The leader of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Ed Davey, has accused Reform UK’s Nigel Farage of wanting to turn Britain into “Trump’s America”.
Addressing supporters and MPs at the Lib Dem conference in Bournemouth, Davey praised both liberal and British values, stating the UK was in “a battle for the very future of our country,”, adding that the British people must decide “what kind of country we are,” and “what kind of country we want to become.”
He believed the UK was a country of “growth,” “opportunity,” “fairness,” “prosperity,” and “care.”
“Don’t let it become Farage’s Britain,” he told delegates.
While the Lib Dem leader may have been keen to reclaim ground from the right, he did not stray far from the subject of Farage, who has dominated the Lib Dem conference, and was no less present in its leader’s closing speech.
A party known for its focus on local domestic politics, Davey was keen to point to the international stage, particularly the US, which he painted as a land of lax gun laws, “mass shooting” drills and expensive healthcare.
“Imagine living in the Trump-inspired country Farage wants us to become. Where there’s no NHS, so patients are hit with crippling insurance bills. Or denied healthcare altogether,” he said.
“Where we pay Putin for expensive fossil fuels and destroy our beautiful countryside with fracking, while climate change rages on.
“Where gun laws are rolled back, so schools have to teach our children what to do in case of a mass shooting. Where social media barons are free to poison young minds with impunity.
“Where the government tramples on our basic rights and freedoms, unconstrained by the European Convention on Human Rights. Where Andrew Tate is held up as an example to young men. Where racism and misogyny get the tacit support of people in power. Where everything is in a constant state of chaos.
“That is Trump’s America. Don’t let it become Farage’s Britain.”
The Lib Dem leader hailed victories secured by the party at both a local and national level, saying the “ambition – for our party, our values, our ideas – has no ceiling.”
Turning to Farage’s party, he went on to describe “the threat that Reform now poses to our country and our democracy,” as prompting a “moral responsibility to aim high.”
That ambition would dictate the Lib Dem’s future election goals, said Davey.
In 2024, under his leadership, the Lib Dem’s secured its best election result, with 72 MPs. Speaking directly to the audience, Davey announced the party’s new target would be to “win more seats than the Conservatives, for the first time since Herbert Henry Asquith in 1910.”
Announcing further intentions for the next general election, Davey took aim at Labour’s record in office after nearly a year at the helm.
“We won’t only be targeting seats held by the Conservatives,” Davey said.
Despite claiming both main parties have failed the British public, it was Farage he appeared to see as the biggest threat, positioning the Lib Dems as the path out of a Farage Britain.
“It comes down to us or Nigel Farage,” he told delegates.
The “us or them” narrative was driven home by Davey’s speech, which was peppered 31 times with the Reform leader’s name.
But for a speech in which he criticised the attention paid to the Reform leader, it seemed clear who was “living in his head rent-free” – an accusation regularly levelled at political leaders in the UK.
Davey has been vocal in his criticisms of agitators on the right, such as Tommy Robinson, Elon Musk and Nigel Farage.
In a bid to reclaim the language of patriotism and link both “liberal” and “British” values, Davey praised “the many incredible strengths this United Kingdom has going for it.”
Among these, he listed: “The best farmers, carmakers and universities in the world. The place Hollywood comes to make Barbie, Spider-Man and Mission Impossible. The land of the Lionesses and the home of Formula One. Windermere and Loch Ness. Male Voice Choirs and Hogmanay. County shows and school fairs. Fish and chips. Village greens and cricket pavilions. And let me tell you – the best rollercoasters and waterslides on the planet.”
Calling out the Reform leader, Davey claimed: “Nigel Farage is on the side of Elon Musk, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. Liberal Democrats are on the side of the British people.
“Because, unlike Farage, I actually love Britain.”
He finished: “Our strength lies in the British people and our shared British values. We are a nation that believes in tolerance, decency, and respect for both individual freedom and the rule of law.
“That is our United Kingdom.”
Politicians’ stances on the ongoing conflict in Gaza have been a divisive issue both globally and at home. Addressing this, Davey condemned the actions of Hamas, referencing the ongoing case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
“Respecting the role of the ICJ should not stop us from speaking the truth today,” Davey said.
“We must call it by its name, and we must condemn it unequivocally.
“What is unfolding in Gaza is a genocide. And the United Kingdom must do all it can to make Netanyahu stop.”
On Sunday, the UK announced it would formally recognise the state of Palestine.
Speaking to the conference hall, Davey said: “This is not the end, it must be the beginning.
“The moment that the UK finally steps up, and does everything we can to end this appalling cycle of bloodshed.”
Davey has previously drawn criticism from opponents, and even those within his own party, for what has sometimes been seen as an over-reliance on stunts to drive the Lib Dem message.
In his conference speech, however, he remained unrepentant.
The party leader, who arrived at the Bournemouth conference leading a marching band and made headlines during the 2024 election for his novelty filming opportunities, joked about his ambition to take the party further.
“Get the bungee harness ready,” he quipped.
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