The GLIO Site

SUMMARY OF THE REFORM BILL
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    All boroughs which contain less than 2000 inhabitants are to be disfranchised: this change condemns 60 boroughs and 119 members.

    All boroughs which contain more than 2000, and less than 4000 inhabitants, are in the future to return but one member: this will reduce 47 boroughs and 47 members.

    Weymouth and Melcombe Regis will in future return to instead of four members.

    Seven towns are added to the representation, each to return to members.

    20 others will each return one member.

    The Tower Hamlets, Finsbury, Holborn, and Lambeth, (out districts of the metropolis) or to have each two members.

    26 countries, having by the last population-returns more than 150,000 inhabitants, or each to have two additional members.

    The Isle of Wight is to have one member.

    Yorkshire is to have two additional members, making two for each riding.

    A district of boroughs in Wales is to be divided—each section to receive one member—making one additional.

    In Scotland—Edinburgh, now returning one member, is to return two, and Glasgow, two; Aberdeen, Paisley, Dundee, and Leith, each one: in all, there are to be five additional members.

    Ireland is to return three additional members, one each for the towns of Belfast, Waterford, and Limerick.

    With respect to the qualification in the counties of England, 21-years leaseholders of £50 a-year rent, and copyholders of £10 a-year, are to be added to the present 40 shilling freeholders.

    In the boroughs, every person occupying a house rated at £10 a-year is to have a vote.

    Where there are not so many as 300 persons qualified to vote in any borough, the number is to be made up from the adjoining parishes and chapelries.

    There are to be no out-voters. The franchise is not to be taken from the present scot and lot-payers in boroughs; but the scot and lot franchise is to die out with the present possessors of the title.

    The qualifications in all boroughs are to be uniform, without any regard to corporation privileges.

    In Scotland the qualification in towns is to be the same as in England. In the districts of boroughs, the inhabitants of householders are to vote in their respective boroughs. In the counties, occupiers of land of £50, on 19 years' leases, and owners of land or houses of £10 a-year, are to vote.

   The counties of England are to be divided into districts, for the convenience of voters, and the elections are to be over in two days at farthest.

    The counties returning four members are to be divided, and two members to sit for each division.

    The electors of towns to have no vote for the counties in which the towns are situated.

    The result of the whole changes will be a dimunition of 71 members in England. The House now consists of 658 members; it will in future consist of 596.

    The addition to the number of electors will be about 500,000 in England; the constituency of Scotland is estimated at 60,000.

Population of Counties, in 1821, which are to return four instead of Two Members 
– except Yorkshire, which will return Six.