The Welsh Liberals

Despite being Wales' oldest political party there has never been a published history of the Welsh Liberal Party or its successor, the Welsh Liberal Democrat Party. During the late nineteenth and early twentieth century the Welsh Liberal Party dominated Welsh politics and in the process, the Welsh Liberal Party became the first truly Welsh political party. During this period a new generation of radical and talented politicians emerged from its ranks and who would leave an indelible mark on Wales and the British state. From 1905 until 1922 Welsh Liberals would hold some of the most senior political position in the British Empire, but by the end of the First World War the Welsh Liberals had passed their political peak. For the next half century it was a story of decline and a struggle for the party's very survival until it once more joined a government in 2000, this time in the National Assembly for Wales. The Welsh Liberals: The History of the Welsh Liberal and Liberal Democrat Parties charts the highs and lows of an extraordinary party. This comprehensive study includes over 40 interviews with senior figures from within the Welsh Liberal Party, the Welsh SDP and Welsh Liberal Democrat Party and provides the first detailed history of Wales' oldest political party.