1976-1988
Sir Clement Freud, 1924-2009
Clement Freud was one of the best-known faces on TV, and best-known voices on radio, when he became Liberal candidate for the Isle of Ely in the 1973 by-election. ‘Freud has them rolling in the Isle’ ran one tabloid headline. Those who did not know him were surprised that, even during a promising run of…
Bill Rodgers (Lord Rodgers), 1928-
Bill Rodgers – one of the Gang of Four who founded the SDP, and now (as Lord Rodgers of Quarry Bank) the leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords – was born in Liverpool on 28 October 1928 and named William Thomas Rodgers. His father was employed for forty years by the…
Michael Meadowcroft, 1942-
Michael Meadowcroft was Liberal MP for Leeds West from 1983 to 1987, confounding sceptics to win a solidly inner-city seat by using the community politics approach which he had helped to develop over the preceding fifteen years. He was the main, indeed very nearly the only, philosopher of applied Liberalism within the old Liberal Party…
Jo Grimond (Lord Grimond), 1913-1993
Regarded by many contemporary Liberals as their spiritual leader and mentor, Jo Grimond was a figure of great magnetism and intellectual originality. He was once described as a politician on whom the gods smile, and inspired a rare degree of public affection. Within the Liberal Party, neither of his successors, Jeremy Thorpe nor David Steel enjoyed the…
Report: the Limehouse declaration and the birth of the SDP
Report of Liberal Democrat History Group meeting of January 2001, with speakers including Lord Oakeshott and Sir Ian Wrigglesworth. To access this content, you must purchase Annual subscription (digital) – unwaged rate, Annual subscription (digital) – standard rate, Annual subscription (print plus digital) – overseas, Annual subscription (print plus digital), standard rate, UK or Annual…
Biography: David Owen
The political career and record of Dr David Owen. To access this content, you must purchase Annual subscription (digital) – unwaged rate, Annual subscription (digital) – standard rate, Annual subscription (print plus digital) – overseas, Annual subscription (print plus digital), standard rate, UK or Annual subscription (print plus digital), unwaged rate, UK.
… and decline: the SDP 1985-87
Original cartoons from the Social Democrat illustrate the run-up to the 1987 election. To access this content, you must purchase Annual subscription (digital) – unwaged rate, Annual subscription (digital) – standard rate, Annual subscription (print plus digital) – overseas, Annual subscription (print plus digital), standard rate, UK or Annual subscription (print plus digital), unwaged rate,…
What went wrong at Darlington?
Original memo on the 1983 by-election disaster, plus commentary. To access this content, you must purchase Annual subscription (digital) – unwaged rate, Annual subscription (digital) – standard rate, Annual subscription (print plus digital) – overseas, Annual subscription (print plus digital), standard rate, UK or Annual subscription (print plus digital), unwaged rate, UK.
One of nature’s Liberals
Biography of Sir Clement Freud, Liberal MP 1973-87. To access this content, you must purchase Annual subscription (digital) – unwaged rate, Annual subscription (digital) – standard rate, Annual subscription (print plus digital) – overseas, Annual subscription (print plus digital), standard rate, UK or Annual subscription (print plus digital), unwaged rate, UK.
The flawed strategy of the SDP
Argues that the SDP ultimately failed because its strategy was fundamentally flawed. To access this content, you must purchase Annual subscription (digital) – unwaged rate, Annual subscription (digital) – standard rate, Annual subscription (print plus digital) – overseas, Annual subscription (print plus digital), standard rate, UK or Annual subscription (print plus digital), unwaged rate, UK.