1837 United Kingdom general election

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1837 United Kingdom general election

← 1835 24 July – 18 August 1837 (1837-07-24 – 1837-08-18) 1841 →
← outgoing members elected members →
All 658 seats in the House of Commons 330 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party   Leader Viscount Melbourne Sir Robert Peel Party Whig Conservative Leader since 16 July 1834 19 December 1834 Leader's seat House of Lords Tamworth Last election 385 seats, 57.2% 273 seats, 42.8% Seats won 344[a] 314 Seat change 41 41 Popular vote 418,331 379,694 Percentage 52.4% 47.6% Swing 4.8% 4.8%
Colours denote the winning party
Composition of the House of Commons after the election
Prime Minister before election Viscount Melbourne Whig Prime Minister after election Viscount Melbourne Whig

The 1837 United Kingdom general election was triggered by the death of King William IV and produced the first Parliament of the reign of his successor, Queen Victoria. It saw Robert Peel's Conservatives close further on the position of the Whigs, who won their fourth election of the decade.

The election marked the last time that a Parliament was dissolved as a result of the demise of the Crown. The dissolution of Parliament six months after a demise of the Crown, as provided for by the Succession to the Crown Act 1707, was abolished by the Reform Act 1867.

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