A Short History of the Liberal Party 1900–1997

Ten years have now passed since the birth of the Liberal Democrats in 1988. Under the widely-acclaimed leadership of Paddy Ashdown the party now has over 5,000 councillors and its strongest parliamentary presence since the days of Lloyd George. The changing fortunes of the Liberals, from the landslide victory of 1906 through the divisions and decline of the interwar years to the repeated revivals since Orpington, are the subject of this highly topical and authoritative history. This concise survey examines not only the electoral fortunes of the party (including a detailed analysis of its broad advance in the 1997 election) but also the personalities, policies and prospects of the contemporary party in the changed political landscape of the late 1990s. Although a book designed for students of history and politics, this timely volume will be essential reading for journalists, political commentators and party activists - indeed, for all those interested in the Liberal Democrat performance in the 1997 election and their prospects as the new century approaches.