Saving the party from disaster: lessons from Jo Grimond for the Liberal Democrats

Never Mind The Bar Charts

I've tried something a little different for this episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts: taking a look at the career of a previous party leader to see the lessons for the current Liberal Democrats.

I picked Jo Grimond, who saved the Liberal Party from disastrous election results and had a plan for a realignment on the left of British politics. You might be able to spot some parallels there...

No surprise that for my guest, I'm joined by the closest thing the party has to an official historian, Duncan Brack.

Hope you enjoy the show and do let us know what you think of it; would you like more shows looking at the lessons from other party leaders?

Show notes

• Mark Egan’s book Coming into Focus: The Transformation of the Liberal Party 1945-64.
• The Orpington by-election.
• Jo Grimond campaigning for Britain to join the European Economic Community (EEC).
• Why I am a Liberal Democrat, edited by Duncan Brack: Waterstones / Amazon.
• Great Liberal Speeches, edited by Duncan Brack and Robert Ingham: Waterstones / Amazon.
• Liberal Lion: Jo Grimond, A Political Life by Peter Barberis: Waterstones / Amazon.
• Jo Grimond: Towards the Sound of Gunfire by Michael McManus: Amazon.
• Peace, Reform and Liberation: A History of Liberal Politics in Britain 1679-2011, compiled by Robert Ingham and Duncan Brack.
• The Liberal Democrat History Group's pieces on Jo Grimond.
• Duncan Brack on Twitter.

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