For the study of Liberal, SDP and Issue 48 / Autumn 2005 / £5.00 Liberal Democrat history Journal of LiberalHI ST O R Y 2005: disappointment or bridgehead? John Curtice The Liberal Democrats in the 2005 election David Dutton Holding the balance The Liberal Party and hung parliaments Stephen Tolleyfield Battling Bath Liberal Alf Wills, nineteenth-century activist Michael Wickham Berwick-upon-Tweed A venal borough? Jaime Reynolds ‘The fighting parson’ Biography of Reverend Roderick Kedward Liberal Democrat History Group council leaders, candidates, of recordings of the full and prime negotiators in the unexpurgated originals. ON RECord! Lib/Lab Pact, the formation In chronological order of the SDP and the Alliance the full list of recorded or participants in the ultimate interviews and interviewees What some Liberal Democrats really merger of the Liberals and is as follows: John Pardoe, Social Democrats. I was also John Lee, Shirley Williams, thought interested to know what they Eric Avebury (Lubbock), by Adrian Slade felt about Liberal Democrat Paul Marsden, Roy Jenkins, success to date and the party’s Mike Storey and Sir Trevor future prospects. Jones, Ludovic Kennedy, he Journal of Liberal historical perspective on the As the series continued I Bill Rodgers, David Steel, History is now the party was interesting. gained further new perspec- Barry Norman, Jim Wal- Tguardian of what is Within a year I had also tives – for example Scottish lace, Charles Kennedy, Mike already becoming a uniquely interviewed Shirley Wil- and Welsh views from Jim German, Tim Razzall, Chris interesting party archive – a liams, Eric Lubbock, Roy Wallace and Mike German; Rennard, Simon Hughes, set of audio cassette tapes of Jenkins, David Steel, Ludovic a characteristically blunt Tony Greaves, Tom McNally in-depth interviews I con- Kennedy, Mike Storey and assessment from everyone’s and Charles Kennedy ducted with many of the Sir Trevor Jones and Bill favourite guru, Tony Greaves; (again). best-known Liberal Demo- Rodgers, not so much for some shrewd observations on For a unique insight into crats. They include the very their views on the current party campaigning, past and the thoughts and motiva- last media interview given by political scene as for their present, from Tim Razzall tions of all those listed Roy Jenkins. earlier political recollections and Chris Rennard; and Tom above, enthusiasts for Lib- In the summer of 2002, and their reasons for being McNally’s trenchant views eral/Liberal Democrat his- when Liberal Democrat News Liberals/Liberal Democrats. on working with Jim Calla- tory may now borrow these and the Journal told me they As far as I knew, the party ghan, the SDP, David Owen, tapes from the Journal, to would be interested in an had no written or spoken Liberals and the Liberal copy and listen to at home interview with former Lib- record of how any of them Democrats. (subject to certain conditions) eral leadership contender viewed their political past, My accounts of these, for a token fee of £5 per John Pardoe, I never thought their earlier party experi- and shorter interviews with tape. If you are interested, that this would become ences or the more dramatic Charles Kennedy and other ask for full details from the merely the first in a series of events that shaped their equally interesting members Chair of the Liberal Demo- full talks with other senior political lives, whether as of the party, have all appeared crat History Group, Tony Liberal Democrats whose key ministers, party leaders, in the Journal, Liberal Demo- Little, on tonylittle@cix. crat News or both but only co.uk, or 62 Pennine Way, I and the Journal have a set Harlington, Hayes UB3 5LP. Email mailing list If you would like to receive up-to-date information on the Liberal Democrat History Group’s activities, including advance notice of ‘In this day …’ volunteers meetings, and new History Group publications, you can sign up needed to our email mailing list: visit the History Group’s website (www. liberalhistory.org.uk) and fill in the details on the ‘Contact’ page. As part of the continued development of the Liberal Democrat History Group website (www.liberalhistory.org.uk), we are aiming to introduce an ‘in this day’ element, showing an event of historical Journal online subscriptions Liberal importance for whatever day of the year the website is visited. Examples might include: now available • 3 March (Social & Liberal Democrats formed, 1988) • 14 March (Orpington by-election, 1962) The Liberal Democrat History Group is pleased to announce the • 18 May (death of Gladstone, 1898) availability of a new subscription service: online subscriptions. • 20 May (birth of John Stuart Mill, 1806) In addition to printed copies, online subscribers will be able to • 6 June (meeting at Willis’ Rooms, generally held to mark the access pdf files of current and pastJournals via the Group’s website, foundation of the modern Liberal Party, 1859) www.liberalhistory.org.uk. Online