The West Country has a special place in the Liberal tradition. Home to Isaac Foot and his sons, Thorpe, Penhaligon, Pardoe … For much of the post-war period, the Liberal Party‘s parliamentary representation rested largely on the South West English MPs, along with their colleagues in the rest of the “Celtic fringe”.

Michael Steed (University of Kent) and Adrian Lee (University of Plymouth University), discussed the survival and strength of Liberalism in the West Country, at a meeting in the city that was the stronghold of the Foot dynasty.