These results caused the Conservatives to fear the possibility of a Liberal revival but they should however have been more worried about the rise of Labour.

He later served as a key advisor to Primer Minister Lester Pearson, and was the architect of the federal Liberal revival of the 1960s.

Under his leadership a Liberal revival began, marked by the Orpington by-election of March 1962 which was won by Eric Lubbock.

Certainly there was good reason for erstwhile Tories to protest in 1974, but the scale of the Liberal revival suggests that something more fundamental was involved.

The by-election took place during the 1970s Liberal revival.

Clement Freud gained the seat for the Liberals from the Conservatives in a 1973 by-election during the height of the 1970s Liberal revival.

In a four-cornered contest however, Rudkin could only come bottom of the poll, despite 1929 seeing a modest Liberal revival nationally.

The Economist reported on 1 May 1954 that the Radical Reform Group had gathered strength from the Liberal revival in the universities.

The foundations of a Liberal revival had been laid in the Borders however.

He wrote to one sceptic saying,"I cannot allow you to cast any doubt on the reality of the Liberal revival."