David Steel MP, he was responsible for introducing, as a Private Member's Bill, the Abortion Act 1967, and has argued for greater liberalisation of this legislation in recent years (see Abortion in the United Kingdom). He also became the Liberal Party's spokesman on employment, and in 1970 its Chief Whip. In 1976, after the downfall of Jeremy Thorpe, and a short period in which Jo Grimond acted as caretaker leader, he won the Liberal leadership by a wide margin over John Pardoe. At only 38 years old, he was one of the youngest party leaders in British history. In March 1977, he
Michael Ramsey the debate club and spoke at various places in the United States. Then upon return, he heard a Liberal Party leader, Lord Hugh Cecil remark that the Church was the place to go if you wanted to help people, and he heard that as his vocation from God. He remained a Liberal, and became close friends with Jeremy Thorpe, leader of the Liberal Party from 1967 until his sudden resignation in 1976. Ramsey and Joan, his wife, were godparents of Thorpe's son Rupert whom Ramsey baptized in 1969, and Ramsey officiated at Thorpe's second marriage to Marion, after his first