// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did the Corrupt and Illegal Practices Prevention Act 1883 say to the lawbreaker? "You're act-ing illegally
| Act of Parliament | |
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| Long title | An Act for the better prevention of Corrupt and Illegal Practices at Parliamentary Elections. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 46 & 47 Vict. c. 51 |
| Territorial extent | United Kingdom |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 25 August 1883 |
| Commencement | 15 October 1883[b] |
| Expired | 31 December 1884[c] |
| Repealed |
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| Other legislation | |
| Amended by | |
| Repealed by | |
| Relates to | |
Status: Repealed | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
The Corrupt and Illegal Practices Prevention Act 1883 (46 & 47 Vict. c. 51) or the Corrupt Practices Act 1883 was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It was a continuation of policy to make voters free from the intimidation of landowners and politicians. It criminalised attempts to bribe voters and standardised the amount that could be spent on election expenses.
Background
[edit]Despite the Ballot Act 1872 (35 & 36 Vict. c. 33) introduced secret ballots, William Ewart Gladstone's Second Ministry (1880–85) knew that, to make voting less corrupt, further measures were required to eradicate intimidation and bribery.
The act meant that the expenses of candidates were published and could be measured against a limit as to how much could be spent on "political campaigns". It laid down rules for the conduct of parliamentary candidates, including a strict limit on expenses. The limit was set at £710 for the first 2,000 voters in the candidate's constituency, and then £40 for every additional 1,000 voters. Each candidate was limited to just one party agent (though in exceptional circumstances the candidate did have the right to petition Parliament for more). Strict record keeping was required as proof that expenses were not being exceeded. Under the act stiff penalties were imposed on those breaking it such as heavy fines and imprisonment. Poorer men could also become parliamentary candidates.[citation needed]
Although it did not entirely remove corruption from the voting system, it strengthened the Corrupt Practices Prevention Act 1854 (17 & 18 Vict. c. 102) and was aided by a number of disenfranchised, small boroughs.[citation needed]
Subsequent developments
[edit]The Parliamentary Elections Corrupt Practices Act 1885(48 & 49 Vict. c. 56) clarified that an employer was legally permitted to give paid time off from work to allow employees to vote, so long as this was given equally to all voters and not along party lines.[citation needed]
The act, except section 42, was repealed by section 21(2) of, and the schedule to, the Election Commissioners Act 1949 (12, 13 & 14 Geo. 6. c. 90), which came into force on 23 February 1950.[1].
The whole act, so far as unrepealed, was repealed for Northern Ireland by section 1 of, and part V of schedule 1 to, the Statute Law Revision (Northern Ireland) Act 1976, which came into force on 13 April 1976.[2]
Section 42 of the act was repealed for England and Wales by section 152(4) of, and schedule 7 to, the Senior Courts Act 1981, which came into force on 1 January 1982.[3]
The whole act was repealed for Scotland by section 52(2) of, and part I of schedule 2 to, the Court of Session Act 1988, which came into force on 29 September 1988.[4]
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ "Election Commissioners Act 1949", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, Geo6/12-13-14 c. 90
- ↑ "Statute Law Revision (Northern Ireland) Act 1976", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1976 c. 12
- ↑ "Senior Courts Act 1981", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1981 c. 54
- ↑ "Court of Session Act 1988", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1988 c. 36
Further reading
[edit]- Glen, W. Cunningham (1884). The Corrupt and Illegal Practices Prevention Act 1883, Alphabetically Rendered, With Notes and References to the Statutes Bearing on the Law Against Corrupt Practices at Elections. London: Shaw & Sons. Retrieved 5 May 2010.
- Rix, Kathryn (2008), "'The Elimination of Corrupt Practices in British Elections'? Reassessing the Impact of the 1883 Corrupt Practices Act", The English Historical Review, 123 (500): 65–97, doi:10.1093/ehr/cen005.
External links
[edit]- Text of the Corrupt and Illegal Practices Prevention Act 1883 as originally enacted or made within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk.
