Kenneth Vaus
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Kenneth Sydney Vaus {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CBE}} (30 September 1928 – 1982) was a British Liberal Party activist.
Vaus attended Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School and the University of Sheffield, where he qualified as a dentist.The Times Guide to the House of Commons: 1970, p.186 He was active in the National League of Young Liberals, and was serving on its executive in 1954/55."Young liberals", Manchester Guardian, 2 October 1954
At the 1959 United Kingdom general election, Vaus contested East Surrey; he took second place, with 18.3% of the vote. Herbert Harris, the party's general director, praised his performance as "one of the more remarkable results for us"."Liberals' night of gladness", The Guardian, 9 October 1959 He stood in Hereford at the 1964 and 1966 United Kingdom general elections, and then Reigate in 1970.F. W. S. Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1950–1973 By this time, Vaus was serving on the Liberal Party's Executive, and he stood unsuccessfully to become the party's chair in 1970."3 to seek Liberal Party chair", The Guardian, 14 November 1970
Vaus again contested East Surrey in the February and October 1974 United Kingdom general elections, taking 33.8% and 29.2% of the vote and second place to Geoffrey Howe.F. W. S. Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results, 1974–1983 He was finally elected as the party's chair in 1973, and was still in office in 1976,Chris Cook, A Short History of the Liberal Party, 1900-2001, pp.268-269 when party leader Jeremy Thorpe resigned in controversial circumstances. Vaus tried to push through a rule change to allow any MP to stand for the leadership with just a single nomination, hoping that this would get his preferred candidate, Russell Johnston, onto the ballot. His proposal was heavily defeated."Liberal MPs lost right to choose leader", The Observer, 13 June 1976
In 1978, Vaus was a founder member of "Liberals Against the Pact", a group opposing the party's pact with the Labour government.Simon Hoggart, "New Liberal group steps up the anti-pact pressure", The Guardian, 10 January 1978 He spent some time chairing the party's Finance and Administration Board, a role in which he replaced Clement Freud.Wynn Hugh-Jones, Campaigning Face to Face, pp.109, 128 In the 1981 Birthday Honours, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire.UK list: {{London Gazette |issue=48639 |date=12 June 1981 |pages=1–32 |supp=y}}
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Category:Alumni of the University of Sheffield
Category:Chairs of the Liberal Party (UK)
Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire