Lib Dem conference exposes identity split as Ed Davey faces questions over liberal direction

Ed Davey faced questions about the Liberal Democrats’ identity and direction as delegates gathered for the party’s annual conference in Bournemouth, where the rhythm of a canned Vivaldi soundtrack and the clamor of activists set the backdrop for a day of speeches and debate.

Several speakers pressed the party to refine its message and strategy, while others urged more radical policy moves. A St Albans council leader, Paul De Kort, used his platform to critique parts of the pensions framework and advocate higher property taxes, arguing that redistribution should target wealth tied to land and assets. He supported Labour’s proposal to apply VAT to private school fees and celebrated moves to raise bin charges for ride-on lawnmowers. The exchanges underscored a central tension within the Lib Dems: a desire to modernize and broaden appeal while preserving core liberal priorities. Observers noted the conference was, at times, bifurcated between reform-minded voices and more traditional liberal instincts as the party contends with how to win over Home Counties voters.

The party’s foreign affairs spokesman, Calum Miller, used his address to urge the government to stop backing Donald Trump’s Turnberry golf course as a future Open host, framing it as a matter of national standing. Miller’s presentation featured a stage move that caused the venue’s video operator to miss part of the feed, leaving some viewers with an off-screen reference while Miller’s remarks continued on audio. The moment was emblematic of a conference where a precision in message sometimes clashed with the turbulence of live events.

Beyond the policy debates, the lineup highlighted the Lib Dems’ internal diversity. John Grout, described by attendees as a “hairy archaeologist,” spoke about the destruction of Palmyra and the importance of British institutions, signaling that some delegates favored a more establishment-aligned tone. Others pushed for quicker shifts: a Hampshire representative urged the party to move beyond hand-wringing and to pursue more assertive redress of social and economic inequities. Garden-centre supporters and backbench voices added layers of everyday concerns to a conference landscape often dominated by high-level reform talk. Christine Jardine Member of Parliament offered a pointed note on China’s historical role, hinting at family ties to Jardine Matheson as she argued for a broader reckoning with imperial legacies and a renewed conversation about reparations for slavery.

The mood also reflected ongoing debates about identity and values. Some speakers pressed the Lib Dems to confront racism across public life, while others insisted on tolerance and openness as the party’s core strengths. A speaker from Barnet contended that racism is prevalent in all corners of public life, provoking counterpoints about how to balance urgent social reform with a constructive, hopeful national narrative. A Lewes attendee asserted the country’s people are tolerant, hopeful and imaginative, while also attacking what was described as nihilism and xenophobia associated with rival Reform UK. The alternating emphases underscored a central question for the party: are Lib Dems defined by reformist zeal or by a steadier, more centrist liberalism?

Victoria Collins MP called for a “doom-scroll ban” on children’s mobile phones, highlighting concerns about digital life and youth welfare, another example of how the conference wove social issues into its broader liberal agenda. Multiple speakers noted the absence of Roz Savage, MP for South Cotswolds, who was scheduled to speak but did not appear, a detail that some attendees interpreted as emblematic of scheduling pressures and the broader uncertainties of party organization ahead of local elections.

As the Bournemouth gathering drew toward its conclusion, the overall read was clear: the Lib Dems remain a party of contrasts, striving to reconcile a forward-looking liberal project with the practical demands of electoral politics. Delegates voiced a mix of cautious pragmatism and calls for bolder, more distinctive policy positions, all while navigating internal debates about how liberal values translate into votes. In that sense, the conference served as a snapshot of a party at a crossroads, seeking to define its identity in a shifting political landscape and to translate its ideals into a credible path for voters outside its traditional base.