ABSTRACT
The two main Victorian political parties emerged from the Reform crisis of 1830–1832. The formation of the Liberal Party is more difficult to pinpoint. The ‘Conservative Party’ were so-called because of their hostility to reform and their desire to defend the constitution in church and state. The Tories may have been on the losing side, but they adapted to the new political landscape remarkably quickly. As with the First Reform Act, the Second was the product of a political crisis. Following the death of Palmerston in 1865, the Liberals were led by the veteran reformer Earl Russell. Russell was committed to further reform, as was his chancellor and the leader in the Commons, William Gladstone. The 1867 Reform Act had some unintended consequences. One was a rise in the cost of electioneering, which placed more pressure on political parties and the candidates themselves: with no secret ballot and more voters, opportunities for bribery and treating increased.
