The Social Liberal Party was a centrist political party which existed within the British republic from its foundation in 1989 until its merger with the Social Democratic Party in 2017.
| Social Liberal Party | |
|---|---|
| Former leader | Jo Swinson |
| Founded | 5th April 1989 |
| Dissolved | 1st February 2017 |
| Merged into | Social Democratic Party |
| Succeeded by | Social and Liberal Democrats |
| Ideology | Liberalism
Social Liberalism Pro-Europeanism |
| Political position | Centre |
| International affiliation | Liberal International |
| European affiliation | Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe |
| European Parliament Group | Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe |
History[]
The Social Liberal Party was founded by leading Liberal figures during the British Liberal Revolution on the 5th April, the day after the first mass demonstrations against the Fascist regime. The party was able to rapidly mobilise support and establish itself as the leading force within the revolution.
Following the restoration of democracy the party was able to win both the 1990 and 1995 general elections under the leadership of Paddy Ashdown in large part as a result of of the party's role in the Revolution.
In 2000 the Social Liberals were ousted from power by the Labour Party who formed the first non-Liberal led government in the Republic's history. However, the party was able to regain power in the 2005 election.
Election Results[]
| Election | Leader | Votes | Vote % | Seats | Seat % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Paddy Ashdown | 12,234,436 | 34.9 | 250 / 700
|
35.7 |
| 1995 | Paddy Ashdown | 10,964,357 | 33.6 | 290 / 700
|
41.4 |
| 2000 | Paddy Ashdown | 9,788,963 | 29.3 | 220 / 700
|
31.4 |
| 2003 | Charles Kennedy | 10,436,872 | 33.3 | 238 / 700
|
34 |
| 2005 | Charles Kennedy | 10,738,291 | 33.0 | 317 / 700
|
45.3 |
| 2010 | Chris Huhne | 6,917,174 | 19.8 | 126 / 720
|
17.5 |
| 2015 | Vince Cable | 4,437,989 | 12.6 | 61 / 720
|
8.5 |