2014 Liberal Democrats deputy leadership election

January 2020 February 2014 2014 Liberal Democrats deputy leadership election presidential no 2010 Liberal Democrats deputy leadership election 2010 2017 Liberal Democrats deputy leadership election 2017 28 January 2014 First round Second round File:Malcolm Bruce (2014 3x4).jpg Malcolm Bruce FAA61A 26 (48.2%) 28 (52.8%) File:Lorely Burt MP (2010) (3x4).jpg Lorely Burt FAA61A 25 (46.3%) 25 (47.2%) File:Gordon Birtwistle 2010 (cropped).jpg Gordon Birtwistle FAA61A 3 (5.6%) Eliminated Deputy Leader Simon Hughes Malcolm Bruce The 2014 Liberal Democrats deputy leadership election began on 18 December 2013, when the incumbent Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Simon Hughes, was appointed Minister of State at the Ministry of Justice, and opted to resign his party position to focus on his new post.http://www.libdemvoice.org/lib-dem-deputy-leader-simon-hughes-replaces-lord-mcnally-as-justice-minister-37547.html ++ Lib Dem deputy leader Simon Hughes replaces Lord McNally as Justice Minister The post was elected by and from the party's 55 Members of Parliament in the House of Commons, who voted on 28 January 2014. (57 Liberal Democrat MPs had been elected at the previous general election, but at the time of the vote, both David Ward and Mike Hancock had had the whip withdrawn.) Lorely Burt was seen as the front-runner,http://www.libdemvoice.org/lorely-burt-to-stand-for-liberal-democrat-deputy-leader-37749.html +++ Lorely Burt to stand for Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader yet veteran MP Sir Malcolm Bruce, who had already announced that he would be standing down at the May 2015 general election, was elected as Deputy Leader on the second round of voting.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-25926660 Bruce elected Lib Dem deputy leader 17 March 2018 BBC Candidates Declared candidates Gordon Birtwistle, Member of Parliament for Burnley (since 2010) Sir Malcolm Bruce, Chair of the International Development Committee (since 2005), former Chair of the Parliamentary Party (1999–2001), Member of Parliament for Gordon (since 1983) and candidate for leader in 1999 Lorely Burt, Parliamentary Private Secretary to Danny Alexander, former Chair of the Parliamentary Party (2007–2012), Member of Parliament for Solihull (since 2005)Charlotte Henry The runners and riders for deputy leader of the Lib Dems http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2013/12/the-runners-and-riders-for-deputy-leader-of-the-lib-dems/ spectator.co.uk The Spectator 9 July 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20131226114523/http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2013/12/the-runners-and-riders-for-deputy-leader-of-the-lib-dems/ 26 December 2013 20 December 2013 Potential candidates who declined to stand Jeremy Browne, former Minister of State for the Home Office (2012–2013) and Minister of State for Europe and the Americas (2010–2012), Member of Parliament for Taunton Deane (since 2005)Richard Morris The Lib Dems should elect a female deputy leader to address their woman problem https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2013/12/lib-dems-should-elect-female-deputy-leader-address-their-woman-problem newstatesman.com New Statesman 9 July 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20131223084610/https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2013/12/lib-dems-should-elect-female-deputy-leader-address-their-woman-problem 23 December 2013 19 December 2013 Andrew George, Member of Parliament for St Ives (since 1997) Steve Gilbert, Parliamentary Private Secretary to Ed Davey, Member of Parliament for St Austell and Newquay (since 2010) Duncan Hames, Parliamentary Private Secretary to Nick Clegg, Member of Parliament for Chippenham (since 2010) Nick Harvey, former Minister of State for the Armed Forces (2010–2012), Member of Parliament for North Devon (since 1992) Julian Huppert, Member of Parliament for Cambridge (since 2010) Michael Moore, former Secretary of State for Scotland (2010–2013), Member of Parliament for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (since 1997) Tessa Munt, Parliamentary Private Secretary to Vince Cable, Member of Parliament for Wells (since 2010) Run-up to the election The election coincided with the conclusion of Alistair Webster QC's report on the allegations of sexual harassment surrounding the party's former Chief Executive Lord Rennard, and in the weeks leading up to it, the party received extensive coverage surrounding sexual harassment claims against senior party figures including Lord Rennard, MP Mike Hancock,https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/liberaldemocrats/10590782/New-Lib-Dem-scandal-as-Mike-Hancock-MP-is-suspended.html New Lib Dem scandal as Mike Hancock MP is suspended Steven Swinford 17 March 2018 The Telegraphhttps://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/lib-dems-suspend-mp-mike-hancock-over-fresh-allegations-of-sexual-misconduct-9078427.html https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/lib-dems-suspend-mp-mike-hancock-over-fresh-allegations-of-sexual-misconduct-9078427.html 1 May 2022 subscription Lib Dems suspend MP Mike Hancock over fresh allegations of sexual 22 January 2014 and AM William Powell.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-25897872 AM warned on inappropriate behaviour 17 March 2018 BBC Accordingly, numerous media commentators noted that it appeared highly likely the party would seek to offset criticism of its treatment of women by electing the frontrunner Burt as the party's first woman Deputy Leader, and after receiving 24 nominations, she was described as "the firm favourite".http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/news/local-news/solihull-mp-lorely-burt-likely-6477356 Solihull MP Lorely Burt likely to be next Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Jonathan Walker 7 January 2014 Result First roundCandidateVotes% Sir Malcolm Bruce 26 48.1 Lorely Burt 25 46.3 Gordon Birtwistle 3 5.6 Abstention 1 Turnout 54 98.2 Second ballot required Gordon Birtwistle was eliminated after the first round, and his second preferences were redistributed. Second roundCandidateChangeVotes% Sir Malcolm Bruce +2 28 52.8 Lorely Burt +0 25 47.2 Abstention +1 2 Turnout 53 96.4 Sir Malcolm Bruce elected Aftermath Some expressed surprise at Burt's defeat by Bruce, with the Daily Express branding the result "a blunder of Olympian proportions" which left the party open to accusations of being "pale, male and stale".http://www.express.co.uk/comment/expresscomment/457511/Lorely-Burt-was-the-right-woman-for-Lib-Dem-deputy-leadership Lorely Burt was the right woman for Lib Dem deputy leadership Marco Giannangeli 2 February 2014 References Category:Deputy leaders of the Liberal Democrats (UK) Deputy Leadership election 2014 Category:2014 political party leadership elections in the United Kingdom