Editing Midlothian campaign (section)

{{Short description|Famous political campaign}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
[[Image:GladstoneandRosebery.gif|thumb|right|300px|Photograph taken at [[Dalmeny House]] of the campaign's organizers in 1879. Included in the photograph are [[William Ewart Gladstone]] and his wife [[Catherine Gladstone|Catherine]] and daughter [[Mary Gladstone|Mary]], as well as the [[Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery|Earl of Rosebery]] (seated at front, facing right) and [[Hannah, Countess of Rosebery|his Countess]] and the Countess's cousin [[Ferdinand James von Rothschild|Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild]].]]

The '''Midlothian campaign''' of 1878–80 was a series of [[History of the foreign relations of the United Kingdom|foreign policy]] speeches given by [[William Ewart Gladstone|William Gladstone]], former leader of Britain's [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal Party]]. Organised by the [[Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery|Earl of Rosebery]] as a media event, it is often cited as the first modern [[political campaign]].<ref name=Wiesner2014>{{cite book|last1=Wiesner-Hanks|first1=Merry E.|author-link=Merry Wiesner-Hanks |last2=Evans|first2=Andrew D.|last3=Wheeler|first3=William Bruce|last4=Ruff|first4=Julius|title=Discovering the Western Past, Volume II: Since 1500|date=2014|publisher=Cengage Learning|isbn=978-1111837174|page=336|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bbwTCgAAQBAJ&pg=PT351}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Price|first1=Richard|title=British Society 1680-1880: Dynamism, Containment and Change|date=1999|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=9780521657013|page=289|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oqY4cFsaK7AC&pg=PA289|language=en}}</ref> It also set the stage for Gladstone's comeback as a politician. It takes its name from the [[Midlothian (UK Parliament constituency) (1708-1918)|Midlothian]] constituency in [[Scotland]] where Gladstone (who was of Scottish ancestry) successfully stood in the 1880 election.

Gladstone charged the [[Second Disraeli ministry|Conservative government]] of his longstanding political enemy [[Benjamin Disraeli]] with financial incompetence, neglect of domestic legislation, and mismanagement of foreign affairs. He was able to enhance his reputation as a popular and down-to-earth politician ("The People's William") and cemented his pre-eminence as the most important politician within the Liberal Party.

The Midlothian campaign made it impossible to ignore Gladstone's leadership claim both within the Liberal Party and for [[Queen Victoria]]. Furthermore, it created a momentum that carried the Liberals to power in the [[1880 United Kingdom general election|1880 election]].