But it was only with the election of Paddy Ashdown in 1988 that community politics was fully embraced by the party leadership .
By 1985 , that figure had risen to more than 2,500 , and it peaked in the early 1990s at more than 5,000 .
It was only with the election of Paddy Ashdown in 1988 that community politics was fully embraced by the party leadership .
By 1985 , that figure had risen to more than 2,500 , and it peaked in the early 1990s at more than 5,000 .