In 1850 Britain was not a democracy it was not meant to be. Political power was in the hands of the wealthy aristocrats, landowners and a few middle-class men who had gained the franchise as a result of the 1832 Reform Act. These men had no wish to see the system change and they were of firm belief that political power was a privilege and not a right to be had by all. Voting was public and open to bribery and corruption, constituencies were of own unequal sizes and women had no political power whatsoever.

However, throughout the period 1850- 1928 many acts were passed which moved Britain nearer and nearer to becoming a democracy.

The 1867 Reform Act extended the right to vote still further down the class ladder, where from adding just short of a million voters, including many working men, and doubling the electorate, to almost 2 million in England...