Liberal Democrats
Leader	Sir Menzies Campbell
Founded	1988
Headquarters	4 Cowley Street London, SW1P 3NB
Political Ideology	Social liberalism
Political Position	Centre Left
International Affiliation	Liberal International
European Affiliation	European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party
European Parliament Group	Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
Colours	Gold
Website	www.libdems.org.uk
See also	Politics of the U.K. Political parties Elections Liberal Democrats Logo This is the logo and colophon of the Liberal Democrats (UK) political party. ... Sir Walter Menzies Campbell, CBE, QC (born 22 May 1941, Glasgow), also known as Ming Campbell, is a British politician. ... London (pronounced ) is the capital city of England and of the United Kingdom. ... Social liberalism is either a synonym for new liberalism or a label used by progressive liberal parties in order to differentiate themselves from the more conservative liberal parties, especially when there are two or more liberal parties in a country. ... In politics, the term centre-left is commonly used to describe and denote political parties or organisations that stretch from the centre to the left or are moderately left-wing, as opposed to extreme left wing beliefs such as communism. ... The Liberal International is an international organization for international liberal parties. ... The European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party (founded in 1993) is a liberal party, active in the European Union, uniting liberal and centrist parties around Europe which together represent more than 20 million European voters and is an international non-profit association incorporated under the laws of Belgium. ... ALDE logo The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (French: Alliance des Démocrates et des Libéraux pour lEurope) is a Group in the European Parliament. ... Gold is a shade of the color yellow closest to that of gold metal. ... Politics of the United Kingdom take place in the framework of a parliamentary, representative democratic monarchy, in which the Prime Minister is the head of government. ... Political parties in the United Kingdom lists political parties in the United Kingdom. ... The United Kingdom has five distinct types of elections: general, local, regional, European and mayoral. ...

The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal political party in the United Kingdom. The party was formed in 1988 by the merger of the Liberal Party and the short-lived Social Democratic Party; the two parties had already been in an alliance for some years prior to this. Liberalism is an ideology, philosophical view, and political tradition which holds that liberty is the primary political value. ... A political party is an organization that seeks to attain political power within a government, usually by participating in electoral campaigns. ... This article is about the historic Liberal Party. ... The Social Democratic Party (SDP) was a political party of the United Kingdom that existed nationwide between 1981 and 1988. ... The SDP-Liberal Alliance was an electoral alliance of the Social Democratic Party and the Liberal Party in the UK that ran from 1981 to 1988, when the bulk of the two parties merged to form the Social and Liberal Democrats, later referred to as simply the Liberal Democrats. ...

The Lib Dems are the third-largest party in the UK Parliament, behind Labour and the Conservatives, with 63 Members of Parliament (MPs) - 62 elected at the general election of 2005, they held Cheadle in the Cheadle by-election (July 2005) and gained one at the Dunfermline and West Fife by-elections. In the Scottish Parliament, they form a coalition Scottish Executive with Labour, where the Lib Dems supply the Deputy First Minister, currently Nicol Stephen. The party's leader is Sir Menzies Campbell, elected in March 2006 (see Liberal Democrats leadership election, 2006). Campbell was acting leader prior to his election. The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories. ... The Labour Party has been, since its founding in the early 20th century, the main left-wing political party of the United Kingdom. ... The Conservative Party is the second largest political party in the United Kingdom in terms of sitting MPs, and the largest by of public membership. ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters of an electoral district to a parliament; in the Westminster system, specifically to the lower house. ... The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 and won by the Labour Party, led by Tony Blair. ... The Cheadle by-election, 2005 was caused by the death of Patsy Calton, the Liberal Democrat MP for Cheadle on May 29, 2005. ... The Dunfermline and West Fife by-election, in Dunfermline and western Fife, Scotland, was held on February 9, 2006 following the death of sitting Labour MP Rachel Squire on January 6. ... For the national legislative body up to 1707, see Parliament of Scotland. ... The Executives logo, shown with English and Scottish Gaelic caption The term Scottish Executive is used in two different, but closely-related senses: to denote the executive arm of Scotlands national legislature (i. ... The Labour Party has been, since its founding in the early 20th century, the main left-wing political party of the United Kingdom. ... The Deputy First Minister of Scotland is, as the name suggests, the Deputy to the First Minister of Scotland. ... Nicol Stephen (born 23 March 1960) is Deputy First Minister of Scotland, leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, and a Member of the Scottish Parliament for Aberdeen South. ... Sir Walter Menzies Campbell, CBE, QC (born 22 May 1941, Glasgow), also known as Ming Campbell, is a British politician. ... Chris Huhne, Menzies Campbell and Simon Hughes at the London Hustings in Friends Meeting House on 23rd February The 2006 Liberal Democrats leadership election was won by Menzies Campbell. ...

Generally promoting political and social liberalism, the Liberal Democrats describe themselves as being concerned with the use of power in British and international society. They are wary of the power of the state over individuals, and as a principle seek to minimise state intervention in personal affairs, with many Lib Dem MPs criticising such intervention as symptomatic of a "nanny state". The party is traditionally supportive of a multilateral foreign policy, and opposed British participation in the War in Iraq (although backed later increases in troop deployment). They are considered the most pro-European party in British politics. Social liberalism is either a synonym for new liberalism or a label used by progressive liberal parties in order to differentiate themselves from the more conservative liberal parties, especially when there are two or more liberal parties in a country. ... The term nanny state, used especially in the U.S. and U.K., is a derogatory term for state protectionism, interventionism, or regulation policies as they are perceived as being institutionalized as common practice. ... There have been three conflicts in the late 20th century and early 21st century called Gulf War, all of which refer to conflicts in the Persian Gulf region: Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988) (aka First Gulf War). ... Pro-European is a subjective term applied to a person who supports the European Union (EU) and/or further European integration, specifically in the context of political argument over the current and future status of the EU and its policies. ...

Unlike some liberal parties in other countries, the Liberal Democrats were not founded on an explicit doctrine of economic liberalism. Instead the party has historically combined a commitment to "social justice" and the welfare state with a belief in economic freedom and competitive markets wherever possible. This is an overview of parties that adhere more or less (explicitly) to the ideas of political liberalism and is therefore a list of liberal parties around the world. ... The liberal theory of economics is the theory of economics described by classical liberal authors such as Adam Smith or the French Physiocrats. ... Social justice refers to conceptions of justice applied to an entire society. ... It has been suggested that Welfare capitalism be merged into this article or section. ...

