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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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Alliance
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The name used by the *Liberal party and the *SDP from 1983–7 when campaigning together and voting together in parliament. In the 1983 election the Alliance polled nearly 8 million votes, only 700,000 less than the Labour party (but because of the British first-past-the-post *two-party system, these votes won the Alliance only 23 seats compared to 209 for Labour). The expectation of an effective centre force in British politics lasted until after the 1987 election, when disagreements about a merger led to a newly created *Liberal Democratic party coexisting during the next parliament with a much reduced SDP.
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