Liberal Party
The Liberal Party was a political party in the United Kingdom. Jeremy Thorpe was once their leader (TV: Interference - Book One [+]Loading...["Interference - Book One (novel)"]) and David Lloyd George served as prime minister during World War I. (TV: Aliens of London [+]Loading...["Aliens of London (TV story)"])
History[[edit] | [edit source]]
The Liberal Party came to power in 1905. Herbert Asquith, Winston Churchill and David Lloyd George were all part of the government. By 1910, they were passing socially conscious legislation and budgets which paved the way for a transformation of British politics and society. (PROSE: In Case of Emergencies [+]Loading...["In Case of Emergencies (short story)"])
According one account, albeit a distorted one recalled under the influence of a mind parasite, Ian Chesterton was a Liberal supporter whereas Barbara Wright was a supporter of the Conservative Party. She regarded his politics as "wrong but romantic". Ian noted how the Liberals never won anything by this point. (PROSE: Nothing at the End of the Lane [+]Loading...["Nothing at the End of the Lane (short story)"])
In the 1970s, a coalition of Liberals, various disenfranchised Tories and Socialists, and a group of minor fringe parties won the general election. They ran on a platform of social reform, the abolition of the death penalty, and a strong interstellar defence programme. (PROSE: The Devil Goblins from Neptune [+]Loading...["The Devil Goblins from Neptune (novel)"])
Behind the scenes[[edit] | [edit source]]
- The Liberal Party was born from the Whig movement. Contrary to the history of the Doctor Who universe, the party never returned to prominence after the First World War. The party had been in power various times prior to 1905, but no DWU source mentions this.
- Several Prime Ministers who have been mentioned to exist in the DWU, but whose party has not been stated, were Liberals in the real world. These include: Henry John Temple, William Ewart Gladstone, and Henry Campbell-Bannerman.
