Sir Ed Davey is facing questions over his leadership after a senior MP quit the party's front bench. Charlie Maynard, the MP for Witney, quit as a Treasury spokesman on Friday and is reported to plan a no confidence vote in Sir Ed Davey.
MPs Clash Over Pension Triple Lock
It comes just days after another Liberal Democrat MP clashed with his own party leader in defence of Andy Burnham's plans to overhaul the pensions triple lock to fund a National Care Service. Tom Gordon, MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, said he thought Sir Ed Davey had "missed the point" and that it was "for the birds" that the state pension triple lock helps millennials.
Mr Maynard's resignation comes amid reported frustration with the party's lack of progress since the 2024 election that saw it secure a record 72 MPs. Since then, the party has failed to grow in polls, with the latest YouGov survey putting the Liberal Democrats on 11% – just below their share in 2024.
Backbench Frustrations and Calls for Change
Backbench MP Christine Jardine told BBC Newsnight there had been "frustrations" about a lack of progress since 2024, but insisted there needed to be an alternative to change leader. She said: "Don't just say, well, we have to change the leader. Bring me an alternative. Tell me what it is that we can do better and I'll think about it."
There are now reports a no confidence vote could come as soon as Tuesday, with as many as 20 MPs willing to oust the former minister. However, many Lib Dem MPs have now rallied around the embattled leader, including Lib Dem deputy leader Daisy Cooper.
Support for Davey Among Colleagues
She said: "We Liberal Democrats are the last line of defence against a Reform UK government, and Ed is determined to lead a strong and united party into the next general election whenever it comes. As Ed said at conference we are in the fight of our lives against the right who want to turn our country into their version of Trump's America."
Former leader Tim Farron, the party's environment spokesman, said: "Ed won us our best election result since Lloyd George's day, most polls suggest we'll hold or even add to those record numbers of MPs. To think we're helped by this kind of rubbish, you'd need to be smoking the kind of stuff even we aren't in favour of legalising."
Lib Dem science spokeswoman Victoria Collins said Sir Ed had "led us to a historic win", adding: "Alongside many colleagues, I'm focused on delivering for local people, shaping our nation's future for the better and standing as a united party to take on the right."
