Deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Party
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 Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats is an important role within the Liberal Democrats. This is a political party in the United Kingdom. Even though the party's main rulebook doesn't officially list this job, the Liberal Democrat Members of Parliament (MPs) in the House of Commons usually choose someone for this role.

This person is the Deputy Leader for the Liberal Democrat MPs. They are not the Deputy Leader for the whole party. Daisy Cooper is the current Deputy Leader. Her fellow MPs chose her in September 2020. This happened after Ed Davey became the party leader.

Who are the Deputy Leaders of the Liberal Democrats?
- Past Deputy Leaders and Their Time in Office
- Important Notes About Acting Leaders
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Who are the Deputy Leaders of the Liberal Democrats?

The Liberal Democrats have had several Deputy Leaders over the years. These people help lead the party's MPs in Parliament. They work closely with the main party leader.

Past Deputy Leaders and Their Time in Office

Sir Russell Johnston (1988–1992): He was the first Deputy Leader. He helped lead the party when Paddy Ashdown was the leader.
Sir Alan Beith (1992–2003): Sir Alan served for a long time. He worked with both Paddy Ashdown and Charles Kennedy.
Sir Menzies Campbell (2003–2006): Sir Menzies later became the party leader himself.
Sir Vince Cable (2006–2010): Sir Vince also became the party leader later on. He was even an acting leader for a short time.
Sir Simon Hughes (2010–2014): He served during a time when the Liberal Democrats were part of the government.
Sir Malcolm Bruce (2014–2015): He was the Deputy Leader before the role was paused for a while.
Jo Swinson (2017–2019): Jo Swinson later became the leader of the Liberal Democrats.
Sir Ed Davey (2019–2020): Sir Ed was Deputy Leader before becoming the current leader of the party.
Daisy Cooper (2020–Incumbent): Daisy Cooper is the current Deputy Leader. She helps lead the Liberal Democrat MPs today.

Important Notes About Acting Leaders

Sometimes, a Deputy Leader might step in as an "acting leader." This happens if the main leader resigns or leaves their role suddenly.

Sir Menzies Campbell was an acting leader in 2006. This was after Charles Kennedy resigned.
Sir Vince Cable was an acting leader in 2007. This happened after Menzies Campbell resigned.
After Jo Swinson lost her seat in the 2019 election, Ed Davey (as Deputy Leader) and Mark Pack (as Party President) became acting co-leaders. They led the party until a new leader was chosen in 2020.