Lib Dem council leader urges party to reject ‘irrelevance’ under Davey

Julian Brazil, leader of Devon County Council, has issued a stark warning that the Liberal Democrats are “sleepwalking into irrelevance” and questioned the effectiveness of Sir Ed Davey’s leadership. Speaking at the party’s annual conference in Brighton, Brazil argued that the party currently lacks ambition and fails to articulate issues that resonate with voters.

When asked directly if Sir Ed was the right person to lead the party, Brazil replied, “I wish he was, but all the evidence is no.” He suggested the Liberals had allowed other political movements to overtake them and described the party as currently occupying a peripheral position rather than being central to the political landscape.

Brazil criticized the party’s current messaging strategy, stating they are lacking “courage of convictions” and appealing to voters primarily by asking them to choose the Liberal Democrats over the Conservatives or Reform UK, rather than offering a positive vision.

A spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats pushed back against these criticisms, asserting that the party is in a “incredibly strong position” under Sir Ed’s direction. The spokesperson highlighted the party’s focus on critical issues such as the cost of living and the health service, noting that under Davey’s tenure, the party achieved its best general election result in a century with 72 MPs elected in 2024.

However, national opinion polls have since shown the party slipping to fourth or fifth place, trailing behind both the Green Party and Reform UK. The spokesperson added that the party remains united and is committed to stopping Reform and the Conservatives after a decade of what they describe as failing governments.

Brazil’s concerns appear to be shared privately by some MPs within the party. Ahead of the conference, Roz Savage, the MP for South Cotswolds, published an essay asking why the party was struggling for relevance when so many citizens felt powerless. She urged members to rediscover an “insurgent spirit” rather than acting as merely “polite custodians” of a system that leaves people feeling disenfranchised.

Sir Ed addressed the backlash during a Q+A session on Sunday. While acknowledging the frustration shared by some of his MPs regarding their inability to bring about legislative change, he insisted the party was gaining ground in local elections. He pointed to Devon as a success story, where the party holds six MPs and controls local councils, noting they are demonstrating how to counter the rise of Reform.

Former coalition colleague Sir Vince Cable also offered support for the leadership, telling a fringe meeting that Sir Ed was the most successful leader in the party’s history and that “you can’t argue with success.” Meanwhile, pollster Luke Tryl warned that the party needed a more compelling national message to cut through effectively.

Experts from the think tank More in Common suggested the Liberals could potentially gain seats in traditional Conservative heartlands, which might position Sir Ed as deputy prime minister in a future Labour-led government. However, they cautioned that the Tories could exploit this by framing a vote for the Liberal Democrats as a vote for Labour.