Behind Sir Ed Davey's seemingly spontaneous and often awkward public spectacles lies a coldly calculated media strategy, an internal party dossier has revealed. The Liberal Democrat leader's summer of stunts, which saw him paddleboarding, tumbling down a water slide, and enduring a rollercoaster, was a deliberate and meticulously planned effort to manufacture viral moments and secure precious airtime.
The 'Stunt List': A Blueprint for Awkwardness
A 19-page internal document, titled 'Ed's Summer,' reads like a cringe-inducing script for a political reality show. It meticulously plotted a series of 'photo-ops' designed to present Davey as a relatable, fun-loving figure. The dossier explicitly stated the objective was to cut through the political noise and show the leader in a 'different light,' breaking away from his otherwise 'serious' persona.
The planning was exhaustive. It included detailed risk assessments for activities like the Lee Valley White Water Centre visit and listed specific media outlets to target. The document even contained pre-prepared quotes for Davey to deliver, attempting to link the frivolous activities to serious policy points on the NHS and sewage.
Stunts That Stumbled
Despite the careful planning, the execution was often far from smooth. During a now-infamous cheese-rolling event in Gloucestershire, Davey appeared hesitant and was captured on video asking aides, "Do I have to do this?" before his modest attempt at chasing the cheese wheel. The moment perfectly encapsulated the gap between the strategy's ambition and the awkward reality.
Other highlights from the stunt list included:
- The Rollercoaster Ride: A planned trip to Thorpe Park, intended to symbolise the 'ups and downs' of the cost-of-living crisis.
- The Paddleboarding Fall: A deliberate tumble into a lake, designed to illustrate the party's focus on cleaning up polluted waterways.
- The Water Slide: An event aimed at generating playful imagery, which instead resulted in a clumsy descent.
A Strategy of Desperation?
Political rivals have seized on the revelations, labelling the stunts as "deeply cynical" and evidence of a party relying on gimmicks over substance. Critics argue that the calculated nature of the events undermines any authenticity, revealing a leader willing to become an object of ridicule for a few seconds on the evening news.
For the Liberal Democrats, however, the strategy may be born of necessity. As a smaller party fighting for media oxygen against the Conservative and Labour juggernauts, unconventional tactics are often seen as the only way to break through. The internal document itself admitted the need for a campaign that was "different, fun, and loveable."
Whether voters see a relatable politician or a desperate one remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: Sir Ed Davey's summer of cheese was anything but accidental.
