{{Short description|Anti-reform faction within the UK Liberal Party}} The '''Adullamites''' were a short-lived anti-[[Reform Acts|reform]] faction within the [[Liberal Party (UK)|UK Liberal Party]] in 1866. The name was a [[Bible|biblical]] reference to the [[cave of Adullam]] where [[David]] and his allies sought refuge from [[Saul]].
After the death of [[Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston|Palmerston]] in 1865, a second Reform Act became a priority for the Liberal Party.<ref>Charles Seymour: ''Electoral reforms of England and Wales. The development and operation of parliamentary franchise.'' University of Yale, New Haven 1915, S. 533.</ref> However, not all sections of the party agreed with this agenda. The most important internal opposition came from the Adullamites. The faction was led by [[Robert Lowe, 1st Viscount Sherbrooke|Robert Lowe]] and [[Francis Charteris, 10th Earl of Wemyss|Lord Elcho]]. The name, coined by [[John Bright]], was a biblical reference that would have been widely understood at the time.<ref>George Macaulay Trevelyan: ''Geschichte Englands''. 2. Band von 1603 bis 1918. München 1949, S. 745 f.</ref> After repeated attacks on [[William Ewart Gladstone|Gladstone]]'s bill, they finally defeated the government over an amendment to the Bill on 18 June 1866, which was carried by 315 to 304. This vote gave the [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]], [[John Russell, 1st Earl Russell|Russell]], cause to resign. There was an abortive attempt to form a [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]/Adullamite coalition. However, the Adullamites were not prepared to accept [[Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield|Disraeli]] as leader and negotiations broke down. This led to the formation of the [[Third Derby–Disraeli ministry]] - who, ultimately, proposed [[Reform Act 1867|their own reform bill]]. The Adullamites (with some exceptions) then returned to the Liberal party.<ref>Michael Maurer: ''Kleine Geschichte Englands.'' Reclam, Stuttgart 2002, ISBN 3-15-009616-2, S. 390.</ref>
==Prominent Adullamites== *[[Augustus Anson]] *[[Sir George Bowyer, 7th Baronet|Sir George Bowyer, Bt.]] *[[Frederick Doulton]] *[[Ulick de Burgh, Lord Dunkellin|Lord Dunkellin]] *[[Francis Charteris, 10th Earl of Wemyss|Lord Elcho]] *[[Edward Ellice (Scottish politician)|Edward Ellice]] *[[William Henry Gregory]] *[[Henry Grey, 3rd Earl Grey|The Earl Grey]] *[[Hugh Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster|Earl Grosvenor]] *[[Gilbert Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 1st Earl of Ancaster|Gilbert Heathcote]] *[[Edward Horsman]] *[[Samuel Laing (science writer)|Samuel Laing]] *[[Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 4th Marquess of Lansdowne|The Marquess of Lansdowne]] *[[Thomas Anson, 2nd Earl of Lichfield|The Earl of Lichfield]] *[[Robert Lowe, 1st Viscount Sherbrooke|Robert Lowe]] *[[Sir Robert Peel, 3rd Baronet|Sir Robert Peel, Bt.]] *[[Sir Richard Williams-Bulkeley, 10th Baronet|Sir Richard Williams-Bulkeley, Bt.]]
==See also== * [[Liberal Unionist Party]] - split from the Liberals in 1886 over Irish Home Rule * [[National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)]] * [[Social Democratic Party (UK)]] - split from the Labour Party in 1981 and ultimately merged with the Liberals
==References== {{Reflist}} *[http://www.oxforddnb.com/templates/theme.jsp?articleid=42279 ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', "Cave of Adullam"] * {{cite book | last=Skottowe | first=B.C. | title=A Short History of Parliament | publisher=Harper | series=Social science series | year=1887 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W9VVAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA304 | access-date=2021-05-02}}
[[Category:Politics of the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Liberal Party (UK)]] [[Category:Political party factions in the United Kingdom]]