... the liberals would better suit his needs to rival Disraeli. It was very clear that Gladstone's first administration was made up of many disparate elements all with their own objectives they wished to pursue. The majority where Whigs with a small number of Peelites, Radicals, Irish and Liberals. Temperance, promotion of freedom, undenominational state education and disestablishment of the Church. The likelihood of these broad ranges of political objectives being achieved would be possible if there were reform acts going to some extent, restricting, promoting or prohibiting certain things. This is where we talk about Gladstone's reform acts and if it agrees with the statement 'Gladstone's first government was a "great reforming institution". The Education Act (1870) was aimed to massively increase the elementary levels of education in Britain in the hope that it would give an equality of opportunity. The present system at the time was a collection ...

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