Study title

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

The purpose of this study was to test the usefulness and adaptability of multidimensional scaling by applying it to the analysis of Commons' Division Lists for one parliamentary session, 1861. An additional purpose was to test for groupings of M.P.s by forming maps of similarity of voting behaviour.

Main Topics:

Variables
For each Member of Parliament, whether
(a) he voted AYE
(b) he voted NO
(c) he did not vote
(d) he was teller for the AYES
(e) he was teller for the NOES
(f) he could not vote (e.g. was not yet a member, dead, elevated to the peerage)
in each division of the House of Commons, 1861.
Other variables such as each M.P.'s supposed party allegiance, personal details, constituency, etc. were collected.

Please note: this study does not include information on named individuals and would therefore not be useful for personal family history research.