Ed Davey eyes 8 May as Lib Dems chase English council lead
ed davey is facing the possibility that the Liberal Democrats wake up on 8 May as the biggest party in English local government. The party is fifth in many national polls, yet it expects to add councillors for an unprecedented eighth set of local elections in a row.
A particularly good night for the Liberal Democrats, combined with heavy Conservative losses, could put them ahead of Kemi Badenoch’s party. If Labour fares very badly, the Lib Dems have an outside chance of moving from second place to first.
Blue wall gains in 2024
The party is leaning on gains it made in 2024, when it won dozens of parliamentary seats from the Conservatives in blue wall areas. It is now focusing on consolidating those places while also seeking council gains in Birmingham and Preston.
That approach sits alongside a wider campaign message aimed at local voters. The party is demanding a 10p cut in fuel duty and is running its biggest-ever programme of digital adverts.
Farage in Lib Dem adverts
Most of those digital adverts target Nigel Farage. They contrast his support for Donald Trump with Ed Davey’s criticism of the US president, a line the party is using to sharpen its pitch in places where Reform UK is also in the mix.
A senior Lib Dem said, “A lot of people seem to be misreading the way things are going. We think we have some of the answers.” One party strategist added, “It’s not something we’re necessarily expecting this time – it’s more likely in a year or two. But for all the fuss about Reform, year after year we are quietly making gains. It’s the tortoise and the hare.”
Surrey and beyond
One Lib Dem MP said, “In places like Surrey we want to show we can finish the job on the Tories.” Another said, “I call it electoral bamboo,” while a third said, “I’m still surrounded by Conservatives, but we are spreading out quickly.”
The same MP said, “It is also really notable the number of doors you knock on where people say they are desperate for anyone except Reform to win.” Another said, “Farage is really polarising.” The party is using the local elections to test a strategy aimed mainly at the next general election, with 8 May set to show whether its local advance can overtake Conservative losses.
