Coming into Focus

The survival of the Liberal Party after 1945 is one
of the most surprising phenomena in modern British
political history. By the late 1940s, the Party's
lingering death throes seemed to be reaching their
conclusion. With only a handful of parliamentary
seats and no message to offer the electorate, the
flame carried by Gladstone and Lloyd George was
nearly extinguished. But the Liberal Party clung on
and then revived in the 1960s. This book provides new
perspectives on the survival and revival of the
Liberal Party after 1945. It shows how the
independence of Liberal associations, the recruitment
of Liberal activists in the late 1940s, and the
Party s strength in local government in northern
England were important reasons for the Party s
survival. A new wave of recruitment after 1955,
inspired by Jo Grimond's leadership, facilitated the
Liberal revival, but a key factor was the development
of early forms of community politics in a number of
towns and cities in England and Scotland. This led to
an explosion in the number of Liberal councillors,
particularly in suburban areas. Not only was the
Party saved, but the foundations for the modern
Liberal Party and its successor were laid.

Autorentext

Mark Egan was educated at University College, Oxford andcompleted his doctorate on the grass roots history of the LiberalParty in 2000. He is a regular contributor to the Journal ofLiberal History and has also recently completed a book on thehistory of pilotage on the River Tyne.

Klappentext

The survival of the Liberal Party after 1945 is oneof the most surprising phenomena in modern Britishpolitical history. By the late 1940s, the Party'slingering death throes seemed to be reaching theirconclusion. With only a handful of parliamentaryseats and no message to offer the electorate, theflame carried by Gladstone and Lloyd George wasnearly extinguished. But the Liberal Party clung onand then revived in the 1960s. This book provides newperspectives on the survival and revival of theLiberal Party after 1945. It shows how theindependence of Liberal associations, the recruitmentof Liberal activists in the late 1940s, and theParty's strength in local government in northernEngland were important reasons for the Party'ssurvival. A new wave of recruitment after 1955,inspired by Jo Grimond's leadership, facilitated theLiberal revival, but a key factor was the developmentof early forms of community politics in a number oftowns and cities in England and Scotland. This led toan explosion in the number of Liberal councillors,particularly in suburban areas. Not only was theParty saved, but the foundations for the modernLiberal Party and its successor were laid.