The Welsh Liberal Party was the section of the Liberal Party operating in Wales. From the 1860s until the First World War, a close relationship developed between particular issues relevant to Welsh politics and the Liberal Party. These included land reform, temperance, the expansion and reform of elementary education and, most prominently, the disestablishment of the Church of England in Wales. In the decade after 1886, there emerged another issue in the form of Home Rule as espoused by the

Cymru Fydd The Cymru Fydd (The Wales to Come; ) movement was founded in 1886 by some of the London Welsh. Some of its main leaders included David Lloyd George (later Prime Minister), J. E. Lloyd, O. M. Edwards, T. E. Ellis (leader, MP for Merioneth, 1886� ...

movement but, for some within the Liberal Party in Wales this was a step too far and it came close to breaking the party. The Liberal Party in Wales survived this crisis and at the 1906 General Election won almost every Welsh constituency. The First World War was a turning point, however. The post-war Coalition government's failure, under the leadership of

David Lloyd George David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor, (17 January 1863 – 26 March 1945) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1916 to 1922. He was a Liberal Party (United Kingdom), Liberal Party politician from Wales, known for lea ...

, to implement the recommendations of the Sankey Commission to nationalise the coal industry led to a collapse of support for the Liberals in the South Wales coalfield. At the same time the acrimonious split between Lloyd George and Asquith in 1916 had a permanent legacy in rural Wales and led to the party's fortunes declining to such an extent that it remained a force in only a small number of rural constituencies. A revival in the party's fortunes in the 1960s and 1970s was limited in Wales by the emergence of a rival 'third-force' in the form of

Plaid Cymru Plaid Cymru ( ; ; officially Plaid Cymru – the Party of Wales, often referred to simply as Plaid) is a centre-left to left-wing, Welsh nationalist political party in Wales, committed to Welsh independence from the United Kingdom. Plaid wa ...

Early history

From the late nineteenth century, Liberal Party activists in Wales were organised in two separate federations, one for the north and one for the south. In 1898,

created the Welsh National Liberal Council, a loose umbrella organisation covering the two federations, but with very little power. In time, it became known as the Liberal Party of Wales.

The Lloyd George era

After

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

, David Lloyd George remained Prime Minister and leader of a national government. The Welsh National Liberal Council remained loyal to him, but a substantial majority wished to stand independent Liberal Party candidates, and formed the rival Welsh Liberal Federation, with Henry Gladstone as their president. In 1924, the Welsh Liberal Federation rejoined the National Council, against the lone objection of Rhys Hopkin Morris. However, this apparent coming together of the two wings of the Liberal Party camouflaged some deep divisions. In addition to the failure of the Coalition Government to implement the Sankey recommendations on the coal industry, the party was regarded as maintaining a focus on pre-war issues and controversies, and being an essentially rural movement. The 1931 General Election saw the return of twelve Liberal MPs in Wales, although they were hopelessly divided. Four supported the faction led by

Sir John Simon John Allsebrook Simon, 1st Viscount Simon, (28 February 1873 – 11 January 1954), was a British politician who held senior Cabinet posts from the beginning of the First World War to the end of the Second World War. He is one of only three pe ...

which made them indistinguishable from the Conservatives, another four supported the party leader,

Herbert Samuel Herbert Louis Samuel, 1st Viscount Samuel, (6 November 1870 – 5 February 1963) was a British Liberal politician who was the party leader from 1931 to 1935. He was the first nominally-practising Jew to serve as a Cabinet minister and to be ...

, while the remaining four formed a 'Lloyd George family group', including Lloyd George himself, his children

Gwilym Gwilym is a Welsh given name and surname, related to William, Guillaume, and others in a number of other languages. Given name: *Dafydd ap Gwilym (1315–1350), Welsh poet *Eurfyl ap Gwilym (born 1944), Welsh Plaid Cymru politician * Gwilym ab Ie ...

and

Megan Megan is a Welsh feminine given name, originally a diminutive form of Margaret. Margaret is from the Greek μαργαρίτης (''margarítēs''), Latin ''margarīta'', "pearl". Megan is one of the most popular Welsh-language names for women in ...

and Goronwy Owen, who was related to the family by marriage. This group opposed the National Government throughout the 1930s. In 1926, a Women's National Liberal Council for Wales was created.

Post-war resilience and decline

At the 1945 General Election the Liberal Party was reduced to a small group of twelve MPs, of whom seven represented Welsh constituencies. This group of seven has been described by a prominent historian of Welsh Liberalism, J. Graham Jones, as "a disparate team. lacking in cohesion and a common political philosophy". Emrys Roberts and Megan Lloyd George were increasingly close to Labour on issues such as the formation of the National Health Service. In contrast, Lady Megan's brother

