LiberalHistoryToday

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

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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.

https://t.co/zNs6TrmdOA

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We are very sorry to hear the news of the death of Michael Meadowcroft on 1 June - author, activist, Liberal MP 1983-87, member of the Journal of Liberal History Editorial Board, a thoughtful and generous Liberal. We'll carry a full obituary in the summer issue of the Journal.

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Speaker meeting on Liberals and Trade Unions: The General Strike of 1926 - 6.00pm, Monday 29 June, National Liberal Club; NLC meeting - Gladstone & Ireland - a search for peace and justice - 6.45pm, Friday 5 June. https://t.co/3UP3FqR0RC

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#OTD 1762: The Duke of Newcastle submits his resignation as Prime Minister to King George III ending his second ministry.

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#OTD 1941: Birth of Menzies "Ming" Campbell, leader of the Liberal Democrats 2006-07, Liberal and Liberal Democrat MP for North East Fife from 1987 to 2015, and life peer as Baron Campbell of Pittenweem.

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#OTD 1929: Death of Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl Rosebery, Liberal statesman and writer, Prime Minister 1894-95.

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#OTD 1867: John Stuart Mill speaks in Parliament in favour of female suffrage: 'taxation and representation should be co-extensive. Do not women pay taxes?'

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#OTD 1898: Death of William Ewart Gladstone, four times Liberal Prime Minister, at age 89. He passed away in the morning with nine members of his family and three doctors surrounding his bed, at his estate Hawarden Castle.

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#OTD 1872: Birth of Bertrand Russell, philosopher, writer and mathematician. He was grandson of Liberal Prime Minister Lord John Russell and godson of John Stuart Mill. Russell described himself as a liberal, socialist and pacifist.

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#OTD 2010: A Special Conference in Birmingham approves the coalition agreement with the Conservatives paving the way for the Coalition Government.

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#OTD 1730: Birth of Charles Watson Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham, Whig statesman and Prime Minister 1765-66 and 1782.

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#OTD 1976: Following the resignation of Jeremy Thorpe on 9th May, Jo Grimond succeeds him as temporary leader of the Liberal Party. Grimond had previously led the party between 5th November 1956 and 17th January 1967.

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New Journal of Liberal History published; meeting on 'Liberals and Trade Unions: The General Strike of 1926' on 29 June; meeting on 'Lloyd George - does it take a dynamic force to succeed in a challenging world?' on 12 May: https://t.co/l7W6Xd87ko

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#OTD 1940: Churchill forms his all party coalition government, including several Liberals, with Liberal leader Sir Archibald Sinclair becoming Secretary of State for Air.

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#OTD 2000: Liberal Democrat Sandra Gidley seizes the Hampshire seat of Romsey from the Conservatives. Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy hails the result as 'a victory of the politics of hope over the politics of fear'.

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#OTD 1935: Birth of Richard Livsey, Baron Livsey of Talgarth, respected Welsh agriculturist who famously won the Brecon and Radnor by-election for the Liberal Party in 1985 by just 559 votes.

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#OTD 1997: The Liberal Democrats win 46 seats in the general election, their best showing since the 1920s. In spite of the increase in seats, the Liberal Democrats share of the vote fell by 1% to 16.8%, reflecting the success of the target seat strategy.

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#OTD 1878: Alarmed at the prospect of war with Russia John Bright addresses an anti-war rally of 1,500 people to speak against Britain's potential involvement in the Balkans. The danger of war was averted the following July with the Treaty of Berlin.

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#OTD 1909: Lloyd George presents the 'People's Budget' to the House of Commons, a 'war budget' against 'poverty and squalidness'. He begins his speech at 3.15pm and, apart from a 30 minute break, speaks until just after 8pm.

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#OTD 1902: Birth of Megan Lloyd George, the youngest child of David Lloyd George. She was the first female MP for a Welsh seat. She was Liberal MP for Anglesey 1929-51, Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party 1949-51, and Labour MP for Carmarthen from 1957 until her death in 1966.

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#OTD 1908: Death in 10 Downing Street of Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, Liberal Prime Minister 1905-1908, 19 days after leaving office due to ill health. He remains the only Prime Minister to die in the official residence.