Although the Liberal Democrats claim they do not easily fit into the "left-right" political spectrum, some political observers believe that the party is to the left of "New Labour": the party has supported some "Old Labour" positions such as higher taxes on high earners, higher levels of government spending, and opposition to the Iraq War. Others note that the increases in public spending proposed by the Liberal Democrats (e.g. the abolition of student tuition fees and long-term care charges) would mostly benefit the middle classes rather than the poor, and that New Labour policies are more broadly redistributive. A political spectrum is a way of comparing or visualizing different political positions. ... For other uses of the term, see Iraq war (disambiguation) The 2003 invasion of Iraq (also called the 2nd or 3rd Persian Gulf War) began on March 20, 2003, when forces belonging primarily to the United States and the United Kingdom invaded Iraq without the explicit backing of the United...

The party's Presidential Book of Office, passed between outgoing and incoming Presidents, is John Stuart Mill's On Liberty. John Stuart Mill (May 20, 1806 – May 8, 1873), an English philosopher and political economist, was an influential liberal thinker of the 19th century. ... On Liberty is a philosophical work in the English language by 19th century philosopher John Stuart Mill, first published in 1859. ...

According to accounts filed with the Electoral Commission for the year ending 31 December 2004, the party had 72,721 members, and had a budget of about £3,700,000. [1] 4,300 of these members are from Scotland [2] The Electorial Commission is an independent body with powers in the United Kingdom, which was created by an Act of Parliament, the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000. ... December 31 is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Motto: (Latin for No one provokes me with impunity)1 Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official language(s) English, Gaelic, Scots2 Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister Tony Blair MP  - First Minister Jack McConnell MSP Unification    - by Kenneth I 843  Area    - Total 78...

Sir Menzies Campbell - Leader of the Liberal Democrats

Image courtesy Liberal Democrats. ... Image courtesy Liberal Democrats. ... The Right Honourable Sir Walter Menzies Campbell (born May 22, 1941) is a Scottish barrister and the Liberal Democrat member of Parliament for North East Fife. ...

History of the Liberal Democrats

Founding

The Liberal Democrats are descended from the Liberal Party, one of the two major British political parties of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries; the Liberal were themselves descended from the British Whig Party, and the term "Whig" is still occasionally used as a nickname for the modern Lib Dems. This article is about the historic Liberal Party. ... While the Whigs (along with the Tories) are often described as one of the two political parties in late 17th to mid 19th century Great Britain, it is more accurate to describe them as loose political groupings or tendencies. ... While the Whigs (along with the Tories) are often described as one of the two political parties in late 17th to mid 19th century Great Britain, it is more accurate to describe them as loose political groupings or tendencies. ...

Having declined to third party status after the rise of the Labour Party in 1922, the Liberals found themselves challenged for their place as the centrist party of British politics in the 1980s, when in 1981, with the Labour Party moving fairly far to the left, a group of moderate Labour MPs broke away and established the Social Democratic Party (SDP), claiming as their goal to preserve previous Labour Party traditions. The SDP and the Liberals soon realised that there was no place for two centrist political parties, and entered into an alliance so that they would not stand against each other in elections. The two parties drew up their own policies and had different emphases, but produced a joint manifesto for the 1983 and 1987 General Elections. Initially the Alliance was led by David Steel (Liberal) and Roy Jenkins (SDP), and later by Steel and David Owen (SDP). The Labour Party has been, since its founding in the early 20th century, the main left-wing political party of the United Kingdom. ... The Social Democratic Party (SDP) was a political party of the United Kingdom that existed nationwide between 1981 and 1988. ... The SDP-Liberal Alliance was an electoral alliance of the Social Democratic Party and the Liberal Party in the UK that ran from 1981 to 1988, when the bulk of the two parties merged to form the Social and Liberal Democrats, later referred to as simply the Liberal Democrats. ... A manifesto is a public declaration of principles and intentions, often political in nature. ... The UK general election, 1983 was held on June 9, 1983 and gave the Conservatives and Margaret Thatcher the most decisive election victory since that of Labour in 1945. ... The UK general election, 1987 was held on June 11, 1987 and was the third victory in a row for Margaret Thatcher and the Conservatives. ... David Martin Scott Steel, Baron Steel of Aikwood KT PC KBE (born March 31, 1938) is a British and Scottish politician and a Liberal Democrat member of the UK House of Lords. ... Roy Harris Jenkins, Baron Jenkins of Hillhead, OM, PC (November 11, 1920 – January 5, 2003) was a British politician and a prominent Labour Member of Parliament in the 1960s and 1970s, and founding member of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). ... The Right Honourable David Anthony Llewellyn Owen, Baron Owen, CH, PC (born July 2, 1938) is a British politician and one of the founders of the British Social Democratic Party (SDP). ...

In 1987, following disappointing results in that year's general election, Steel proposed a merger of the two parties. Although opposed by David Owen, it was supported by a majority of members of each and the two parties formally merged in 1988, with David Steel and Robert Maclennan (who had become SDP leader in August 1987) as interim joint leaders. At the time of the merger, in 1988, the party took the name Social and Liberal Democrats (SLD). After briefly shortening its name to The Democrats, it changed to the current name of Liberal Democrats in October 1989, which is now frequently shortened to "Lib Dems". Robert Adam Ross Maclennan, Baron Maclennan of Rogart, PC (born June 26, 1936), educated at Balliol College, Oxford, is a British Liberal Democrat politician. ...

The minority of the SDP who rejected the merger remained under David Owen's leadership. Some Liberals disliked the direction the party was going in after Paddy Ashdown's election as leader and created a new party which revived the name "Liberal Party". The Right Honourable Jeremy John Durham Ashdown, Baron Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon, GCMG, KBE, PC, (born 27 February 1941), invariably known as Paddy Ashdown, is a British politician, who was leader of the Liberal Democrats from 1988 until 1999. ... The Liberal Party is a minor United Kingdom political party. ...

Post-1988 history

Simon Hughes, Lib Dem president

The former Liberal MP Ashdown became leader of the party in 1988, and under his leadership the party's support grew steadily. Although the Lib Dems did not immediately manage to repeat the 20%+ shares of national vote which the SDP/Liberal alliance had achieved in the 1980s, they did manage to more than double their representation in Parliament at the 1997 General Election to 46 seats, and become a major force in local government throughout the decade. Image courtesy Liberal Democrats. ... Image courtesy Liberal Democrats. ... Simon Hughes. ... The UK general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997. ...

Following Tony Blair's election as leader of the Labour Party in 1994, Ashdown controversially pursued a policy of cooperation between the two parties (with the two leaders even allegedly agreeing to form a coalition government). However this Lib-Lab Pact failed to materialise when it became apparent to the Liberal Democrats that Labour would not introduce proportional representation and other key Liberal Democrat demands. Labour's massive majority after the 1997 general election also meant that Blair lost interest in pursuing the issue, and some senior Labour politicians (e.g., John Prescott) were strongly opposed to a coalition. Anthony Charles Lynton Blair PC, MP (born 6 May 1953)[1] is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the UK Civil Service, Leader of the UK Labour Party, and Member of the UK Parliament for the constituency of Sedgefield in North East... Lib-Lab Pact has been the term used to describe a working arrangement between the UKs political parties of the Liberals (later Liberal Democrats) and the Labour Party. ... Proportional representation (sometimes referred to as full representation, or PR), is an electoral system delivering a close match between the percentage of votes that the political parties obtain in elections and the percentage of seats they receive in legislative assemblies. ... John Leslie Prescott (born May 31, 1938) is a British Labour Party politician who is Deputy Prime Minister, First Secretary of State and Member of Parliament (MP) for Hull East. ...

