 The death of King George IV on 26 June 1830 dissolved Parliament by law , and a general election was held . Electoral reform , which had been frequently discussed during the preceding parliamentary session , became a major campaign issue . Across the country , several pro @-@ reform " political unions " were formed , made up of both middle and working class individuals . The most influential of these was the Birmingham Political Union , led by Thomas Attwood . These groups confined themselves to lawful means of supporting reform , such as petitioning and public oratory , and achieved a high level of public support . 
