Ed Davey's Cautious Approach Sparks Frustration Among Lib Dem MPs

Significant numbers of Liberal Democrat MPs are becoming frustrated by what they view as an overly cautious approach under Ed Davey and the party’s failure to spell out a national messages to voters. Some estimate that as many as half of the Lib Dems’ 72-strong group of MPs feel this way. While there is no move against Davey, who led the party to its best election result in a century in 2024, MPs said this could change if there was no progress. “Morale is low,” one said. “No one is saying get rid of Ed. But what they are saying is that those around him need to move with significant pace towards the development of a national story for the party to tell. We need to be a bit more serious about being the third party. “Reform are assuming a place in the national debate, and so are the Greens. We are content to not do this. And it isn’t good enough.” The party’s success in 2024 was built around ultra-disciplined messaging on a small number of subjects, notably the NHS and care, and sewage in rivers. While the messaging has expanded, particularly with Davey’s criticisms of Donald Trump, a number of Lib Dem MPs believe the atomisation of UK politics means more boldness is needed. “The leadership is very good at getting into the media with some things, but talking about A&E or Trump is no substitute for having a national position,” one MP said. Another criticism is a perceived caution in announcing policies. The party spent some weeks working on a plan for film-style age ratings for social media, only to see the Conservatives announce their own policy days before, getting most of the attention. “I think Ed has a very clear strategy and vision,” another MP said. “The problem we have in part is that we’re too academic at times. But at the same time, the Tory policy on social media didn’t work. If we have ambitions to run the country, we can’t just rush around saying things.” Many Lib Dem MPs nonetheless agree that the party needs a coherent national policy, particularly on the cost of living. “We need a big retail offer on the economy,” one said. “We need to be more radical on this and if we are, Ed is the person to do it as he’s well liked, experienced and won’t scare people.” For now, Davey and his inner circle appear to be focusing more on defending the dozens of seats won in 2024 and seeking out more target constituencies, a gradualist approach that some in the party worry may be not keeping up with events. “If the day after the next election we end up with 80 MPs, it would again be the best result for a century and Ed could retire happy,” another MP said. “But politics is changing fast, and with first past the post if you don’t keep up as a party you can die.” On the other side of the argument, when the Lib Dems have gone for a bold national messages, it has sometimes been burned, most recently in 2019 when a pledge to reverse Brexit racked up votes but the party won just 11 seats. “The 2019 election was very heady but we failed. Ed is not willing for that to happen again,” an ally of the Lib Dem leader said. “Pretty much any seat we fail to win next time will go to Reform or the Conservatives. We have to make sure we have the biggest number of MPs possible.” The ally said Davey was aware of the need for a national message, pointing to what they called a recent “step change” in the party’s social media operation. The frustrations will not be news to Davey, with some MPs having raised the same issues at recent party awaydays. “There’s no shouting, there is no jostling for position. But there are penetrating questions being asked about our purpose and where we are going,” another MP said. “At the moment it feels a bit like gruel. Ed needs to be mindful that it won’t take much more for colleagues to become really frustrated.” A key moment is likely to be May’s elections for the Scottish and Welsh parliaments and councils across England. Disappointing results, particularly coupled with a perceived lack of ambition, could prove a tipping point, the MP said. “It’s not just what the message is, it’s whether the person delivering it is the right person to do so,” they said. “We all know divided parties don’t go down well with the electorate. But if you look at the history of the party, when our leaders go, they go very quickly. They are secure until suddenly they are not. And I don’t think it would take much for frustrations to bubble over.”