Furthermore, since I have raised the ghost of Gladstone, let me point out that Gladstonian liberalism was a grand experiment to put into practice liberal theory. He abolished all taxation on the English breakfast and cut income tax to the bone. He minimised state interference as much as possible.
And what were the results? Infringements on liberty by the state were greatly curtailed, this is true. But on the other hand, other infringements on individual freedom - such as the crushing slavery of poverty, ill health and lack of education continued to afflict our nation.
And a child born starving, into an illiterate family living in crushing poverty has precious little freedom at all. They are trapped by circumstances they had no control over and thus freedom from government oppression does almost nothing to free them at all.
That is why modern liberals realise that it is not enough merely for the state not to oppress freedom - it is in fact essential for the state to enable freedom by ensuring that, just as a level playing field is provided for the markets, that a level playing field is provided for people. This means that the circumstances of birth should not be an obstacle to health, to education or to the basic necessities of food and shelter so that all people are in a fit condition to compete with each other on their own merits rather than being held back by unearned handicaps.
And that is why I am a Liberal party member and not a National Liberal party member. The former has learned this lesson. The latter seems to have learned nothing of any consequence whatsoever if the rantings of a few are to be taken to represent the whole.