President of the Liberal Democrats
President of the Liberal Democrats | |
---|---|
![]() Incumbent since 1 January 2020Mark Pack | |
Member of | Federal Board |
Reports to | Liberal Democrats |
Appointer | Liberal Democrats |
Term length | 3 Years; Renewable once |
Formation | 1988 |
First holder | Ian Wrigglesworth |
Deputy | Vice President of the Liberal Democrats |
The president of the Liberal Democrats chairs the Federal Board of the Liberal Democrats of the United Kingdom.
The responsibilities of the president are similar to that of chairman of the Conservative Party or chairman of the Labour Party,[citation needed] although the role is elected by the membership for a fixed term.
They are elected in an all-member ballot by Liberal Democrat party members for a three-year term (previously two-year terms). They may serve a maximum of two three-year terms. The next scheduled contest will occur in Autumn 2025 with the winner beginning their term of office on 1 January 2026. The election is conducted using the single transferable vote.
The current president is Mark Pack, who was elected in 2019 and took office on 1 January 2020.
Eligibility to stand
In order to be a candidate for president, the candidate must be a member of the Liberal Democrats and secure the nomination of not less than 200 members in not less than 20 local parties (including, for this purpose, the specified associated organisations representing youth or students).[1]
List of party presidents to date
Term | Name(s) | Constituency (where applicable) | |
---|---|---|---|
1989–90 | Ian Wrigglesworth | N/A (served as MP 1974–1987) | |
1991–94 | Charles Kennedy | Ross, Cromarty and Skye | |
1995–98 | Bob Maclennan | Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross | |
1999–00 | Baroness Maddock | N/A | |
2001–04 | Lord Dholakia | N/A | |
2005–08 | Simon Hughes | North Southwark and Bermondsey | |
2009–10 | Baroness Scott of Needham Market | N/A | |
2011–14 | Tim Farron | Westmorland and Lonsdale | |
2015–19 | Baroness Brinton | N/A | |
2020– | Mark Pack | N/A |
Member of the House of Commons | |
Member of the House of Lords | |
Non Parliamentarian |
Election results
Elections in the 2020s
2022
Mark Pack was re-elected president of the Liberal Democrats.[2]
Candidate | First round | |
---|---|---|
Votes | % | |
Mark Pack | 4,968 | 54.5% |
Lucy Nethsingha | 2,194 | 24.2% |
Liz Webster | 1,936 | 21.3% |
Turnout/Total | 9,099 | 14.05%[2] |
Elections in the 2010s
2019
Mark Pack was elected president of the Liberal Democrats.[3]
Candidate | First round | |
---|---|---|
Votes | % | |
Mark Pack | 14,381 | 58.6% |
Christine Jardine | 10,164 | 41.4% |
Turnout/Total | 24,545 | 23.1%[4] |
2016
Sal Brinton was returned unopposed.[5][6]
2014
Candidate | First round | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Votes | % | Transfers | Votes | % | |
Sal Brinton | 7,865 | 46.86 | +2,323 | 10,188 | 62.40 |
Daisy Cooper | 4,530 | 26.98 | +1,608 | 6,138 | 37.59 |
Liz Lynne | 4,389 | 26.14 | |||
Turnout/Total | 16,784 | 38.9 |
There were 25 spoilt/rejected ballots.[7]
2012
Tim Farron was returned unopposed.[8]
2010
Candidate | First round | |
---|---|---|
Votes | % | |
Tim Farron | 14,593 | 52.98 |
Susan Kramer | 12,950 | 47.01 |
Turnout/Total | 27,543 | 41.9 |
There were 64 spoilt/rejected ballots.
Elections in the 2000s
2008
Candidate | First round | |
---|---|---|
Votes | % | |
Ros Scott | 20,736 | 72.04 |
Lembit Öpik | 6,247 | 21.70 |
Chandila Fernando | 1,799 | 6.25 |
Turnout/Total | 28,782 | 47.8 |
There were 49 spoilt/rejected ballots.[9]
2006
Simon Hughes was returned unopposed.
2004
Candidate | First round | |
---|---|---|
Votes | % | |
Simon Hughes | 24,333 | 70.86 |
Lembit Öpik | 10,002 | 29.13 |
Turnout/Total | 34,335 | 29.13 |
There were 144 spoilt/rejected ballots.[10]
2002
Navnit Dholakia was returned unopposed.
2000
Navnit Dholakia was returned unopposed.
Elections in the 1990s
1998
Diana Maddock was returned unopposed.
1996
Bob Maclennan was returned unopposed.
1994
Candidate | First round | |
---|---|---|
Votes | % | |
Bob Maclennan | 18,080 | 53.77 |
Don Foster | 8,979 | 26.61 |
Martin Thomas | 6,561 | 19.51 |
Turnout/Total | 33,620 | 33.4 |
There were 114 spoilt/rejected ballots.
1992
Candidate | First round | |
---|---|---|
Votes | % | |
Charles Kennedy | 25,956 | 70.45 |
Martin Thomas | 10,813 | 29.35 |
Turnout/Total | 36,840 | 36.2 |
There were 71 spoilt/rejected ballots.
1990
Candidate | First round | |
---|---|---|
Votes | % | |
Charles Kennedy | 24,648 | 84.24 |
Tim Clement-Jones | 4,818 | 16.11 |
Brian Grocott | 436 | 1.45 |
Turnout/Total | 29,902 | 36.3 |
There were 55 spoilt/rejected ballots.
Elections in the 1980s
1988
Candidate | First round | |
---|---|---|
Votes | % | |
Ian Wrigglesworth | 28,638 | 50.22 |
Des Wilson | 21,906 | 38.41 |
Gwynoro Jones | 6,479 | 11.36 |
Turnout/Total | 57,023 | 71.2 |
There were 448 spoilt/rejected ballots.
See also
References
- ^ "The Federal Constitution of the Liberal Democrats" (PDF). September 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 January 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
- ^ a b "The results of the 2022 Presidential Election". Liberal Democrats. 16 November 2022. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
- ^ "Meet our new party president". Liberal Democrats. 2019-12-14. Retrieved 2019-12-14.
- ^ Based on party membership reported as 106,575 - https://www.markpack.org.uk/143767/liberal-democrat-membership-figures/
- ^ "Lib Dems publish timetable for 2016 Party President election". 19 September 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
- ^ "Sal Brinton re-elected unopposed as Lib Dem President". 10 November 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
- ^ "Lib Dems elect new party president". BBC News. 29 November 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
- ^ "Tim Farron". 10 May 2017. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
- ^ Summers, Deborah (10 November 2008). "Defeated Öpik vows to back Lib Dem president". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
- ^ "Hughes is new Lib Dem president". 2 September 2004. Retrieved 31 January 2018 – via news.bbc.co.uk.