Parlimentary Reform

Question 1

When was the BPU founded and what were its aims?

Answer 1

1829 by Thomas Attwood

• It aimed to join the lower and middle classes
• more frequent general elections
• MPs to get paid
• All taxpayers to get the vote
• No property MP qualifications

Question 2

BPU numbers and main meetings

Answer 2

• 1831 Birmingham had 144,000 people in but no parliamentary representation
• A meeting in 1830 got 12,000-15,000 people
• 1831 peaceful meeting with 15,000

Question 3

How did events in France in 1830 impact the passing of reform?

Answer 3

• 1830 King Charles was replaced by Louis Philippe who was more pro reform and was a warning to people about what could happen
• Caused increased support to BPU

Question 4

How did the Swing riots impact reform?

Answer 4

1830-31

• Letters from ‘Captain Swing’ were sent to people in power wanting better pay etc
• Mostly to do with a bad winter and new Threshing machines
• did lead to 1831 a Tory candidate at Blandford in Dorset was attacked
• MPs began to thing delaying reform as unwise

Question 5

What was the increase in political activity as a result of the unions?

Answer 5

• November 1830- March 1831 654 pro reform bills to parliament (a lot more than previous years)
• Papers like the Globe (suggested working class to be armed) and Poor Mans Guard (talked about middle class and working class collaboration)
• after resignation of Grey’s government in 1832 there was agitation and people were encouraged to withdraw gold from banks and threatened a tax strike

Question 6

Did the act meet the Whig need of reducing corruption and discontent?

Answer 6

• Although there was still some smaller scale bribery and selling of seats this didn’t happen on a larger scale anymore
• the whigs won the 1832 election 479 seats to 179 showing they were hugely popular now
• they didn’t change the domination of the ruling class or society itself but kept the people happy
• ruled until 1841