London Liberal Democrats

London Liberal Democrats
Leader in the London AssemblyHina Bokhari
Preceded byProgressive Party (1888–1926)
Liberal Party (1926–1988)
Headquarters8–10 Great George Street,
London, SW1[1]
Youth wingLondon Young Liberals
Ideology
Political positionCentre[7][8] to
centre-left[3][9][10]
National affiliationLiberal Democrats
Colours  Orange[11]
House of Commons (London Seats)[12]
6 / 75
London Assembly[12]
2 / 25
Councillors[12][13]
182 / 1,817
Council control in London[12][13]
3 / 32
Directly elected borough mayors in London[13]
0 / 5
Website
londonlibdems.org.uk/

The London Liberal Democrats are the regional party of the Liberal Democrats that operates in Greater London. The organisation is a part of the English Liberal Democrats. The party holds 6 of the 75 seats representing London in the House of Commons, 2 of the 25 seats in the London Assembly, and 182 of the 1,817 London borough councillors. Additionally, the party controls 3 of the 32 London borough councils.[12][13]

Current representatives

Members of Parliament

The London Liberal Democrats won 6 of 75 London seats in the House of Commons at the 2024 United Kingdom general election. The table below shows the party's current Members of Parliament (MPs).[12]

MP Constituency First elected Majority Majority %
Ed Davey Kingston and Surbiton 1997, 2017 17,235 34.1%
Bobby Dean Carshalton and Wallington 2024 7,905 16.9%
Paul Kohler Wimbledon 2024 12,610 22.9%
Sarah Olney Richmond Park 2016, 2019 17,155 33.3%
Luke Taylor Sutton and Cheam 2024 3,801 8.0%
Munira Wilson Twickenham 2019 21,457 40.0%

London Assembly members

The London Liberal Democrats won 2 of 25 seats in the London Assembly at the 2024 London Assembly election. The table below shows the party's current Assembly Members (AMs).[12]

AM Constituency First elected Majority Majority %
Hina Bokhari Londonwide List 2021 N/A N/A
Gareth Roberts South West 2024 16,019 7.8%

Councillors

The London Liberal Democrats won 180 of 1,817 borough seats and majority control of 3 of 32 boroughs at the 2022 London local elections. The party currently has 182 councillors and controls 3 boroughs, as shown in the table below.[12][13]

Council Councillors Leader Role in Council
Barking and Dagenham
0 / 51
 No seats
Barnet
0 / 63
 No seats
Bexley
0 / 45
 No seats
Brent
3 / 57
 Paul Lorber Opposition
Bromley
5 / 58
 Julie Ireland Opposition
Camden
6 / 55
 Tom Simon Opposition
Croydon
1 / 70
 Opposition
Ealing
7 / 70
 Gary Malcolm Opposition
Enfield
0 / 63
 No seats
Greenwich
0 / 55
 No seats
Hackney
0 / 57
 No seats
Hammersmith and Fulham
0 / 50
 No seats
Haringey
7 / 57
 Luke Cawley-Harrison Opposition
Harrow
0 / 55
 No seats
Havering
0 / 55
 No seats
Hillingdon
0 / 53
 No seats
Hounslow
0 / 62
 No seats
Islington
0 / 51
 No seats
Kensington and Chelsea
2 / 50
 Linda Wade Opposition
Kingston upon Thames
42 / 48
 Andreas Kirsch Overall control
Lambeth
4 / 63
 Donna Harris Opposition
Lewisham
0 / 54
 No seats
Merton
16 / 57
 Anthony Fairclough Opposition
Newham
0 / 66
 No seats
Redbridge
0 / 63
 No seats
Richmond upon Thames
49 / 54
 Gareth Roberts Overall control
Southwark
11 / 63
 Victor Chamberlain Opposition
Sutton
29 / 55
 Ruth Dombey Overall control
Tower Hamlets
0 / 45
 No seats
Waltham Forest
0 / 60
 No seats
Wandsworth
0 / 58
 No seats
Westminster
0 / 54
 No seats

Electoral performance

UK general elections

The table below shows the London Liberal Democrats results at United Kingdom (UK) general elections since the London Government Act 1963 created the administrative area of Greater London in 1965. Results between 1966 and 1979 are for the Liberal Party, while results between 1983 and 1987 are for the SDP–Liberal Alliance.[14] [15] [16] All UK general elections use first-past-the-post voting.

The party's best result was at the 2005 general election, when it won 8 of 74 seats in London. The London Liberal Democrats won 6 of 75 seats at the most recent general election in 2024.

