Coming into Focus

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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.