Ed Davey warns Farage as PM could usher in US-style gun violence in Britain

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey used the party's conference to warn that installing Nigel Farage as prime minister could push Britain toward a Trump-inspired future, including a push to loosen gun controls that supporters like Farage have advocated in the past. Davey framed Reform as aiming to turn the United Kingdom into Trump’s America and argued that such a government would threaten public services and safety. The claim came as he pitched the Lib Dems as the main opposition to Reform and as a bulwark against a political realignment that he said could destabilize the country.

During his keynote, Davey asserted that under a Farage administration, Britain's strict gun laws would be eased and schools would have to 'teach our children what to do in case of a mass shooting'. He warned that a Farage-led government would reverse long-standing controls and that the country would face “the Trump-inspired country Farage wants us to become.” The Lib Dems have argued that such a shift would jeopardize public safety and social welfare.

The Lib Dems said the remark about gun policy traced back to Farage’s past comments from 2014, when he suggested the handgun ban introduced after Dunblane should be overhauled. A Lib Dem source said the speech was justified in raising those comments to illustrate what the party frames as Farage’s broader agenda: to implant Donald Trump’s politics into Britain and to relax gun laws. In 2014 Farage argued that proper gun licensing had its place but that sweeping legislation could be counterproductive, saying that criminalizing handguns could leave law-abiding citizens without recourse while criminals continued to obtain guns. A Lib Dem aide argued the party was drawing a direct line between Farage’s rhetoric and potential policy, while Reform said it had no plan to change gun laws and dismissed Davey’s comments as exaggerated and unfounded.

Reform rejected the gun-policy framing, noting that the party has not published any platform to roll back Britain’s gun controls. A spokesperson said Davey was engaging in a mischaracterization and that the Lib Dems’ portrayal of Farage was part of a broader effort to paint Reform as a threat to the country’s institutions.

Davey also used the conference to criticize other high-profile right-wing figures, including Elon Musk, arguing that 'the forces of darkness are working together across the whole world.' He alleged that Reform would dismantle the National Health Service and shift Britain toward greater dependence on Russian oil and fossil fuels, all while leaving the country in a state of chaos. The imagery of a bifurcated, crisis-ridden Britain underscored his argument that Reform’s rise would threaten social cohesion and public welfare.

Strategically, the Lib Dem leader framed the party as a home for voters who oppose Reform but are wary of the Labour government, seeking to expand beyond their 2024 tally of 72 seats. He proposed overtaking the Conservative Party, which has seen its support falter in recent polls, and even suggested the Lib Dems could win more than 100 seats in the next election as they capitalize on tactical voting and a ground campaign that has become a hallmark of their efforts. A party strategist told reporters there is a belief that a significant portion of the electorate wants change but rejects Reform, positioning the Lib Dems as a pragmatic alternative.

The conference also featured a critique of the Conservative leadership under Kemi Badenoch, with Davey inviting disaffected Conservative voters to engage with the Lib Dems and join in opposing the current Labour government and Reform if they so choose. However, analysts cautioned that the party’s focus on Farage and Reform could limit its appeal to broad swaths of voters. Polling expert Professor Sir John Curtice noted that the Lib Dems had 'maxed out' in their strategy of targeting Tory voters and would benefit from appealing to disenfranchised Labour voters as well.

Context is important for readers: Britain has not experienced a mass shooting in a school since Dunblane in 1996, when 16 children and a teacher were killed at Dunblane Primary School in Scotland. By contrast, the United States has seen 47 mass shootings in schools this year, with 19 people killed, according to CNN. Farage’s 2014 comments on gun licensing continue to loom in discussions about Britain’s approach to firearms policy and public safety, even as Reform maintains that it has no policy to alter the statute book in this area. The broader debate over gun control, public health, and national security remains a focal point of the current political moment as parties prepare for the next general election.

As the Lib Dem conference continues, party officials say the aim is to deter Reform from taking power by presenting a coherent, center-left alternative that rejects both Reform and Labour’s approach to governance. The dialogue reflects a broader sense of volatility in British politics, with leadership battles and the rise of anti-establishment movements reshaping the field. Whether these arguments will translate into meaningful gains at the ballot box remains a matter for voters and the campaigns that follow.