Liberal Democrats

Former Liberal Democratic party leader Paddy Ashdown. Born in New Delhi, India, in 1941, Ashdown served in the British Royal Marines between 1959 and 1972. After stints in the Foreign Office and local industry, he was leader of the Liberal Democratic party from 1988 until 1999.

UK political party of the centre, led since 1999 by Charles Kennedy. Britain's third main party, the Liberal Democrats are successors to the Liberal Party and the Social Democratic Party, which merged in 1998 to form the Social and Liberal Democrats (SLD). The name Liberal Democrats was adopted in 1989. It is a progressive party, which supports closer integration within the European Union, constitutional reform (including proportional representation and regional government), and greater investment in state education and the National Health Service, financed by higher direct taxes. The party has strong libertarian and environmentalist wings. It has been in coalition, with Labour, in the Scottish Parliament since 1999, and in the Welsh Assembly since 2000. It won 62 seats at the 2005 general election - the best result for the Liberals and their successors for more than 70 years.

Under the leadership of Paddy Ashdown (1988-99) the Liberal Democrats became close allies of ‘New Labour’, which won power in 1997. Liberal Democrats were given seats by Prime Minister Tony Blair on a joint cabinet committee, which discussed constitutional issues, Europe, health, and education. Since 1999, with Kennedy as leader, relations with Labour have remained cordial, but less close. On certain issues, such as government investment in education and the health service, the Liberal Democrats have moved, in many voters' minds, to the left of New Labour. At both the 1997 and 2001 general elections, the Liberal Democrats benefited from anti-Conservative tactical voting by Labour supporters in marginal seats to return a larger than anticipated number of members of Parliament (MPs).

Federal party policy is established by a party conference, held twice a year in spring and autumn, and attended by elected representatives from constituency parties. Separate Scottish and Welsh conferences set policy for the party in Scotland and Wales. The Liberal Democrat leader is elected by party members on the basis of one member one vote.