Election Leader Votes Seats Status
No. % ± No. ±
1966 Jo Grimond 356,925 9.3 3.1
1 / 102
 Opposition
1970 Jeremy Thorpe 246,060 6.9 2.4
0 / 102
 1 Opposition
Feb-1974 814,239 20.8 13.8
0 / 92
 Opposition
Oct-1974 594,699 17.0 3.8
0 / 92
 Opposition
1979 David Steel 437,521 11.9 5.1
0 / 92
 Opposition
1983 Roy Jenkins and David Steel 853,360 24.7 12.8
2 / 84
 2 Opposition
1987 David Owen and David Steel 770,117 21.3 3.4
3 / 84
 1 Opposition
1992 Paddy Ashdown 542,733 15.1 6.2
1 / 84
 2 Opposition
1997 486,013 14.6 0.5
6 / 74
 5 Opposition
2001 Charles Kennedy 482,888 17.5 2.9
6 / 74
 Opposition
2005 638,333 21.9 4.4
8 / 74
 2 Opposition
2010 Nick Clegg 751,561 22.1 0.2
7 / 73
 1 Cons–LD
2015 272,544 7.7 14.4
1 / 73
 6 Opposition
2017 Tim Farron 336,725 8.8 1.1
3 / 73
 2 Opposition
2019 Jo Swinson 562,564 14.9 6.1
3 / 73
 Opposition
2024 Ed Davey 367,424 11.0 3.9
6 / 75
 3 Opposition

European Parliament elections

During the United Kingdom's membership of the European Union (1973–2020), Greater London participated in European Parliament elections, held every five years from 1979 until 2019.[17] The table below shows London Liberal Democrat results in elections to the European Parliament. Results in 1979 are for the Liberal Party, while results in 1984 are for the SDP–Liberal Alliance. From 1979 to 1994, London members of the European Parliament (MEPs) were elected from ten individual constituencies by first-past-the-post voting; from 1999 to 2019, MEPs were elected from a London-wide regional list by proportional representation. The party's best result was at the final election in 2019, when it won 3 of 8 seats in London.

Election Leader Votes Seats Pos.
No. % ± No. ±
1979 David Steel 175,945 11.4 N/A
0 / 10
 N/A 3rd
1984 David Owen and David Steel 302,427 18.1 6.7
0 / 10
 3rd
1989 Paddy Ashdown 98,255 5.3 12.9
0 / 10
 4th
1994 199,017 12.1 6.9
0 / 10
 3rd
1999 133,058 11.7 0.5
1 / 10
 1 3rd
2004 Charles Kennedy 288,790 15.3 3.6
1 / 9
 3rd
2009 Nick Clegg 240,156 13.7 1.6
1 / 8
 3rd
2014 148,013 6.7 7.0
0 / 8
 1 5th
2019 Vince Cable 608,725 27.2 20.5
3 / 8
 3 1st

Regional elections

Greater London Council elections

The table below shows the results obtained by the London Liberal Party in elections to the Greater London Council (GLC). The GLC was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the earlier London County Council which had covered a much smaller area. The GLC was dissolved in 1986 by the Local Government Act 1985 and its powers were devolved to the London boroughs and other entities. All GLC elections were conducted under the first-past-the-post voting system. The party's best result was at the 1973 GLC election, when it won 2 of 92 seats.

Election Leader Votes Seats Status
No. % ± No. ±
1964 238,967 10.0 N/A
0 / 100
 N/A No seats
1967 189,868 8.8 1.2
0 / 100
 No seats
1970 103,838 5.4 3.4
0 / 100
 No seats
1973 Stanley Rundle 244,703 12.5 7.1
2 / 92
 2 Opposition
1977 174,405 7.8 4.7
0 / 92
 2 No seats
1981 Adrian Slade 323,856 14.4 6.6
1 / 92
 1 Opposition

London Assembly elections

The table below shows the London Liberal Democrats results at London Assembly elections since the Greater London Authority was established in 2000. Assembly elections use the additional member system, a form of mixed member proportional representation, with 14 directly elected constituencies and 11 London-wide top-up seats.

The party's best result was at the 2004 London Assembly election, when it won 5 of 25 seats. The London Liberal Democrats won 2 of 25 seats at the most recent London Assembly election in 2024, including the first constituency seat ever won by a party other than Labour or the Conservatives (South West).

