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Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Party
Official portrait of Daisy Cooper MP crop 2.jpg
Incumbent
Daisy Cooper

since 13 September 2020
Reports to Leader of Liberal Democrats
Appointer Liberal Democrats
Term length Four years
Inaugural holder Russell Johnston
Formation 3 March 1988

The office of deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats (officially deputy leader of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Party) is a position within the Liberal Democrats, a liberal political party in the United Kingdom. The position of Deputy Leader has never formally existed in the party constitution, however since the party's foundation, the Liberal Democrat parliamentary group in the House of Commons have usually elected a Deputy Leader. Although often referred to as the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats, this post is actually only Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrat parliamentary group in the House of Commons and not Deputy Leader of the Lib Dems as a whole.

Daisy Cooper was elected by her fellow MPs to the post of Deputy Leader following Ed Davey's election to the post of leader in September 2020.

List of Deputy Leaders of the Liberal Democrats

# Name Portrait Constituency Term began Term ended Concurrent Office(s) Leader(s)
1 Sir Russell Johnston
(1932–2008)
RussellJohnston2 cropped.jpg Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber 16 July 1988 13 April 1992 President of the Scottish Liberal Democrats Ashdown
2 Sir Alan Beith
(1943–)
Official portrait of Lord Beith 2020 crop 2.jpg Berwick-upon-Tweed 13 April 1992 12 February 2003 Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesman
Shadow Leader of the Commons
Kennedy
3 Sir Menzies Campbell
(1941–)
Official portrait of Lord Campbell of Pittenweem crop 2.jpg North East Fife 12 February 2003 2 March 2006 Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs
Campbell1
4 Sir Vince Cable
(1943–)
Vince Cable closeup.jpg Twickenham 2 March 2006 26 May 2010 Spokesperson for the Treasury
Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats
Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills
President of the Board of Trade
Cable2
Clegg
5 Sir Simon Hughes
(1951–)
Simon Hughes MP Liverpool cropped.jpg Bermondsey and Old Southwark 9 June 2010 28 January 2014 Minister of State for Justice and Civil Liberties
6 Sir Malcolm Bruce
(1944–)
Official portrait of Lord Bruce of Bennachie crop 2, 2019.jpg Gordon 28 January 2014 8 May 2015 Chair of the International Development Committee
Office not in use 8 May 2015 – 20 June 2017
Farron
7 Jo Swinson
(1980–)
Jo Swinson (cropped).jpg East Dunbartonshire 20 June 2017 22 July 2019 Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs
Cable
8 Sir Ed Davey
(1965–)
Official portrait of Rt Hon Sir Edward Davey MP crop 2.jpg Kingston and Surbiton 3 September 2019 27 August 2020 Spokesperson for the Treasury
Spokesperson for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
Swinson
Himself and Pack (acting)3
9 Daisy Cooper
(1981–)
Official portrait of Daisy Cooper MP crop 2.jpg St Albans 13 September 2020 Incumbent Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Education Davey

Notes:

  • 1 Campbell served as acting leader between the resignation of Charles Kennedy on 7 January 2006 and his own election as leader on 2 March 2006.
  • 2 Cable served as acting leader between the resignation of Menzies Campbell on 15 October 2007 and the election of Nick Clegg on 18 December 2007.
  • 3 After leader Jo Swinson lost her seat in the 2019 General Election, Ed Davey in his role as Deputy Leader and Mark Pack as Party President became acting co-leaders until a leadership election could be held in 2020.

See also

  • Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party (UK)
  • Deputy Leader of the Labour Party (UK)
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