Lib Dem Leader Ed Davey defends local focus, outlines plan to cut energy bills in BBC South interview

A BBC South interview with Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey, conducted by Peter Henley, explored the party’s approach to local government, national reform efforts, and energy policy as the party eyes its autumn conferences.

Davey argued that Liberal Democrats are performing well in local government and that policy priorities should reflect local circumstances. He pointed to Oxfordshire’s traffic crackdown and Portsmouth’s emphasis on business investment as examples of how the same party can pursue different aims in different places, depending on local needs and challenges.

He acknowledged concerns about Labour’s local government reform agenda but insisted that the Lib Dems must respond to the national policy climate while continuing to represent communities. He said the differences across regions are natural and that it is appropriate for some areas to focus on traffic management and others on business support, while reiterating the party’s intention to stand up to reforms that it views as detrimental to local accountability. In this framing, the Lib Dems present themselves as the principled regional alternative capable of challenging Reform in forthcoming contests.

The conversation also touched on the partisan framing of national policy. Davey criticized Reform’s platform, likening its direction to a Trumpian approach to governance, where healthcare costs are shouldered by individuals and rural areas face fracking proposals. He argued that Reform’s agenda aligns with a pro-Russia energy stance and would drive higher energy bills, contrasting it with the Lib Dem vision for energy policy.

On the question of local mergers, the Bournemouth conference location was cited as a case study. A merger of three councils there had been projected to save about £50 million but had delivered only around £25 million in savings. Davey attributed the merger to Conservative policy and to a Liberal Democrat–led council in the mix, arguing that such consolidations often fail to deliver promised savings and can distance government from local residents. He said that while local authorities sometimes must respond to national directions, the party warned at the time that savings were unlikely and that governance could become more remote from communities.

Looking ahead, Davey asserted that the Liberal Democrats are the only major national party currently polling well in local elections and framed the party as a credible challenger in the contests to come. He signaled a willingness to resist what he described as financially risky or politically remote national reforms, arguing the Lib Dem path offers more transparent, locally accountable governance. On energy, he defended the party’s net-zero stance while proposing concrete steps to reduce bills: expanding renewable generation, accelerating home insulation, and shifting away from gas-fired energy where feasible. He asserted that a policy mix balancing more affordable renewables with energy efficiency could translate into lower household bills over time, and he rejected Farage-style policies as dangerous for energy security and cost of living.

In closing, Davey framed the Lib Dems as the patriotic, locally responsive alternative to Reform and a counterweight to a national government he described as out of step with southern communities. He argued that the party’s distinctive blend of local governance strength, pragmatic reform, and a sustainable energy program could position the Lib Dems as a central force in upcoming elections across the south of England and beyond.