whigs,
led by Lord
Palmerston, held their majority in the House of
Commons
over the Earl of Derby's
Conservatives. This election is also considered to be the
first to be contested by the
Liberal
Party - a name unofficially adopted to cover the alliance of
Whigs, Peelites, Radicals and Irish Brigade who had previously
voted against the Derby administration in the House of Commons that
had led to the election. It was also the last
general election entered by the Chartists,
before their organisation was dissolved.
Results
Total votes cast: 565,500
References