Liberal Party (UK, 1989)
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Liberal Party
Leader	Cllr. Steve Radford
Founded	1988
Headquarters	1 Coningsby Road, Anfield, Liverpool L4 0RS
Political Ideology	Liberalism, Euroscepticism
Political Position	Centre
International Affiliation	none
European Affiliation	none
European Parliament Group	n/a
Colours	Orange
Website	http://www.liberal.org.uk/
See also	Politics of the UK Political parties Elections

The Liberal Party is a United Kingdom political party. It was formed in 1989 by a group of people who felt that the merger of the old Liberal Party with the Social Democratic Party to form the Liberal Democrats had ended the spirit of the Liberal Party, claiming that the new Liberal Democrat party was dominated by Social Democrats.

Initially, at the time of the 1988 merger, many members believed that the new party would be broadly a continuation of the Liberals, but as the Liberal Democrats settled down and developed clear policies, some Liberals such as the former Member of Parliament Michael Meadowcroft decided that the Liberal Democrats were not the party for them and so they set out to found a new Liberal Party.

It was legally a new organisation (the headquarters, records, assets and debts of the old party were inherited by the Liberal Democrats), though its constitution asserts it to be the same party as that which had previously existed. Liberal Democrats dispute this claim citing the 88% of Liberal Party members who voted, were in favour of merger. The (new) Liberal Party was refused membership of the Liberal International, although some of the party’s members take part in LI activities though the British Group of the Liberal International (BGLI)

The Liberal Party currently has 27 district/borough/city councillors, and three county councillors.^[1] It put up a full slate of candidates in the North West England region for the 2004 European Parliament elections, and came seventh, with 4.6% of the vote (0.6% of the total British popular vote).

The Liberal Party's current strongholds include Wyre Forest District Council and the Tuebrook ward in Liverpool. At the 2001 UK general election, the party came second behind Labour in Liverpool West Derby, pushing the Liberal Democrats into third place. However, they were unable to repeat this at the 2005 general election, finishing third behind the Liberal Democrats but still beating the Conservatives.

According to the party's accounts for the year 2005, it had income of around £4,500 and expenditure of about £8,000. Membership fees came to £1,232.

In 2007, the party's first president, Michael Meadowcroft, joined the Liberal Democrats.^[2]

The party president is Cllr Steve Radford and the party chairman is John Hein. The party anthem is The Land, also popular amongst Liberal Democrats.

Policies

The Liberal Party's highest policy-making body is its annual conference, the Liberal Assembly, at which all party members are entitled to vote. Liberal policies include:

• European Union - Whilst the Liberal Party’s constitution commits it to “build a United Europe” and the party’s earlier policies were very Europhile; the Liberal Party is now firmly Eurosceptic. The Liberal Party believes that the EU is in need of fundamental reform, and that to force such reforms the UK may have to threaten to withdraw from the EU. The Liberal Party is opposed to the adoption of the Euro. The Liberal Party has changed its policy on referendums, ("We oppose referenda and any moves to mechanise voting or introduce state funding of political parties." 2001 Manifesto) calling for a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.

• Sentencing - Imprisonment should only be considered for crimes against the person, or which put persons at risk of physical, psychological or emotional injury. Rejection of demands for harsher penalties. An end to the use of prison custody for all young people under 18.

• Drugs - Repeal of legislation regarding the prohibition of drugs and its replacement with an effective strategy of legalisation, regulation and control. Taxation of drugs and redirection of criminal justice expenditure to education and treatment services.

• Government - Allowing people to vote at age 16. The introduction of Proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote. A predominantly elected Senate to replace the House of Lords.

• Civil liberties - Establishment of a Bill of rights and a written Constitution. Opposition to introducing Identity cards.

• Foreign policy - Increasing overseas aid to 0.7% of GNP. Removing country's veto power at the U.N. Establish a permanent U.N peacekeeping force. The abandonment of the U.K's nuclear weapons.

• Taxation - Income tax to be simplified with earnings under £10,000 to be tax free as a means of encouraging people into work and reducing the need for tax credits. The party proposes a top rate of income tax of 50% on taxable earnings over £100,000. The party advocates a system of 'Universal Inheritance' whereby individuals are paid a £10,000 'Inheritance' at the age of 25, to be repaid in the form of a reformed inheritance tax with a starting rate of 10%. The Liberal Party remains committed to Land Value Taxation.

References

See also

• Liberalism
• Contributions to liberal theory
• Liberalism worldwide
• List of liberal parties
• Liberal democracy
• Liberalism in the United Kingdom
• Liberal Assembly

External links

• The Liberal Party (official website)
• The Cornish Liberal Party
• The Liverpool Liberal Party
• Peterborough Liberals
• The Liberal Party Southampton
• The Wyre Forest Liberals
• Liberal Forum unofficial web forum for party supporters.
• Liberal Agendapromotes liberalism in the U.K and membership involvement in the U.K.Liberal Party.
• Catalogue of the Liberal Party 1989 papers at LSE Archives