The 1967 Liberal Party leadership election was called following the resignation of

Jo Grimond Joseph Grimond, Baron Grimond, (; 29 July 1913 – 24 October 1993), known as Jo Grimond, was a British politician, leader of the Liberal Party for eleven years from 1956 to 1967 and again briefly on an interim basis in 1976. Grimond was a lo ...

, in the wake of disappointing results in the 1966 general election.

Background

There were three candidates (

Jeremy Thorpe John Jeremy Thorpe (29 April 1929 – 4 December 2014) was a British politician who served as the Member of Parliament for North Devon from 1959 to 1979, and as leader of the Liberal Party from 1967 to 1976. In May 1979 he was tried at the ...

, Emlyn Hooson and

Eric Lubbock Eric Reginald Lubbock, 4th Baron Avebury (29 September 1928 – 14 February 2016), was an English politician and human rights campaigner. He served as the Liberal Member of Parliament for Orpington from 1962 to 1970. He then served in the House ...

), who were elected by a ballot of the Liberal Parliamentary Party using

Alternative Vote Instant-runoff voting (IRV) is a type of Ranked voting, ranked preferential Electoral system, voting method. It uses a Majority rule, majority voting rule in single-winner elections where there are more than two candidates. It is commonly referr ...

. Jeremy Thorpe secured the most votes in the first round, but did not win overall, as the rules said that he needed to win more than half of votes cast. Both Hooson and Lubbock's second preferences voted for one another, cancelling one another out, so faced with a deadlock, both other candidates withdrew from the contest to endorse Thorpe who was consequentially elected unopposed. Although the vote was by a secret ballot, Liberal MP

Peter Bessell Peter Joseph Bessell (24 August 1921 – 27 November 1985) was a British Liberal Party politician, and Member of Parliament for Bodmin in Cornwall from 1964 to 1970. Early life Bessell was educated at Lynwyd School, Bath, Somerset, and was a C ...

later published a memoir in which he asserted that Jo Grimond, John Pardoe,

David Steel David Martin Scott Steel, Baron Steel of Aikwood, (born 31 March 1938) is a British politician. Elected as Member of Parliament for Roxburgh, Selkirk, and Peebles, followed by Tweeddale, Ettrick, and Lauderdale, he served as the final leade ...

, James Davidson and himself all voted for Thorpe;

Alasdair Mackenzie Alasdair Roderick Mackenzie (3 August 1903 – 8 November 1970) was a Scottish farmer and politician who became a Liberal Party Member of Parliament. A Gaelic speaker, he went to Broadford Junior Secondary School on the Isle of Skye. He became ...

and

Russell Johnston David Russell Russell-Johnston, Baron Russell-Johnston (born David Russell Johnston; 28 July 1932 – 27 July 2008), usually known as Russell Johnston, was a leading Scottish Liberal Democrat politician and was the Leader of the Scottish Libera ...

voted for Hooson; and

Michael Winstanley Michael Platt Winstanley, Baron Winstanley (27 August 1918 – 18 July 1993) was the Liberal Member of Parliament (MP) for Cheadle from 1966 to 1970 and, after boundary changes, for Hazel Grove, a newly created seat comprising half his former ...

and Richard Wainwright voted for Lubbock. All three candidates voted for themselves. Bessell also confesses to having caused some confusion by pledging his vote to both Thorpe and Hooson, although he ultimately cast his vote for Thorpe after realising that he had greater momentum.

First round results

Notes

References

* * Political party leadership elections in the United Kingdom 1967 elections in the United Kingdom Liberal Party (UK) Liberal Party leadership election {{UK-election-stub