Kate WhannelPolitical reporter and
Paul Seddonpolitical reporter
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has said his party has a moral duty to keep Nigel Farage and his Reform UK party out of power.
Speaking to the at his party’s autumn conference, Sir Ed said voters were turning away from Labour and the Conservatives and some were attracted by Reform.
However, he argued that the Liberal Democrats could be the alternative by offering “radical change… in tune with British values”.
In contrast, he said Farage wanted the UK to “be like Trump’s America”.
In last year’s general election, the Lib Dems won 72 seats while Reform won five, however in recent months Farage’s party has led opinion polls.
Sir Ed told the ‘s political editor Chris Mason his party had “momentum” but acknowledged that was “not quite reflected in the polls as much as I would like to see”.
“We have a challenge. We have got to take the fight to Reform.”
Asked how he could win over Reform voters, Sir Ed said people were worried about illegal immigration and that his party was urging the government to call a national emergency to deal with the backlog in processing asylum claims.
“If we get rid of that asylum backlog and close the asylum hotels, I think that would reassure many communities.”
He argued that in addition to immigration, voters were also worried about the cost of living and said the Lib Dems had policies which would bring down energy bills.
At its autumn conference in Bournemouth, the Liberal Democrats have been handing out Lego models of “plastic patriot” Nigel Farage.
Asked if his party was obsessed with or frightened by Farage, Sir Ed said: “I am certainly not frightened – the issue is we need to expose him.
“I think the more he comes under scrutiny the more he will be seen to fail.”
Sir Ed argued that a Reform government would make the UK more “like Trump’s America” adding: “I think that’ll be harsh and it’s not true to British values.”
He said his party offered “the change that is in tune with those values – to have a decent caring country”.
He said voters had “lost trust” in a Labour government that had “failed” and his party could provide an alternative.
The Liberal Democrat leader criticised the ‘s coverage of Reform UK and accused the News website of failing to provide “enough scrutiny” of Farage’s party.
“We’re seeing some improvements and long it may continue because the has a really important role.
“That’s one of the reasons why Liberal Democrats have championed the and when it’s not performing that role it’s not unreasonable is it for people to call it out.”
A spokesperson says: “The is committed to achieving due impartiality in all its output and gives appropriate levels of scrutiny to all political parties.”
Earlier, the Lib Dems made time on the main stage in Bournemouth for a debate on how they can take on Farage’s party, featuring local councillors from its “Reform Watch” scrutiny team set up by Sir Ed after May’s local elections.
They expressed a hope that a focus on local issues – which Lib Dems see as a traditional strength – would help the party counter the attention Reform has gathered nationwide.
Mike Ross, the leader of Lib Dem-held Hull City Council, where the party faces a challenge from a Reform mayor elected in May, said his party had tried to reframe Reform’s animosity towards net zero goals, for example, as a threat to green investment in the area.
Kent councillor Anthony Hook, where the Lib Dems are now the opposition to a Reform-led council, said the party needed to “up our game and create more content of our own” on social media to take on Farage’s party.
