On This Day
March 26, 1981
Following January’s ‘Limehouse Declaration’ the Social Democratic Party is formally established
It is launched with an ambition outlined in the preamble to its constitution ‘to create and defend an open, classless and more equal society which rejects prejudices based upon sex, race, colour and religion’. The party name SDP is chosen over considered alternatives which had included Democratic, Democratic Labour, Radical and New Labour.