# Leader of the Liberal Party (UK)

The Liberal Party was formally established in 1859 and existed until merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to create the Liberal Democrats.

## Leadership selection 1859–1969

Before the adoption of the 1969 constitution of the party, the party was led by the prime minister or the most recent politically active prime minister from the party. In the absence of one of these, the leaders in the House of Lords and House of Commons were of equal status and jointly led the party.
When a new leader was required, with the party in government, the monarch selected him by appointing someone as prime minister. However, in 1916 David Lloyd George, with the support of a minority of the Liberal MPs, formed a coalition government. H. H. Asquith, the former prime minister, remained as Liberal Party leader. Asquith retained the leadership until his health failed in 1926, including periods when he was not in the Commons or was a peer. He was the last leader of the whole party under the original arrangements for leadership.
When no overall party leader was a member of a House and a new leader was required in opposition, a leader emerged and was approved by party members in that House. From 1919 onward, the Chairman of the Liberal Parliamentary Party, elected by MPs, functioned as the leader in the House of Commons. This required all the leaders after Asquith to retain their seat in order to continue as leader. After 1926 the leader in the House of Commons was clearly pre-eminent over the leader in the House of Lords.
In 1931 Lloyd George was leader in the House of Commons, but he was ill when negotiations led to the formation of the National Government. Sir Herbert Samuel, who had been the deputy leader, was effectively the leader of the mainstream party from the time when he entered the government. This was made formal after the 1931 general election.

## Leadership selection 1969–1988

Under the original provisions of the 1969 party constitution, the MPs elected one of their number to be Leader of the Liberal Party. This was the same system as that used for the last MP only contested leadership election in 1967, when Jeremy Thorpe became leader after a vote split between three candidates of 6-3-3.
As the number of Liberal MPs was very small (between 6 and 14 during the period the MPs retained the sole power of election) party members argued for a wider franchise. Prior to the leadership election of 1976, all members were given a vote in an electoral college based on allocating electoral votes to constituency associations (which were then divided proportionately to the votes of the members of the association). The candidates were required to be members of the House of Commons, nominated by a quarter of the MPs. The electoral college system was only used once, when David Steel was elected leader.

