Liberal Democrat Party

   Formed in 1988 out of a merger between the Liberal Party and the short-lived Social Democratic Party, the ‘Lib Dems’ are currently the third largest political grouping in the UK. The party won 62 seats in the 2005 election (and a subsequent by-election), its 63 Members of Parliament being the largest ‘third force’ since 1923. In the Scottish Executive, the party has been in coalition with Labour since the formation of the Scottish Parliament in 1999.

   The Lib Dems do not easily fit into the Left–Right continuum. Under the leadership of Paddy Ashdown (1988–99), the party abandoned equidistance and moved closer to Labour. As New Labour has taken up a position in the centre ground, the Lib Dems have distanced themselves from ministers and are generally been seen as having moved leftward over issues such as tuition fees and the Iraq war over which the Charles Kennedy leadership was highly critical. More consistently pro- European than the main parties, they have also supported higher levels of government spending and if necessary direct taxation. They are wary of the power of the state over individuals and have been critical of the government’s performance on matters concerning civil liberty (for example, ID cards and anti-terrorist legislation). Current leader Menzies Campbell has stressed traditional liberal concerns, such as human rights and a foreign policy based on international law.