Difference between revisions of "Liberal Democrats"

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==History==
 
==History==
In 1981, an electoral alliance was established between the [[UK Liberal Party]], a group which was the direct descendent of the 18th-century [[Whigs]], and the Social Democratic Party (SDP), a splinter group from the [[Labour Party]]. In 1988, the parties merged as the Social and Liberal Democrats, adopting their present name a year later. Under the leadership of [[Paddy Ashdown]] and then [[Charles Kennedy]], the party grew during the 1990s and 2000s, focusing its campaigns on specific seats and becoming the third largest party in the [[House of Commons]]. Under its leader [[Nick Clegg]], the Liberal Democrats were junior partners in [[David Cameron]]'s Conservative-led coalition government; Clegg served as [[UK Deputy Prime Minister]]. The coalition damaged the Liberal Democrats' electoral prospects: the party was reduced from 57 to 8 seats at the [[UK/2015 General Election]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-32633462|title=Election results: Nick Clegg resigns after Lib Dem losses|publisher=[[BBC News]]|date=8 May 2015|accessdate=15 May 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150515161631/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-32633462|archivedate=15 May 2015|deadurl=no}}</ref>
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In 1981, an electoral alliance was established between the [[UK Liberal Party]], a group which was the direct descendent of the 18th-century [[Whigs]], and the Social Democratic Party (SDP), a splinter group from the [[Labour Party]]. In 1988, the parties merged as the Social and Liberal Democrats, adopting their present name a year later. Under the leadership of [[Paddy Ashdown]] and then [[Charles Kennedy]], the party grew during the 1990s and 2000s, focusing its campaigns on specific seats and becoming the third largest party in the [[House of Commons]]. Under its leader [[Nick Clegg]], the Liberal Democrats were junior partners in [[David Cameron]]'s Conservative-led coalition government; Clegg served as [[UK Deputy Prime Minister]]. The coalition damaged the Liberal Democrats' electoral prospects: the party was reduced from 57 to 8 seats at the [[UK/2015 General Election]].<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20150515161631/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-32633462</ref>
  
 
==Policy==
 
==Policy==

Latest revision as of 12:31, 7 August 2021

Group.png Liberal Democrats  
(Political party)Rdf-entity.pngRdf-icon.png
Liberal Democrats.png
Predecessor•  UK/Liberal Party
•  UK/Social Democratic Party
Formation3 March 1988
LeaderLiberal Democrats/Leader
SubpageLiberal Democrats/Leader
Liberal Democrats/Trade Spokesperson
Liberal Democrats/Treasury Spokesperson
A liberal political party in the United Kingdom.

The Liberal Democrats (Lib Dems), originally founded as the Social and Liberals Democrats, are a liberal political party in the United Kingdom. The Lib Dems are currently led by Vince Cable and have 11 Members of Parliament in the House of Commons, 96 members of the House of Lords, 16 members of the European Parliament, five Members of the Scottish Parliament and one member in the Welsh Assembly and London Assembly. At the height of its influence, the party served as junior partners in a coalition government with the Conservative Party from 2010 to 2015.

History

In 1981, an electoral alliance was established between the UK Liberal Party, a group which was the direct descendent of the 18th-century Whigs, and the Social Democratic Party (SDP), a splinter group from the Labour Party. In 1988, the parties merged as the Social and Liberal Democrats, adopting their present name a year later. Under the leadership of Paddy Ashdown and then Charles Kennedy, the party grew during the 1990s and 2000s, focusing its campaigns on specific seats and becoming the third largest party in the House of Commons. Under its leader Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrats were junior partners in David Cameron's Conservative-led coalition government; Clegg served as UK Deputy Prime Minister. The coalition damaged the Liberal Democrats' electoral prospects: the party was reduced from 57 to 8 seats at the UK/2015 General Election.[1]

Policy

Positioned in the centre ground of British politics, the Liberal Democrats are ideologically liberal. The party calls for constitutional reform, including a transition from the first-past-the-post voting system to proportional representation. Emphasising stronger protections for civil liberties, the party promotes socially liberal approaches to issues like LGBT rights, education policy and criminal justice. Different factions take different approaches to economic issues as a classical liberal faction promotes greater economic liberalism while others endorse a social market economy. The party is pro-Europeanist, supporting continued UK membership of the European Union and greater European integration; it previously called for adoption of the Euro currency. Other policies have included further environmental protections and drug liberalisation laws while it has also opposed certain UK military engagements like the 2003 Iraq War.

