Reform Act 1832 becomes law in the United Kingdom
- When
- 1831–1832
- Where
- Parliament; House of Commons
- Episodes
- 2
The Representation of the People Act 1832, known as the Great Reform Act, became law in the United Kingdom on 7 June 1832. It reformed the electoral system in England and Wales, expanding the male franchise while excluding women. Key figures included Prime Minister Charles Grey and Lord John Russell, who steered the bill through Parliament.
Episodes
- Bill Introduction
Lord John Russell introduced the first Reform Bill in the House of Commons on 1 March 1831.
- Royal Assent
The Reform Act received royal assent on 7 June 1832, becoming law in the United Kingdom.
Background and detail
Legislative Process. The first reform bill was put before Parliament on 1 March 1831. The Third Reform Bill was brought forward in December 1831. In May 1832, the government threatened to resign unless King William IV created new Whig peers to ensure the bill's passage. The Act received royal assent on 7 June 1832.
Impact. The Act redistributed parliamentary seats and standardized the franchise in England and Wales. It formally excluded women from voting. The English electorate increased from an estimated 400,000 to 650,000. Historians view the Act as a significant step away from aristocratic rule, though most people remained disenfranchised.
People involved
- Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey · Prime Minister
- John Russell, 1st Earl Russell · Principal Architect of the Act
- William IV · Monarch
Sources
- Reform Act 1832 Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-12
- Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-14
- John Russell, 1st Earl Russell Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-01
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.