Liberals vote to merge with S.D.P.

Press, 26 January 1988, Page 7

Liberals vote to merge with S.D.P.

By

PETER GREGSON

NZPA-Reuter Blackpool

Britain’s Liberals have drawn the curtain on a political era, voting heavily at a special assembly to merge with the smaller Social Democratic Party. In an overwhelming endorsement of the Liberal leader, David Steel, who staked his political life on a merger, the biggest gathering in Liberal Party history voted 2099-385 for political union as the Social and Liberal Democrats. The endorsement of more than five-to-one easily exceeded the twothirds majority required for merger to proceed and immediately revived speculation that Mr Steel would stand after all for leadership of the new party. During six months of sometimes acrimonious negotiations, Mr Steel persistently said he was most unlikely to be a candidate for that post after 12 years as leader of the Liberals, a party rich with a tradition of nineteenth century humanism but a fringe force in twentieth century politics. Speaking after the vote, Mr Steel said: “I’m determined to see this process through. I feel a great sense of achievement. But it is the end of a chapter and perhaps it is time to begin a new one.”

The S.D.P. leader, Robert Maclennan, who took over that mantle after the merger issue split his party and its former leader, David Owen, who announced he

would head a breakaway faction, quickly described the vote as “a magnificent result.” Mr Steel gambled on merger swiftly after the General Elections last June left the two parties, despite a joint campaign on a ticket called the Alliance, with only 22 seats between them in the 650-seat Parliament. The Liberals took 17 and the S.D.P. five. In his address to the assembly, Mr Steel argued passionately that union would not mean an end to more than a century of Liberal ideals.

“I will be a Liberal to the day I die,” he declared. But he said the new party must look forward, not to the past. Mr Steel has argued that merger was the only way to forge a viable Centrist force in British politics able to challenge the ruling Conservatives of Prime Minister Mrs Thatcher.

“Our people want us to become the electable opposition ... a truly effective party able to challenge the Tories at the next election.” The Liberals’ 90,000 members will now vote by post to endorse the assembly’s decision, a ballot regarded as a formality after Saturday’s outcome.

The S.D.P. will also hold a special conference next week-end to ballot its ruling council, with both sides aiming at a merged party to fight local council elections within the next three months and election of their first leader later in the year.