143. The 86 of 86

Salisbury, who’d secured his position in the Conservative Party by his clever political work over Gladstone’s 1884 Reform Act, was now Prime Minister. But only at the head of a minority government. That wasn’t something he could live with for long, since it meant that the Liberals had a Commons majority hanging over his head, ready to kick him out whenever they decided it was time to use their strength against him.

The election, when it came, would have nearly three million more voters on the registers than previous time around. Many of them would be Irish, including quite a few Irishmen living in England. So issues to do with the government of Ireland, and in particular Irish Home Rule, would be a key factor in the outcome. Both main parties had contacts with Parnell and his Irish Parliamentary Party. Gladstone, though he had come around to supporting Home Rule himself, encouraged Parnell’s conversations with the Conservatives, rather hoping to have them introduce Home Rule rather than having to do so himself, if he came back to office heading a new Liberal government.

Salisbury was having none of that since he was opposed to the whole idea of Home Rule. On the other hand, with Irish votes at stake, he didn’t mind people thinking he might be considering the possibility. So Parnell spoke to both sides.

Then, when the election results were announced, it turned out Gladstone had won but without a majority, with the Conservatives second. Parnell’s Irish party had taken 86 seats, the 86 of 86 as they were called, since the parliament only met in 1886.

He held the balance of power.

In the meantime, a bold action by Gladstone’s son with the British press, the so-called Hawarden Kite, had seen the Liberal leader identified as the champion of Home Rule. Parnell could put him back into office. Maybe it was time for him to stop flirting with both sides and commit himself to the Liberals who seemed committed to the goal he was pursuing.

Or were they?

Illustration: Herbert John Gladstone, First Viscount Gladstone, by Sir Leslie Ward, published in Vanity Fair, 6 May 1882. This is Herbert, Gladstone's son and a Liberal MP, who was responsible for flying the 'Hawarden Kite'.National Portrait Gallery 3288

Music: Bach Partita #2c by J Bu licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivatives (aka Music Sharing) 3.0 International License.