Jeremy Thorpe after discovery by the "Daily Mail". Bessell gave muddled accounts of his involvement with Scott, but insisted that his former chief was innocent of any wrongdoing. On 16 March 1976 Newton's trial began at Exeter Crown Court, where Scott repeated his allegations against Thorpe despite the efforts of the prosecution's lawyers to silence him. Newton was found guilty and sentenced to two years' imprisonment, but did not incriminate Thorpe. The erosion of public support for the Liberal Party continued with several poor by-election results in March, which the former leader Grimond attributed to increasing lack of confidence in Thorpe. On
British Columbia Liberal Party leadership elections British Columbia Liberal Party leadership elections This page lists the results of leadership conventions held by the British Columbia Liberal Party. First Ballot: Second Ballot: Third Ballot (Runoff between McInnes and MacDonald): Fourth Ballot (McInnes eliminated): John Oliver was elected leader by a meeting of the caucus and provincial executive October 10, 1909. On March 5, 1918 John Oliver was elected leader on the fourth ballot, defeating James Horace King and John Wallace de Beque Farris. William Sloan and John Duncan MacLean were eliminated on previous ballots. Source: "Morning Leader", March 6, 1918 At a party caucus on July 18,