Career
He held many roles within the party, including the chair of the Liberal Party Assembly committee responsible for organising the party"s conferences. He also authored a number of influential pamphlets championing liberal philosophy and the principles of community politics. He stood unsuccessfully in Leeds West for the Liberals in the general elections of February 1974 and October 1974 before winning in 1983, defeating Labour Member of Parliament Joseph Dean.
In his maiden speech, he took a familiar stand on the subject of decentralisation of power: "Already there is too much central Government power in local government, as well as the power of individual Ministers to appoint to regional bodies, such as health and water authorities.
The thought of Ministers directing more services is certainly alarming. The possession of power is always dangerous.
Only by spreading power can we minimise its dangerous effects. The checks and balances of local elections each year within the life of a Parliament are the best deterrents to extreme action."
He served as party spokesman on local government and on housing.
In one of his final speeches, in 1987, he highlighted the problems of rising housing costs: "We should reduce the immense pressure on the south-east, where house prices, or more accurately, land prices spiral upwards, way ahead of inflation.
lieutenant seems to me that it is no longer possible for young people, as first-time buyers, in the south-east to have the type of housing which we, in the north, would regard as adequate or desirable. That will not do."
Meadowcroft was defeated in the 1987 general election by Labour candidate John Battle. He stood against Battle again in Leeds West in 1992 but finished fourth, behind Battle, Conservative candidate Paul Bartlett and Liberal Democrat candidate Viscount Morpeth.