, who represented Pembrokeshire, drifted towards the Conservatives and had the Liberal whip withdrawn in 1946. Clement Davies, who became party leader in 1945, and had represented Montgomeryshire since 1929, had been a member of the Liberal faction led by Sir John Simon in the 1930s but had subsequently become more radical in his views. Rhys Hopkin Morris, who won Carmarthen from Labour against the tide in 1945, was fiercely independent in his views, while Roderic Bowen, elected for the first time in Cardiganshire in 1945, was at the time an unknown quantity. Finally, the University of Wales seat (abolished in 1950) as held by the academic Professor W. J. Gruffydd, who had defeated former

president

Saunders Lewis Saunders Lewis (born John Saunders Lewis) (15 October 1893 – 1 September 1985) was a Welsh politician, poet, dramatist, Medievalist, and literary critic. He was a prominent Welsh nationalist, supporter of Welsh independence and was a co-found ...

in a fiercely contested by-election in 1943. Despite these differences within the group, the fact remained that the rural west and north Wales was now one of the party's last remaining sources of significant support. To some extent this reflected the continuing correlation between Liberalism and nonconformity, although it has been suggested that the connection was sustained more by habit than conviction. During the 1945-50 Parliament the Liberal MPs for Wales often disagreed amongst themselves on their attitudes towards Labour policies and often voted in different ways. The 1951 General Election was the end of an era for Welsh radical Liberalism as both Lady Megan Lloyd George and Emrys Roberts lost their seats in Anglesey and Merioneth respectively. The three remaining Welsh Liberal MPs were on the right of the party and, for several elections, did not face Conservative opposition in their constituencies. By 1966, the Liberal Party was struggling in Wales.

Emlyn Hooson Hugh Emlyn Hooson, Baron Hooson, (26 March 1925 – 21 February 2012) was a Welsh Liberal and then Liberal Democrat politician. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Montgomeryshire from 1962 until 1979. Early life Hooson was born at Colo ...

convinced a majority of delegates to merge both federations into the organisation, which became known as the Welsh Liberal Party. The new party had far more authority, and gradually centralised the finances and policy of the party in Wales.

Leadership

Leader

:Until 1966, the party did not have an individual leader in Wales. :1966:

:1983: Geraint Howells

Chair

:The position was created in 1904. :1904: Edward Thomas (Cochfarf) :1908:

Viscount St Davids Viscount St Davids, of Lydstep Haven in the County of Pembroke, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1918 for John Philipps, 1st Baron St Davids. The Philipps family descends from Sir John Philipps (died 27 March ...

:1925: John Hinds :1928: Victor Evans :as of 1930-39: J. Walter Jones :as of 1949-54: Parry Brown :as of 1950: Alfred E. Hughes :as of 1959-64:

Glyn Tegai Hughes Glyn Tegai Hughes (18 January 1923 – 10 March 2017) was a Welsh scholar, writer and literary critic. He was a Liberal Party politician and Welsh nationalist. Background Hughes is the son of a Welsh Methodist minister,The Times House of Commons ...

:1964: Alun Talfan Davies :1966:

:1968: Martin Thomas :1973: Geraint Howells :1974: :as of 1975: Gareth Morgan :as of 1977-80: John Roberts :1980: Alex Carlile :1982:

Winston Roddick George Winston Roddick, (born 2 October 1940 in Caernarfon) is a Welsh barrister, and the former North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner. At the time he was a member of the Liberal Democrats, but ran as an independent and on election resig ...

President

:1898:

Thomas Gee Thomas Gee (24 January 181528 September 1898), was a Welsh Nonconformist preacher, journalist and publisher. Gee was born in Denbigh, Wales. At the age of fourteen he went into his father's printing office, Gwasg Gee, but continued to atten ...

:1899: Thomas Williams of Merthyr :1901: J. R. Jacob :1902:

Evan Spicer Sir Evan Spicer (20 April 1849 – 22 December 1937) was a British Liberal and London Progressive politician who served for 30 years on the London County Council. Background Spicer was the son of James Spicer. He was educated at Mill Hill Sc ...

:1903:

Herbert Lewis Sir John Herbert Lewis (27 December 1858 – 10 November 1933) was a Welsh Liberal politician. Background and education Born at Mostyn Quay, Flintshire, Lewis was the only child of Enoch Lewis and Catherine Roberts. It is possible that Lew ...

:1904:

:1945:

Clement Davies Edward Clement Davies (19 February 1884 – 23 March 1962) was a Welsh politician and leader of the Liberal Party from 1945 to 1956. Early life and education Edward Clement Davies was born on 19 February 1884 in Llanfyllin, Montgomeryshire ...

:1948: Roderic Bowen :1949: Emrys Roberts :1951: :as of 1964:

:as of 1968-71: Baron Ogmore :1971: Rhys Lloyd :1974: Geraint Howells :1977: Martin Thomas :1979: Roger Roberts :1983:

:1985:

Maldwyn Thomas Sir John Maldwyn Thomas (17 June 1918 – 31 July 2002) was a Welsh businessman and Liberal Party politician. Background Maldwyn Thomas was the son of Daniel and Gwladys Thomas. He was educated at Porth Rhondda Grammar School. In 1975, he married ...

:1986: Gruffydd Evans :1987:

References

Sources

Books and Journals

* {{Liberal Party (UK) 19th century in Wales 20th century in Wales Political parties disestablished in 1988 1898 establishments in Wales Political parties established in 1898 1988 disestablishments in the United Kingdom