The Liberal Democrats are a liberal democratic political party of Britain which is also known as the Lib Dems. The party first came into being on March 3rd, 1988 from a merger between the Liberal Party and the
Social Democratic Party. The party has its headquarters in Great George Street, London. The Liberal Democrats, as the name suggests, follow the liberal ideologies of Classical Liberalism and Social Liberalism. They have a youth wing known as the Young Liberals and also an LGBT wing known as the LGBT + Liberal Democrats. Sir Vince Cable is the present leader of the party, and Jo Swinson is the Deputy Leader. The President of the party is Sal Brinton who assumed office on January 1st, 2015.
What do the Lib Dems believe in?
With the slogan of “Demand Better,” the Lib Dems claim that they believe in not just demanding, but also making a better future for children. They also promise to create an atmosphere where equality and justice prevails. The Liberal Democrats also believe that the onus is upon the State to provide an atmosphere where individuals can tap into their potentials and put their skills to use, which would further help in the creation of wealth and thus, push the economy towards the upward curve. They also believe that there must be minimum interference of the State in an individual’s power to exercise free will, yet it must intervene when it is necessary.
The history of the Lib Dems in a nutshell
The Lib Dems are said to have descended directly from the Whigs, who believed in the supremacy of the Parliament and democracy over the monarchy. The history of the rise, decline, and revival of the Lib Dems span over a few centuries of political turmoil and upheaval. The recovery of the party must be credited to the hard work and fresh outlook on politics of
Jo Grimond, who became the party leader in 1956. The Liberal Democrats also credit the revival of their party to their strategy of empowering local communities and helping local politics mushroom with their support.
The recent predicaments of the Lib Dems
Though the Lib Dems have had a history of subsequent revivals and has also performed well in the 2018
by-elections, political experts say that they have to up their game if they have to stay in the run, lest they should lose their chance of being noticed. The Lib Dems have always faced the problem of being considered as a minority, and now with all the tense atmosphere regarding Brexit, it might be a long while before the Lib Dems see any sliver of hope of being ahead in the race.
