Edinburgh's Local Liberal Party and the Political Crises of 1885–6*

Abstract

AbstractThis article examines Edinburgh's Liberal politics in the wake of the 1884–5 electoral reforms and the introduction of the Irish home rule debate. The objective is to uncover local nuances of this transitional period of Liberal politics. The Third Reform Act and the Redistribution of Seats Act of 1885 fractured the local Liberal Party as Liberals fought to control the newly established single‐member districts’ associations. Advanced Liberals gained control over the associations and endorsed parliamentary candidates holding advanced views on the leading questions in the 1885 election. In three districts, unofficial Liberals stood and won against endorsed Liberals. Consequently, after the election the local Liberal associations in each of these districts split creating rival associations. This allows for unique insight into the effects of Irish home rule on Liberal politics as the associations were largely divided along partisan lines. Ultimately this study shows that the ideological stance of Liberals was not the determining factor of support or opposition to Irish home rule and that Gladstone's Irish question created a more united Party in Edinburgh.