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]
London House of Commons seats
6 / 75
London Assembly
2 / 25
Councillors[12]
182 / 1,817
Council control in London
3 / 32
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.

Mayoral candidates

In 2008, Brian Paddick became the first openly LGBT candidate to run for a mainstream political party for the role of Mayor of London.[13]

Election Candidate Results
2000 Susan Kramer Red XN Not Elected
2004 Simon Hughes Red XN Not Elected
2008 Brian Paddick Red XN Not Elected
2012 Brian Paddick Red XN Not Elected
2016 Caroline Pidgeon Red XN Not Elected
2021 Luisa Porritt Red XN Not Elected
2024 Rob Blackie Red XN Not Elected

Current representatives

Members of Parliament

Since the 2024 United Kingdom general election in London:

London Assembly members

Councillors

Main article: 2022 London local elections
Council Councillors[14] Leaders
Barking and Dagenham
0 / 51
Barnet
0 / 63
Bexley
0 / 63
Brent
3 / 57
 Paul Lorber
Bromley
5 / 58
 Julie Ireland
Camden
4 / 55
 Tom Simon
Croydon
1 / 70
Ealing
6 / 70
 Gary Malcolm
Enfield
0 / 63
Greenwich
0 / 55
Hackney
0 / 57
Hammersmith and Fulham
0 / 50
Haringey
7 / 57
 Luke Cawley-Harrison
Harrow
0 / 55
Havering
0 / 55
Hillingdon
0 / 53
Hounslow
0 / 62
Islington
0 / 51
Kensington and Chelsea
2 / 50
 Linda Wade
Kingston upon Thames
42 / 48
 Andreas Kirsch
Lambeth
4 / 63
 Donna Harris
Lewisham
0 / 54
Merton
17 / 57
 Anthony Fairclough
Newham
0 / 66
Redbridge
0 / 61
Richmond upon Thames
49 / 54
 Gareth Roberts
Southwark
11 / 63
 Victor Chamberlain
Sutton
29 / 55
 Ruth Dombey
Tower Hamlets
0 / 45
Waltham Forest
0 / 60
Wandsworth
0 / 58
Westminster
0 / 54

Electoral performance

UK general elections

Gold indicates the constituencies won by the London Liberal Democrats at the 2024 general election.

The table below shows the London Liberal Democrats results at 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.[15] [16] [17]

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

European Parliament elections

Gold indicates the boroughs won by the London Liberal Democrats at the 2019 European Parliament election.

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.[18] 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.

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 Increase 6.7
0 / 10
 Steady Steady 3rd
1989 Paddy Ashdown 98,255 5.3 Decrease 12.9
0 / 10
 Steady Decrease 4th
1994 199,017 12.1 Increase 6.9
0 / 10
 Steady Increase 3rd
1999 133,058 11.7 Decrease 0.5
1 / 10
 Increase 1 Steady 3rd
2004 Charles Kennedy 288,790 15.3 Increase 3.6
1 / 9
 Steady Steady 3rd
2009 Nick Clegg 240,156 13.7 Decrease 1.6
1 / 8
 Steady Steady 3rd
2014 148,013 6.7 Decrease 7.0
0 / 8
 Decrease 1 Decrease 5th
2019 Vince Cable 608,725 27.2 Increase 20.5
3 / 8
 Increase 3 Increase 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.

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

Election Leader Constituency Party Total Seats +/–
# % Seats # % 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
 Increase 1
2008 Mike Tuffrey 330,018 13.7
0 / 14
 252,556 11.2
3 / 11
3 / 25
 Decrease 2
2012 Caroline Pidgeon 193,842 8.8
0 / 14
 150,447 6.8
2 / 11
2 / 25
 Decrease 1
2016 195,820 7.5
0 / 14
 165,580 6.3
1 / 11
1 / 25
 Decrease 1
2021 266,595 10.3
0 / 14
 189,522 7.3
2 / 11
2 / 25
 Increase 1
2024 Hina Bokhari 271,049 11.0
1 / 14
 215,682 8.7
1 / 11
2 / 25
 Steady

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 two-round supplementary vote system, while the 2024 election used the single-round first-past-the-post system. The London Liberal Democrats have never won a mayoral election or qualified for the second round of the supplementary vote system.

Election Candidate 1st Round 2nd Round Pos.
No. % ± No. % ±
2000 Susan Kramer 203,452 11.9 N/A Eliminated 4th
2004 Simon Hughes 284,647 15.3 Increase 3.5 Eliminated Increase 3rd
2008 Brian Paddick 235,585 9.8 Decrease 5.6 Eliminated Steady 3rd
2012 91,774 4.2 Decrease 5.6 Eliminated Decrease 4th
2016 Caroline Pidgeon 120,005 4.6 Increase 0.4 Eliminated Steady 4th
2021 Luisa Porritt 111,716 4.4 Decrease 0.2 Eliminated Steady 4th
2024 Rob Blackie 145,184 5.8 Increase 1.4 Increase 3rd

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.

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
 Decrease 6
0 / 32
 Steady
1971 253,255 4.2 Decrease 3.0
9 / 1,863
 Decrease 1
0 / 32
 Steady
1974 244,725 13.1 Increase 8.9
27 / 1,867
 Increase 18
0 / 32
 Steady
1978 David Steel 150,298 7.1 Decrease 6.0
30 / 1,908
 Increase 3
0 / 32
 Steady
1982 Collective SDP Leadership and David Steel 530,340 24.6 Increase 17.5
124 / 1,914
 Increase 94
0 / 32
 Steady
1986 David Owen and David Steel 539,848 24.0 Decrease 0.6
249 / 1,914
 Increase 125
3 / 32
 Increase 3
1990 Paddy Ashdown 344,125 14.2 Decrease 9.8
229 / 1,914
 Decrease 20
3 / 32
 Steady
1994 490,259 22.0 Increase 7.8
323 / 1,917
 Increase 94
3 / 32
 Steady
1998 362,913 20.8 Decrease 1.2
301 / 1,917
 Decrease 22
2 / 32
 Decrease 1
2002 Charles Kennedy 353,833 20.6 Decrease 0.2
307 / 1,861
 Increase 6
3 / 32
 Increase 1
2006 Menzies Campbell 443,772 20.7 Increase 0.1
316 / 1,861
 Increase 9
3 / 32
 Steady
2010 Nick Clegg 835,217 22.4 Increase 1.7
246 / 1,861
 Decrease 70
2 / 32
 Decrease 1
2014 267,769 10.6 Decrease 11.8
116 / 1,861
 Decrease 130
1 / 32
 Decrease 1
2018 Vince Cable 323,074 13.0 Increase 2.5
152 / 1,861
 Increase 36
3 / 32
 Increase 2
2022 Ed Davey 335,415 13.7 Increase 0.7
180 / 1,817
 Increase 28
3 / 32
 Steady

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 / 100
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

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. ^ http://opencouncildata.co.uk/councils.php?model=L&y=0
  13. ^ Duffy, Nick (26 September 2015). "UKIP picks gay candidate Peter Whittle to run for Mayor of London". PinkNews.
  14. ^ http://opencouncildata.co.uk/councils.php?model=L&y=0
  15. ^ "Historical Data and Plots". Electoral Calculus. Electoral Calculus Ltd. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  16. ^ "General Election Results of 9 June 1983". UK Parliament. UK Parliament Public Information Office. June 1984. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  17. ^ "General Election Results 11 June 1987". UK Parliament. UK Parliament Public Information Office. 1989. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  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. pp. 65–67. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  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.
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