Election Leader Constituency Party Total Seats ±
No. % Seats No. % Seats
2000 Graham Tope 299,998 18.9
0 / 14
 245,555 14.8
4 / 11
4 / 25
 N/A
2004 332,237 18.4
0 / 14
 316,218 16.9
5 / 11
5 / 25
 1
2008 Mike Tuffrey 330,018 13.7
0 / 14
 252,556 11.2
3 / 11
3 / 25
 2
2012 Caroline Pidgeon 193,842 8.8
0 / 14
 150,447 6.8
2 / 11
2 / 25
 1
2016 195,820 7.5
0 / 14
 165,580 6.3
1 / 11
1 / 25
 1
2021 266,595 10.3
0 / 14
 189,522 7.3
2 / 11
2 / 25
 1
2024 Hina Bokhari 271,049 11.0
1 / 14
 215,682 8.7
1 / 11
2 / 25

London Mayoral elections

The table below shows the London Liberal Democrats results in London Mayoral elections since the Greater London Authority was established in 2000. Elections between 2000 and 2021 were conducted using the supplementary vote system, which allowed voters to transfer votes from first to second preference candidates. The 2024 election used the first-past-the-post system.[18]

The London Liberal Democrats have never won a London mayoral election. The party's best result was at the 2004 London mayoral election, when it won 15.3% of the first preference vote. The party won 5.8% of the vote at the most recent election in 2024.

Election Candidate 1st Round 2nd Round Result
No. % ± No. % ±
2000 Susan Kramer 203,452 11.9 N/A Eliminated Lost
2004 Simon Hughes 284,647 15.3 3.5 Eliminated Lost
2008 Brian Paddick 235,585 9.8 5.6 Eliminated Lost
2012 91,774 4.2 5.6 Eliminated Lost
2016 Caroline Pidgeon 120,005 4.6 0.4 Eliminated Lost
2021 Luisa Porritt 111,716 4.4 0.2 Eliminated Lost
2024 Rob Blackie 145,184 5.8 1.4 Lost

Local elections

The table below shows the London Liberal Democrats results at London borough council elections since the London Government Act 1963 created the administrative area of Greater London in 1965. Results between 1964 and 1978 are for the Liberal Party, while results between 1982 and 1986 are for the SDP–Liberal Alliance.[19] All borough council elections use the first-past-the-post voting system.

The party's best result was at the 2006 London local elections when it won 316 of 1,861 seats and control of 3 of 32 boroughs. The London Liberal Democrats won 180 seats and control of 3 boroughs at the most recent elections in 2022.

Election Leader Votes Councillors Councils
No. % ± Seats ± Majorities ±
1964 Jo Grimond N/A
16 / 1,859
 N/A
0 / 32
 N/A
1968 Jeremy Thorpe 387,181 7.3
10 / 1,863
 6
0 / 32
1971 253,255 4.2 3.0
9 / 1,863
 1
0 / 32
1974 244,725 13.1 8.9
27 / 1,867
 18
0 / 32
1978 David Steel 150,298 7.1 6.0
30 / 1,908
 3
0 / 32
1982 Collective SDP Leadership and David Steel 530,340 24.6 17.5
124 / 1,914
 94
0 / 32
1986 David Owen and David Steel 539,848 24.0 0.6
249 / 1,914
 125
3 / 32
 3
1990 Paddy Ashdown 344,125 14.2 9.8
229 / 1,914
 20
3 / 32
1994 490,259 22.0 7.8
323 / 1,917
 94
3 / 32
1998 362,913 20.8 1.2
301 / 1,917
 22
2 / 32
 1
2002 Charles Kennedy 353,833 20.6 0.2
307 / 1,861
 6
3 / 32
 1
2006 Menzies Campbell 443,772 20.7 0.1
316 / 1,861
 9
3 / 32
2010 Nick Clegg 835,217 22.4 1.7
246 / 1,861
 70
2 / 32
 1
2014 267,769 10.6 11.8
116 / 1,861
 130
1 / 32
 1
2018 Vince Cable 323,074 13.0 2.5
152 / 1,861
 36
3 / 32
 2
2022 Ed Davey 335,415 13.7 0.7
180 / 1,817
 28
3 / 32

The table below shows the London Liberal Democrats' best election results for each London borough council, as well as the party's current seat totals.[20]