Ashdown retired as leader in 1999 and Charles Kennedy was elected as his replacement. Kennedy was originally the only SDP MP who fully supported the merger. The party improved on their 1997 results at the 2001 general election, winning more seats and increasing their share of the vote. Rt. ... The 1999 Liberal Democrats leadership election was called following the resignation of Paddy Ashdown as leader. ... Tony Blair William Hague Charles Kennedy The UK general election, 2001 was held on 7 June 2001 and was dubbed the quiet landslide by the media. ...

During Labour's second term, the Liberal Democrats won support due to their opposition to the war on Iraq, and Charles Kennedy expressed his goal of replacing the Conservatives as the main opposition. The party won seats from Labour in by-elections in Brent East in 2003 and Leicester South in 2004, and narrowly missed taking others in Birmingham Hodge Hill and Hartlepool. Combatants Coalition Forces: United States United Kingdom Poland Australia South Korea Romania Spain Portugal Italy others. ... The Conservative Party is the second largest political party in the United Kingdom in terms of sitting MPs, and the largest by of public membership. ... The Labour Party has been, since its founding in the early 20th century, the main left-wing political party of the United Kingdom. ... A by-election or bye-election is a special election held to fill a political office when the incumbent has died or resigned. ... The member of Parliament for Brent East, Paul Daisley, of the Labour Party died on June 18, 2003. ... Leicester South constituency, shown within Leicester. ... Hodge Hill constituency shown within Birmingham A by-election was held for the United Kingdom Parliament seat of Birmingham Hodge Hill, on July 15, the same day as the Leicester South by-election. ... Location of Hartlepool constituency On July 23, 2004, the Member of Parliament for Hartlepool, Peter Mandelson (Labour), was nominated as Britains new European Commissioner. ...

The Liberal Democrats are currently engaged in a debate on their future national direction. The party's increased support in recent years has come from both former Labour and former Conservative voters, due to the Lib Dems' positions on issues that unite the Labour left with liberal Conservatives: civil liberties, electoral reform, the War in Iraq and matters of trust and open government. However, whilst these two groups of potential supporters might agree with the party on these 'Lib Dem issues' (and disagree with the perceived authoritarianism of the government and main opposition), matters of economic policy present an obvious gap between the two groups that the party are still debating how and whether to bridge. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Electoral reform projects seek to change the way that public desires are reflected in elections through electoral systems. ... There have been three conflicts in the late 20th century and early 21st century called Gulf War, all of which refer to conflicts in the Persian Gulf region: Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988) (aka First Gulf War). ...

At the 2005 general election, the Liberal Democrats gained their highest share of the vote since the days of the SDP-Liberal Alliance, receiving 62 seats. However, many had anticipated that this election would prove to be the Lib Dem's great breakthrough at Westminster, with some party activists even hoping to reach 100 MPs. From this perspective, 2005 could be considered a wasted opportunity for the Liberal Democrats, although many commentators point to the unfairness of the first-past-the-post electoral system that sees the party get about one-quarter of the total votes but only one-tenth of the parliamentary seats. The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 and won by the Labour Party, led by Tony Blair. ... The SDP-Liberal Alliance was an electoral alliance of the Social Democratic Party and the Liberal Party in the UK that ran from 1981 to 1988, when the bulk of the two parties merged to form the Social and Liberal Democrats, later referred to as simply the Liberal Democrats. ... The first-past-the-post electoral system is a voting system for single-member districts, variously called first-past-the-post (FPTP or FPP), winner-take-all, plurality voting, or relative majority. ...

One of the more interesting trends observed at the election was the Lib Dems replacing the Conservatives as Labour's main opponents in several urban areas. Many of the party's gains came in previously Labour-held urban constituencies (e.g. Manchester Withington, Cardiff Central, Birmingham Yardley), and the party also notably achieved over 100 second-place finishes behind Labour candidates. The long-term implications of this trend in British politics could be profound, since the current British electoral system, if it is not reformed, makes it nearly impossible for the Conservatives to return a government without winning some city seats (such as Bristol West, where the Conservatives placed third after holding it until 1997, and which is now Lib Dem). This phenomenon could lead to the Conservatives receiving the largest number of votes but still not winning an MP parliamentary majority. Manchester Withington is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... Cardiff Central is a parliamentary constituency for the Parliament of the United Kingdom and the Welsh Assembly. ... Yardley constituency shown within Birmingham Birmingham Yardley is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... Bristol West is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ...

However, the Conservative's choice of David Cameron as leader in late 2005, along with continued speculation about Gordon Brown's imminent transition to the Labour leadership, led some senior Lib Dems to question whether Charles Kennedy was capable of dealing with the future challenges facing the party. In a personal statement on 5 January 2006, Charles Kennedy admitted to a long personal battle with alcoholism, and announced a leadership election. Despite initially planning to stand as a candidate, Kennedy soon decided to withdraw from the election and Sir Menzies Campbell took over as acting leader. Sir Menzies stood in and subsequently won the leadership contest, defeating rivals Chris Huhne and Simon Hughes. David William Donald Cameron (born 9 October 1966) is a British politician, Leader of the Conservative Party, and Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons. ... James Gordon Brown (born 20 February 1951) is the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the United Kingdom and a British Labour Party politician. ... January 5 is the 5th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Chris Huhne, Menzies Campbell and Simon Hughes at the London Hustings in Friends Meeting House on 23rd February The 2006 Liberal Democrats leadership election was won by Menzies Campbell. ... Sir Walter Menzies Campbell, CBE, QC (born 22 May 1941, Glasgow), also known as Ming Campbell, is a British politician. ... Christopher Murray Paul Huhne (born 2 July 1954) is a British Liberal Democrat politician and the current Member of Parliament for the Eastleigh constituency in Hampshire. ... Simon Hughes. ...

Under Sir Menzies Campbell, the Liberal Democrats have performed well, winning the Dunfermline and West Fife seat from Labour in a by-election in February 2006. This was viewed as a particular blow for Gordon Brown, who lives in the constituency, represents the adjacent seat, and was featured prominently in the campaign. Some polls have also shown that the Lib Dems under Campbell have gained support at Labour's expense[3]. Dunfermline and West Fife is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ...

