Ed Davey Calls on Keir Starmer to Back Canada against Trump Attacks

THE GUARDIAN: Lib Dem leader says PM should make public show of support for ally against ‘shocking attacks’ on its sovereignty

The leader of the UK’s Liberal Democrats has called on the prime minister to publicly support Canada and oppose the “shocking attacks” on Canadian sovereignty, as the Trump administration further escalates its global trade war against longstanding allies.

Ed Davey, who leads the third largest political party in the UK, has called on Keir Starmer to travel to Canada in a show of support to the nation’s new prime minister, Mark Carney, as the commonwealth nation faces a generational crisis under Trump’s tariff war and suggestions that the country might become the 51st US state.

“I believe Britain needs to stand by our allies, our allies in the commonwealth and our allies in Europe,” Davey said.

“Would we want the US to back away with its tariffs? Of course we would, and we should use every diplomatic weapon at our disposal to get it over to the White House that this is unfriendly, wrong and self-destructive.”

The call for Starmer to publicly stand by Canada comes at a crucial moment for the future of the Nato alliance and the war in Ukraine, as the prime minister has found himself walking a political tightrope between Europe and the US only months into Trump’s second term. » | Geneva Abdul | Friday, March 14, 2025

Ed Davey Calls on PM to Reduce UK Dependence on US, Seize Russian Assets and Back Ukraine

Mar 3, 2025 | Trump is not a reliable ally against Russia, the Liberal Democrats are proud that the UK is leading with our European and Commonwealth allies for Ukraine's defence and our collective security.

Should the King really be entertaining Trump in a second state visit and rewarding him when he threatens the existence of one of the King’s dominions, namely Canada? How weak and fawning has the United Kingdom become? – © Mark Alexander

‘We Can’t Just Be Supine’: Ed Davey Urges Starmer to Stand Up to ‘Bully’ Trump

THE GUARDIAN: Lib Dem leader compares PM to child trying to avoid trouble and says calling out US president is ‘the patriotic thing to do’

A screenshot taken from this article in today’s Guardian. | Keir Starmer has disagreed with the US administration on occasions but the main approach has been to minimise any differences. Photograph: Elijah Nouvelagenicolas Tucat/AFP/Getty Images
Keir Starmer’s approach to Donald Trump is like that of a child in a playground hoping “the bully doesn’t notice them” and he should be more brave in standing up to the US president, Ed Davey has said.

In a direct challenge to the prime minister, the Liberal Democrat leader said that while the UK must engage with Trump it was “the patriotic thing to do” to call him out rather than try to indulge or placate him.

“I think so many people want to see our politicians standing up for British values and showing that we don’t think Donald Trump represents them or understands them,” Davey said.

“It’s not just that people want to see someone speaking up for British values. I don’t think Trump respects weakness. Frankly he never has done, and if you’re going to do a deal with him you’ve got to show you’re strong. » | Peter Walker, Senior political correspondent | Sunday, February 16, 2025

Lib Dem Leader Ed Davey Says Elon Musk Must Be Held to Account

Feb 4, 2025 | Speaking to Sky News, Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey responds to insults from Elon Musk and talks Lib Dem plans for an EU-UK Customs Union to combat Donald Trump's aggressive trade policy.

New EU Customs Deal Would 'Strengthen Our Hand' with Trump Say Sir Ed Davey

Jan 17, 2025 | Leader of the Liberal Democrats Sir Ed Davey says responding to a Trump presidency and growing the economy are the "two big problems facing the UK", and negotiating a new customs union with the EU "answers both of those questions".

He also accuses the Conservatives and Reform of being "weak and desperate" in their approach to Donald Trump, but says the Liberal Democrats will "stand up for Britain".

UK Should Seek New Customs Union with EU, Lib Dems to Say

THE GUARDIAN: Leader Ed Davey to call for talks to begin immediately, urging ministers to be ‘far more positive, far more ambitious’

The Liberal Democrats are to call for the government to seek a formal customs union with the EU to boost growth and insulate the UK from the impacts of a Trump presidency, a move that will place new pressure on Keir Starmer over Europe.

The changed Lib Dem stance – the party’s election manifesto argued only for closer links with Europe – will be made by its leader, Ed Davey, in a speech in London on Thursday.

Calling for talks to begin immediately on a customs union, with a target of 2030 for it to come into force, Davey says ministers should be “far more positive, far more ambitious” rather than “tinkering around the edges of the botched [Brexit] deal the Conservatives signed four years ago”. The Liberal Democrats are to call for the government to seek a formal customs union with the EU to boost growth and insulate the UK from the impacts of a Trump presidency, a move that will place new pressure on Keir Starmer over Europe.

The changed Lib Dem stance – the party’s election manifesto argued only for closer links with Europe – will be made by its leader, Ed Davey, in a speech in London on Thursday. Calling for talks to begin immediately on a customs union, with a target of 2030 for it to come into force, Davey says ministers should be “far more positive, far more ambitious” rather than “tinkering around the edges of the botched [Brexit] deal the Conservatives signed four years ago”. » | Peter Walker, Senior political correspondent | Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Liberal Democrats: Ed Davey's New Year Message 2025

Dec 31, 2024 | 2024 brought us plenty to celebrate, but also some tough times. In 2025, the Liberal Democrats will keep standing up for you, holding the powerful to account, and working to make life better and fairer for everyone. There’s so much more to do, let’s get to it.

