Read about the work of the volunteer-run Liberal Democrat History Group. It produces the quarterly Journal of Liberal History as well as running public events and supporting the publication of books about the history of the Liberal Democrats and its predecessor parties.
For the latest edition of the Journal of Liberal History, I wrote up a report of our fringe meeting held at the party’s spring conference on the subject of Lords reform. … Read the full post »
Some forgotten figures of Liberal history may deserve their obscurity, but most remain an unmined source. … Read the full post »
With the Liberal Democrat (federal party) spring conference coming up in Sheffield on 11-13th March, I am going to be doing a series of posts previewing some of the main items up for debate. … Read the full post »
It has become a Liberal Democrat History Group tradition at the first Liberal Democrat conference after each general election to hold a fringe meeting looking back on the results. … Read the full post »
Soon after becoming Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg promised “the most significant programmes of reform by a British government since the 19th century…. the biggest shake-up of our democracy since 1832.” … Read the full post »
William Lamb, second Viscount Melbourne, was at the centre of Whig social circles. The second son of Peniston Lamb, first Viscount Melbourne, he followed a normal early life for sons of Whig magnates. … Read the full post »
Charles Grey, second Earl Grey, Viscount Howick and Baron Grey, was the Prime Minister who oversaw the Great Reform Act of 1832, which overhauled the country’s parliamentary electoral system and was the culmination of two years of intense political crisis. … Read the full post »
I was over in East Putney earlier today to hear Anthony Barnett talk at a Liberal Democrat event on constitutional reform. … Read the full post »
William Gladstone’s legacy for modern political parties was the subject for discussion at the January meeting of the Liberal Democrat History Group. … Read the full post »
On 6 June 1859, at Willis’s Rooms in King Street, St James, London, three groups of MPs – Radicals, Whigs and Peelites – met to formalise their parliamentary coalition to oust the Conservative government of Lord Derby and bring in a new administration under Lord Palmerston. Thus was born the first Liberal government. … Read the full post »