Electoral results

In post-war United Kingdom general elections they have emerged as the third most popular party behind Labour and the Conservatives. In recent elections, the Liberal Democrats (or their precursor Alliance) have gained between 15% and 25% of the national vote. This is a list of United Kingdom general elections since 1802. ... The Labour Party has been, since its founding in the early 20th century, the main left-wing political party of the United Kingdom. ... The Conservative Party is the second largest political party in the United Kingdom in terms of sitting MPs, and the largest by of public membership. ...

The British first past the post electoral system does not reward parties whose vote is evenly divided across the nation with many seats in Parliament, and the Liberal Democrats and their forerunners have suffered in particular. This was especially true in 1983 and 1987 when their popular electoral support was greatest; their increase in the number of seats in 1997 and 2001 was largely due to the weakness of the Conservative Party in those elections. The UK general election, 1983 was held on June 9, 1983 and gave the Conservatives and Margaret Thatcher the most decisive election victory since that of Labour in 1945. ... The UK general election, 1987 was held on June 11, 1987 and was the third victory in a row for Margaret Thatcher and the Conservatives. ... The UK general election, 1992 was held on April 9, 1992, and was the fourth victory in a row for the Conservatives. ... The UK general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997. ... Tony Blair William Hague Charles Kennedy The UK general election, 2001 was held on 7 June 2001 and was dubbed the quiet landslide by the media. ... The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 and won by the Labour Party, led by Tony Blair. ... The First Past the Post electoral system, is a voting system for single-member districts. ...

The Liberal Democrats have generally performed better in local elections, and are a more significant force in local government, with 27 councils under Liberal Democrat majority control, and Lib Dems in joint control of many others. They have generally performed more poorly in elections to the European Parliament: for example in elections on 10 June 2004, the LibDem national share of the vote was 29% (giving them second place, ahead of Labour) in the local elections that day but only 15% in the simultaneous European elections (putting them in fourth place behind the United Kingdom Independence Party). The European Parliament building in Strasbourg The inside of the building The European Parliament (formerly European Parliamentary Assembly) is the parliamentary body of the European Union (EU), directly elected by EU citizens once every five years. ... June 10 is the 161st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (162nd in leap years), with 204 days remaining. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Elections to the European Parliament were held from June 10, 2004 to June 13, 2004 in the 25 member states of the European Union, using varying election days according to local custom. ... The United Kingdom Independence Party (commonly known as UKIP, pronounced you-kip) is a Eurosceptic political party that aims at British withdrawal from the European Union. ...

They have been coalition partners with Labour in the Scottish Parliament since its establishment in 1999, and were also in coalition with Labour in the National Assembly for Wales from 1999 to 2003. For the national legislative body up to 1707, see Parliament of Scotland. ... Lib-Lab Pact has been the term used to describe a working arrangement between the UKs political parties of the Liberals (later Liberal Democrats) and the Labour Party. ... The National Assembly for Wales (or NAfW) (Welsh: ) is a devolved assembly with power to make legislation in Wales, and is also responsible for most UK government departments in Wales. ...

In the 2006 local elections across England, the Lib Dems beat Labour into second place on the national share of the vote gained when they won 27% of the vote. However, this only resulted in a net gain of two Councillors. The Liberal Democrats continued to make gains from Labour in many northern cities. The Labour Party has been, since its founding in the early 20th century, the main left-wing political party of the United Kingdom. ...

Ideology

The Liberal Democrats describe their ideology as giving "power to the people". They state they are against the undemocratic concentration of power in unaccountable bodies. They propose decentralisation of power out of Westminster. They would also create a system of tiered government structures to make decisions at what they see as the right level, including regional assemblies, the European Union, and international organisations.

In keeping with the principle of decentralisation of power, the Liberal Democrats are keen protectors of civil liberties and oppose intervention of the state in personal affairs. For this reason, they have been popular amongst gay rights campaigners and campaigners for the decriminalisation of recreational drugs. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The gay rights movement is a collection of loosely aligned civil rights groups, human rights groups, support groups and political activists seeking acceptance, tolerance and equality for non-heterosexual, (homosexual, bisexual), and transgender people - despite the fact that it is typically referred to as the gay rights movement, members also...

Their opponents point to their support for the European Convention on Human Rights, even when its theories on separation of powers leads to more power being given to judges and regulatory bodies rather than elected politicians. They point to the Lib Dem desire for local decision making, and their complaints that different decisions in different locations can lead to a "postcode lottery" in the provision of public services. They also express surprise that the Lib Dems are so supportive of the European Union -- after all, a stronger EU inherently translates into more power for an unelected government, with decisions being taken at a higher, not lower, level. They are also criticised for not calling for reform of the European parliament despite the fact that different countries are not represented equally, which contradicts their 'giving power to the people'. The Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, also known as the European Convention on Human Rights, was adopted under the auspices of the Council of Europe in 1950 to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms. ... The separation of powers (or trias politica, a term coined by French political thinker Montesquieu) is a model for the governance of the state. ... UK postal codes are known as postcodes. ... Pro-European is a subjective term applied to a person who supports the European Union (EU) and/or further European integration, specifically in the context of political argument over the current and future status of the EU and its policies. ... The European Parliament building in Strasbourg The inside of the building The European Parliament (formerly European Parliamentary Assembly) is the parliamentary body of the European Union (EU), directly elected by EU citizens once every five years. ...

Left wing or right wing?

Since the governments of Herbert Henry Asquith and David Lloyd George the Liberal Democrats and their precursor Liberal party have been seen as the centrist party of British politics. However, with Tony Blair's repositioning of Labour to the centre whilst the Lib Dems have defined themselves as a centre or even explicitly centre left party, they are now effectively the most left-wing of the United Kingdom's three main parties. Lib Dems opposed the 2003 Invasion of Iraq, although they were the strongest advocates of the Kosovo War and before that, intervention in Bosnia. They favour higher taxes, but have also advocated 'pro-market' policies such as post office privatisation and the abolition of some government departments. The Right Honourable Herbert Henry Asquith, 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith, KG, PC (12 September 1852–15 February 1928) served as the Liberal Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1908 to 1916. ... David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd George of Dwyfor, OM, PC (17 January 1863 – 26 March 1945) was a British statesman and the last member of the Liberal Party to be Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. ... Anthony Charles Lynton Blair PC, MP (born 6 May 1953)[1] is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the UK Civil Service, Leader of the UK Labour Party, and Member of the UK Parliament for the constituency of Sedgefield in North East... In politics, centrism usually refers to the political ideal of promoting moderate policies which land in the middle ground between different political extremes. ... In politics, the term centre-left is commonly used to describe and denote political parties or organisations that stretch from the centre to the left or are moderately left-wing, as opposed to extreme left wing beliefs such as communism. ... Combatants Coalition Forces: United States United Kingdom Poland Australia South Korea Romania Spain Portugal Italy others. ... The term Kosovo War or Kosovo Conflict is often used to describe two sequential and at times parallel armed conflicts (a civil war followed by an international war) in the southern Serbian province called Kosovo (officially Kosovo and Metohia), part of the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. ... Combatants Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Predominantly Bosniak) Army of Republika Srpska, Yugoslav Peoples Army, various paramilitary units from Serbia and Montenegro (Serbian) Croatian Defence Council, Croatian Army (Croatian) Commanders Alija Izetbegović (President of Bosnia and Herzegovina) Sefer Halilović (Army chief of staff 1992-1993) Rasim... Privatization (sometimes privatisation, denationalization, or — especially in India — disinvestment) is the process of transferring property, from public ownership to private ownership. ...

