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<li id="toc-1983_general_election_and_aftermath" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#1983_general_election_and_aftermath"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.1</span> <span>1983 general election and aftermath</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-1983_general_election_and_aftermath-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-1987_general_election_and_aftermath" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#1987_general_election_and_aftermath"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.2</span> <span>1987 general election and aftermath</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-1987_general_election_and_aftermath-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-1988_merger" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#1988_merger"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.3</span> <span>1988 merger</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-1988_merger-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Remaining_factions" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Remaining_factions"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.4</span> <span>Remaining factions</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Remaining_factions-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-General_election_results" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#General_election_results"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2</span> <span>General election results</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-General_election_results-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-See_also" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#See_also"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span 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href="https://www.jstor.org/action/doBasicSearch?Query=%22SDP%E2%80%93Liberal+Alliance%22&acc=on&wc=on">JSTOR</a></span></small></span> <span class="date-container"><i>(<span class="date">October 2007</span>)</i></span><span class="hide-when-compact"><i> (<small><a href="/wiki/Help:Maintenance_template_removal" title="Help:Maintenance template removal">Learn how and when to remove this message</a></small>)</i></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1257001546">.mw-parser-output .infobox-subbox{padding:0;border:none;margin:-3px;width:auto;min-width:100%;font-size:100%;clear:none;float:none;background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .infobox-3cols-child{margin:auto}.mw-parser-output .infobox .navbar{font-size:100%}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme)>div:not(.notheme)[style]{background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme) div:not(.notheme){background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media(min-width:640px){body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table{display:table!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>caption{display:table-caption!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>tbody{display:table-row-group}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table tr{display:table-row!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table th,body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table td{padding-left:inherit;padding-right:inherit}}</style><table class="infobox vcard"><tbody><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-above" style="font-size: 125%;"><div style="padding-top:0.3em; padding-bottom:0.3em; border-top:2px solid #FFD700; border-bottom:2px solid #FFD700; line-height: 1;"><div class="fn org">SDP–Liberal Alliance</div> </div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-image logo" style="padding-top:.4em;padding-bottom:.3em;"><span class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Frameless"><a href="/wiki/File:SDP_Liberal_Alliance.png" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e5/SDP_Liberal_Alliance.png/180px-SDP_Liberal_Alliance.png" decoding="async" width="180" height="180" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e5/SDP_Liberal_Alliance.png/270px-SDP_Liberal_Alliance.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e5/SDP_Liberal_Alliance.png/360px-SDP_Liberal_Alliance.png 2x" data-file-width="473" data-file-height="473" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="line-height:1.3em;">Founded</th><td class="infobox-data" style="line-height:1.3em;">16 June 1981</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="line-height:1.3em;">Dissolved</th><td class="infobox-data" style="line-height:1.3em;">3 March 1988</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="line-height:1.3em;">Merged into</th><td class="infobox-data" style="line-height:1.3em;"><a href="/wiki/Liberal_Democrats_(UK)" title="Liberal Democrats (UK)">Liberal Democrats</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="line-height:1.3em;"><a href="/wiki/List_of_political_ideologies" title="List of political ideologies">Ideology</a></th><td class="infobox-data category" style="line-height:1.3em;"><a href="/wiki/Social_liberalism" title="Social liberalism">Social liberalism</a><sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="line-height:1.3em;"><a href="/wiki/Political_spectrum" title="Political spectrum">Political position</a></th><td class="infobox-data category" style="line-height:1.3em;"><a href="/wiki/Centrism" title="Centrism">Centre</a><sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="line-height:1.3em;">Colours</th><td class="infobox-data" style="line-height:1.3em;"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r981673959">.mw-parser-output .legend{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .legend-color{display:inline-block;min-width:1.25em;height:1.25em;line-height:1.25;margin:1px 0;text-align:center;border:1px solid black;background-color:transparent;color:black}.mw-parser-output .legend-text{}</style><span class="legend-color mw-no-invert" style="background-color:#FCAA18; color:black;border:1px solid darkgray;"> </span> <a href="/wiki/Gold_(color)" title="Gold (color)">Gold</a> (1987)<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-below" style="padding-top:0;"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374">.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist li{margin:0;display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ul{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist .mw-empty-li{display:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dt::after{content:": "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li::after{content:" · ";font-weight:bold}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li:last-child::after{content:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:first-child::before{content:" (";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:last-child::after{content:")";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol{counter-reset:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li{counter-increment:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li::before{content:" "counter(listitem)"\a0 "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li ol>li:first-child::before{content:" ("counter(listitem)"\a0 "}</style><div class="hlist" style="line-height:1.3em; padding-top:0.3em; border-top:2px solid #FFD700;"><ul><li><a href="/wiki/Politics_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Politics of the United Kingdom">Politics of the United Kingdom</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_political_parties_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="List of political parties in the United Kingdom">Political parties</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Elections_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="Elections in the United Kingdom">Elections</a></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>The <b>SDP–Liberal Alliance</b> was a <a href="/wiki/Centrist" class="mw-redirect" title="Centrist">centrist</a><sup id="cite_ref-Reitan2003_4-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Reitan2003-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Stockwin2004_5-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Stockwin2004-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Quart2006_6-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Quart2006-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and <a href="/wiki/Social_liberal" class="mw-redirect" title="Social liberal">social liberal</a><sup id="cite_ref-Adams1998_1-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Adams1998-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Driver2011_2-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Driver2011-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Political_alliance" class="mw-redirect" title="Political alliance">political</a> and <a href="/wiki/Electoral_alliance" title="Electoral alliance">electoral alliance</a> in the <a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a>. </p><p>Formed by the <a href="/wiki/Social_Democratic_Party_(UK)" title="Social Democratic Party (UK)">Social Democratic Party</a> (SDP) and the <a href="/wiki/Liberal_Party_(UK)" title="Liberal Party (UK)">Liberal Party</a>, the SDP–Liberal Alliance was established in 1981, contesting the <a href="/wiki/1982_United_Kingdom_local_elections" title="1982 United Kingdom local elections">1982 United Kingdom local elections</a>, <a href="/wiki/1983_United_Kingdom_local_elections" title="1983 United Kingdom local elections">1983 United Kingdom local elections</a>, <a href="/wiki/1983_United_Kingdom_general_election" title="1983 United Kingdom general election">1983 general election</a>, <a href="/wiki/1984_United_Kingdom_local_elections" title="1984 United Kingdom local elections">1984 United Kingdom local elections</a>, <a href="/wiki/1984_European_Parliament_election_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="1984 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom">1984 European election</a>, <a href="/wiki/1985_United_Kingdom_local_elections" title="1985 United Kingdom local elections">1985 United Kingdom local elections</a>, <a href="/wiki/1986_United_Kingdom_local_elections" title="1986 United Kingdom local elections">1986 United Kingdom local elections</a>, <a href="/wiki/1987_United_Kingdom_local_elections" title="1987 United Kingdom local elections">1987 United