The Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords is the leader of the Liberal Democrat parliamentary group in the House of Lords, the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
The leader is elected by Liberal Democrat peers and is responsible for leading the party's work in the Lords. The office was created following the merger of the Liberal Party and the Social Democratic Party to form the Liberal Democrats in 1988. The current holder of the office is Lord Purvis of Tweed, elected in July 2025.
Role The leader has overall responsibility for coordinating Liberal Democrat parliamentary activity in the Lords, including legislative scrutiny, debate participation, and relations with other parliamentary groups. The leader also represents the Lords group within the wider Liberal Democrats organisation, and works closely with the Chief Whip of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords, currently Lord Stoneham of Droxford (appointed in 2016). The office is distinct from the Leader of the Liberal Democrats, who leads the party nationally.
History The office was established in 1988 following the merger of the Liberal Party and the Social Democratic Party (SDP), which created the Liberal Democrats. Several early holders of the office, including Lord Jenkins of Hillhead, Lord Rodgers of Quarry Bank and Baroness Williams of Crosby, had previously been senior members of the Labour Party before leaving to establish the SDP in 1981. The office became more prominent during the Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition government from 2010 to 2015, when Liberal Democrat peers formed part of the governing coalition in the Lords.
Deputy leaders The Liberal Democrat peers also elect deputy leaders within their parliamentary group in the House of Lords, with the structure of the role varying over time, including periods in which peers have served jointly as co-deputy leaders. Baroness Seear served as the first Deputy Leader following the party's formation in 1988. Other peers who have held deputy leadership roles in the Liberal Democrat Lords group include Lord Dholakia, Lord Wallace of Saltaire, Baroness Walmsley, Lord Alderdice, and Baroness Parminter.
Baroness Pinnock (elected in October 2024) and Lord Storey (elected in September 2025) are the current Co-Deputy Leaders of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords. The office is distinct from the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats. List of leaders
+ Leaders of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords No. Portrait Leader Took office Left office Party leader(s) 1 The Lord Jenkins of Hillhead 16 July 1988 19 December 1997 Paddy Ashdown 2 The Lord Rodgers of Quarry Bank 19 December 1997 7 June 2001 Paddy AshdownCharles Kennedy 3 The Baroness Williams of Crosby 7 June 2001 24 November 2004 Charles Kennedy 4 The Lord McNally 24 November 2004 15 October 2013 Charles KennedyMenzies CampbellVince Cable (acting)Nick Clegg 5 The Lord Wallace of Tankerness 15 October 2013 13 September 2016 Nick CleggTim Farron 6 The Lord Newby 13 September 2016 24 July 2025 Tim FarronVince CableJo SwinsonEd Davey 7 The Lord Purvis of Tweed 25 July 2025 Incumbent Ed Davey List of deputy leaders +Deputy Leaders of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords No. Name Took office Left office Leader Party leader(s) 1 Baroness Seear 1988 1997 Lord Jenkins of Hillhead Paddy Ashdown 2 Lord McNally 2001 2004 Baroness Williams of Crosby Charles Kennedy 3 Lord Dholakia 24 November 2004 2010 Lord McNally Charles Kennedy, Menzies Campbell, Nick Clegg 4 Lord Wallace of Saltaire 24 November 2004 2010 Lord McNally Charles Kennedy, Menzies Campbell, Nick Clegg 5 Lord Dholakia 2010 2015 Lord Wallace of Tankerness Nick Clegg 6 Baroness Parminter 16 July 2015 2017 Lord Newby Nick Clegg, Tim Farron 7 Lord Dholakia 2017 7 October 2024 Lord Newby Tim Farron, Vince Cable, Jo Swinson, Ed Davey 8 Baroness Walmsley 1 October 2017 7 October 2024 Lord Newby Tim Farron, Vince Cable, Jo Swinson, Ed Davey 9 Baroness Pinnock 7 October 2024 Present Lord NewbyLord Purvis of Tweed Ed Davey 10 Lord Storey September 2025 Present Lord Purvis of Tweed Ed Davey
See also Leader of the Liberal Democrats Leader of the Liberal Party UK
Leader of the House of Lords Liberal Democrat Frontbench Team House of Lords Liberal Democrats
References
External links Liberal Democrat History Group
:pl:Liberalni Demokraci#Liderzy liberalnych demokratów