The party is a member of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe and Liberal International. The Liberal Democrats are historically strongest in northern Scotland, southwest London, southwest England and mid-Wales.[2]

 

Party Members

PoliticianBornDiedDescription
Andrew Adonis22 February 1963Labour party politician and Bilderberger. Vice Chairman of the European Movement (UK)
Danny Alexander15 May 1972Scottish politician. The deputy of George Osborne (2010 to 2015)
Paddy Ashdown24 February 194122 December 2018Chatham House President for 10 years. MI6 operative and UK politician
Norman Baker26 July 1957MP convinced that David Kelly was murdered.
Catherine Bearder14 January 1949
Tim Beaumont22 November 19288 April 2008British politician and an Anglican priest. Bullingdon Club. Transgender and euthanasia activist. Epstein's black book.
Alan Beith20 April 1943UK politician
Luciana Berger13 May 1981Former Labour MP Liverpool Wavertree, former Chair of Labour Friends of Israel. After parliament started working for PR-company Edelman.
Sharon Bowles12 June 1953A member of the European Parliament
Paul Burstow13 May 1962
Lorely Burt10 September 1954
Vince Cable9 May 1943Retired British politician
Alastair Campbell25 May 1957
Menzies Campbell22 May 1941Leader of the Liberal Democrats 2006-7 MSC regular
Alexander Carlile12 February 1948
Lord Carlile12 February 1948
Wendy Chamberlain20 December 1976
David Chidgey9 July 194215 February 2022Liberal Democrat politician
Nick Clegg7 January 1967Former British politician who was Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2010 to 2015. Now works for Facebook
Ralf Dahrendorf1 May 192917 June 2009German born philosopher. Regular contributor to Bilderberg meetings.
Edmund Dell15 August 19211 November 1999Attended the 1978 Bilderberg as Secretary of State for Trade. Ditched Labour in 1981 for the well-financed Social Democratic Party.
Andrew Duff25 December 1950
Bill Newton Dunn3 October 1941UK MEP
Sarah Dyke1971
Tim Farron27 May 1970UK politician and Leader of the Liberal Democrats 2015-2017. Member of Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China.
Sarah GreenSeptember 1983
Joseph Grimond29 July 191324 October 1993Attended the 1958 Bilderberg as leader of the UK Liberal Party. Early proponent of Britain joining the EEC.
Fiona Hall15 July 1955
Nick Harvey3 August 1961
John Hemming16 March 1960
Christine Jardine24 November 1960Scottish Liberal Democrat MP since 2017
Roy Jenkins11 November 19205 January 2003UK politician
Rachel Johnson3 September 1965
Susan Kramer21 July 1950As a Jewish politician (UK Liberal Democrats), Kramer succeeded Jenny Tonge MP (1997-2005) who had been accused of antisemitism.
David Laws30 November 1965
Sarah Ludford14 March 1951A member of the European Parliament
Liz Lynne22 January 1948A member of the European Parliament
George Lyon16 July 1956
Edward McMillan-Scott15 August 1949
Tom McNally20 February 1943
Helen Morgan1975
Sarah Olney1977
Brian Paddick24 April 1958British politician and retired police officer,
Zack Polanski2 November 1982
William Rodgers28 October 1928
Angela Smith (Sheffield MP)16 August 1961
Cyril Smith28 June 19283 September 2010Sir Cyril Smith was MP for Rochdale from 1972 to 1992. He never prosecuted for his paedophilia.
David Steel31 March 1938Leader of UK Liberal party, merged with the Social Democratic Party
Dick Taverne18 October 1928UK politician with deep state connections
Jeremy Thorpe29 April 19294 December 2014UK politician
... further results

 

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References

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