Some claim that attempting to place the Liberal Democrats within the 'left wing'-'right wing' model does not accurately represent their ideology and that the Liberal Democrats represent the Libertarian end of the Libertarian-Authoritarian axis, a political dimension that is orthogonal to the better-known Left-Right axis. For example some Lib Dems oppose the power of the trade unions while others oppose the power of the corporations. In fact their actual 'position' in both instances is an opposition to unaccountable power - whether it be left wing or right wing. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... See also Libertarianism and Libertarian Party Libertarian,is a term for person who has made a conscious and principled commitment, evidenced by a statement or Pledge, to forswear violating others rights and usually living in voluntary communities: thus in law no longer subject to government supervision. ... The term authoritarian is used to describe an organization or a state which enforces strong and sometimes oppressive measures against the population, generally without attempts at gaining the consent of the population. ... In mathematics, orthogonal is synonymous with perpendicular when used as a simple adjective that is not part of any longer phrase with a standard definition. ... Sociologists usually define power as the ability to impose ones will on others, even if those others resist in some way. ...

Others argue that this is consistent with both twentieth and twenty first century British politics, which is in turn an example of the traditional left-right spectrum of political analysis. According to this view, liberalism or political centrism is consistent with a left-right analysis of politics. Thus when the Lib Dems oppose the trade unions, they do so from the centre of the political spectrum with the trade unions being to the left of them. When the Lib Dems oppose the power of the large corporations, they still do this from the centre of the political spectrum with the difference being that the corporations are to the right of them.

Using a two-dimensional scale, Political Compass has labeled the Liberal Democrats as central on economic issues but left-wing on social issues. Many would say that the party are more central-left on economic issues. The link to this chart can be found under the 'UK Election 2005' text on the navigation menu on the Political Compass website.

Left of Labour?

The shift in the political direction of Labour was initiated in the 1980s but accelerated in response to the party's fourth consecutive election defeat in 1992. Since the election of Tony Blair, the New Labour hierarchy have deliberately courted Conservative voters and even Conservative politicians on the basis that if they take the centre ground from the other parties, they gain power. In part they are able to do this because their own voters have nowhere to turn to the left of New Labour. Thus in recent years the Lib Dems have tried to a degree to accommodate these people, by adopting or at least making public, more social liberal policies. This approach has been successful to some degree. For example, the "Marxist" Tariq Ali implored Londoners to vote Lib Dem before the 2005 general election over the Iraq war. Marxism refers to the philosophy and social theory on one hand, and to the political practice based on Marxist theory on the other hand (namely, parts of the First International during Marxs time, communist parties and later states). ... Tariq Ali Tariq Ali (born 1943) is an author, filmmaker, and historian. ...

In September 2005, however, there was a discussion at the Lib Dems conference as to whether the social liberal ideals have taken them as far as they can go, and whether they should now move back to the right in order to court Conservative voters. This could involve abolishing support for policies such as a proposed 50% tax rate for those who earn over £100,000. This policy proposal in particular has been used by the Conservative press to paint the party as 'left wing' and as such, this policy risks losing borderline and better off Lib Dem/Conservative voters. Proponents of a move to the right argue that left-wing policies could see the Lib Dems losing marginal seats to the Conservatives, seats which are vital if the Lib Dems wish to become the new 'official' opposition to any future Labour government. Opponents argue that the Lib Dems can unite the anti-Conservative vote in such marginal constituencies, and moving to the right risks losing other marginals in urban areas to the Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru. They claim also that any move to the right could harm the Lib Dems in local elections, especially with the recent notable successes of the Greens. They also argue that a move to the right could lead not just to a loss of Lib Dem vote share, but also to a depressing of total turnout. In Scotland, the Scottish National Party (SNP) is a centre-left political party which campaigns for Scottish independence. ... Plaid, also known in full as Plaid Cymru (pronounced IPA: ) – The Party of Wales, is the principal nationalist political party in Wales. ... The Green Party of England and Wales (GPEW) is the principal Green political party in England and Wales. ...

Policies

The Liberal Democrats' constitution speaks of "a fair, free and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality and community, and in which no-one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity. We champion the freedom, dignity and well-being of individuals". To this end:

• They support civil liberties, and have opposed the more authoritarian of Labour's anti-terror laws (e.g., detention without trial).
• They support more open government, including substantial reforms to increase parliamentary oversight of the executive.
• They are federalists and support the decentralisation of power to the lowest possible level.
• They support "free education for all" and propose to abolish university tuition fees and set up a system of Government grants for university students.
• They propose a substantial non-means tested increase in pensions.
• They support anti-discrimination laws. 25 Lib Dem MPs signed EDM710 calling on the government to extend the protections for religious groups, in respect of discrimination in the provisions of goods, facilities and services, to lesbians and gay men.
• They are in favour of introducing a local income tax in place of the current council tax, which is collected based on the value of the taxpayer's house in 1991.
• They are in favour of full UK participation in the European Union and an early referendum on joining the Euro. The party has a 'neutral/yes' view on joining the Euro and would only support joining the Euro if a referendum were to be held.
• They are in favour of proportional representation for elections to the House of Commons, preferably by the STV system.
• They are in favour of abolishing the House of Lords and replacing it with an elected chamber.
• They would fund 10,000 police officers (on top of Labour’s plans) and provide an extra 20,000 community support officers to back them up. Furthermore they would equip the police with new technology to tackle crime and cut time spent on paperwork.
• They oppose the British national identity card. They support the use of biometrics in passports only, but the database behind these passports would carry only the information on the passport plus the biometric match.^[1]
• They would establish a National Border Agency, bringing together officers from immigration, the police and customs, whose responsibilities currently overlap. This agency would deal with cross border crime, illegal immigration, terrorism and fraud.^[1]
• They oppose the "protectionist labour market restrictions" imposed by many European governments on legal migrants from the new EU member states. ^[2]
• They would cut down on illegal working by inspecting employers and bringing prosecutions against those who use illegal labour.^[1]
• They would use phone-taps and other ‘intercept communications’ as evidence in court against terrorist suspects, making prosecution easier.^[1]

