Founded as Cambridge University Liberal Club (CULC) in 1886, it is the University's longest-established student political society, having remained in continuous existence from the time of its inception, other than during the First World War. It has been a long-term proponent of liberalism, an early supporter of European membership and a defender of civil rights and individual liberty, including LGBTQ+ rights. It also campaigns on green issues and the fight against human-induced climate change.
It is the successor to the Cambridge Student Liberal Democrats, which in turn was formed from the merger of Cambridge University Liberal Club and Cambridge University Social Democrats (founded in 1981) upon the creation of the Lib Dems in 1988.
On 3 December 1909, Liberal Chancellor, and later Prime Minister, David Lloyd George, made an impassioned speech to the university's Liberal Club, railing against the House of Lords. It had blocked his People's Budget measures, which introduced state pensions and unemployment benefit, paid for by the taxation of large landowners. He spoke shortly before the "People's Budget" January 1910 United Kingdom general election
The society has long been active in Cambridge politics, with student members playing a role in electing David Howarth on a 15% swing in the 2005 election, when the student turnout was unusually and noticeably higher than that in the rest of the city, and then subsequently Julian Huppert as his successor in 2010.
The older of its founder societies, the Cambridge University Liberal Club, originally existed side by side with a discussion forum for radical Cambridge politics in the late 1880s, called 'The Rainbow Circle.' Alumni of this group relocated to London after their graduation, and helped found the Bloomsbury-based radical group of that same name in 1894.[2]
Between 1886 and 1897, the club's founder Treasurer was Oscar Browning, a Fellow of King's and three-times Liberal candidate who was also Treasurer of the Cambridge Union Society. The society had varying fortunes as the Liberal Party waned in the mid-twentieth century.
On 20 November 1889, the writer and playwright Oscar Wilde, a member of London's Liberal Eighty Club, addressed the university's Liberal Club, making clear his strong support for both Irish Home Rule and the policies of former, and future, Liberal Prime Minister, William Gladstone
Notable past speakers included the long-term Liberal supporter Oscar Wilde, as well as those not normally associated with the Liberal Party, such as Jerome K. Jerome (1912), W. H. Auden (1938), former Governor of Vermont Howard Dean,[3] and Irish Prime Minister Seán Lemass (1961). A complete list of the society's past events from 1886 to the present is available here.
Shirley Williams, later Baroness Williams of Crosby, a former Labour Education Secretary, and founder member of the SDP. She was President of the society for over thirty years (1988–2021), until her death
The society's president, from the 1988 merger, was Baroness Williams of Crosby, who had been the SDP candidate in Cambridge in 1987. She served as president until her death in 2021, after which the committee appointed former Cambridge MP Julian Huppert. Shirley Williams had previously been patron of Cambridge University Social Democrats in 1987-88.
Activities
Campaigning
CULA has regular political campaigning sessions, and works to get liberals elected to both the University council and City Council. The Society is particularly active during General Election campaigns, and canvasses local voters.[4]
Debates and Social Events
CULA runs regular debates and socials, from its signature Spirited Discussions group to quizzes, game nights, cocktail competitions and informal gatherings over ice cream.[4]
Guest Speakers
CULA hosts liberal speakers including Lib Dem MPs and liberals from across the world.[4]
Membership
CULA charges a single fee of £5 for lifetime membership, which provides discounts to society events.[4]
Campaigns
In 2005, the society joined the general election campaign with then-Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy, in Cambridge's Market Square. The party subsequently won 62 parliamentary seats, its-then highest number
In Autumn 2015, the society ran a campaign against proposals by Cambridgeshire County Council to switch off streetlights in Cambridge after midnight. Working with the JCR at Trinity College and the Cambridge University Students' Union, the campaign was successful. A year later, focus switched to mental health provision within the university, with the society calling for the hiring of more counsellors in the University Counselling Service.
The society actively campaigns in elections at every level. In May 2017, the society helped secure the election of Liberal Democrats to the main student divisions of Cambridgeshire County Council.
They also organised regular campaign events for the general election later that year, but were less successful. In that vote the incumbent Labour MP Daniel Zeichner increased his majority to nearly 30,000 with the Liberal Democrats down 5.6 points.
In the 2018 City Council elections, the Association was integrated into a successful city-wide campaign where the local party gained two seats in student wards.
Changing names
The society was continuously called Cambridge University Liberal Club (CULC) from 1886 until 1988 (and continued to function throughout that time, apart from the years 1916-9, when it suspended its activities due to World War I).
In 1981, Cambridge University Social Democrats (CUSD) was formed, as the Cambridge student branch of the SDP. With the Liberals and SDP in alliance nationally, CULC and CUSD remained independent organisations, but shared close links, hosted joint events, and put up joint slates of candidates in CSU elections.
In 1988, CULC and CUSD merged into one society, as the Liberals and SDP merged into the Liberal Democrats. They initially called themselves Cambridge University Social and Liberal Democrats throughout 1988, then Cambridge University Liberal Democrats throughout 1989–90, before finally settling early in 1991 for Cambridge Student Liberal Democrats, when the society expanded to include the Cambridge campus of the city's new Anglia Polytechnic (now Anglia Ruskin University). In 2017 the name was changed again to Cambridge University Liberal Association upon the creation of a Young Liberals branch catering to young people in the city who are not members of the University of Cambridge.
Notable former members
As with many Cambridge political societies, CULA and its predecessors (such as the longstanding CULC), were the first political organisations to involve many people who went on to both political and non-political careers – and therefore a number ended up outside Liberal politics altogether. The following notable alumni, in the gallery of photographs immediately below, were all CULC members. Again in the gallery, descriptions of any official positions held are listed at the end of each relevant entry:
Munira Wilson is a Lib Dem MP, former campaign manager, councillor and successful businesswoman. She campaigned against Brexit, which was strongly supported by Boris Johnson's Conservative government, and voted through by Jeremy Corbyn's Labour opposition. She won the Twickenham seat vacated by former Lib Dem leader Vince Cable, at the 2019 general election, and again, in 2024. She has voted against cuts to pensioners' Winter Fuel Allowance, in favour of taxing the banks more, improvements to water and air quality, measures to prevent climate change, windfall taxes on oil and gas companies and against NI increases on employers.
Oscar Browning, CULC founder member and Treasurer 1886–96, historian.
Henry Jackson, CULC founder member and President 1897–99, classicist.
David Howarth is the former Leader of Cambridge City Council, the Lib Dem MP for Cambridge (2005—2010), and Professor of Law and Public Policy at the University of Cambridge. He is also a member of Britain's Electoral Commission. In Parliament, he voted against compulsory ID cards and prolonged detention without trial, and for both gay rights and a smoking ban in indoor public places.
Martin Bell, CULC Publicity Officer in 1960 and later a BBC journalist and Independent MP 1997–2001.
Vince Cable, elected CULC President in 1964 (but resigned before serving), Lib Dem MP for Twickenham 1997–2019; Secretary of State for Business 2010–5, former Chief Economist of Shell Oil, Leader of the Liberal Democrats 2017–19.
James Chuter Ede, CULC member, Liberal councillor on Epsom UDC and Surrey CC, then Labour MP and Home Secretary.
Greg Clark, CU Social Democrats President in 1987, Conservative MP 2005-24 and former Cabinet member.
Sir Charles Trevelyan, 3rd Baronet, CULC committee member. (known before his elevation to the Lords as C. P. Trevelyan), Labour President of the Board of Education 1924, 1929–31.
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