1851 vote of no confidence against the government of Lord John Russell
The 1851 vote of no confidence against the government of Lord John Russell occurred in February 1851.
Lord John Russell became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in 1846. During Russell's premiership, the Whig Party only formed a minority in the House of Commons. The government relied on the implicit support of the Peelites led by Sir Robert Peel, Bt, and its support in the Parliament was weak.
On 20 February 1851, Whig MP Peter King brought a motion in the House of Commons to 'make the franchise in counties in England and Wales the same as that in boroughs, by giving the right of voting to all occupiers of tenements of the annual value of £10.' This would make the county franchise the same as the borough franchise set in Reform Act of 1832. The government's view, however, was against further expansion of the electorate. Trying to avoid a defeat, Russell promised in the debate to bring in official measures of reform, but the Bill was passed anyway on its first reading by a vote of 100 to 52 (but defeated on the second reading).[1]
Russell regarded the defeat as a vote of no confidence and submitted his resignation on 22 February. However, neither the Tories nor the Peelites was able to form a government, and the ministry resumed office on 3 March.[2] As a result, Russell committed himself to further Parliamentary reforms and brought in several Reform Bills from 1852 to 1866.[3] These efforts would finally lead to the passage of Reform Act of 1867.
| Yes votes | 100 |
|---|---|
| No votes | 52 |
