Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has declared his intention to be a candidate for prime minister, stating he is not content with a role as a junior partner in a potential coalition government. Davey expressed his ambition ahead of his party conference speech, acknowledging "frustration" among some of his MPs about the party's current impact in the political landscape.
Davey's remarks come after the Liberal Democrats achieved a record number of 72 MPs in the 2024 election, making significant gains against the Conservatives in southern England. However, the party's standing in national opinion polls has since declined, placing them behind Labour, the Conservatives, the Greens, and Reform UK. Despite this, Davey believes his party has an "historic opportunity to do far better than anyone imagines at the moment" in the next general election, citing a fragmented right-wing political spectrum.
He clarified that the Liberal Democrats would not enter a coalition government with Reform UK and dismissed the possibility of a deal with the Conservatives. "We've got a moral responsibility to stop Nigel Farage - and indeed stop Kemi Badenoch giving the keys to No 10 to Nigel Farage," he stated, referring to concerns about a potential right-wing coalition. When questioned about a coalition with Labour, Davey declined to engage in hypotheticals.
The party's strategy is reportedly focused on winning 27 seats where they were the runner-up in the 2024 election, with 20 of these held by the Conservatives. Davey emphasized a desire for the Lib Dems to gain support across the entire UK.
In addition to his leadership aspirations, Davey defended the government's expected approval of the controversial Jackdaw gas field. He asserted that the project "passed the climate test" and is compatible with the transition to renewable energy sources. Davey explained that gas is necessary during the transition period, and the Jackdaw field, located in the North Sea, would have a lower carbon footprint than importing liquified natural gas (LNG) from overseas. "The carbon footprint of that is far bigger, a lot more damaging for our climate," he said, adding that the domestic field would also generate tax revenues.
However, Davey expressed reservations about the Rosebank oil field, suggesting that its approval is "very much out" and it may not meet the same emissions reduction criteria. He reiterated the Liberal Democrats' commitment to transitioning away from oil and gas, linking this shift to climate action and the reduction of energy bills. "The way to get energy bills down, get the economy growing, is to be less dependent on fossil fuels and we want to be," he concluded.