ABSTRACT
The history of the Liberal Democrats is defined by their decision to enter coalition with the Conservative Party in May 2010. The formation of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat government marked the first time the party, existing in its current form since 1988, had entered national office. For Nick Clegg, Liberal Democrat leader and Deputy Prime Minister throughout the party's time in government, the reasons for its crushing defeat in May 2015 went beyond the parochial. The chapter provides an understanding of the Liberal Democrats’ place within the liberal party family. It traces the development of the party, sketching out the evolution of liberalism in Britain. The chapter presents an overview of contemporary developments in the Liberal Democrats’ policy platform. It analyses the party's organisational structure and constitutional mechanisms. The success of Liberal Party politics, since interwar realignment, had always been contingent on the fortunes of their larger competitors.
