mar 26, 1981 - Formation of SDP

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The SPD:
-The gang of four, consisting of Bill Rogers, David Owen, Roy Jenkins and Shirley Williams split from the Labour party in March 1981
-These leaders and the 28 MPs that followed believed they had been driven out by extremists and that the best way to save Labour was to form a new centrist party
-Williams won a by-election for the Conservative sear in Crosby in November 1981 and in March 1982, Jenkins won Glasgow Hillhead
-Relations were tense because of differences between the leaders

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