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The Liberal Democrats' current leader is Sir [[Menzies Campbell]] ("Ming Campbell"), a Scottish trial lawyer.

The Liberal Democrats' current leader is Sir [[Menzies Campbell]] ("Ming Campbell"), a Scottish trial lawyer.

The Liberal Democrats were formed in 1988 by a merger between the old [[Liberal Party]] and the moderately left-wing [[Social Democratic Party]]. The Liberal Party was one of the oldest political parties in the world, tracing its roots back to the [[Whigs]] of the era of [[William of Orange]].

The Liberal Democrats were formed in 1988 by a merger between the centrist [[Liberal Party]] and the moderately left-wing [[Social Democratic Party]], which had split off from the Labour Party in the early 1980s when the latter became too strongly socialist. The Liberal Party was one of the oldest political parties in the world, tracing its roots back to the [[Whigs]] of the era of [[William of Orange]].

Since its foundation, the party has steadily increased its presence in the [[House of Commons]] at each successive election. The party won 62 seats in the 2005 general election - the most that the party or its predecessors had won since the election of 1923.

Since its foundation, the party has steadily increased its presence in the [[House of Commons]] at each successive election. The party won 62 seats in the 2005 general election - the most that the party or its predecessors had won since the election of 1923.