Robert Peel’s Reorganisation of the Tory Party as the Most Important Factor in the 1841 Election

Robert Peel’s Reorganisation of the Tory Party as the Most Important Factor in the 1841 Election

After the Tories’ worst ever election defeat in 1832, many spectators

felt that they would never re-establish themselves as a political

force. In introducing the Great Reformations Bill that same year, the

Whig party had given an extra eight percent of men the vote. This

increase from two to ten percent, publicly opposed by the Tories, was

expected to make the Whigs eternally popular. However, in less than

ten years the Tory party, under the leadership of Sir Robert Peel, had

a convincing majority and, in July 1841, Peel was Prime Minister. The

reorganisation of the Tory party into the Conservatives was the

crucial factor in Peel’s victory. The party underwent major changes

during Peel’s ten-year pre-victory tenure, and his success stemmed

from his accomplishment in broadening the base of the party’s appeal.

However, one must also examine the fortunate circumstances of Peel’s

victory, and analyse to what extent Whig failure aided him. Regardless

of these other factors, though, Peel’s sophisticated remodelling of

his party was a remarkable achievement from which election victory

seems wholly justified.

The crushing 1832 defeat left Peel’s Tories in a highly unenviable

position. With just 185 seats in Parliament, and having suffered major

defeats over Catholic Emancipation and the Reformations Bill, the

party appeared destined for a period in the political wilderness.

However, through his innovative policies, Peel was able to “turn the

Tory Party of one particular class into the Conservative Party of the

nation” (Norman Gash). His attempt...

... middle of paper ...

...tunate circumstances that the Tories

enjoyed. If Peel were to succeed, it was essential that the Whigs lost

the momentum gained by the Reformations Bill. In the form of party

splits and bad decisions, the Whig leadership ensured they did.

The Conservative Party required Robert Peel’s presence in order to

take advantage of the weaknesses of the Whigs, and of the fortunate

circumstances that preceded the 1841 election. His oratory skills, and

public agents, meant that every Whig mistake was highlighted, and

every Tory success celebrated. In remodelling and reorganising the

Tory party, Peel had succeeded in creating the “first modern political

party” (Gash) and ensured that the Conservatives exploited the

favourable situation in which they found themselves. It is an example

today’s Conservative party dream of following.