The Bill of Rights of 1688/89 put into law the Declaration of Rights signed by King William III & II and Queen Mary II on their accession to the throne in the Glorious Revolution. While this covered England and Wales, a similar Claim of Right Act of 1689 covered Scotland.

These Acts fundamentally changed the hold on power in Britain, moving it from the monarchy alone to the people, Parliament and a strictly Protestant monarchy, in a 3-way partnership. The Bill of Rights firstly laid out all the wrongdoings of the Catholic King James II & VII, who had fled the country, before listing certain rights and freedoms that the people should have. The Claim of Right was even more censorious of any Catholic activities and prohibited any Catholic from ever being crowned King or Queen.

The rights included the abolition of religious courts; the need for all taxes and laws to have parliamentary approval; the ability to freely petition the monarch; parliamentary privilege; the holding of frequent parliamentary sessions; the abolition of excessive or cruel punishments or bail, and of pre-trial fines; free elections of MPs; the banning of peacetime armies and private jails, and the right of individuals to possess arms for self-defence.

(Image: pixabay.com)

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) was formed in 1981 amid dissatisfaction with both Conservative and Labour parties. The appetite in the country for a ‘middle way’ meant there was support for a new political party which flew both red and blue colours and styled itself as left-of-centre. However, the Falklands War of 1982 saw the Conservative government regaining voters’ trust and the SDP declined over the next few years.

It was set up by the ‘Gang of Four’ ~ politicians Shirley Williams (1930-), Roy Jenkins (1920-2003), David Owen (1938-) and William Rodgers (1928-). More than two dozen Labour MPs defected to the SDP, along with one Tory. The public were more than ready for something new. At one point, the membership statistics of previous party subscription was 25% Labour, 10% Conservative, 5% Liberal and an amazing 60% first-timers.

After just a few months, it made an alliance with the Liberal Party which deflated some SDP supporters who had hoped for a unique manifesto, not one which had to accommodate another party. Nevertheless, the parties merged in 1988. Owen led the Continuing SDP for a couple of years but disbanded it after a humiliating by-election. A third incarnation of the SDP was then set up and is one of the minor parties today.

(Image of Dr David Owen in 1981: LSE Library at Flickr.com / Public domain)