Kingdom local elections</a> and <a href="/wiki/1987_United_Kingdom_general_election" title="1987 United Kingdom general election">1987 general election</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Cole2012a_9-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Cole2012a-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The SDP–Liberal Alliance ceased to exist in 1988, when the two component parties merged to form the Social and Liberal Democrats, under which label they stood in the <a href="/wiki/1988_United_Kingdom_local_elections" title="1988 United Kingdom local elections">1988 United Kingdom local elections</a>, later renamed the <a href="/wiki/Liberal_Democrats_(UK)" title="Liberal Democrats (UK)">Liberal Democrats</a>. </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="History">History</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=SDP%E2%80%93Liberal_Alliance&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: History"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Following the establishment of the <a href="/wiki/Social_Democratic_Party_(UK)" title="Social Democratic Party (UK)">Social Democratic Party</a> (SDP) by the '<a href="/wiki/Limehouse_Declaration" title="Limehouse Declaration">Gang of Four</a>' (<a href="/wiki/Roy_Jenkins" title="Roy Jenkins">Roy Jenkins</a>, <a href="/wiki/David_Owen" title="David Owen">David Owen</a>, <a href="/wiki/Bill_Rodgers,_Baron_Rodgers_of_Quarry_Bank" title="Bill Rodgers, Baron Rodgers of Quarry Bank">Bill Rodgers</a>, <a href="/wiki/Shirley_Williams" title="Shirley Williams">Shirley Williams</a>), who had left the <a href="/wiki/Labour_Party_(UK)" title="Labour Party (UK)">Labour Party</a> in March 1981, the SDP entered into an informal alliance with the <a href="/wiki/Liberal_Party_(UK)" title="Liberal Party (UK)">Liberal Party</a>, led by <a href="/wiki/David_Steel" title="David Steel">David Steel</a>. The SDP fought its first <a href="/wiki/1981_Warrington_by-election" title="1981 Warrington by-election">by-election, in Warrington</a>, with future leader <a href="/wiki/Roy_Jenkins" title="Roy Jenkins">Roy Jenkins</a> standing as "SDP with Liberal support". </p><p>On 16 June 1981, this arrangement was formalised into an alliance, with both parties agreeing to stand down in each other's favour and govern as a <a href="/wiki/Coalition_government" title="Coalition government">coalition government</a> if the two parties ever won enough seats between them for a majority. Between 1981 and 1983, the parties together won seats in by-elections in: </p> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1981_Croydon_North_West_by-election" title="1981 Croydon North West by-election">Croydon North West</a> (<a href="/wiki/Bill_Pitt_(politician)" title="Bill Pitt (politician)">Bill Pitt</a>, a Liberal),</li> <li><a href="/wiki/1981_Crosby_by-election" title="1981 Crosby by-election">Crosby</a> (<a href="/wiki/Shirley_Williams" title="Shirley Williams">Shirley Williams</a> of the SDP),</li> <li><a href="/wiki/1982_Glasgow_Hillhead_by-election" title="1982 Glasgow Hillhead by-election">Glasgow Hillhead</a> (Roy Jenkins of the SDP), and</li> <li><a href="/wiki/1983_Bermondsey_by-election" title="1983 Bermondsey by-election">Bermondsey</a> (<a href="/wiki/Simon_Hughes" title="Simon Hughes">Simon Hughes</a> of the Liberals, with the largest swing ever recorded in any British election).</li></ul> <p>The formation of the SDP and the subsequent alliance came at a time when the British economy was in a deep recession and <a href="/wiki/Margaret_Thatcher" title="Margaret Thatcher">Margaret Thatcher</a>'s Conservative government was proving unpopular; since coming to power in May 1979, unemployment had risen from over 1,500,000 to 3,000,000 and beyond by 1982, driven mainly by a sharp contraction in the manufacturing sector. In 1981, there were riots in <a href="/wiki/London" title="London">London</a>'s <a href="/wiki/1981_Brixton_riot" title="1981 Brixton riot">Brixton</a>, <a href="/wiki/Birmingham" title="Birmingham">Birmingham</a>'s <a href="/wiki/1981_Handsworth_riots" title="1981 Handsworth riots">Handsworth</a>, <a href="/wiki/Leeds" title="Leeds">Leeds</a>' <a href="/wiki/1981_Chapeltown_riots" title="1981 Chapeltown riots">Chapeltown</a>, <a href="/wiki/Liverpool" title="Liverpool">Liverpool</a>'s <a href="/wiki/1981_Toxteth_riots" title="1981 Toxteth riots">Toxteth</a> and <a href="/wiki/Manchester" title="Manchester">Manchester</a>'s <a href="/wiki/1981_Moss_Side_riot" title="1981 Moss Side riot">Moss Side</a>. </p><p>Meanwhile, Labour had shifted dramatically to the left since the election in 1980 of <a href="/wiki/Michael_Foot" title="Michael Foot">Michael Foot</a> as party leader. As much distaste as some voters had for Thatcher's Conservative government, many people were just as opposed to the prospect of Foot as Prime Minister. Many also viewed <a href="/wiki/Tony_Benn" title="Tony Benn">Tony Benn</a> negatively. Having moved over to the <a href="/wiki/Hard_left" title="Hard left">hard left</a>, he had been given the position of Shadow Minister without Portfolio which freed him up from formal ministerial obligations while still affording him high status. His public appearances at events organised by <a href="/wiki/Militant_(Trotskyist_group)" class="mw-redirect" title="Militant (Trotskyist group)">Militant</a>, a <a href="/wiki/Far-left" class="mw-redirect" title="Far-left">far-left</a> <a href="/wiki/Entryism" title="Entryism">entryist</a> group, alienated key Labour figures. </p><p>As part of the Alliance, Steel agreed to serve in the coalition government under the SDP leader as prime minister.<sup id="cite_ref-parkhouse19820327_10-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-parkhouse19820327-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> With an election not due until May 1984, the Alliance proved to be an instant hit with voters who were disgruntled with the Conservatives and Labour, as many opinion polls in late 1981 and early 1982 showed the Alliance leading opinion polling by a wide margin, peaking with a 50% showing – up to twice the level of support shown for the Conservatives around this time.<sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Steel was so certain that the Liberals would be part of a government for the first time in over half a century that when he addressed the 1981 Liberal Party conference, he famously declared, "Go back to your constituencies, and prepare for government!"<sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>However, a series of events followed which saw the political tables turn. <a href="/wiki/Argentina" title="Argentina">Argentine</a> forces invaded the <a href="/wiki/British_dependent_territory" class="mw-redirect" title="British dependent territory">British dependent territory</a> of the <a href="/wiki/Falkland_Islands" title="Falkland Islands">Falkland Islands</a> on 2 April 1982. A Security Council Resolution 502 was passed the next day demanding an immediate Argentine withdrawal, which was ignored, so Thatcher sent out a task force to recapture the islands—by military means, if necessary. The UK won the conflict on 14 June, and subsequent opinion polls showed the Conservatives firmly in the lead. With a general election due by May 1984, it seemed that the most anticipated outcome would be whether the Alliance or Labour formed the next opposition. A Conservative re-election was looking even more likely as 1982 drew to a close, as the recession came to an end and inflation had been cut to 4% from a massive 27% within four years, although unemployment remained above 3,000,000. She felt confident enough to hold an election in June 1983 – a year earlier than necessary.<sup id="cite_ref-Triumph_1983_13-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Triumph_1983-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The Alliance exploited the nation's mass unemployment in the run-up to the election, running a "Working Together for Britain" campaign which it promised would see unemployment reduced by up to 1,000,000.<sup id="cite_ref-Triumph_1983_13-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Triumph_1983-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="1983_general_election_and_aftermath">1983 general election and aftermath</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=SDP%E2%80%93Liberal_Alliance&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: 1983 general election and aftermath"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:SDP-Liberal_Alliance_-_Red,_White,_Blue_Logo.png" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6b/SDP-Liberal_Alliance_-_Red%2C_White%2C_Blue_Logo.png" decoding="async" width="215" height="222" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="215" data-file-height="222" /></a><figcaption>SDP–Liberal Alliance electoral logo in 1983</figcaption></figure> <p>The Alliance won 25.4% of the national vote in the <a href="/wiki/1983_United_Kingdom_general_election" title="1983 United Kingdom general election">1983 general election</a>, compared to Labour's 27.6%. However, a mere 23 Alliance <a href="/wiki/Member_of_Parliament_(United_Kingdom)" title="Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)">Members of Parliament</a> (MPs) were elected (17 of whom were Liberal), compared to Labour's 209. The SDP came second in many constituencies, including nearly 70% of the Conservative-won seats, though the bulk of Labour's defectors to the SDP in 1981 lost their seats. Due to the <a href="/wiki/Plurality_voting_system" class="mw-redirect" title="Plurality voting system">first past the post</a> electoral system, this success did not translate into parliamentary seats. The SDP's support was spread out across the country, and was not concentrated in enough areas to win more seats. The split in the centre-left vote is claimed to have helped the Conservatives to win the election by a landslide.<sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Both the SDP and the Liberals were committed to <a href="/wiki/Proportional_representation" title="Proportional representation">proportional representation</a>, under which system they would have elected more MPs to the <a href="/wiki/House_of_Commons_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="House of Commons of the United Kingdom">House of Commons</a>. </p><p>The Alliance came under heavy criticism from Foot in the aftermath of the 1983 election; he condemned them for "siphoning" support away from the Labour Party and enabling the Conservatives to win more seats.<sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The 1983 election had given the Conservatives a triple-digit majority, but within months a strong challenge to their power – and to the challenge posed by the Alliance – was showing as Foot stood down in favour of <a href="/wiki/Neil_Kinnock" title="Neil Kinnock">Neil Kinnock</a>, who immediately reversed the party's hard-left turn. This resulted in a dramatic rise in Labour fortunes in the opinion polls – some of which showed them ahead of the Conservatives and the Alliance by March 1984. However, at least one opinion poll showed the Alliance ahead of the Conservatives and Labour as late as September 1985. By this stage, the recession had ended three years earlier and the battle against inflation had clearly been won; however unemployment – seen as a major factor in a string of <a href="/wiki/Urban_riots" class="mw-redirect" title="Urban riots">inner city riots</a> that autumn – was still above 3,000,000. With the economy further improving over the next 18 months and unemployment finally starting to fall, however, Thatcher felt confident to call a general election for 11 June 1987 – although the deadline for the election was 12 months later.<sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="1987_general_election_and_aftermath">1987 general election and aftermath</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=SDP%E2%80%93Liberal_Alliance&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: 1987 general election and aftermath"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The Alliance failed to maintain momentum. In the <a href="/wiki/1987_United_Kingdom_general_election" title="1987 United Kingdom general election">1987 general election</a>, each party's vote share fell slightly; the Liberals won 17 seats (the same as in 1983), while the SDP won five (one fewer than four years previously), while Labour were firmly established as Britain's second <a href="/wiki/Major_party" title="Major party">major political party</a> with a much stronger showing than in 1983, although the Conservatives still achieved a third successive election win with Thatcher still at the helm. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="1988_merger">1988 merger</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=SDP%E2%80%93Liberal_Alliance&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: 1988 merger"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>By 1987, relations had become fraught. Despite this, Steel proposed a merger of the two parties following the 1987 general election.<sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The majority of members of both parties agreed, and a merger was effected early in 1988. The new party was named the Social and Liberal Democrats, shortened in October 1989 to the <a href="/wiki/Liberal_Democrats_(UK)" title="Liberal Democrats (UK)">Liberal Democrats</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Remaining_factions">Remaining factions</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=SDP%E2%80%93Liberal_Alliance&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Remaining factions"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Small factions of both parties continued under the names of the SDP and the Liberal Party but, as each was made up of those members who least trusted the other party, there was no chance that the two 'continuing' parties would co-operate. </p><p>The <a href="/wiki/Social_Democratic_Party_(UK,_1988)" class="mw-redirect" title="Social Democratic Party (UK, 1988)">SDP was re-established</a> under the leadership of one of the founders of the SDP, <a href="/wiki/David_Owen" title="David Owen">David Owen</a>, who had objected to the merger of the two parties. Owen and the party's national executive dissolved the party in 1990, but another group of party members continue the party under <a href="/wiki/Social_Democratic_Party_(UK,_1990%E2%80%93present)" title="Social Democratic Party (UK, 1990–present)">the SDP name</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The <a href="/wiki/Liberal_Party_(UK,_1989)" title="Liberal Party (UK, 1989)">Liberal Party was re-established</a> under the leadership of <a href="/wiki/Michael_Meadowcroft" title="Michael Meadowcroft">Michael Meadowcroft</a> and continues to operate.<sup id="cite_ref-20" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-21" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> However, many members of this continuity party, including Meadowcroft himself, have since joined the mainstream Liberal Democrats.<sup id="cite_ref-22" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-22"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>22<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="General_election_results">General election results</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=SDP%E2%80%93Liberal_Alliance&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: General election results"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <table class="wikitable"> <tbody><tr> <th rowspan="2">Election </th> <th rowspan="2">Leaders </th> <th colspan="2">Votes </th> <th colspan="2">Seats </th> <th rowspan="2">Position </th> <th rowspan="2">Government </th></tr> <tr> <th>No. </th> <th>% </th> <th>No. </th> <th>± </th></tr> <tr> <th><a href="/wiki/1983_United_Kingdom_general_election" title="1983 United Kingdom general election">1983</a> </th> <td><a href="/wiki/Roy_Jenkins" title="Roy Jenkins">Roy Jenkins</a> (SDP) and <a href="/wiki/David_Steel" title="David Steel">David Steel</a> (Liberal) </td> <td>7,780,949 </td> <td>25.4 </td> <td><div style="width: 100px;"><span class="nowrap">23 / 650</span><div style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 1px solid #aaa; height: 1.15em; position: relative;"><div style="background-color: #FFD700; width: 4%; height: 100%;"></div></div></div> </td> <td><span typeof="mw:File"><span title="Increase"><img alt="Increase" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Increase2.svg/11px-Increase2.svg.png" decoding="async" width="11" height="11" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Increase2.svg/17px-Increase2.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Increase2.svg/22px-Increase2.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="300" data-file-height="300" /></span></span> 12 </td> <td><span typeof="mw:File"><span title="Steady"><img alt="Steady" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/96/Steady2.svg/11px-Steady2.svg.png" decoding="async" width="11" height="11" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/96/Steady2.svg/17px-Steady2.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/96/Steady2.svg/22px-Steady2.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="300" data-file-height="300" /></span></span> 3rd </td> <td style="background: #FFE3E3; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center;" class="table-no2"><a href="/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)" title="Conservative Party (UK)">Conservative</a> </td></tr> <tr> <th><a href="/wiki/1987_United_Kingdom_general_election" title="1987 United Kingdom general election">1987</a> </th> <td><a href="/wiki/David_Owen" title="David Owen">David Owen</a> (SDP) and <a href="/wiki/David_Steel" title="David Steel">David Steel</a> (Liberal) </td> <td>7,341,651 </td> <td>22.6 </td> <td><div style="width: 100px;"><span class="nowrap">22 / 650</span><div style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 1px solid #aaa; height: 1.15em; position: relative;"><div style="background-color: #FFD700; width: 3%; height: 100%;"></div></div></div> </td> <td><span typeof="mw:File"><span title="Decrease"><img alt="Decrease" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ed/Decrease2.svg/11px-Decrease2.svg.png" decoding="async" width="11" height="11" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ed/Decrease2.svg/17px-Decrease2.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ed/Decrease2.svg/22px-Decrease2.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="300" data-file-height="300" /></span></span> 1 </td> <td><span typeof="mw:File"><span title="Steady"><img alt="Steady" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/96/Steady2.svg/11px-Steady2.svg.png" decoding="async" width="11" height="11" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/96/Steady2.svg/17px-Steady2.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/96/Steady2.svg/22px-Steady2.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="300" data-file-height="300" /></span></span> 3rd </td> <td style="background: #FFE3E3; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center;" class="table-no2"><a href="/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)" title="Conservative Party (UK)">Conservative</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="8">Parties merged in 1988 to form the <a href="/wiki/Liberal_Democrats_(UK)" title="Liberal Democrats (UK)">Liberal Democrats</a> </td></tr></tbody></table> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=SDP%E2%80%93Liberal_Alliance&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_UK_Liberal_Party_general_election_manifestos" class="mw-redirect" title="List of UK Liberal Party general election manifestos">List of UK Liberal Party general election manifestos</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lib%E2%80%93Lab_pact" title="Lib–Lab pact">Lib–Lab pact</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Liberal_Democrat_Green_Alliance" class="mw-redirect" title="Liberal Democrat Green Alliance">Liberal Democrat Green Alliance</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=SDP%E2%80%93Liberal_Alliance&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap mw-references-columns"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-Adams1998-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Adams1998_1-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Adams1998_1-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite id="CITEREFIan_Adams1998" class="citation book cs1">Ian Adams (1998). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=_7t714alm68C&pg=PA63"><i>Ideology and Politics in Britain Today</i></a>. Manchester University Press. p. 63. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7190-5056-5" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-7190-5056-5"><bdi>978-0-7190-5056-5</bdi></a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">20 July</span> 2013</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Ideology+and+Politics+in+Britain+Today&rft.pages=63&rft.pub=Manchester+University+Press&rft.date=1998&rft.isbn=978-0-7190-5056-5&rft.au=Ian+Adams&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3D_7t714alm68C%26pg%3DPA63&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASDP%E2%80%93Liberal+Alliance" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Driver2011-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Driver2011_2-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Driver2011_2-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFStephen_Driver2011" class="citation book cs1">Stephen Driver (16 May 2011). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=2_Qq6RJr6_QC&pg=PA117"><i>Understanding British Party Politics</i></a>. Polity. p. 117. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7456-4077-8" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-7456-4077-8"><bdi>978-0-7456-4077-8</bdi></a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">20 July</span> 2013</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Understanding+British+Party+Politics&rft.pages=117&rft.pub=Polity&rft.date=2011-05-16&rft.isbn=978-0-7456-4077-8&rft.au=Stephen+Driver&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3D2_Qq6RJr6_QC%26pg%3DPA117&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASDP%E2%80%93Liberal+Alliance" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><sup id="cite_ref-Adams1998_1-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Adams1998-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Driver2011_2-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Driver2011-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Reitan2003-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Reitan2003_4-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Reitan2003_4-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFEarl_Aaron_Reitan2003" class="citation book cs1">Earl Aaron Reitan (2003). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=7qaMqwGRE00C&pg=PA37"><i>The Thatcher Revolution: Margaret Thatcher, John Major, Tony Blair, and the Transformation of Modern Britain, 1979–2001</i></a>. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 37. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7425-2203-9" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-7425-2203-9"><bdi>978-0-7425-2203-9</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Thatcher+Revolution%3A+Margaret+Thatcher%2C+John+Major%2C+Tony+Blair%2C+and+the+Transformation+of+Modern+Britain%2C+1979%E2%80%932001&rft.pages=37&rft.pub=Rowman+%26+Littlefield&rft.date=2003&rft.isbn=978-0-7425-2203-9&rft.au=Earl+Aaron+Reitan&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3D7qaMqwGRE00C%26pg%3DPA37&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASDP%E2%80%93Liberal+Alliance" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Stockwin2004-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Stockwin2004_5-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Stockwin2004_5-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFJ._A._A._Stockwin2004" class="citation book cs1">J. A. A. Stockwin (2004). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=cnqNAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA531"><i>Collected Writings of J. A. A. Stockwin</i></a>. Routledge. p. 531. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-135-31201-5" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-135-31201-5"><bdi>978-1-135-31201-5</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Collected+Writings+of+J.+A.+A.+Stockwin&rft.pages=531&rft.pub=Routledge&rft.date=2004&rft.isbn=978-1-135-31201-5&rft.au=J.+A.+A.+Stockwin&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DcnqNAgAAQBAJ%26pg%3DPA531&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASDP%E2%80%93Liberal+Alliance" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Quart2006-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Quart2006_6-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Quart2006_6-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFLeonard_Quart2006" class="citation book cs1">Leonard Quart (2006). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=qUhg-dDTnGkC&pg=PA18">"The Religion of the Market: Thatcherite Politics and the British Films of the 1980s"</a>. In Lester D. Friedman (ed.). <i>Fires Were Started: British Cinema And Thatcherism (2nd Ed.)</i>. Wallflower Press. p. 18. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-904764-71-7" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-904764-71-7"><bdi>978-1-904764-71-7</bdi></a><span class="reference-accessdate">. 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4em}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}@media(prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}}@media print{.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:none!important}}</style><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Liberal_Party_(UK)" title="Template:Liberal Party (UK)"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Liberal_Party_(UK)" title="Template talk:Liberal Party (UK)"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Liberal_Party_(UK)" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Liberal Party (UK)"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Liberal_Party" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/Liberal_Party_(UK)" title="Liberal Party (UK)">Liberal Party</a></div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2" style="background:#FFD700;"><div id="Leadership" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em">Leadership</div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#FFD700;;width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Leader_of_the_Liberal_Party_(UK)" title="Leader of the Liberal Party (UK)">Leaders</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#FFD700;;width:1%">Leaders in the House of Commons (1859–1916)</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Henry_John_Temple,_3rd_Viscount_Palmerston" title="Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston">Palmerston</a> (1859–65)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/William_Ewart_Gladstone" title="William Ewart Gladstone">Gladstone</a> (1865–75)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Spencer_Cavendish,_8th_Duke_of_Devonshire" title="Spencer Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire">Hartington</a> (1875–80)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/William_Ewart_Gladstone" title="William Ewart Gladstone">Gladstone</a> (1880–94)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Archibald_Primrose,_5th_Earl_of_Rosebery" title="Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery">Rosebery</a> (1894–96)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/William_Harcourt_(politician)" title="William Harcourt (politician)">Harcourt</a> (1896–98)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Henry_Campbell-Bannerman" title="Henry Campbell-Bannerman">Campbell-Bannerman</a> (1899–1908)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/H._H._Asquith" title="H. H. Asquith">Asquith</a> (1908–16)</span></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#FFD700;;width:1%">Leaders in the House of Lords (1859–1916)</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Granville_Leveson-Gower,_2nd_Earl_Granville" title="Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville">Granville</a> (1859–65)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/John_Russell,_1st_Earl_Russell" title="John Russell, 1st Earl Russell">Russell</a> (1865–68)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Granville_Leveson-Gower,_2nd_Earl_Granville" title="Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville">Granville</a> (1868–91)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/John_Wodehouse,_1st_Earl_of_Kimberley" title="John Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley">Kimberley</a> (1891–94)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Archibald_Primrose,_5th_Earl_of_Rosebery" title="Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery">Rosebery</a> (1894–96)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/John_Wodehouse,_1st_Earl_of_Kimberley" title="John Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley">Kimberley</a> (1896–1902)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/John_Spencer,_5th_Earl_Spencer" title="John Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer">Spencer</a> (1902–05)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/George_Robinson,_1st_Marquess_of_Ripon" title="George Robinson, 1st Marquess of Ripon">Ripon</a> (1905–08)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Robert_Crewe-Milnes,_1st_Marquess_of_Crewe" title="Robert Crewe-Milnes, 1st Marquess of Crewe">Crewe</a> (1908–23)</span></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#FFD700;;width:1%">Overall Leaders (1916–88)</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/H._H._Asquith" title="H. H. Asquith">Asquith</a> (1916–26)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Donald_Maclean_(British_politician)" title="Donald Maclean (British politician)">Maclean</a> <small>(interim)</small> (1918–20)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/David_Lloyd_George" title="David Lloyd George">Lloyd George</a> (1926–31)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Herbert_Samuel,_1st_Viscount_Samuel" title="Herbert Samuel, 1st Viscount Samuel">Samuel</a> (1931–35)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Archibald_Sinclair,_1st_Viscount_Thurso" title="Archibald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso">Sinclair</a> (1935–45)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Clement_Davies" title="Clement Davies">Davies</a> (1945–56)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Jo_Grimond" title="Jo Grimond">Grimond</a> (1956–67)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Jeremy_Thorpe" title="Jeremy Thorpe">Thorpe</a> (1967–76)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Jo_Grimond" title="Jo Grimond">Grimond</a> (1976)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/David_Steel" title="David Steel">Steel</a> (1976–88)</span></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#FFD700;;width:1%">Deputy