Williams, Shirley (1930-…), a British politician, was one of the founders of the Social Democratic Party. She had been a member of the Labour Party until 1981. In that year, following political disagreements with other members, she resigned from the Labour Party. She then helped establish the Council for Social Democracy, which became the Social Democratic Party (SDP). Williams was president of the SDP from 1982 to 1988, when the party merged with the Liberal Party. She became a member of the new party, the Social and Liberal Democratic Party, which later became the Liberal Democrats.
Shirley Vivien Teresa Brittain Catlin Williams was born in London on July 27, 1930. She was educated at St. Paul’s Girls’ School and at Somerville College, Oxford University. She was first elected to Parliament in 1964. Between 1967 and 1970, she held junior ministerial posts. In 1974, she became secretary of state for prices and consumer protection. From 1976 to 1979, she was secretary of state for education and science, and paymaster general. She lost her seat in the House of Commons in 1979 but held another as a Social Democrat from 1981 to 1983.
In 1992, Williams was created Baroness Williams of Crosby. She became the leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords in 2001.