subscribers will be sent a password • 23 September (Eastbourne defence debate, 1986) (changed each year) for access to the protected area of the site. • 4 December (Campbell-Bannerman receives Royal Summons to form a government, 1905) Online subscriptions cost £35.00 per year. Overseas (non-UK) online subscriptions are available for £40.00 per year, or £100 for three Volunteers willing to help us find a significant event (or more than years. one) for every day of the year are needed to bring this element of Older copies of the Journal will continue to be available to all visitors the website into existence. Please contact the Editor, Duncan Brack to the site. Issues 1–24 are currently available as pdf files. ([email protected]) with offers of help. 2 Journal of Liberal History 48 Autumn 2005 Journal of Liberal History Issue 48: Autumn 2005 The Journal of Liberal History is published quarterly by the Liberal Democrat History Group. ISSN 1479-9642 Disappointment or bridgehead? 4 Editor: Duncan Brack The Liberal Democrat performance in the 2005 election; by John Curtice Deputy Editor: Sarah Taft Assistant Editor: Siobhan Vitelli Biographies Editor: Robert Ingham Holding the balance 8 Reviews Editor: Dr Eugenio Biagini David Dutton examines the record of the Liberal Party in hung parliaments in Deputy Reviews Editor: Tom Kiehl 1924, 1929–31 and 1977–78 Patrons Battling Bath Liberal 20 Dr Eugenio Biagini; Professor Michael Freeden; The story of a Liberal activist in Bath in the late nineteenth century, in his own Professor John Vincent words; by Stephen Tollyfield Editorial Board Berwick-upon-Tweed: A venal borough? 24 Dr Malcolm Baines; Dr Roy Douglas; Dr Barry Doyle; Dr David Dutton; Professor David Gowland; Dr Richard Michael Wickham examines Berwick’s reputation for electoral corruption Grayson; Dr Michael Hart; Peter Hellyer; Ian Hunter; during the nineteenth century and assesses the impact of bribery on voting Dr J. Graham Jones; Tony Little; Professor Ian Machin; behaviour Dr Mark Pack; Dr Ian Packer; Dr John Powell; Jaime Reynolds; Iain Sharpe Conrad Russell 31 Sally Hamwee’s address to Conrad Russell’s memorial service, 14 June Editorial/Correspondence 2005 Contributions to the Journal – letters, articles, and book reviews – are invited. The Journal is a refereed publication; all articles submitted will be reviewed. ‘The fighting parson’ 32 Contributions should be sent to: Jaime Reynolds examines the life of the Liberal MP and a leader in the ‘tithe Duncan Brack (Editor) war’ of the 1930s, Reverend Roderick Kedward (1881–1937) 38 Salford Road, London SW2 4BQ email: [email protected] Report: Liberals and organised Labour 38 All articles copyright © Journal of Liberal History. with David Powell and Keith Laybourn; report by Chris Gurney Advertisements Report: Civil liberties in war and peace 41 Full page £100; half page £60; quarter page £35. with Clive Emsley and Julian Dee; report by Neil Stockley Discounts available for repeat ads or offers to readers (e.g. discounted book prices). To place ads, please contact the Editor. Letters to the Editor 44 SDP strategy (Bill Rodgers); Local pacts (Michael Meadowcroft) Subscriptions/Membership An annual subscription to the Journal of Liberal Reviews 45 History costs £15.00 (£7.50 unwaged rate). This Adonis and Thomas: Roy Jenkins – A Retrospective, reviewed by Dr Julie includes membership of the History Group unless you Smith; Barberis: Liberal Lion – Jo Grimond: A Political Life, reviewed by inform us otherwise. The institutional rate is £25.00. William Wallace; Lloyd-George: David & Winston: How a Friendship Changed Overseas (non-UK) subscribers should add £5.00; History, reviewed by Dr J. Graham Jones; Jackson: Harcourt and Son: A or, a special three-year rate is available for £55.00 Political Biography of Sir William Harcourt, 1827–1904, reviewed by Martin (individuals) or £85.00 (institutions). Pugh Online subscriptions cost £35.00. In addition to printed copies, online subscribers will be able to access online copies of current and past Journals. Overseas online subscriptions are available for £40.00 per year, or £100 for three years. Cheques (payable to ‘Liberal Democrat History Group’) should be sent to: Patrick Mitchell 6 Palfrey Place, London SW8 1PA; email: [email protected] Liberal Democrat History Group The Liberal Democrat History Group promotes the discussion and research of historical topics relating to the histories of the Liberal Democrats, Liberal Party, and SDP, and of Cover design concept: Lynne Featherstone Liberalism. The Group organises discussion meetings and produces the Journal and other Published by the Liberal Democrat History Group, c/o occasional publications. 38 Salford Road, London SW2 4BQ For more information, including details of publications, back issues of the Journal, tape Printed by Kall-Kwik, records of meetings and archive and other research sources, see our website at: 426 Chiswick High Road, London W4 5TF www.liberalhistory.org.uk.