Leaders</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Herbert_Samuel,_1st_Viscount_Samuel" title="Herbert Samuel, 1st Viscount Samuel">Samuel</a> (1929–31)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Archibald_Sinclair,_1st_Viscount_Thurso" title="Archibald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso">Sinclair</a> (1931–35)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Sir_Percy_Harris,_1st_Baronet" title="Sir Percy Harris, 1st Baronet">Harris</a> (1940–45)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><i>vacant</i> (1945–49)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Megan_Lloyd_George" title="Megan Lloyd George">M Lloyd George</a> (1949–51)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><i>vacant</i> (1951–62)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Donald_Wade,_Baron_Wade" title="Donald Wade, Baron Wade">Wade</a> (1962–64)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><i>vacant</i> (1964–76)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/John_Pardoe" title="John Pardoe">Pardoe</a> (1976-79)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><i>vacant</i> (1979-85)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Alan_Beith" title="Alan Beith">Beith</a> (1985–88)</span></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#FFD700;;width:1%">Leaders in the Lords (1916–88)</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Robert_Crewe-Milnes,_1st_Marquess_of_Crewe" title="Robert Crewe-Milnes, 1st Marquess of Crewe">Crewe</a> (1908–23)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Edward_Grey,_1st_Viscount_Grey_of_Fallodon" title="Edward Grey, 1st Viscount Grey of Fallodon">Grey</a> (1923–24)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/William_Lygon,_7th_Earl_Beauchamp" title="William Lygon, 7th Earl Beauchamp">Beauchamp</a> (1924–31)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Rufus_Isaacs,_1st_Marquess_of_Reading" title="Rufus Isaacs, 1st Marquess of Reading">Reading</a> (1931–36)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Robert_Crewe-Milnes,_1st_Marquess_of_Crewe" title="Robert Crewe-Milnes, 1st Marquess of Crewe">Crewe</a> (1936–44)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Herbert_Samuel,_1st_Viscount_Samuel" title="Herbert Samuel, 1st Viscount Samuel">Samuel</a> (1944–55)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Philip_Rea,_2nd_Baron_Rea" title="Philip Rea, 2nd Baron Rea">Rea</a> (1955–67)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Frank_Byers" title="Frank Byers">Byers</a> (1967–84)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Nancy_Seear,_Baroness_Seear" title="Nancy Seear, Baroness Seear">Seear</a> (1984–88)</span></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#FFD700;;width:1%"><a href="/wiki/President_of_the_Liberal_Party" title="President of the Liberal Party">Presidents</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Joseph_Chamberlain" title="Joseph Chamberlain">Chamberlain</a> (1877–80)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Jesse_Collings" title="Jesse Collings">Collings</a> (1880–81)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Henry_Fell_Pease" title="Henry Fell Pease">Fell Pease</a> (1881–82)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/James_Kitson,_1st_Baron_Airedale" title="James Kitson, 1st Baron Airedale">Kitson</a> (1883–90)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Walter_Foster,_1st_Baron_Ilkeston" title="Walter Foster, 1st Baron Ilkeston">Foster</a> (1886–90)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Robert_Spence_Watson" title="Robert Spence Watson">Spence Watson</a> (1890–1902)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Augustine_Birrell" title="Augustine Birrell">Birrell</a> (1902–06)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Sir_Arthur_Dyke_Acland,_13th_Baronet" title="Sir Arthur Dyke Acland, 13th Baronet">Dyke Acland</a> (1906–07)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/William_Angus_(British_politician)" title="William Angus (British politician)">Angus</a> (1908–11)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Sir_John_Brunner,_1st_Baronet" title="Sir John Brunner, 1st Baronet">J Brunner</a> (1911–18)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/George_Lunn_(British_politician)" title="George Lunn (British politician)">Lunn</a> (1918–20)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/J._M._Robertson" title="J. M. Robertson">Robertson</a> (1920–23)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Donald_Maclean_(British_politician)" title="Donald Maclean (British politician)">Maclean</a> (1923–26)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/J._A._Spender" title="J. A. Spender">Spender</a> (1926–27)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Charles_Hobhouse" title="Charles Hobhouse">Hobhouse</a> (1927–30)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Arthur_Brampton" title="Arthur Brampton">Brampton</a> (1930–33)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/James_Meston,_1st_Baron_Meston" title="James Meston, 1st Baron Meston">Meston</a> (1936–43)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Violet_Bonham_Carter" title="Violet Bonham Carter">Bonham Carter</a> (1945–47)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Isaac_Foot" title="Isaac Foot">Foot</a> (1947–48)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Elliott_Dodds" title="Elliott Dodds">Dodds</a> (1948–49)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Andrew_McFadyean" title="Andrew McFadyean">McFadyean</a> (1949–50)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Philip_Fothergill" title="Philip Fothergill">Fothergill</a> (1950–52)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Ronald_Walker_(British_politician)" title="Ronald Walker (British politician)">Walker</a> (1952–53)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Lawrence_Robson" title="Lawrence Robson">L Robson</a> (1953–54)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Graham_White_(politician)" title="Graham White (politician)">White</a> (1954–55)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Philip_Rea,_2nd_Baron_Rea" title="Philip Rea, 2nd Baron Rea">Rea</a> (1955–56)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Leonard_Behrens" title="Leonard Behrens">Behrens</a> (1956–57)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Nathaniel_Micklem_(theologian)" title="Nathaniel Micklem (theologian)">Micklem</a> (1957–58)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Arthur_Comyns_Carr" title="Arthur Comyns Carr">Comyns Carr</a> (1958–59)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Harold_Glanville_(junior)" title="Harold Glanville (junior)">Glanville</a> (1959–60)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Andrew_Murray_(Scottish_politician)" title="Andrew Murray (Scottish politician)">Murray</a> (1960–61)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Edwin_Malindine" title="Edwin Malindine">Malindine</a> (1961–62)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Felix_Brunner" title="Felix Brunner">F Brunner</a> (1962–63)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/David_Rees-Williams,_1st_Baron_Ogmore" title="David Rees-Williams, 1st Baron Ogmore">Rees-Williams</a> (1963–64)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Roger_Fulford" title="Roger Fulford">Fulford</a> (1964–65)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Nancy_Seear,_Baroness_Seear" title="Nancy Seear, Baroness Seear">Seear</a> (1965–66)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Michael_Eden,_7th_Baron_Henley" title="Michael Eden, 7th Baron Henley">Henley and Northington</a> (1966–67)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Donald_Wade,_Baron_Wade" title="Donald Wade, Baron Wade">Wade</a> (1967–68)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Tim_Beaumont" title="Tim Beaumont">Beaumont</a> (1968–69)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Inga-Stina_Robson,_Baroness_Robson_of_Kiddington" title="Inga-Stina Robson, Baroness Robson of Kiddington">S Robson</a> (1969–70)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Stephen_Terrell" title="Stephen Terrell">Terrell</a> (1971–72)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Trevor_Jones_(British_politician)" title="Trevor Jones (British politician)">Jones</a> (1972–73)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Rhys_Lloyd,_Baron_Lloyd_of_Kilgerran" title="Rhys Lloyd, Baron Lloyd of Kilgerran">Lloyd</a> (1973–74)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Arthur_Holt_(politician)" title="Arthur Holt (politician)">Holt</a> (1974–75)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Margaret_Wingfield" title="Margaret Wingfield">Wingfield</a> (1975–76)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Basil_Goldstone" title="Basil Goldstone">Goldstone</a> (1976–77)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Gruffydd_Evans,_Baron_Evans_of_Claughton" title="Gruffydd Evans, Baron Evans of Claughton">Evans</a> (1977–78)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Michael_Steed" title="Michael Steed">Steed</a> (1978–79)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Joyce_Rose" title="Joyce Rose">Rose</a> (1979-80)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Richard_Holme,_Baron_Holme_of_Cheltenham" title="Richard Holme, Baron Holme of Cheltenham">Holme</a> (1980–81)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Viv_Bingham" title="Viv Bingham">Bingham</a> (1981–82)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/John_Griffiths_(Liberal_politician)" title="John Griffiths (Liberal politician)">Griffiths</a> (1982–83)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Geoffrey_Tordoff,_Baron_Tordoff" title="Geoffrey Tordoff, Baron Tordoff">Tordoff</a> (1983–84)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Alan_Watson,_Baron_Watson_of_Richmond" title="Alan Watson, Baron Watson of Richmond">Watson</a> (1984–85)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/David_Penhaligon" title="David Penhaligon">Penhaligon</a> (1985–86)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Des_Wilson" title="Des Wilson">Wilson</a> (1986–87)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Adrian_Slade" title="Adrian Slade">Slade</a> (1987–88)</span></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2" style="background:#FFD700;"><div