Why did the Conservatives dominate British politics between 1885 and 1905?

The first 200 words of this essay...

28 September 2004 Anna Carlisle

Why did the Conservatives dominate British politics between 1885 and 1905?

A number of factors meant that the Conservative Party dominated British politics between 1885 and 1905: a significant reason why support for the Conservatives began to increase in at this specific time was because of the Redistribution of Seats Act, which was passed in 1885. At this time, although the Conservatives did have working-class support, many Conservative voters tended to be wealthy landowners and businessmen, who didn't want any major change in the government to threaten their position. When this act was passed, Salisbury, the conservative prime minister, ensured that when the new constituency boundaries were drawn, the conservative voters were grouped together so that they were guaranteed a seat in that particular area: towns such as Sheffield and Glasgow ensured that the Conservatives stayed in power. The Conservatives further increased support by establishing social clubs (eg: The Primrose League) in these areas. The clubs organised concerts and fetes to draw in supporters and help spread Conservative beliefs. Another Conservative strength, which helped them gain support, was the fact that the party was well organised than the Liberals. The Liberal Party suffered from