British Liberals call on old chief

LONDON (P)

The Liberal

party, left leaderless by the resignation of Jeremy Thorpe, yesterday asked its elder statesman Jo Grimond to take charge of Britain's third largest political party. Thorpe stepped down Monday amid allegations of a former homosexual affair. Grimond, who relinquished the

leadership to Thorpe nine years ago, indicated he may be willing to take on the job again. The Liberal party holds 13 seats in the 635-seat House of Commons.

Grimond is generally recognized as the man responsible for leading the Liberals from obscurity in the 1920s to credibility as a modern parliamentary party.