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Story summary
Liberal Democrat MP Justin Madders, who represents Witney, has quit his position as Treasury spokesman. This move is reportedly an attempt to initiate a vote of no confidence in the party’s leader, Ed Davey. Madders declined to comment on his reasons for stepping down but sources suggest it stems from frustration over the lack of progress since the 2024 election when the Liberal Democrats secured their record-high number of 72 MPs. Despite this success, recent polls show a decline in party support; the latest YouGov survey places the Liberal Democrats at just 11%, barely matching their share from two years ago. Former leader and current environment spokesman Tim Farron has come out to defend Davey's leadership, noting that under his guidance they achieved their best election result since Lloyd George’s era and are likely to maintain or even increase their MP numbers in the next general election.
Written for “Lib Dem Mp Resignation” on 2026-10-09,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it -0.50, but all 4 of its quote(s) are attributed speech - words the article quotes from someone, not the article's own narration, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 69290: attributed speech only · logged 2026-10-09
The Financial Times reported that the resignation is intended to trigger Sir Ed’s removal.
asserted
resignation → report → removal
Mr Maynard is reported to have asked parliamentary colleagues to back a vote of no confidence in the leader.
asserted
Maynard → report → leader
She said: “We Liberal Democrats are the last line of defence against a Reform UK government, and Ed is determined to lead a strong and united party into the next general election whenever it comes.
asserted
it → say → election
“As Ed said at conference we are in the fight of our lives against the right who want to turn our country into their version of Trump’s America.”
asserted
who → say → America
Mr Maynard himself declined to comment.
asserted
Maynard → decline → ?
His resignation comes amid reported frustration with the party’s lack of progress since the 2024 election that saw it secure a record 72 MPs.
asserted
it → come → MPs
Since then, the party has gained little ground in the polls, with the latest YouGov survey putting the Liberal Democrats on 11% – just below their share in 2024.
asserted
survey → gain → 2024
On Friday evening, other senior Lib Dems came out in support of Sir Ed’s leadership.
asserted
Dems → come → leadership
Former leader Tim Farron, the party’s environment spokesman, said: “Ed won us our best election result since Lloyd George’s day, most polls suggest we’ll hold or even add to those record numbers of MPs.
asserted
we → say → MPs
“To think we’re helped by this kind of rubbish, you’d need to be smoking the kind of stuff even we aren’t in favour of legalising.”
asserted
we → think → favour
Lib Dem science spokeswoman Victoria Collins said Sir Ed had “led us to a historic win”, adding: “Alongside many colleagues, I’m focused on delivering for local people, shaping our nation’s future for the better and standing as a united party to take on the right.”
Read More
But a Lib Dem source suggested that Mr Maynard could have as many as 20 MPs willing to support him.
uncertain
Maynard → say → him
Backbench MP Christine Jardine told BBC Newsnight there had been “frustrations” about a lack of progress since 2024, but said Sir Ed’s critics needed to put forward an alternative.
asserted
critics → tell → alternative
She said: “Don’t just say, well, we have to change the leader.
asserted
we → say → leader
Tell me what it is that we can do better and I’ll think about it.”
asserted
I → tell → it
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