## Lists of Liberal Party leaders
### Leaders of the Liberal Party

| Name | Portrait | Constituency/Title | Took office | Left office | Prime Minister |
| Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston | | Tiverton | 12 June 1859 | 18 October 1865 | himself |
| John Russell, 1st Earl Russell | | 1st Earl Russell | 29 October 1865 | 3 December 1868 | himself 1865–66 |
| John Russell, 1st Earl Russell | | 1st Earl Russell | 29 October 1865 | 3 December 1868 | Earl of Derby 1866–68 |
| John Russell, 1st Earl Russell | | 1st Earl Russell | 29 October 1865 | 3 December 1868 | Benjamin Disraeli 1868 |
| William Ewart Gladstone | | Greenwich | 3 December 1868 | 3 February 1875 | himself 1868–74 |
| William Ewart Gladstone | | Greenwich | 3 December 1868 | 3 February 1875 | Benjamin Disraeli 1874–80 |
| Vacant Leader of Lords 2nd Earl Granville Leader of Commons Marquess of Hartington | Vacant Leader of Lords 2nd Earl Granville Leader of Commons Marquess of Hartington | Vacant Leader of Lords 2nd Earl Granville Leader of Commons Marquess of Hartington | 3 February 1875 | 23 April 1880 | Benjamin Disraeli 1874–80 |
| William Ewart Gladstone | | Midlothian | 23 April 1880 | 2 March 1894 | himself 1880–85 |
| William Ewart Gladstone | | Midlothian | 23 April 1880 | 2 March 1894 | Marquess of Salisbury 1885–86 |
| William Ewart Gladstone | | Midlothian | 23 April 1880 | 2 March 1894 | himself 1886 |
| William Ewart Gladstone | | Midlothian | 23 April 1880 | 2 March 1894 | Marquess of Salisbury 1886–92 |
| William Ewart Gladstone | | Midlothian | 23 April 1880 | 2 March 1894 | himself 1892–94 |
| Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery | | 5th Earl of Rosebery | 5 March 1894 | 6 October 1896 | himself 1894–95 |
| Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery | | 5th Earl of Rosebery | 5 March 1894 | 6 October 1896 | Marquess of Salisbury 1895–1902 |
| Vacant Leader of Lords 1st Earl of Kimberley 1897–1902; 5th Earl Spencer 1902–05 Leader of Commons William Vernon Harcourt 1896–98; Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman 1898–1905 | Vacant Leader of Lords 1st Earl of Kimberley 1897–1902; 5th Earl Spencer 1902–05 Leader of Commons William Vernon Harcourt 1896–98; Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman 1898–1905 | Vacant Leader of Lords 1st Earl of Kimberley 1897–1902; 5th Earl Spencer 1902–05 Leader of Commons William Vernon Harcourt 1896–98; Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman 1898–1905 | 6 October 1896 | 3 December 1905 | Marquess of Salisbury 1895–1902 |
| Vacant Leader of Lords 1st Earl of Kimberley 1897–1902; 5th Earl Spencer 1902–05 Leader of Commons William Vernon Harcourt 1896–98; Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman 1898–1905 | Vacant Leader of Lords 1st Earl of Kimberley 1897–1902; 5th Earl Spencer 1902–05 Leader of Commons William Vernon Harcourt 1896–98; Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman 1898–1905 | Vacant Leader of Lords 1st Earl of Kimberley 1897–1902; 5th Earl Spencer 1902–05 Leader of Commons William Vernon Harcourt 1896–98; Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman 1898–1905 | 6 October 1896 | 3 December 1905 | Arthur Balfour 1902–05 |
| Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman | | Stirling Burghs | 5 December 1905 | 3 April 1908 | himself |
| H. H. Asquith | | East Fife | 5 April 1908 | 25 November 1918 | himself 1908–16 |
| H. H. Asquith | | East Fife | 5 April 1908 | 25 November 1918 | David Lloyd George 1916–22 |
| Sir Donald Maclean (interim leader) | | Peebles and South Midlothian | 3 February 1919 | 12 February 1920 | David Lloyd George 1916–22 |
| H. H. Asquith | | Paisley (1920–1924); 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith (1925–1926) | 12 February 1920 | 15 October 1926 | David Lloyd George 1916–22 |
| H. H. Asquith | | Paisley (1920–1924); 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith (1925–1926) | 12 February 1920 | 15 October 1926 | Bonar Law 1922–23 |
| H. H. Asquith | | Paisley (1920–1924); 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith (1925–1926) | 12 February 1920 | 15 October 1926 | Stanley Baldwin 1923–24 |
| H. H. Asquith | | Paisley (1920–1924); 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith (1925–1926) | 12 February 1920 | 15 October 1926 | Ramsay MacDonald 1924 |
| H. H. Asquith | | Paisley (1920–1924); 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith (1925–1926) | 12 February 1920 | 15 October 1926 | Stanley Baldwin 1924–29 |
| Leaders of the Liberal Party in the House of Commons | Leaders of the Liberal Party in the House of Commons | Leaders of the Liberal Party in the House of Commons | Leaders of the Liberal Party in the House of Commons | Leaders of the Liberal Party in the House of Commons | Stanley Baldwin 1924–29 |
| David Lloyd George | | Caernarvon Boroughs | 2 December 1924 | 7 October 1931 | Stanley Baldwin 1924–29 |
| David Lloyd George | | Caernarvon Boroughs | 2 December 1924 | 7 October 1931 | Ramsay MacDonald 1929–35 |
| Sir Herbert Samuel | | Darwen | 4 November 1931 | 25 October 1935 | Ramsay MacDonald 1929–35 |
| Sir Archibald Sinclair, Bt | | Caithness and Sutherland | 26 November 1935 | 26 July 1945 | Stanley Baldwin 1935–37 |
| Sir Archibald Sinclair, Bt | | Caithness and Sutherland | 26 November 1935 | 26 July 1945 | Neville Chamberlain 1937–40 |
| Sir Archibald Sinclair, Bt | | Caithness and Sutherland | 26 November 1935 | 26 July 1945 | Winston Churchill 1940–45 |
| Clement Davies | | Montgomeryshire | 2 August 1945 | 5 November 1956 | Clement Attlee 1945–51 |
| Clement Davies | | Montgomeryshire | 2 August 1945 | 5 November 1956 | Winston Churchill 1951–55 |
| Clement Davies | | Montgomeryshire | 2 August 1945 | 5 November 1956 | Anthony Eden 1955–57 |
| Jo Grimond | | Orkney and Shetland | 5 November 1956 | 17 January 1967 | Anthony Eden 1955–57 |
| Jo Grimond | | Orkney and Shetland | 5 November 1956 | 17 January 1967 | Harold Macmillan 1957–63 |
| Jo Grimond | | Orkney and Shetland | 5 November 1956 | 17 January 1967 | Alec Douglas-Home 1963–64 |
| Jo Grimond | | Orkney and Shetland | 5 November 1956 | 17 January 1967 | Harold Wilson 1964–70 |
| Jeremy Thorpe | | North Devon | 18 January 1967 | 1969 | Harold Wilson 1964–70 |
| Harold Wilson 1964–70 |||||
| Jeremy Thorpe | | North Devon | 1969 | 10 May 1976 | Harold Wilson 1964–70 |
| Jeremy Thorpe | | North Devon | 1969 | 10 May 1976 | Edward Heath 1970–74 |
| Jeremy Thorpe | | North Devon | 1969 | 10 May 1976 | Harold Wilson 1974–76 |
| Jo Grimond (interim leader) | | Orkney and Shetland | 12 May 1976 | 7 July 1976 | James Callaghan 1976–79 |
| David Steel | | Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles (1967–1983); Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale (1983–1988) | 7 July 1976 | 3 March 1988 | James Callaghan 1976–79 |
| David Steel | | Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles (1967–1983); Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale (1983–1988) | 7 July 1976 | 3 March 1988 | Margaret Thatcher 1979–90 |

