It criminalised attempts to bribe voters and standardised the amount that could be spent on election expenses.

Despite the Ballot Act 1872, William Ewart Gladstone's Second Ministry (1880–85) knew that to make voting less corrupt, certain measures were required to eradicate intimidation and bribery.

The act meant that the expenses of candidates were published and could be measured against a limit as to how much could be spent on "political campaigns".

Poorer men could also become parliamentary candidates and under the act stiff penalties were imposed on those breaking it such as heavy fines and imprisonment.

[citation needed] The Parliamentary Elections Corrupt Practices Act 1885 clarified that an employer was legally permitted to give paid time off from work to allow employees to vote, so long as this was given equally to all voters and not along party lines.