This book serves as a comprehensive statistical record of British electoral history, compiling detailed data from 1832 to 1999. Authored by established political scientists, it draws upon official election results, parliamentary records, and historical archives to present a unified and accessible dataset. The primary argument is that a thorough understanding of electoral patterns and outcomes over this extended period is crucial for analyzing the evolution of British democracy and political representation.

This reference work is recognized as an indispensable resource for scholars, students, and anyone interested in the quantitative history of British politics. Its meticulous compilation of data provides a foundational dataset for electoral analysis. The book is valued for its breadth and depth, offering a singular point of access to a vast amount of electoral information that would otherwise be scattered across numerous sources.