Ed Davey Urges Starmer to ‘Trump-proof’ UK with Closer European Ties

THE GUARDIAN: Lib Dem leader says government should work with Trump but be prepared for him to act on security and trade threats

Ed Davey has urged Keir Starmer to “Trump-proof” the UK by urgently seeking closer European cooperation over military aid for Ukraine and economic ties, after the US president-elect’s threats about security and trade wars.

The Liberal Democrat leader, whose party is the third biggest in the House of Commons, argued that while the UK government should seek to work with a Donald Trump administration, it should also be as prepared as possible if he were to abandon Ukraine or impose sweeping tariffs.

“Yes, we can work with him,” Davey said. “Of course we should, and it may well be that we can, but it would be irresponsible not to take the measures in a diplomatic way, defensive way, that would make our national security and our economy Trump-proof. » | Peter Walker, Senior political correspondent | Saturday, November 9, 2024

Lib Dems Oust Four Cabinet Ministers as They Win Record Number of Seats

THE GUARDIAN: With all but a handful of results declared, party’s tally stands at 71, beating its previous record of 62 in 2005

The Liberal Democrats have taken a record number of seats for the party in the general election.

Ed Davey’s party has ousted four cabinet ministers and denied the Tories success in constituencies once held by former prime ministers David Cameron, Theresa May and Boris Johnson.

With 641 results declared, the Lib Dems’ tally stood at 71, beating the party’s previous record of 62 under Charles Kennedy’s leadership in 2005.

In early results, the Lib Dems ousted Gillian Keegan, the education secretary – her Chichester seat had a 21,500 majority in 2019 and had been held by the Conservatives for a century – and Alex Chalk, the justice secretary.

By Friday morning, the party had won 71 seats, with only a handful to be declared making it their highest total since 1923, when they were just the Liberal party led by Herbert Asquith.

Speaking after winning his Kingston and Surbiton seat again by more than 17,000 votes, Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader, said many voters had turned to his party for the first time to be their “champions”. » | Peter Walker, Senior political correspondent | Friday, July 5, 2024

Lib Dems to Attack Tories on NHS and Pensions Triple Lock, Ed Davey Says

THE OBSERVER: The leader says his party is focusing on the NHS and protecting pensions to woo Conservatives in rural heartlands

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey at the Barton Hills nature reserve in June 2023 while campaigning in next month’s Mid Bedfordshire byelection. Photograph: Antonio Olmos/The Guardian
The Liberal Democrats are planning to open two fronts against the Conservatives in their traditional heartlands, with a campaign focused on NHS waiting lists and a pledge to protect the pensions triple lock.

In an interview with the Observer, Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader, said that the scale of support his party had been receiving from lifelong Tory voters meant that there was now no Tory seat in either the “blue wall” or the Conservatives’ rural heartlands that was safe.

The Lib Dems are in an increasingly optimistic mood as their annual conference takes place this week after a string of byelection wins, including in Chesham and Amersham, and Tiverton and Honiton. There is also mounting concern among Tories in constituencies where the Lib Dems are in second place.

Davey’s party is now honing an election campaign designed to win over liberal, pro-remain Tory voters as well as rural communities that have been out of reach to the Lib Dems for years. He said that, unlike in the run-up to previous elections, concern about the NHS and GP waiting times was a “common thread” across all the voters it was targeting. » | Michael Savage, Policy Editor | Sunday, September 2023

In my opinion, this is the gentleman who would make the best prime minister for our times. This is the man who could lead this country out of the mess and morass we now find ourselves in after thirteen years of Tory screw-ups and misguided government. – © Mark Alexander

The Guardian View of Lib Dem Strategy: Bringing Down the ‘Blue Wall’

THE GUARDIAN – EDITORIAL: Boris Johnson’s record of incompetence and dishonesty has given Sir Ed Davey an opportunity

‘History, geography and demography are on Ed Davey’s side.’ Photograph: House of Commons/PA
Electoral history is full of upsets, but few are as stunning as the Liberal Democrats’ byelection victory in Chesham and Amersham, deep in the heart of Tory Britain. In June there was a 25% swing against the ruling party and a study by the UK in a Changing Europe thinktank this week calculated that more than 30 Tory MPs would be vulnerable if such a revolt were repeated. With their party conference starting on Friday, the Liberal Democrats are determined to make that win just the first step in bringing down the Conservatives’ “blue wall”.

While there are causes for optimism, one ought to be realistic. The Lib Dems have 12 MPs. Sir Ed Davey is the party’s fourth leader in six years. He will not be telling delegates this weekend to go back to their constituencies and “prepare for government”. But there are good reasons to believe something is happening. The local election results in May signalled Lib Dem gains at the expense of the Conservatives.

Boris Johnson’s authoritarian and populist Tory party, designed to appeal to a new coalition of voters, has alienated large parts of its traditional base. When our correspondent canvassed with Lib Dems in the leafy Surrey marginal seat of the deputy prime minister, Dominic Raab, not a single voter professed loyalty to the Tory MP. Voters can punish those who take them for granted. » | Editorial | Friday, September 17, 2021