@LibHistoryToday

Discussion and research on histories of the Lib Dems and predecessors, Liberal Party and SDP, and of Liberalism. Publish quarterly Journal of Liberal History.

 United Kingdom
liberalhistory.org.uk/
Joined February 2013
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We're now on YouTube - you can watch many of our previous talks and meetings here! Let us know what else you would want to see. youtube.com/channel/UCOSDXWa…

Liberal Democrat History Group

The Liberal Democrat History Group promotes the discussion and research of topics relating to the histories of the British Liberal Democrats and its predecessor parties, the Liberal Party and the...

youtube.com
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#OTD 1981 1/3 - William "Bill" Pitt wins the Croydon North West by-election for the Liberal/SDP Alliance. The by-election had been caused by the death of the sitting Conservative MP Robert Taylor. Liberal and SDP leaders were keen for Shirley Williams to stand...
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2/3 - ...for the Alliance but the local Liberal Association backed by the Party Council refused to play ball and selected three time candidate Bill Pitt. Pitt, standing as a "Liberal with SDP support," duly won the by-election moving from third place to win...
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3/3 - ...with a 3,254 majority on a swing of 24.2%. Pitt remained MP for the rest of the parliament but lost the seat to the Tories at the 1983 election.
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#OTD 1784 Birth of Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston, Tory then Whig MP for Newport 1807-11, Cambridge University 1811-31, Bletchingly 1831-32, Hampshire South 1832-35 and Tiverton 1835-65. Prime Minister 1855-58 and 1859-65.
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#OTD 1922 1/3 - David Lloyd George resigns as Prime Minister. On 18 October 1922, the Conservative Reginald Clarry won a by-election at Newport in Monmouthshire, signalling a grassroots Tory revolt against the coalition government of Conservatives and Lloyd George Liberals.
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2/3 - A meeting of Conservative MPs had been organised at the Carlton Club for the next day and in the aftermath of the by-election result, triumphant anti-coalition MPs won the day and voted to fight the next election as an independent party.
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3/3 - On hearing the news LL.G resigned, although he remained as Prime Minister until 23 October, as Bonar Law refused to take up the post until he had been elected as leader of the Tory Party. Lloyd George remains the last Liberal to hold the office of Prime Minister.
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#OTD 1865 1/5 - Death of Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston, Tory then Whig MP for Newport 1807-11, Cambridge University 1811-31, Bletchingly 1831-32, Hampshire South 1832-35 and Tiverton 1835-65. Prime Minister 1855-58 and 1859-65.
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4/5 - ...in the 1850s and 60s. His rather carefree approach to politics belied a serious purpose. He was a passionate opponent of slavery and during his two periods as Prime Minister, he ended the Crimean War, reformed the divorce laws and regulated company law.
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5/5 - On his death, Palmerston was given a state funeral - one of only four prime ministers to be granted such an honour.
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#OTD 1981 1/2 - The SDP and the Welsh Liberals meet in Llandrindod Wells to agree which party will contest each parliamentary constituency in Wales on behalf of the Alliance at the next General Election.
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2/2 - This was the first time that the parties had formally agreed an electoral pact anywhere in the UK.
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#OTD 1959 1/5 - Happy birthday to Tessa Munt, MP for Wells 2010-15 and Wells & Mendip Hills since 2024. Born in Surrey, Tessa Munt was educated at Reigate County School for Girls and Sutton High School. Before entering parliament, she worked in a variety of jobs including for...
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4/5 - Out of parliament in 2015 Munt was elected to Somerset County Council, defeating the then council leader and served in the council cabinet. Tessa Munt returned to parliament in 2024 for the new seat of Wells and Mendip Hills and...
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5/5 - ...and is currently a member of the Administration and Justice Select Committees.
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#OTD 1951 1/2 - Britain's first party political broadcast on television is delivered for the Liberals by 81-year-old Lord Herbert Samuel, Liberal leader in the House of Lords. The broadcast, made live was not considered a success as Samuel read from a prepared script...
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2/2 - ...and did not look at the camera. The broadcast was cut short as Samuel mistakenly gave the pre-arranged signal that he had finished too early and was faded out in mid-sentence.
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