Scottish Liberal Party

The Scottish Liberal Party was the dominant political party of Victorian Scotland,^[1] and although its importance declined with the rise of the Labour and Unionist parties during the 20th century,^[2] it was still a significant, albeit much reduced force when it finally merged with the Social Democratic Party in Scotland, to form the Scottish Liberal Democrats in 1988.

The party reached its low point during the 1950s, when Jo Grimond was the sole Scottish Liberal MP in the House of Commons, but it gained a partial revival in the 1964 general election when it gained three further MPs, George Mackie, Russell Johnston and Alasdair Mackenzie. A further gain came the following year with David Steel's victory at the Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles by-election. Steel went on to become a pivotal figure in the development of Scottish devolution, in partnership with John Smith, Donald Dewar and other key Labour and Liberal figures.

The Victorian Liberal party in Scotland was not always ideologically unified, and was faced with many internal divisions, particularly amongst the more conservative Whiggish elements of the party who were largely based in Edinburgh & the east, and the more western and Glasgow based radical Liberals.^[3]

Leadership

Chairmen

• William Baird, 1933-1935
• Philip Kerr, 11th Marquess of Lothian, 1935-1940
• Louise Glen-Coats, 1946-1948
• L. T. M. Gray, 1948-?
• John G. Wilson, 1952-1954
• Charles Hampton Johnston, 1954-1956
• John Bannerman, 1956–1964
• George Mackie, 1965–1970
• Russell Johnston, 1970–1973
• Robert L. Smith, 1973-1975
• Menzies Campbell, 1975–1977
• Terry Grieve, 1977-1980
• Fred McDermid, 1980-1982
• Ross Finnie, 1982-1986
• John Lawrie, 1986-1987
• Christopher Mason, 1987-1988

Presidents

• Archibald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso, 1946–1965
• Andrew Murray, 1960–1961 (alongside Sinclair)
• John Bannerman, 1963-1969 (served at times alongside Sinclair)
• Ray Bannerman, 1969-1976
• Robert L. Smith, 1976-
• George Mackie, 1983–1988

Leader

• Until 1973, the party was led by the president.
• Russell Johnston, 1973-1988

Electoral performance

This chart shows the electoral results of the Scottish Liberal Party, from its first election in 1859, to its last in 1983. Total number of seats, and vote percentage, is for Scotland only.

References

Further reading

• Constitution and rules of the Scottish Liberal Association. Scottish Liberal Association. 18??. p. 8.  Check date values in: |date= (help)
• Scottish Liberal Party (1970). Scottish self-government: the views of the Scottish Liberal party. Scottish Liberal Party. ISBN 978-0-902381-04-9. 

External links

• Scottish Liberal Club and Scottish Liberal Party archives, held at the National Library of Scotland