id="Leadership_elections" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em">Leadership elections</div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1967_Liberal_Party_leadership_election" title="1967 Liberal Party leadership election">1967 (Thorpe)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1976_Liberal_Party_leadership_election" title="1976 Liberal Party leadership election">1976 (Steel)</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2" style="background:#FFD700;"><div id="Governments" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em">Governments</div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#FFD700;;width:1%">Single party Liberal governments</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/First_Gladstone_ministry" title="First Gladstone ministry">First Gladstone ministry</a> (1868–74)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Second_Gladstone_ministry" title="Second Gladstone ministry">Second Gladstone ministry</a> (1880–85)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Third_Gladstone_ministry" title="Third Gladstone ministry">Third Gladstone ministry</a> (1886)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Liberal_government,_1892%E2%80%931895#Fourth_Gladstone_ministry" title="Liberal government, 1892–1895">Fourth Gladstone ministry</a> (1892–94)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Rosebery_ministry" class="mw-redirect" title="Rosebery ministry">Rosebery ministry</a> (1894–95)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Campbell-Bannerman_ministry" class="mw-redirect" title="Campbell-Bannerman ministry">Campbell-Bannerman ministry</a> (1905–08)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/First_Asquith_ministry" class="mw-redirect" title="First Asquith ministry">First Asquith ministry</a> (1908–15)</span></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#FFD700;;width:1%">Liberal-led coalitions</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Asquith_coalition_ministry" title="Asquith coalition ministry">Asquith coalition ministry</a> (1915–16)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Lloyd_George_ministry" title="Lloyd George ministry">Lloyd George ministry</a> (1916–22)</span></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#FFD700;;width:1%">Coalitions with Liberal ministers</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/National_Government_(1931)" title="National Government (1931)"> First National Government</a> (1931)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/National_Government_(1931%E2%80%931935)" title="National Government (1931–1935)">Second National Government</a> (1931-1932)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Churchill_war_ministry" title="Churchill war ministry">Churchill war ministry</a> (1940–45)</span></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2" style="background:#FFD700;"><div id="Structure" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em">Structure</div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#FFD700;;width:1%">Parliamentarians</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_Liberal_Party_(UK)_MPs" title="List of Liberal Party (UK) MPs">Members of Parliament</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=List_of_Liberal_Party_(UK)_Peers&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="List of Liberal Party (UK) Peers (page does not exist)">Members of the House of Lords</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Chief_Whip_of_the_Liberal_Democrats" title="Chief Whip of the Liberal Democrats">Chief Whip</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#FFD700;;width:1%">Frontbench</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Liberal_Party_Frontbench_Team,_1945%E2%80%931956" title="Liberal Party Frontbench Team, 1945–1956">Liberal Party Frontbench Team, 1945–1956</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Liberal_Party_Frontbench_Team,_1956%E2%80%931967" title="Liberal Party Frontbench Team, 1956–1967">Liberal Party Frontbench Team, 1956–1967</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Liberal_Party_Frontbench_Team,_1967%E2%80%931976" title="Liberal Party Frontbench Team, 1967–1976">Liberal Party Frontbench Team, 1967–1976</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Liberal_Party_Frontbench_Team,_1976%E2%80%931988" title="Liberal Party Frontbench Team, 1976–1988">Liberal Party Frontbench Team, 1976–1988</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#FFD700;;width:1%">State parties</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/National_Liberal_Federation" title="National Liberal Federation">National Liberal Federation</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Liberal_Party_Organisation&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Liberal Party Organisation (page does not exist)">Liberal Party Organisation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Liberal_Party" title="Scottish Liberal Party">Scottish Liberal Party</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Welsh_Liberal_Party" title="Welsh Liberal Party">Welsh Liberal Party</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#FFD700;;width:1%">Conference</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Liberal_Assembly" title="Liberal Assembly">Liberal Assembly</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#FFD700;;width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Specified_Associated_Organisation" title="Specified Associated Organisation">SAOs</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/National_League_of_Young_Liberals" title="National League of Young Liberals">National League of Young Liberals</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Union_of_Liberal_Students" title="Union of Liberal Students">Union of Liberal Students</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Women%27s_Liberal_Federation" title="Women's Liberal Federation">Women's Liberal Federation</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2" style="background:#FFD700;"><div id="Related_organisations" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em">Related organisations</div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Brooks%27s" title="Brooks's">Brooks's</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/National_Liberal_Club" title="National Liberal Club">National Liberal Club</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Reform_Club" title="Reform Club">Reform Club</a><br /></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Social_Democratic_Party_(UK)" title="Social Democratic Party (UK)">Social Democratic Party</a> (1981-1988)</li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">SDP–Liberal Alliance</a> (1981–1988)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ulster_Liberal_Party" title="Ulster Liberal Party">Ulster Liberal Party</a> (1956–1987)<br /></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Liberal_Democrats_(UK)" title="Liberal Democrats (UK)">Liberal Democrats</a> (1988-present)</li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2" style="background:#FFD700;"><div id="History_and_related_topics" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em">History and related topics</div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Liberal_Imperialists" title="Liberal Imperialists">Liberal Imperialists</a></li> <li>Coalition Government: <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Coalition_Coupon" title="Coalition Coupon">Coalition Coupon</a> <i>in Government</i></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Independent_Liberal_Party_(UK,_1918)" title="Independent Liberal Party (UK, 1918)">Independent Liberal Party (UK, 1918)</a> <i>in Opposition</i></li></ul></li> <li>National Government: <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Independent_Liberals_(UK,_1931)" title="Independent Liberals (UK, 1931)">Independent Liberals (UK, 1931)</a> <i>in Opposition</i></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_Liberal_Party_and_Liberal_Democrats_(UK)_general_election_manifestos" title="List of Liberal Party and Liberal Democrats (UK) general election manifestos">General election manifestos</a></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Britain%27s_Industrial_Future" title="Britain's Industrial Future">Britain's Industrial Future ("The Yellow Book")</a></i></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Glee_Club_(UK_politics)" title="Glee Club (UK politics)">Glee Club</a></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/The_Land_(song)" title="The Land (song)">The Land</a></i></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lib%E2%80%93Lab_pact" title="Lib–Lab pact">Lib–Lab pact</a></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Liberator_(magazine)" title="Liberator (magazine)">Liberator</a></i></li> <li><a href="/wiki/One_more_heave" title="One more heave">One more heave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Peelite" title="Peelite">Peelites</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Radical_Action" title="Radical Action">Radical Action</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Radical_Reform_Group" title="Radical Reform Group">Radical Reform Group</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Whigs_(British_political_party)" title="Whigs (British political party)">Whig Party</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Rockingham_Whigs" title="Rockingham Whigs">Rockingham Whigs</a></li></ul></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2" style="background:#FFD700;"><div id="Breakaway_parties" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em">Breakaway parties</div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Liberal_Unionist_Party" title="Liberal Unionist Party">Liberal Unionist Party</a> <small>(<a href="/wiki/Spencer_Cavendish,_8th_Duke_of_Devonshire" title="Spencer Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire">Spencer Cavendish</a>)</small></li> <li><a href="/wiki/National_Liberal_Party_(UK,_1922)" title="National Liberal Party (UK, 1922)">National Liberal Party (UK, 1922)</a> <small>(David Lloyd George)</small></li> <li><a href="/wiki/National_Liberal_Party_(UK,_1931)" title="National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)">National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)</a> <small>("Simonites")</small></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Liberal_Party_(UK,_1989)" title="Liberal