President of the Liberal Democrats

Last updated
President of the Liberal Democrats
Official portrait of Lord Pack crop 2, 2025.jpg
Incumbent
The Lord Pack
since 1 January 2020
Member of Federal Board
Reports to Liberal Democrats
Appointer Liberal Democrats
Term length 3 Years; Renewable once
Formation1988
First holder Ian Wrigglesworth
DeputyVice President of the Liberal Democrats

The president of the Liberal Democrats chairs the Federal Board of the Liberal Democrats in the United Kingdom.

Contents

The responsibilities of the president are similar to that of chairman of the Conservative Party or chairman of the Labour Party,[ citation needed ] although the role is elected by the membership for a fixed term.

They are elected in an all-member ballot by Liberal Democrat party members for a three-year term (previously two-year terms). They may serve a maximum of two three-year terms. The next scheduled contest will occur in Autumn 2025 with the winner beginning their term of office on 1 January 2026. The election is conducted using the single transferable vote.

The current president is Mark Pack, Baron Pack, who was elected in 2019 and took office on 1 January 2020.

Eligibility to stand

In order to be a candidate for president, the candidate must be a member of the Liberal Democrats and secure the nomination of not less than 200 members in not less than 20 local parties (including, for this purpose, the specified associated organisations representing youth or students). [1]

List of party presidents to date

TermName(s)Constituency (where applicable)
1989–90 Ian Wrigglesworth N/A (served as MP 1974–1987)
1991–94 Charles Kennedy Ross, Cromarty and Skye
1995–98 Bob Maclennan Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
1999–00 Baroness Maddock N/A
2001–04 Lord Dholakia N/A
2005–08 Simon Hughes North Southwark and Bermondsey
2009–10 Baroness Scott of Needham Market N/A
2011–14 Tim Farron Westmorland and Lonsdale
2015–19 Baroness Brinton N/A
2020– Lord Pack Non-parliamentarian until appointed to the Lords in 2025. [2]
Member of the House of Commons
Member of the House of Lords
Non-parliamentarian

Election results

Elections in the 2020s

2022

Mark Pack was re-elected president of the Liberal Democrats. [3]

CandidateFirst round
Votes%
Mark Pack 4,96854.5%
Lucy Nethsingha 2,19424.2%
Liz Webster1,93621.3%
Turnout/Total9,09914.05% [3]

Elections in the 2010s

2019

Mark Pack was elected president of the Liberal Democrats. [4]

CandidateFirst round
Votes%
Mark Pack 14,38158.6%
Christine Jardine 10,16441.4%
Turnout/Total24,54523.1% [5]

2016

Sal Brinton was returned unopposed. [6] [7]

2014

CandidateFirst round
Votes%TransfersVotes%
Sal Brinton 7,86546.86+2,32310,18862.40
Daisy Cooper 4,53026.98+1,6086,13837.59
Liz Lynne 4,38926.14
Turnout/Total16,78438.9

There were 25 spoilt/rejected ballots. [8]

2012

Tim Farron was returned unopposed. [9]

2010

CandidateFirst round
Votes%
Tim Farron 14,59352.98
Susan Kramer 12,95047.01
Turnout/Total27,54341.9

There were 64 spoilt/rejected ballots.

Elections in the 2000s

2008

CandidateFirst round
Votes%
Ros Scott 20,73672.04
Lembit Öpik 6,24721.70
Chandila Fernando1,7996.25
Turnout/Total28,78247.8

There were 49 spoilt/rejected ballots. [10]

2006

Simon Hughes was returned unopposed.

2004

CandidateFirst round
Votes%
Simon Hughes 24,33370.86
Lembit Öpik 10,00229.13
Turnout/Total34,33529.13

There were 144 spoilt/rejected ballots. [11]

2002

Navnit Dholakia was returned unopposed.

2000

Navnit Dholakia was returned unopposed.

Elections in the 1990s

1998

Diana Maddock was returned unopposed.

1996

Bob Maclennan was returned unopposed.

1994

CandidateFirst round
Votes%
Bob Maclennan 18,08053.77
Don Foster 8,97926.61
Martin Thomas 6,56119.51
Turnout/Total33,62033.4

There were 114 spoilt/rejected ballots.

1992

CandidateFirst round
Votes%
Charles Kennedy 25,95670.45
Martin Thomas 10,81329.35
Turnout/Total36,84036.2

There were 71 spoilt/rejected ballots.

1990

CandidateFirst round
Votes%
Charles Kennedy 24,64884.24
Tim Clement-Jones 4,81816.11
Brian Grocott4361.45
Turnout/Total29,90236.3

There were 55 spoilt/rejected ballots.

Elections in the 1980s

1988

CandidateFirst round
Votes%
Ian Wrigglesworth 28,63850.22
Des Wilson21,90638.41
Gwynoro Jones 6,47911.36
Turnout/Total57,02371.2

There were 448 spoilt/rejected ballots.

Vice President

The Vice President's role is to increase engagement with ethnic minority communities. [12]

List of vice presidents to date

TermName(s)
2021–Amna Ahmad

Elections

2022

Amna Ahmad was reelected unopposed. [13]

2021

CandidateVote stage [14]
1234
Amna Ahmad1814189020172123
Roderick Lynch1154119212771684
Marisha Ray672702792
Rabi Martins407436473
Julliet Makhapila354373
Tahir Maher221

See also

References

  1. ↑ "The Federal Constitution of the Liberal Democrats" (PDF). September 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 January 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  2. ↑ "Lord Pack". UK Parliament . Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  3. 1 2 "The results of the 2022 Presidential Election". Liberal Democrats. 16 November 2022. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  4. ↑ "Meet our new party president". Liberal Democrats. 2019-12-14. Retrieved 2019-12-14.
  5. ↑ Based on party membership reported as 106,575 - https://www.markpack.org.uk/143767/liberal-democrat-membership-figures/
  6. ↑ "Lib Dems publish timetable for 2016 Party President election". 19 September 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  7. ↑ "Sal Brinton re-elected unopposed as Lib Dem President". 10 November 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  8. ↑ "Lib Dems elect new party president". BBC News. 29 November 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  9. ↑ "Tim Farron". 10 May 2017. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  10. ↑ Summers, Deborah (10 November 2008). "Defeated Öpik vows to back Lib Dem president". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  11. ↑ "Hughes is new Lib Dem president". 2 September 2004. Retrieved 31 January 2018– via news.bbc.co.uk.
  12. ↑ "Vice President". Lib Dems.
  13. ↑ "Vice President 2022". Lib Dems.
  14. ↑ "2021 Vice President Election". Lib Dems.
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