17 February 1874
General election

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Gladstone resigns over a Cabinet disagreement and a general election is called. Disraeli has learned the lesson of 1868 and takes his message to the public. He has already made famous speeches at Manchester and Crystal Palace, claiming to be an active defender of empire and, as a proponent of the so-called 'one-nation Conservatism', a leader who will work for all classes.

The Liberals are split over the Elementary Education Act, and have upset trade unionists, landowners, the Church of England, temperance campaigners and brewers by being too reformist or not reformist enough. The public also suspects Gladstone of wanting to dismantle the empire and is uneasy about Ireland. Irish voters, encouraged by the secret ballot, abandon the Liberals for Home Rule MPs.

As a result of all this, Disraeli becomes the first Conservative leader to win a general election since Peel in 1841. He appoints Lord Derby as foreign secretary and Richard Cross as home secretary.

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