Party (UK, 1989)">Liberal Party (UK, 1989)</a> <small>(<a href="/wiki/Michael_Meadowcroft" title="Michael Meadowcroft">Michael Meadowcroft</a>)</small></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236075235"></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="Liberal_Democrats" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2" style="background:#FAA61A"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231"><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Liberal_Democrats_(UK)" title="Template:Liberal Democrats (UK)"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Liberal_Democrats_(UK)" title="Template talk:Liberal Democrats (UK)"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Liberal_Democrats_(UK)" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Liberal Democrats (UK)"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Liberal_Democrats" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/Liberal_Democrats_(UK)" title="Liberal Democrats (UK)"><span style="color:#000000">Liberal Democrats</span></a></div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2" style="background:#FAA61A"><div id="Leadership" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em">Leadership</div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background: #FAA61A;width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Leader_of_the_Liberal_Democrats" title="Leader of the Liberal Democrats">Leaders</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/David_Steel" title="David Steel">Steel</a> <i>(Liberal)</i> (1988)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Robert_Maclennan,_Baron_Maclennan_of_Rogart" title="Robert Maclennan, Baron Maclennan of Rogart">Maclennan</a> <i>(SDP)</i> (1988)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Paddy_Ashdown" title="Paddy Ashdown">Ashdown</a> (1988–1999)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Charles_Kennedy" title="Charles Kennedy">Kennedy</a> (1999–2006)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Menzies_Campbell" title="Menzies Campbell">Campbell</a> (2006–2007)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nick_Clegg" title="Nick Clegg">Clegg</a> (2007–2015)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tim_Farron" title="Tim Farron">Farron</a> (2015–2017)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Vince_Cable" title="Vince Cable">Cable</a> (2017–2019)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Jo_Swinson" title="Jo Swinson">Swinson</a> (2019)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ed_Davey" title="Ed Davey">Davey</a> (from 2020)</li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background: #FAA61A;width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Deputy_leader_of_the_Liberal_Democrats" title="Deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats">Deputy leaders</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Russell_Johnston" title="Russell Johnston">Johnston</a> (1988–1992)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Alan_Beith" title="Alan Beith">Beith</a> (1992–2003)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Menzies_Campbell" title="Menzies Campbell">Campbell</a> (2003–2006)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Vince_Cable" title="Vince Cable">Cable</a> (2006–2010)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Simon_Hughes" title="Simon Hughes">Hughes</a> (2010–2014)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Malcolm_Bruce" title="Malcolm Bruce">Bruce</a> (2014–2015)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Jo_Swinson" title="Jo Swinson">Swinson</a> (2017–2019)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ed_Davey" title="Ed Davey">Davey</a> (2019–2020)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Daisy_Cooper" title="Daisy Cooper">Cooper</a> (from 2020)</li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background: #FAA61A;width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Leader_of_the_Liberal_Democrats_in_the_House_of_Lords" title="Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords">Leaders in the Lords</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Nancy_Seear,_Baroness_Seear" title="Nancy Seear, Baroness Seear">Seear</a> <i>(Liberal)</i> (1988)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Jack_Diamond,_Baron_Diamond" title="Jack Diamond, Baron Diamond">Diamond</a> <i>(SDP)</i> (1988)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Roy_Jenkins" title="Roy Jenkins">Jenkins</a> (1988–1997)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bill_Rodgers,_Baron_Rodgers_of_Quarry_Bank" title="Bill Rodgers, Baron Rodgers of Quarry Bank">Rodgers</a> (1997–2001)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shirley_Williams" title="Shirley Williams">Williams</a> (2001–2004)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tom_McNally,_Baron_McNally" title="Tom McNally, Baron McNally">McNally</a> (2004–2013)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Jim_Wallace,_Baron_Wallace_of_Tankerness" title="Jim Wallace, Baron Wallace of Tankerness">Wallace</a> (2013–2016)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Richard_Newby,_Baron_Newby" title="Richard Newby, Baron Newby">Newby</a> (from 2016)</li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background: #FAA61A;width:1%"><a href="/wiki/President_of_the_Liberal_Democrats" title="President of the Liberal Democrats">Presidents</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Ian_Wrigglesworth" title="Ian Wrigglesworth">Wrigglesworth</a> (1989–1990)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Charles_Kennedy" title="Charles Kennedy">Kennedy</a> (1991–1994)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Robert_Maclennan,_Baron_Maclennan_of_Rogart" title="Robert Maclennan, Baron Maclennan of Rogart">Maclennan</a> (1995–1998)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Diana_Maddock,_Baroness_Maddock" title="Diana Maddock, Baroness Maddock">Maddock</a> (1999–2000)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Navnit_Dholakia,_Baron_Dholakia" title="Navnit Dholakia, Baron Dholakia">Dholakia</a> (2001–2004)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Simon_Hughes" title="Simon Hughes">Hughes</a> (2005–2008)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rosalind_Scott,_Baroness_Scott_of_Needham_Market" title="Rosalind Scott, Baroness Scott of Needham Market">Scott</a> (2009–2010)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tim_Farron" title="Tim Farron">Farron</a> (2011–2014)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sal_Brinton" title="Sal Brinton">Brinton</a> (2015–2019)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mark_Pack" title="Mark Pack">Pack</a> (from 2020)</li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2" style="background:#FAA61A"><div id="Leadership_elections" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em">Leadership elections</div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background: #FAA61A;width:1%">Leadership</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1988_Social_and_Liberal_Democrats_leadership_election" title="1988 Social and Liberal Democrats leadership election">1988 (Ashdown)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1999_Liberal_Democrats_leadership_election" title="1999 Liberal Democrats leadership election">1999 (Kennedy)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2006_Liberal_Democrats_leadership_election" title="2006 Liberal Democrats leadership election">2006 (Campbell)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2007_Liberal_Democrats_leadership_election" title="2007 Liberal Democrats leadership election">2007 (Clegg)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2015_Liberal_Democrats_leadership_election" title="2015 Liberal Democrats leadership election">2015 (Farron)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2017_Liberal_Democrats_leadership_election" title="2017 Liberal Democrats leadership election">2017 (Cable)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2019_Liberal_Democrats_leadership_election" title="2019 Liberal Democrats leadership election">2019 (Swinson)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2020_Liberal_Democrats_leadership_election" title="2020 Liberal Democrats leadership election">2020 (Davey)</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background: #FAA61A;width:1%">Deputy leadership</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/2003_Liberal_Democrats_deputy_leadership_election" title="2003 Liberal Democrats deputy leadership election">2003 (Campbell)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2006_Liberal_Democrats_deputy_leadership_election" title="2006 Liberal Democrats deputy leadership election">2006 (Cable)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2010_Liberal_Democrats_deputy_leadership_election" title="2010 Liberal Democrats deputy leadership election">2010 (Hughes)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2014_Liberal_Democrats_deputy_leadership_election" title="2014 Liberal Democrats deputy leadership election">2014 (Bruce)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2017_Liberal_Democrats_deputy_leadership_election" title="2017 Liberal Democrats deputy leadership election">2017 (Swinson)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2019_Liberal_Democrats_deputy_leadership_election" title="2019 Liberal Democrats deputy leadership election">2019 (Davey)</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2" style="background:#FAA61A"><div id="Frontbench_team" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/Liberal_Democrat_frontbench_team" title="Liberal Democrat frontbench team">Frontbench team</a></div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Leader_of_the_Liberal_Democrats" title="Leader of the Liberal Democrats">Leader of the Liberal Democrats</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Deputy_leader_of_the_Liberal_Democrats" title="Deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats">Deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Liberal_Democrat_Treasury_spokesperson" title="Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson">Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Liberal_Democrat_Home_Affairs_spokesperson" title="Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesperson">Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesperson</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2" style="background:#FAA61A"><div