The most well-known Liberal Democrat policy for most of the 1990s was to increase the basic rate of income tax by one percent to fund public services (especially education). This proposal was recently abandoned after Tony Blair's Labour government increased national insurance contributions by the same amount, a policy with much the same effect. Their current fiscal policies aim at increasing the top rate of income tax by 10 percent to 50% for those earning over £100,000 to fund their increased public spending plans, and to replace Council Tax with local income taxes. In 2003 the Liberal Democrats started to make their long-held pledge to abolish Council Tax a centrepiece of their campaign. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 or ATCSA is a British Act of Parliament introduced as emergency legislation after the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York. ... The term federalist refers to a proponent of one of several different ideologies, depending on the locale or subject matter. ... Top-up fees (not their official name) are a new way of charging tuition to undergraduate and PGCE students who study at universities in the United Kingdom from the 2006-2007 academic year onwards. ... The Council Tax is the main form of local taxation in England, Scotland and Wales. ... ISO 4217 Code EUR User(s) European Union; Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, Vatican City, Montenegro, Kosovo, French Guiana, Réunion, Saint-Pierre et Miquelon, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte and Ã…land. ... Proportional representation (sometimes referred to as full representation, or PR), is an electoral system delivering a close match between the percentage of votes that the political parties obtain in elections and the percentage of seats they receive in legislative assemblies. ... The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... This STV ballot for the Australian Senate illustrates group voting tickets. ... This article is about the British House of Lords. ... The British national identity card is to be introduced in 2008, under the provisions of the Identity Cards Act 2006. ... At Disney World, biometric measurements are taken of the fingers of multi-day pass users to ensure that the pass is used by the same person from day to day. ... The title page of European Union member state passports bears the name European Union, then the name of the issuing country, in the official languages of all EU countries. ... Illegal immigration refers to a immigration of people across national borders —in violation of the immigration laws of the country of destination. ... This article is becoming very long. ... Anthony Charles Lynton Blair PC, MP (born 6 May 1953)[1] is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the UK Civil Service, Leader of the UK Labour Party, and Member of the UK Parliament for the constituency of Sedgefield in North East... The Labour Party has been, since its founding in the early 20th century, the main left-wing political party of the United Kingdom. ... UK Income Tax and National Insurance (2005–2006) UK Income Tax and National Insurance as a % of Salary (2005–2006) National Insurance is a system of taxes, and related social security benefits, that has operated in the United Kingdom since its introduction in 1911, and wider extension by the government... The Council Tax is the main form of local taxation in England, Scotland and Wales. ...

The Liberal Democrats opposed UK participation in the 2003 Iraq war prior to the conflict, but stated that they would support UK forces that had been ordered to fight while it was taking place. After the initial military action was completed, they renewed their political opposition. Combatants Coalition Forces: United States United Kingdom Poland Australia South Korea Romania Spain Portugal Italy others. ...

The period after 2001 saw an internal discussion about the right policies for the party on economics and public spending, with some party members advocating that the party position itself as a defender of the traditional welfare state in order to gain support from those who had previously voted Labour. Others, most notably David Laws, advocated a policy of smaller government and laissez-faire (the "Orange Book" published in 2004 was an example of this wing of the Liberal discussion). The party announced its policy of abolishing the Department for Trade and Industry in 2004. It has been suggested that Welfare capitalism be merged into this article or section. ... The Labour Party has been, since its founding in the early 20th century, the main left-wing political party of the United Kingdom. ... David Anthony Laws (born 30 November 1965) is a politician in the United Kingdom. ... Laissez-faire is short for laissez faire, laissez passer, a French phrase meaning to let things alone, let them pass. First used by the eighteenth century Physiocrats as an injunction against government interference with trade, it is now used as a synonym for strict free market economics. ... The Orange Book - Reclaiming Liberalism (ISBN 1861977972) is a book written by a group of prominent British Liberal Democrat politicians and edited by David Laws and Paul Marshall in 2004. ... The Department of Trade and Industry is a United Kingdom government department. ...

Current party policies can be found on the party website:

• Most recent manifesto (external link)
• Detailed policy papers (external link)

The Liberal Democrats are a member party of the Liberal International and the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party and their 12 MEPs form part of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) group in the European Parliament. The Liberal International is an international organization for international liberal parties. ... The European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party (founded in 1993) is a liberal party, active in the European Union, uniting liberal and centrist parties around Europe which together represent more than 20 million European voters and is an international non-profit association incorporated under the laws of Belgium. ... ALDE logo The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (French: Alliance des Démocrates et des Libéraux pour lEurope) is a Group in the European Parliament. ... The European Parliament building in Strasbourg The inside of the building The European Parliament (formerly European Parliamentary Assembly) is the parliamentary body of the European Union (EU), directly elected by EU citizens once every five years. ...

Proportional representation

Unlike the other main political parties in the United Kingdom, the Lib Dems have always strongly advocated Proportional representation. This has always been a cornerstone of the Party's policies, and on many occasions has been cited as a key requirement of any Lib Dem involvement in a coalition government. Several deals have been struck with Labour and Conservative leaders in the past, promising Liberal and Lib Dem support in return for a commitment to consider the introduction of PR, but the two major parties have always found it more advantageous to stick with first-past-the-post. Proportional representation (sometimes referred to as full representation, or PR), is an electoral system delivering a close match between the percentage of votes that the political parties obtain in elections and the percentage of seats they receive in legislative assemblies. ... A coalition government, or coalition cabinet, is a cabinet in parliamentary government in which several parties cooperate. ... The first-past-the-post electoral system is a voting system for single-member districts, variously called first-past-the-post (FPTP or FPP), winner-take-all, plurality voting, or relative majority. ...

Both the Liberal Democrats and its Liberal and SDP predecessors have suffered under the current first past the post voting system. They have maintained a substantial part of the popular vote while being unable to focus that support in specific constituencies. This has been less of a problem in the 2001 and 2005 general elections, with the party focusing its resources on key winnable constituencies. Many credit this to the party's chief election strategist Lord Rennard. This article is about the historic Liberal Party. ... The Social Democratic Party (SDP) was a political party of the United Kingdom that existed nationwide between 1981 and 1988. ... The plurality voting system, also known as first past the post, is a voting system used to elect a single winner in a given election. ... A constituency is any cohesive corporate unit or body bound by shared structures, goals or loyalty. ... Christopher John Chris Rennard, Baron Rennard (born 1960) is a British Liberal Democrat politician. ...

There is currently a debate within the party as to whether this should remain such a high-profile issue. Indeed it is not certain that proportional representation would benefit the Lib Dems, who have performed less well than expected in elections using such a system (e.g. elections to the European Parliament). The European Parliament building in Strasbourg The inside of the building The European Parliament (formerly European Parliamentary Assembly) is the parliamentary body of the European Union (EU), directly elected by EU citizens once every five years. ...

