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An election to theCounty Council ofLondon took place on 5 March 1892. The council was elected byFirst Past the Post with each elector having two votes in the two-member seats. TheProgressive Party retained control of the council, gaining seats from theModerates.
The Progressives argued that a political party system was necessary on the council, and that theConservative Party had attempted to discredit the party's leadership of the council, for the benefit of the oppositionModerates.[1] The party called for the council to be given powers over theMetropolitan Police, and the city's water supply and tramways.[2]
The Moderates did not conduct a centralised campaign, but the Conservative Party worked in support of the group. It argued that a formal party system would lead to corruption, and that the Progressives were at fault for developing one. It also campaigned againstIrish home rule.[2][3]
W. M. Thompson, one of the Progressive candidates inStrand was disqualified as he did not live in the division. Working as a barrister, he had supplied the address of his chambers on the nomination papers, but this was not deemed suitable qualification.[4]
Although the previous election was not conducted on formal party lines, the elected members had either joined the Progressives or aligned with the Moderate group, so it was possible to track the changes to the council. The Progressives won 11 more seats than in 1889, at the expense of the Moderates.[5] The Moderate gained a single seat, inHolborn.[6]
TheManchester Guardian argued that the Progressives would be unable to carry out much of their programme, as it fell outside the council's remit; but that if theLiberal Party won the upcoming1892 UK general election, it might be given responsibilities in these additional areas.[2]
| Party | Votes[7] | Seats | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | % | Stood[8] | Seats | % | ||||
| Progressive | 135,368 | 93 | 83 | |||||
| Moderate | 108,976 | 109 | 35 | |||||
| Labour Progressive | 7 | 0 | 0.0 | |||||
| Ind. Labour Party | 5 | 0 | 0.0 | |||||
| Independent | 8 | 0 | 0.0 | |||||
| Independent Progressive | 5 | 0 | 0.0 | |||||
| Independent Labour | 5 | 0 | 0.0 | |||||
| Social Democratic Federation | 1,076 | 3 | 0 | 0.0 | ||||
| Liberal Unionist | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | |||||
| Independent Radical | 1,060 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | ||||
| Independent Moderate | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | |||||
| Conservative | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | |||||