id="Structure" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em">Structure</div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background: #FAA61A;width:1%">MPs and Frontbench</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_United_Kingdom_Liberal_Democrat_MPs_(2024%E2%80%93present)" title="List of United Kingdom Liberal Democrat MPs (2024–present)">Current members of Parliament</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Liberal_Democrat_frontbench_team" title="Liberal Democrat frontbench team">Frontbench team</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Chief_Whip_of_the_Liberal_Democrats" title="Chief Whip of the Liberal Democrats">Chief whip</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background: #FAA61A;width:1%">Frontbench in opposition</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Frontbench_Team_of_Paddy_Ashdown" title="Frontbench Team of Paddy Ashdown">Frontbench Team of Paddy Ashdown</a> (1997–1999)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Frontbench_Team_of_Charles_Kennedy" title="Frontbench Team of Charles Kennedy">Frontbench Team of Charles Kennedy</a> (1999–2006)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Frontbench_Team_of_Menzies_Campbell" title="Frontbench Team of Menzies Campbell">Frontbench Team of Menzies Campbell</a> (2006–2007)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/First_Frontbench_Team_of_Vince_Cable" title="First Frontbench Team of Vince Cable">First Frontbench Team of Vince Cable</a> (2007)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Frontbench_Team_of_Nick_Clegg" title="Frontbench Team of Nick Clegg">Frontbench Team of Nick Clegg</a> (2007–2010)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Frontbench_Team_of_Tim_Farron" title="Frontbench Team of Tim Farron">Frontbench Team of Tim Farron</a> (2015–2017)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Second_Frontbench_Team_of_Vince_Cable" title="Second Frontbench Team of Vince Cable">Second Frontbench Team of Vince Cable</a> (2017–2019)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Frontbench_Team_of_Jo_Swinson" title="Frontbench Team of Jo Swinson">Frontbench Team of Jo Swinson</a> (2019)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Frontbench_Team_of_Ed_Davey" title="Frontbench Team of Ed Davey">Frontbench Team of Ed Davey</a> (2020-present)</li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background: #FAA61A;width:1%">State parties</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/English_Liberal_Democrats" title="English Liberal Democrats">English Liberal Democrats</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Liberal_Democrats" title="Scottish Liberal Democrats">Scottish Liberal Democrats</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Welsh_Liberal_Democrats" title="Welsh Liberal Democrats">Welsh Liberal Democrats</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background: #FAA61A;width:1%">Regional parties</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/London_Liberal_Democrats" title="London Liberal Democrats">London Liberal Democrats</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Northern_Ireland_Liberal_Democrats" title="Northern Ireland Liberal Democrats">Northern Ireland Liberal Democrats</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background: #FAA61A;width:1%">Conference</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Liberal_Democrat_Conference" title="Liberal Democrat Conference">Liberal Democrat Conference</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background: #FAA61A;width:1%">Committees</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Federal_Board_(Liberal_Democrats)" title="Federal Board (Liberal Democrats)">Federal Board</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background: #FAA61A;width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Specified_Associated_Organisation" title="Specified Associated Organisation">SAOs</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/LGBT%2B_Liberal_Democrats" title="LGBT+ Liberal Democrats">LGBT+ Liberal Democrats</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Young_Liberals_(UK)" title="Young Liberals (UK)">Young Liberals</a> (<a href="/wiki/English_Young_Liberals" title="English Young Liberals">English Young Liberals</a>, <a href="/wiki/Scottish_Young_Liberals" title="Scottish Young Liberals">Scottish Young Liberals</a>, <a href="/wiki/Welsh_Young_Liberals" title="Welsh Young Liberals">Welsh Young Liberals/Rhyddfrydwr Ifanc Cymru</a>)</li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2" style="background:#FAA61A"><div id="Related_organisations" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em">Related organisations</div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Alliance_Party_of_Northern_Ireland" title="Alliance Party of Northern Ireland">Alliance Party of Northern Ireland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Beveridge_Group" title="Beveridge Group">Beveridge Group</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Liberal_Democrat_Christian_Forum" title="Liberal Democrat Christian Forum">Christian Forum</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Liberal_Democrat_Friends_of_Israel" title="Liberal Democrat Friends of Israel">Friends of Israel</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Liberal_Democrat_Friends_of_Turkey" title="Liberal Democrat Friends of Turkey">Friends of Turkey</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Liberal_Democrat_History_Group" title="Liberal Democrat History Group">History Group</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Liberal_Reform" title="Liberal Reform">Liberal Reform</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Social_Liberal_Forum" title="Social Liberal Forum">Social Liberal Forum</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2" style="background:#FAA61A"><div id="History_and_related_topics" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em">History and related topics</div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Liberal_Democrat_Headquarters_(UK)" title="Liberal Democrat Headquarters (UK)">Liberal Democrat Headquarters (UK)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_Liberal_Democrat_MPs" title="List of Liberal Democrat MPs">List of MPs (past and present)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_Liberal_Party_and_Liberal_Democrats_(UK)_general_election_manifestos" title="List of Liberal Party and Liberal Democrats (UK) general election manifestos">General election manifestos</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gang_of_Four_(SDP)" title="Gang of Four (SDP)">Gang of Four</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Limehouse_Declaration" title="Limehouse Declaration">Limehouse Declaration</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Glee_Club_(UK_politics)" title="Glee Club (UK politics)">Glee Club (UK politics)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/The_Land_(song)" title="The Land (song)">The Land (song)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Liberator_(magazine)" title="Liberator (magazine)">Liberator (magazine)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/National_Liberal_Club" title="National Liberal Club">National Liberal Club</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Whigs_(British_political_party)" title="Whigs (British political party)">Whig Party</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Peelite" title="Peelite">Peelites</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Liberal_Party_(UK)" title="Liberal Party (UK)">Liberal Party</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Liberal_Party" title="Scottish Liberal Party">Scottish Liberal Party</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Coalition_Coupon" title="Coalition Coupon">Coalition Coupon</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Independent_Liberal_Party_(UK,_1918)" title="Independent Liberal Party (UK, 1918)">Independent Liberal Party (Asquith)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/National_Liberal_Party_(UK,_1922)" title="National Liberal Party (UK, 1922)">National Liberal Party (Lloyd George)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Independent_Liberals_(UK,_1931)" title="Independent Liberals (UK, 1931)">Independent Liberals (Lloyd George)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/National_Liberal_Party_(UK,_1931)" title="National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)">National Liberal Party ("Simonites")</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lib%E2%80%93Lab_pact" title="Lib–Lab pact">Lib–Lab pact</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Campaigning_in_the_2016_United_Kingdom_European_Union_membership_referendum#Liberal_Leave" title="Campaigning in the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum">Liberal Leave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/One_more_heave" title="One more heave">One more heave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Social_Democratic_Party_(UK)" title="Social Democratic Party (UK)">Social Democratic Party</a></li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">SDP–Liberal Alliance</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Southport_Resolution" title="Southport Resolution">Southport Resolution</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/The_Orange_Book" title="The Orange Book">The Orange Book</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Conservative%E2%80%93Liberal_Democrat_coalition_agreement" title="Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition agreement">Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition agreement</a></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/For_a_Fair_Deal" title="For a Fair Deal">For a Fair Deal</a></i></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2" style="background:#FAA61A"><div id="Breakaway_parties" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em">Breakaway parties</div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Liberal_Party_(UK,_1989)" title="Liberal Party (UK, 1989)">Liberal Party (UK, 1989)</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236075235"></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox authority-control" 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