The party has usually advocated the adoption of the single transferable vote with multi-member constituencies. A common debate in the party revolves around whether or not to give support to other forms of proportional representation that the party regards as flawed, such as the closed party lists for the European Parliament, since it may make it harder to achieve the single transferable vote. This STV ballot for the Australian Senate illustrates group voting tickets. ...

Internal factions

Broadly speaking, Liberal Democrats can be classified into two main political factions:

Social liberals have dominated the party since its formation in 1988. Drawing inspiration from the likes of David Lloyd George, William Beveridge and John Maynard Keynes, individuals from this wing of the party are keen advocates of the welfare state, higher taxation, and of government regulation to protect consumers, employees and the environment. Support for civil liberties and human rights is key to the social liberal outlook. Examples of social liberals within the modern parliamentary party include Paul Holmes, Norman Baker and Simon Hughes. Social liberalism is either a synonym for new liberalism or a label used by progressive liberal parties in order to differentiate themselves from the more conservative liberal parties, especially when there are two or more liberal parties in a country. ... David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd George of Dwyfor, OM, PC (17 January 1863 – 26 March 1945) was a British statesman and the last member of the Liberal Party to be Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. ... William Henry Beveridge, 1st Baron Beveridge of Tuggal (March 5, 1879 – 16 March 1963) was a British economist and social reformer. ... John Maynard Keynes (right) and Harry Dexter White at the Bretton Woods Conference John Maynard Keynes, 1st Baron Keynes, CB (pronounced canes, IPA ) (5 June 1883 – 21 April 1946) was a British economist whose ideas, called Keynesian economics, had a major impact on modern economic and political theory as well... It has been suggested that Welfare capitalism be merged into this article or section. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Human rights are rights which some hold to be inalienable and belonging to all humans. ... Paul Holmes MP Paul Robert Holmes (born 16 January 1957) is a politician in the United Kingdom. ... Norman John Baker (born 26 July 1957 in Aberdeen) is a British politician. ... Simon Hughes. ...

The free-market liberal or Libertarian wing of the party shares with social liberals a belief in basic civil and political freedoms (negative freedoms). However, whereas social liberals further argue that the state should provide additional social and economic rights to its citizens (positive freedoms), market liberals take a non-interventionist approach and are critical of government's ability to increase freedom. This often manifests itself as support for greater economic freedom, causing some tension between the two wings of the party. Many MPs from this wing contributed to the Orange Book (2004), a collection of essays intended to spark debate on a greater role for free-market liberalism in party policy, which led some commentators to question whether the party was undergoing a shift to the right. Some party donors, elements of the media and many non-urban elected party officials are known to back this wing of the party.^{[citation needed]} Leading market liberals within the parliamentary party include Vincent Cable, David Laws and Chris Huhne. As a market-emphasized descendant of classical liberalism, market liberalism advocates full freedom of markets, without e. ... See also Libertarianism and Libertarian Party Libertarian,is a term for person who has made a conscious and principled commitment, evidenced by a statement or Pledge, to forswear violating others rights and usually living in voluntary communities: thus in law no longer subject to government supervision. ... The philosophical concept of negative liberty refers to an individuals liberty from being subjected to the authority of others. ... Positive liberty is an idea that was first expressed and analyzed as a separate conception of liberty by John Stuart Mill but most notably described by Isaiah Berlin. ... The Orange Book - Reclaiming Liberalism (ISBN 1861977972) is a book written by a group of prominent British Liberal Democrat politicians and edited by David Laws and Paul Marshall in 2004. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Vincent Cable Dr (John) Vincent Cable (born 9 May 1943, York) is a British Liberal Democrat politician and economist. ... David Anthony Laws (born 30 November 1965) is a politician in the United Kingdom. ... Christopher Murray Paul Huhne (born 2 July 1954) is a British Liberal Democrat politician and the current Member of Parliament for the Eastleigh constituency in Hampshire. ...

It would be easy, but misleading, to presume to characterise these two wings of the party as consisting of former SDP members and former Liberal Party members respectively. However, many prominent social liberals (including Paddy Ashdown) were former Liberal MPs, whereas some prominent market liberals (such as Vincent Cable) came to the Liberal Democrats from the SDP. Content of personnel in these two wings are almost totally unrelated to such former party affiliation, whereas some ideological features of these wings can be said to have been stronger represented in former element parties. The Right Honourable Jeremy John Durham Ashdown, Baron Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon, GCMG, KBE, PC, (born 27 February 1941), invariably known as Paddy Ashdown, is a British politician, who was leader of the Liberal Democrats from 1988 until 1999. ... Vincent Cable Dr (John) Vincent Cable (born 9 May 1943, York) is a British Liberal Democrat politician and economist. ...

Structure

The Liberal Democrats are a federal party comprising the state parties of Wales, Scotland and England, with around 72,000 members in total. Scotland and England are further split into regional parties. There are a number of Specified Associated Organisations (SAOs), representing particular groupings such as Ethnic Minorities (EMLD), Women (WLD), LGBT people (Delga), Youth & Student (LDYS), Trade Unionists (ALDTU), Engineers & Scientists (ALDES), Parliamentary Candidates (PCA) and Local Councillors (ALDC) which formally review and input to party policy. Other groups can become Associated Organisations (AOs) as pressure groups within the party.One group notable by their omission are the Liberal Clubs(NULC). Delga is the LGBT organisation of the British Liberal Democrats political party, the full name being Liberal Democrats for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Action. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... PCA may stand for: Pacific Coast Academy (Zoey 101) Parti Communiste Algérien (Algerian Communist Party) Partido Comunista de Andalucía (Communist Party of Andalusia) Partido Comunista de Aragón (Communist Party of Aragon) Partido Comunista de la Argentina (Communist Party of Argentina) Pacific Coast Academy, the fictional school in...

The Parliamentary Parties - in the House of Commons, in the House of Lords and in the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly - form semi-autonomous units within the party. The leaders in the House of Commons and the Scottish Parliament are the leaders of the federal party and of the Scottish Party; the leaders in the other two chambers and the other officers of all the parliamentary parties are elected by those parties from amongst their own number. With the great expansion of the Parliamentary Parties and the increase in the finance available to those organisations, such as Short money in recent years, the Parliamentary parties have become a challenge to the power of the official party institutions. The power battle between federal officers and Parliamentary officers is ongoing. Short Money is the common name given to the annual payment to Opposition parties in the United Kingdom House of Commons to help them with their costs. ...

