Social Democratic Party (UK)

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) was a United Kingdom political party that existed as a national party between 1981 and 1990. It was founded by defectors from the Labour Party, who considered that Labour had become too left wing, and was led by Roy Jenkins. It entered into an electoral alliance with the Liberal Party in the 1983 and the 1987 general elections. The majority formally merged with the Liberals to form the Liberal Democrats in 1988.

Leaders of the Social Democratic Party, 1982-1988

• Roy Jenkins 1982-1983
• David Owen 1983-1987
• Robert Maclennan 1987-1988