National League of Young Liberals

In 1934, the NLYL called for David Lloyd George to lead a Liberal New Deal revival, based on the Yellow Book.

The public became aware of the "Red Guards" at the 1966 Liberal Party Conference in Brighton, when they sponsored an anti-NATO resolution.

It was Young Liberal chairman Ruth Addison who led the revolt against David Steel's call in 1974 for a government of national unity.

As a result, the NLYL grew stronger, attracting groups to affiliate from surprising areas like rural Wiltshire.

In 1979, the Liberal Party adopted a "no growth" economic policy and became a magnet for young people interested in green politics.

The Young Liberals went on to persuade the party to support the withdrawal of all British troops from Northern Ireland as a long-term aim.

In an echo of the "Red Guard" era, the party leadership under David Steel campaigned to stop the election of Felix Dodds to the position of National Chair of the Young Liberals in 1984.

Many believe that the speech by Simon Hughes won the day for the rebels: Fellow Liberals, we could change the direction of British defence and disarmament policy.

[applause; standing ovation]In his final speech as chair of the Young Liberals, Dodds called for "a rainbow alliance on the left in British politics".

In 2018, Felix Dodds published his autobiography about the Green Guards, Power to the People: Confessions of a Young Liberal Activist 1975-1987.

Others have been active in the Liberal Democrat party communications department, and at 10 Downing Street (during the Coalition government) such as Olly Grender and Carina Trimingham (Chris Huhne's press and media agent).

Others chose to take green politics to a local level and lead by example, such as Mike Cooper, who became Leader of Sutton Borough Council, and Louise Bloom, a member of the London Assembly.