BBC News
· collected 2026-09-21 · by Jennifer McKiernan, Alex Forsyth
Lib Dem leader Ed Davey asserts his ambition to become prime minister rather than just a coalition partner. He defended supporting the Jackdaw gas field, stating it meets environmental standards and is part of transitioning to renewable energy. Despite recent polling placing the party in fourth or fifth place, Davey claims an "historic opportunity" for electoral gains by exploiting divisions on the right.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-21,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The Liberal Democrats, led by Sir Ed Davey, are gathering for their party conference in Brighton from October 7th, aiming to address concerns about their recent lack of growth and relevance. Recent polling shows that 43% of respondents were unclear what the Liberal Democrats stand for, with over half describing them as "weak." Ahead of the conference, some MPs criticized Davey's leadership, urging a rediscovery of the party’s insurgent spirit rather than its current role as polite custodians.
Davey has outlined plans to focus on tax cuts and rejoining the EU customs union and single market, arguing that these moves will help ease cost-of-living pressures and stimulate economic growth. He also vowed not to give up fighting against what he terms "nasty populism," targeting parties like Nigel Farage's Reform UK and individuals such as Elon Musk.
Despite internal frustrations, Davey emphasized the party’s commitment to defending the NHS and countering anti-migrant sentiment. His speech highlighted past political activism, including a successful boycott of Barclays Bank over its investments in apartheid-era South Africa, linking this to current struggles against injustices both domestically and globally.
The conference seeks to reestablish the Liberal Democrats' profile ahead of future elections by addressing issues like tax reform and EU relations while countering populist rhetoric and policies. Davey's leadership aims to galvanize party members and supporters amid skepticism from some quarters about his ability to lead the party effectively.
Written for “Lib Dem Conference Speeches” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 16 other(s) covering the same event.
- Published
Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey has insisted he is not just aiming to be a junior partner in a coalition government, saying: "I am a candidate to be prime minister."
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I → publish → government
He also backed the controversial Jackdaw gas field, which the government is expected to green light later this month, saying it had "passed the climate test" and was compatible with a transition to renewables.
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it → back → renewables
Sir Ed has faced criticism from some in his party that he lacks ambition and the vision needed to cut through in a crowded political field.
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he → face → field
He acknowledged the "frustration" felt by some of his MPs that the party was not making a bigger impact - and vowed to set out bold policies in his conference speech on Tuesday.
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party → acknowledge → Tuesday
Sir Ed led the Lib Dems to a record 72 MPs at the 2024 election, making big gains at the expense of the Conservatives in southern England, but the party has since slipped to fourth or fifth in national opinion polls, behind Labour, the Tories, the Greens and Reform UK.
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party → lead → Labour
Despite this, the Lib Dem leader claimed his party had an "historic opportunity to do far better than anyone imagines at the moment" at the next general election.
"Because the right wing is split," he said, "and fragmented like it's never happened before in over 200 years of British parliamentary elections.
"
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it → claim → elections
If we take that opportunity, and I believe we're showing how we can, we'll be a massive force in the next parliament."
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we → take → parliament
Asked if he wanted to be the kingmaker in the next government, providing support for a party falling short of the 326 MPs needed for a majority, Sir Ed said: "I've got no ceiling on our ambitions.
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I → ask → ambitions
I'm a candidate to be prime minister, but what we need to do is make sure that we build on that [election success], area by area, constituency by constituency."
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build → need → constituency
He made clear he will not go into a coalition government with Reform UK and has dismissed suggestions he could do a deal with the Conservatives.
"
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he → make → 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 - I think there could be that sort of coalition on the right and we've got to stop that," he told the BBC.
uncertain
he → get → BBC
Asked if he would form a coalition with Labour, he said he did not deal in "hypotheticals".
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he → ask → hypotheticals
He said he wanted the Lib Dems to win support across the UK, but the BBC has been told his party's strategy is focused on the 27 seats where they came second in 2024.
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they → say → 2024
Of those 27, 20 are held by the Conservatives.
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20 → hold → Conservatives
Sir Ed was speaking just before he headed out to visit the wind farm off the coast of Brighton, which he said he had signed off on when he was energy secretary in the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition government a decade ago.
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he → speak → government
He set out why supporting Jackdaw was not in conflict with his party's stance on tackling climate change, saying: "We're going to need gas for a long, long time as part of our transition, and when I was secretary of state for climate change, I always thought that we were going to need gas, and [Jackdaw] has passed the climate change test."
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Jackdaw → set → test
Sir Ed explained the alternative was shipping in liquified natural gas (LNG) from across the globe, which would be more problematic than using gas from the North Sea, about 150 miles northeast of Aberdeen.
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which → explain → Aberdeen
"There's a lot of energy produced in both putting the gas into liquid and then taking it out into gas," he said.
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he → be → gas
"The carbon footprint of that is far bigger, a lot more damaging for our climate, so this way, not only is it better for the climate, but also tax revenues come to the Exchequer."
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revenues → come → Exchequer
However, he told the BBC "the jury is very much out" on the Rosebank oil field, not least because that may not pass the same test on reducing carbon emissions.
uncertain
that → tell → emissions
And he insisted the Lib Dems were still committed to a transition away from oil and gas, for the climate and also to lower people's energy bills.
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Dems → insist → bills
"Thanks to President Trump's mad war in Iran, people are paying far higher," he said.
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he → pay → Iran
"We are paying far higher for that fossil fuel energy, and you've seen over the years how fossil fuels, oil and gas, can be extremely expensive.
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fuels → pay → years
"So, the way to get energy bills down, get the economy growing, is to be less dependent on fossil fuels and we want to be.
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we → get → fuels
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It → deliver → inbox
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