1976-1988
The two Davids: Steel versus Owen
In 1981 the alliance between the Liberal Party and the newly founded SDP was agreed; the two parties would fight elections together on a joint platform with join candidates. Between 1983 and 1987, however, the working relationship between the Liberal leader, David Steel, and his SDP counterpart, Dr David Owen, became increasingly marked by tension…
Ulster’s Liberal MP
Review of Ruth Illingworth, Sheelagh Murnaghan – Stormont’s only Liberal MP (Ulster Historical Foundation, 2019).
Hampshire Liberals
Review of Martin Kyrle, Liberals in Hampshire: a part(l)y history, Part 4, Eastleigh 1978–85 (Sarsen Press, 2020).
Why did the SDP fail?
Review of Patricia Lee Sykes, Losing from the Inside (2nd edn., Routledge, originally published 1989, republished 2018 as an e-book).
The twisting path
Review of Tudor Jones, The Uneven Path of British Liberalism: from Jo Grimond to Brexit (2nd edn., Manchester University Press, 2019).
The 1979 general election
Report of evening meeting, 3 February 2020 with David (Lord) Steel and Professor Sir John Curtice. Chair: Lord Wallace. To access this content, you must purchase Annual subscription (digital) – unwaged rate or Annual subscription (digital) – standard rate.
Robert Maclennan (Lord Maclennan of Rogart)
A look back at the life and career of the third leader of the SDP. To access this content, you must purchase Annual subscription (digital) – unwaged rate or Annual subscription (digital) – standard rate.
Anarchism and Liberalism 1880-1980
Some anarchists were successfully influential in liberal networks, starting with many New Liberal networks around the beginning of the 20th Century. My thesis focuses on this earlier period but I am interested in anarchist influences on liberalism throughout the twentieth century. If any readers can help with informing me of their own personal experiences of…