Radical Action was a political group within the British

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. For example, while the political systems ...

. It advocated for Liberal candidates to stand in elections despite the

war-time electoral pact The war-time electoral pact was an electoral pact established by the member parties of the United Kingdom coalition governments in the First World War, and re-established in the Second World War. Under the pact, in the event of a by-election A b ...

. The organisation was founded in 1941 as the Liberal Action Group. It included some prominent members of the Liberal Party who disagreed with the war-time electoral pact in which the Liberals, Conservative Party and Labour Party agreed not to stand candidates against each other. Initially, its leading figures were

Lancelot Spicer Lancelot Dykes Spicer Distinguished Service Order, DSO, Military Cross, MC and Bar, (22 March 1893 – 6 December 1979), was a British Liberal Party (UK), Liberal Party politician. Background He was the youngest son of Sir Albert Spicer, 1st Baro ...

, Honor Balfour and Everett Jones, while

Philip Fothergill Charles Philip Fothergill (23 February 1906 – 31 January 1959) was an English woollen manufacturer and Liberal Party politician. Family and education Fothergill was born in Dewsbury into a radical, nonconformist, Yorkshire family. He was educ ...

became treasurer and

Donald Johnson Donald James Johnson (born September 9, 1968) is an American former professional tennis player who reached the World No. 1 doubles ranking in 2002. Although born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, he was raised and learned the sport of tennis in the ...

was the first chairman.Chris Cook, ''A Short History of the Liberal Party: 1900 - 2001'', pp.268-269Peter Barberis, ''Encyclopedia of British and Irish Political Organizations'', p.316 The group supported a wide range of policies; it was more

radical Radical (from Latin: ', root) may refer to: Politics and ideology Politics *Classical radicalism, the Radical Movement that began in late 18th century Britain and spread to continental Europe and Latin America in the 19th century *Radical politics ...

and less

libertarian Libertarianism (from ; or from ) is a political philosophy that holds freedom, personal sovereignty, and liberty as primary values. Many libertarians believe that the concept of freedom is in accord with the Non-Aggression Principle, according ...

than much of the Liberal Party and accepted the need for government intervention. It strongly opposed the National Liberal Party and any possible merger with it, and called for more internal party democracy, new party structures to revitalise the party, and for the party to stand as many candidates as possible at the next general election. By 1943 the group had the support of 23 Liberal

Prospective Parliamentary Candidate In British politics, a prospective parliamentary candidate (PPC) is a candidate selected by political parties to contest under individual Westminster constituencies in advance of a general election. The term originally came into use because of ...

s. Johnson resigned from the Liberal Party to stand unsuccessfully in the 1943 Chippenham by-election and was replaced by Spicer as chairman, then Balfour followed suit and only lost the 1943 Darwen by-election by 70 votes. The group endorsed

Margery Corbett Ashby Dame Margery Irene Corbett Ashby, ( Corbett; 19 April 1882 – 15 May 1981) was a British suffragist, Liberal politician, feminist and internationalist. Background She was born at Danehill, East Sussex, the daughter of Charles Corbett, a ...

as an independent Liberal at the 1944 Bury St Edmunds by-election. Support for the group only increased within the party, with five MPs joining, including

Megan Lloyd George Lady Megan Arvon Lloyd George, (22 April 1902 – 14 May 1966) was a Welsh politician and the first female Member of Parliament (MP) for a Welsh constituency. She also served as Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party, before later becoming a L ...

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, ...

, and newly elected

William Beveridge William Henry Beveridge, 1st Baron Beveridge, (5 March 1879 – 16 March 1963) was a British economist and Liberal Party (UK), Liberal politician who was a Progressivism, progressive, social reformer, and eugenicist who played a central role ...

. The group dissolved in 1945 after

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

ended and the electoral pact was discontinued. Several former members assumed leading positions in the party; Davies became leader, Fothergill treasurer, and Lloyd George was later appointed as deputy leader.Jorgen Scott Rasmussen, ''The Liberal Party: a study of retrenchment and revival'', p.15

References

{{Liberal Party (UK) Liberal Party (UK) Organizations established in 1941 Organizations disestablished in 1945 Political advocacy groups in the United Kingdom