Best historic result by borough
Borough Election Best seats Role in council Current seats
Barking and Dagenham 1986
5 / 48
 Opposition
0 / 51
Barnet 1964
6 / 63
 3rd Party
0 / 63
Bexley 1994
14 / 62
 3rd Party
0 / 45
Brent 2006
27 / 63
 Joint control
with Conservatives
3 / 57
Bromley 1998
27 / 60
 Joint control
with Labour
5 / 58
Camden 2006
20 / 54
 Joint control
with Conservatives
6 / 55
Croydon 2002
1 / 70
 3rd Party
1 / 70
Ealing 2022
6 / 70
 Opposition
7 / 70
Enfield 1974
1 / 60
 3rd Party
0 / 63
Greenwich 1986
5 / 62
 3rd Party
0 / 55
Hackney 1998
17 / 60
 3rd Party
0 / 57
Hammersmith and Fulham 1982
2 / 50
 3rd Party
0 / 50
Haringey 2006
27 / 57
 Opposition
7 / 57
Harrow 1994
29 / 63
 Minority
0 / 55
Havering 1990
6 / 63
 4th Party
0 / 55
Hillingdon 1986
6 / 63
 3rd Party
0 / 53
Hounslow 1994
5 / 60
 3rd Party
0 / 62
Islington 2002
38 / 48
 Overall control
0 / 51
Kensington and Chelsea 2010
2 / 50
 3rd Party
2 / 50
Kingston upon Thames 2022
44 / 48
 Overall control
42 / 48
Lambeth 2002
28 / 63
 Joint control
with Conservatives
4 / 63
Lewisham 2002
17 / 54
 Opposition
0 / 54
Merton 2022
17 / 57
 Opposition
16 / 57
Newham 1982
6 / 60
 Opposition
0 / 66
Redbridge 2006
9 / 62
 Opposition
0 / 63
Richmond upon Thames 1986
49 / 52
 Overall control
49 / 54
Southwark 2002
30 / 63
 Joint control
with Conservatives
11 / 63
Sutton 2002
47 / 56
 Overall control
29 / 55
Tower Hamlets 1990
30 / 50
 Overall control
0 / 45
Waltham Forest 2006
19 / 60
 Opposition
0 / 60
Wandsworth 1982
1 / 61
 3rd Party
0 / 58
Westminster City 2010
0 / 61
 No presence
0 / 54

See also

References

  1. ^ "Revealed: The Liberal Democrats' new HQ". Lib Dem Voice. 21 May 2011. Archived from the original on 24 May 2013. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
  2. ^ Hans Slomp (2011). Europe, A Political Profile: An American Companion to European Politics [2 volumes]: An American Companion to European Politics. ABC-CLIO. p. 343. ISBN 978-0-313-39182-8.
  3. ^ a b Alistair Clark (2012). Political Parties in the UK. Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 86–93. ISBN 978-0-230-36868-2.
  4. ^ Andrew Heywood (2011). Essentials of UK Politics. Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 126–128. ISBN 978-0-230-34619-2.
  5. ^ "Brexit". Liberal Democrats. 17 April 2018.
  6. ^ Elgot, Jessica (28 May 2017). "Tim Farron: Lib Dems' pro-European strategy will be proved right". The Guardian.
  7. ^ Mark Kesselman; Joel Krieger; William A. Joseph (2018). Introduction to Comparative Politics: Political Challenges and Changing Agendas. Cengage Learning. p. 71. ISBN 978-1-337-67124-8.
  8. ^ Mance, Henry (13 March 2016). "Lib Dems aim for centrist voters with tax platform". Financial Times. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
  9. ^ Thomas Quinn; Judith Bara; John Bartle (2013). "The UK Coalition Agreement of 2010: Who Won?". In Justin Fisher; Christopher Wlezien (eds.). The UK General Election of 2010: Explaining the Outcome. Routledge. p. 180. ISBN 978-1-317-96554-1.
  10. ^ Peter King (2011). The New Politics: Liberal Conservatism Or Same Old Tories?. Policy Press. p. 1. ISBN 978-1-84742-853-0.
  11. ^ "Brand". Liberal Democrats.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h "Our Team across London". London Liberal Democrats. London: Liberal Democrats. Retrieved 2026-02-19.
  13. ^ a b c d e "London Councils 2025 (Total 33)". Open Council Data UK. Lawson Data Services Ltd. Retrieved 2026-02-19.
  14. ^ "Historical Data and Plots". Electoral Calculus. Electoral Calculus Ltd. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  15. ^ "General Election Results of 9 June 1983". UK Parliament. UK Parliament Public Information Office. June 1984. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  16. ^ "General Election Results 11 June 1987". UK Parliament. UK Parliament Public Information Office. 1989. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  17. ^ Cracknell, Richard; Uberoi, Elise; Burton, Matthew (9 August 2023). "UK Election Statistics: 1918–2023, A Long Century of Elections" (PDF). House of Commons Library. pp. 65–67. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  18. ^ Cracknell, Richard; Uberoi, Elise; Burton, Matthew (9 August 2023). "UK Election Statistics: 1918–2023, A Long Century of Elections" (PDF). House of Commons Library. p. 78. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
  19. ^ "London Elections Reports". London Datastore. London: Greater London Authority. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  20. ^ "London Councils 2025 (Total 33)". Open Council Data. Lawson Data Services Ltd. Retrieved 30 January 2026.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.