This revised edition includes an introduction and bibliographical guide to electoral sources for the important period of reforms, 1832-1885, by Professor H. J. Hanham. It remains an essential work of reference for any serious study of the electoral system of the UK. It is an indispensable work by the noted Parliamentary insider who devoted his life to his compendiums.

This classic study remains the outstanding work on 19th century party history and politics. It contains the discursive new introduction which the author wrote for the second edition. The book studies the major transformation of the nature of party organisation which occurred between Disraeli's first premiership of 1868 and his death in 1881. It is full of wonderful stories, describing and analysing the different types of constituencies, showing the growth of party organisation within them, contrasting the old provincial political world with the new industrial world of working-class electors. It remains one of the half dozen essential books on 19th century political life.

This companion to Elton: The Tudor Constitution, Kenyon: The Stuart Constitution and Williams: The Eighteenth Century Constitution is a collection of documents illustrating constitutional, political, administrative and ecclesiastical history. Professor Hanham lays special emphasis on constitutional theory and the party system, because, during the nineteenth century, men were consciously remoulding the character of their institutions and parliamentary government meant government by party. There are also important sections on the development of the new career civil service and the central departments of government. The 310 documents come from a wide range of published and unpublished sources. They have been arranged under the following headings: The Theory of the Constitution, Cabinet Government, Parliament, Parties and Elections, Central and Local Administration, The Administration of Justice, Church and State, and Ireland. Professor Hanham has provided introductions to each section of documents, relating them to the major political developments and debates of the period.