Sir James Henderson-Stewart, 1st Baronet - Liberal Unity

Liberal Unity

With the Liberal candidates again divided between the Liberal Nationals and Opposition Liberals in the 1945 general election, Henderson-Stewart sought a reunification, without success. When Parliament reassembled after the election, Henderson-Stewart was chosen as the Chairman of the Liberal National Parliamentary Party for the session. This made him unofficial party leader; however he served only for one year. In September 1947 he wrote to The Times suggesting that the Liberal Party should consider merging with the Conservatives, arguing that Liberalism "stands four square in opposition to Socialism" and should work together with Churchill. Shortly after, Henderson-Stewart's group formally joined with the Conservatives.

At the 1950 general election, the Liberal Party nominated David Alexander Freeman a 22 year old student at St Andrews University as a candidate against Henderson-Stewart, the first time they put a candidate up against him, and the controversy between them was described as "bitter". Henderson-Stewart increased his majority while the Liberal lost his deposit. In the new Parliament he kept up his campaign for the local fishing industry, calling for immediate action to prevent a crisis. He wanted controls on fish imports.