7 June 1866 saw the end of Walter Bagehot’s attempts to get into Parliament. After a short but intense campaign he was defeated in a by-election at Bridgwater by just 7 votes. It was a great disappointment to him, but he was not an effective public speaker, and did not enjoy the experience of campaigning. Worse was to come. Bridgwater was notorious for its rampant corrupt practices, and three years later a Royal Commission began investigating them. Bagehot was called to give evidence and had to admit that, although he had not committed bribery himself, his election team had spent money illegally. Despite the fact that he had reimbursed the money from his personal resources, the Royal Commission report condemned him for his actions. You can read a detailed account of Bagehot’s attempts to become an MP here.
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