Clement Davies
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Clement Edward Davies (February 19, 1884–March 23, 1962) was a UK politician and leader of the Liberal Party between 1945 and 1956.
He was elected to the British House of Commons in 1929 as a Liberal. In 1931 the Liberals divided into three groups and he became one of the National Liberal MPs supporting the National Government. However in 1939 he resigned from both the party and supporting the National Government. During World War II he was chairman of the All Party Action Group that played a significant role in forcing the resignation of Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain.
In 1942 he rejoined the Liberal Party. Despite having left it for a decade and with lingering suspicions that his commitment to Liberalism was less than full, Davies became leader of the Liberal Party in 1945 after Archibald Sinclair lost his seat in the electoral debacle that reduced the Liberals to 12 seats. His first general election as party leader in 1950 reduced the party to 9 seats with barely 9% of the vote and the 1951 and 1955 elections reduced the Liberals to only six seats. Davies led the once powerful Liberals during its lowest period when it had been reduced to a minor party due to the electorate's polarisation between the Labour and the Conservatives.
Further Reading
Clement Davies: Liberal Leader by Alun Wyburn-Powell (ISBN 1-902-30197-8)
| Preceded by: Sir Archibald Sinclair | Leader of the British Liberal Party 1945-1956 | Followed by: Jo Grimond |