### Leaders of the Liberal Party in the House of Commons

| Name | Constituency | Took office | Left office |
| Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston | Tiverton | 12 June 1859 | 18 October 1865 |
| William Ewart Gladstone | Greenwich | 29 October 1865 | 3 February 1875 |
| Spencer Compton Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington | Radnor | 3 February 1875 | 23 April 1880 |
| William Ewart Gladstone | Midlothian | 23 April 1880 | 2 March 1894 |
| Sir William Harcourt | Derby (1894–1895); West Monmouthshire (1895–1898) | 5 March 1894 | 14 December 1898 |
| Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman | Stirling Burghs | 6 February 1899 | 3 April 1908 |
| H. H. Asquith | East Fife | 5 April 1908 | 25 November 1918 |
| Sir Donald Maclean | Peebles and South Midlothian | 3 February 1919 | 12 February 1920 |
| H. H. Asquith | Paisley | 12 February 1920 | 9 October 1924 |
| David Lloyd George | Caernarvon Boroughs | 2 December 1924 | 7 October 1931 |
| Sir Herbert Samuel | Darwen | 4 November 1931 | 25 October 1935 |
| Sir Archibald Sinclair, Bt | Caithness and Sutherland | 26 November 1935 | 15 June 1945 |
| Clement Davies | Montgomeryshire | 2 August 1945 | 5 November 1956 |
| Jo Grimond | Orkney and Shetland | 5 November 1956 | 17 January 1967 |
| Jeremy Thorpe | North Devon | 18 January 1967 | 10 May 1976 |
| Jo Grimond | Orkney and Shetland | 12 May 1976 | 7 July 1976 |
| David Steel | Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles (1967–1983); Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale (1983–1988) | 7 July 1976 | 3 March 1988 |

### Leaders of the Liberal Party in the House of Lords

| Name | Took office | Left office |
| The Earl Granville | 1859 | 1865 |
| The Earl Russell | 1865 | 1868 |
| The Earl Granville | 1868 | 1891 |
| The Earl of Kimberley | 1891 | 1894 |
| The Earl of Rosebery | 1894 | 1896 |
| The Earl of Kimberley | 1897 | 1902 |
| The Earl Spencer | 1902 | 1905 |
| The Marquess of Ripon | 1905 | 1908 |
| The Earl of Crewe (The Marquess of Crewe from 1911) | 1908 | 1923 |
| The Viscount Grey of Fallodon | 1923 | 1924 |
| The Earl Beauchamp | 1924 | 1931 |
| The Marquess of Reading | 1931 | 1935 |
| The Marquess of Crewe | 1936 | 1944 |
| The Viscount Samuel | 1944 | 1955 |
| The Lord Rea | 1955 | 1967 |
| The Lord Byers | 1967 | 1984 |
| The Baroness Seear | 1984 | 1988 |