Glasgow University Liberal Democrats

The Glasgow University Liberal Democrats is one of the oldest student societies at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. Originally founded in 1828 as the Glasgow University Liberal Club, it changed its name to the Glasgow University Liberal Democratic Society in 1993 and then again in 1997 when it adopted the present name. Its purpose is to “bring together all Liberal Democrat students within Glasgow University and all those sympathetic to the cause Liberal Democracy”.

The club functions with regular meetings during term time, with guest speakers from the Liberal Democrat party and local Councillors [http://www.archives.gla.ac.uk/collects/catalog/dc/301-350/dc309.html] .

Notable Members

The connection between the Liberal Democrats and Glasgow University has been a long and glorious one. Two of the most recent leaders of the Liberal Democrats have been members of the predecessor organisations. Ming Campbell was President of Glasgow University Liberals in the 1962 [ [http://www.libdems.org.uk/party/people/rt-hon-sir-menzies-campbell-cbe-qc.0013.html Liberal Democrats Bio Menzies Campbell CBE QC MP] ] and Charles Kennedy was President of the Glasgow University SDP in the early 1980s. Both Ming Campbell and Charles Kennedy were President of the Glasgow University Union.

Looking further back, Henry Campbell-Bannerman was a Glasgow University student in the 1850s. Campbell-Bannerman was responsible for reshaping the post-Gladstonian Liberal party taking it from a disunited shambles in the 1890s to its largest ever election victory in 1906. He is considered by some to be the greatest Liberal Party leader [ [http://www.gla.ac.uk/clubs/libdem/history.html GU Lib Dems History] ] .

Marion Gilchrist, the first woman to obtain a medical degree from the University of Glasgow, was Convener of the Queen Margaret College Committee of the Glasgow University Liberal Club [ [http://www.universitystory.gla.ac.uk/biography/?id=WH0226&type=P Marion Gilchrist Biography: University of Glasgow] ] .

References