Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey has used his party's annual conference speech to position the Lib Dems as the primary opposition to Reform UK, repeatedly attacking Nigel Farage and linking him to Donald Trump. Davey warned that a Reform government would bring Trump-style policies to Britain, including dismantling the NHS, enabling racism and misogyny, and relaxing gun laws to the point where schools would need to teach children how to respond to mass shootings.
Davey's remarks drew on a 2014 comment by Farage, then UKIP leader, calling for a relaxation of handgun bans. A Reform source dismissed the Lib Dems as 'an irrelevant laughing stock' and denied that relaxing gun laws is party policy. Davey repeated the refrain 'Trump's America. Don't let it become Farage's Britain' several times during the speech.
The Lib Dem leader also criticised the Conservatives and Labour, describing Keir Starmer as 'continuity Sunak'. However, the main focus was on Farage, with Davey arguing that the Lib Dems are the only party capable of stopping what he called 'the forces of darkness'. He appealed to liberal-minded Conservative voters, saying: 'My message to you is this – come and talk to us.'
Davey condemned Reform's plans to end the asylum system, particularly the idea of sending refugees back to Afghanistan. He contrasted Farage's alliances with Elon Musk, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump with the Lib Dems' commitment to the British people, stating: 'Unlike Farage, I actually love Britain. I'm proud of our country.'