The Liberal Democrats, like the Conservatives, organise in Northern Ireland. However, unlike the Conservatives, the Lib Dems have chosen not to contest elections in the province. Instead, they have opted to work with the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland, with the de facto agreement that the Liberal Democrats will support the Alliance Party in elections. Indeed, many individuals, including several notable parliamentarians, hold membership of both parties. Alliance members of the House of Lords take the Liberal Democrat whip on non-Northern Ireland issues, and the Alliance Party always maintains a stall set out at the Liberal Democrat Party Conference. The Conservative Party is the second largest political party in the United Kingdom in terms of sitting MPs, and the largest by of public membership. ... Motto: (French for God and my right)2 Anthem: UK: God Save the Queen Regional: (De facto) Londonderry Air Capital Belfast Largest city Belfast Official language(s) English (De facto), Irish, Ulster Scots 3 Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister Tony Blair MP  - First Minister Office suspended... The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland (APNI), is a political party operating in Northern Ireland. ... This article is about the British House of Lords. ... In politics, a whip is a member of a political party in a legislature whose task is to ensure that members of the party attend and vote as the party leadership desires. ...

See also

• List of Liberal Democrat MPs
• Liberalism
• Contributions to liberal theory
• Liberalism worldwide
• List of liberal parties
• Liberal democracy
• Liberalism in the United Kingdom
• LDYS
• British politics
• Federalism
• Community politics
• EARS
• SDP
• Glee Club
• The Land
• Beveridge Group

This is a list of Liberal Democrat MPs. ... Liberalism is an ideology, philosophical view, and political tradition which holds that liberty is the primary political value. ... This is an (partial) overview of individuals that contributed to the development of liberal theory on a worldwide scale and therefore are strongly associated with the liberal tradition and instrumental in the exposition of political liberalism as a philosophy. ... This article discusses liberalism as a major political current in specific regions and countries. ... This is an overview of parties that adhere more or less (explicitly) to the ideas of political liberalism and is therefore a list of liberal parties around the world. ... This article or section is missing references or citation of sources. ... This article gives an overview of liberalism in the United Kingdom. ... Liberal Democrat Youth and Students (LDYS) are the youth and student group of the UK Liberal Democrats. ... The United Kingdom is a unitary state and a democratic constitutional monarchy. ... Federalism is the idea of a group or body of members that are bound together (latin: foedus, covenant) with a governing representative head. ... Community politics is a movement in British politics to re-engage people with political action on a local level. ... EARS, the Election Agents Retrieval System, is a piece of electoral software used primarily by the Liberal Democrats to record canvassing statistics, plan polling day action and predict election results using the Richmond formula. ... The Social Democratic Party (SDP) was a political party of the United Kingdom that existed nationwide between 1981 and 1988. ... The Glee Club is a traditional event in the Liberal Assembly and UK Liberal Democrat party conference, consisting of a public singing around a piano. ... The Land is a protest song, traditionally sung by the Georgist movement in pursuit and promotion of Land Value Taxation. ... The Beveridge Group is a centre-left ginger group within the Liberal Democrat party in the UK. It was set up in 2001 by MPs Alistair Carmichael, Paul Holmes, John Barrett and John Pugh to promote debate within the party regarding public service provision. ...

Leaders of the Liberal Democrats

• David Steel and Robert Maclennan, 1988 (interim)
• Paddy Ashdown, 1988 – 1999
• Charles Kennedy, 1999 – 2006
• Sir Menzies Campbell, 2006 –

Further information: Liberal Democrats leadership election, 2006

David Martin Scott Steel, Baron Steel of Aikwood KT PC KBE (born March 31, 1938) is a British and Scottish politician and a Liberal Democrat member of the UK House of Lords. ... Robert Adam Ross Maclennan, Baron Maclennan of Rogart, PC (born June 26, 1936), educated at Balliol College, Oxford, is a British Liberal Democrat politician. ... The Right Honourable Jeremy John Durham Ashdown, Baron Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon, GCMG, KBE, PC, (born 27 February 1941), invariably known as Paddy Ashdown, is a British politician, who was leader of the Liberal Democrats from 1988 until 1999. ... Rt. ... Sir Walter Menzies Campbell, CBE, QC (born 22 May 1941, Glasgow), also known as Ming Campbell, is a British politician. ... Chris Huhne, Menzies Campbell and Simon Hughes at the London Hustings in Friends Meeting House on 23rd February The 2006 Liberal Democrats leadership election was won by Menzies Campbell. ...

Deputy Leaders of the Parliamentary Party of the Liberal Democrats

Vincent Cable

• Russell Johnston, 1988 - 1992
• Alan Beith, 1992 - 2003
• Sir Menzies Campbell, 2003 – 2006
• Vincent Cable, 2006 -

Further information: Liberal Democrats deputy leadership election, 2006

Image courtesy Liberal Democrats. ... Image courtesy Liberal Democrats. ... Vincent Cable Dr (John) Vincent Cable (born 9 May 1943, York) is a British Liberal Democrat politician and economist. ... The Right Honourable David Russell Johnston, Baron Russell-Johnston, PC (born July 28, 1932) is a leading Scottish Liberal Democrat politician. ... Alan Beith The Right Honourable Alan James Beith April 20, 1943) British politician, and the Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Berwick-upon-Tweed. ... Sir Walter Menzies Campbell, CBE, QC (born 22 May 1941, Glasgow), also known as Ming Campbell, is a British politician. ... Vincent Cable Dr (John) Vincent Cable (born 9 May 1943, York) is a British Liberal Democrat politician and economist. ... The 2006 Liberal Democrats deputy leadership election began on March 2, 2006 when the sitting Deputy Leader Sir Menzies Campbell was elected leader of the party. ...

Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet

Further information: Liberal Democrat Frontbench Team

The Liberal Democrats are the third-largest political party in the United Kingdom. ...

External links

• Liberal Democrats official site

Party sub-organisations

• Scottish Liberal Democrats
• Welsh Liberal Democrats
• London Assembly Liberal Democrats
• Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidates Association
• Delga: Liberal Democrats for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Action
• Liberal Democrat Youth & Students
• Liberal International British Group
• Liberal Future
• The Beveridge Group

• Liberal Democrats websites directory

Historical information

• Liberal Democrat History Group
• An archive of Liberal/SDP/Liberal Democrat electoral manifestos from 1900-present

Category listings

• Open Directory Project Liberal Democrats
• Yahoo! Liberal Democrat Party

Miscellaneous

• An overview of upcoming Liberal Democrat meetings around the country
• Guardian Unlimited Politics - Special Report: Liberal Democrats
• Liberal Democrats and Software patents
• Liberator - a British liberal publication
• Lord Bonkers' Liberal Satire from Rutland
• Liberal Review, a review of Liberal Democrat blogs and media
• Lib Dem Blogs, an aggregator of Liberal Democrat blogs
• United4Belarus, a campaign, run by the Liberal Democrat Youth and Students for democracy in upcoming Belarussian presidential elections