Ed Davey: Local elections a chance to defend the Britain we love from Reform’s Trump-style politics
EMBARGO: 22.30 Monday 23rd March 2026
Ed Davey: Local elections a chance to defend the Britain we love from Reform’s Trump-style politics
Ed Davey will today launch the Liberal Democrat local elections campaign with a vow to stop Reform’s “Trump-style politics” taking root in the UK and defend the “country we love.”
Speaking at a campaign launch event in Surrey, Ed Davey will say that the Liberal Democrats will stand up for a country based on decency, tolerance and the rule of law, where people look out for each other and public services can be relied on. He will contrast that with Nigel Farage’s plan to model the UK on Trump’s America, bringing chaos and division to British streets.
Reform-led councils elected last year have mimicked the White House in dodging media scrutiny, with an unprecedented ban on local journalists in Nottingham. In Durham, they have scrapped renewables projects that would’ve saved taxpayers tens of thousands. Across the country, their Musk inspired DOGE projects have failed to find savings, leading to Reform councils raising council tax despite promising to cut it.
Ed Davey will set out how by contrast Liberal Democrat councillors “do the hard work that actually gets things done,”. The Liberal Democrats are campaigning to halve energy bills within a decade, saving a typical household £870 a year. Ed Davey will accuse Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch of having “cheered on” Donald Trump’s war on Iran that is fuelling “Trump-flation” and sending energy bills soaring, and will reiterate his call on Keir Starmer to prevent a £500 rise in energy bills in May. The Liberal Democrats are also focusing on boosting local high streets, improving local health services and cleaning up rivers polluted by filthy sewage.
The campaign launch follows a series of historic gains which have seen the Liberal Democrats elect a record number of MPs, beat the Conservatives and Labour at the local elections last May for the first ever and win more local by-elections in 2025 than any other party.
The Liberal Democrats are expecting further breakthroughs across the country in May, which would mark a record eighth set of successful local election gains for the party. The party is expecting to make significant gains in former Conservative heartlands like Surrey, Hampshire and Sussex as well gaining ground against Labour in places like London, Birmingham and Newcastle.
In his keynote speech, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey is expected to say:
“We are part of our communities. We’re rooted in them, and we get things done. We care about the people we serve, the places we live and the country we love. Local champions, speaking up for our communities, fighting for the real change we need and getting things done.
“Fighting for local health services – so you can see a GP or a dentist when you need one. Fighting for the environment, to stop water companies pumping filthy sewage into our rivers and onto our beaches. And fighting for British businesses, bringing life back to our high streets, and cutting the cost of living for everyone.
“Some politicians would rather divide our communities than fix them. They'd rather point the finger of blame than get their hands dirty. They want to import Donald Trump’s nasty style of politics over here.
“That’s not who we are. We’re different. We don’t do division. We do potholes and police officers, doctors' appointments and cleaning up dirty rivers. We do the hard work that actually makes people's lives better.
“The Liberal Democrats will change our politics so we can fix the country we love. Every vote for the Liberal Democrats in May is a vote for a strong local champion who will bring our communities together and get the job done.”
ENDS
