*Andrew Burgress, Senior Political Adviser - Special Adviser Party & Membership Affairs contributed to this piece.
The leader of the UK Liberal Democrats Sir Ed Davey has used his party's annual conference to position the party as Britain's front line against Reform UK, using his closing speech to frame the next election as a choice between "a politics of grievance" and "a politics of empowerment."
Sir Ed, who took part in a litter pick on Brighton beach on Sunday, used the conference to take aim at those seeking to strip away freedoms. He started his speech with the story of how he got into politics by campaigning against South African apartheid, drawing a parallel with today’s fight against far-right populism:
"The fight to defeat the nasty populism of Trump, Le Pen, the AfD and the rest. The fight to stop the world’s richest man from funding racism around the world...When we see injustice, when we see human dignity under attack, we do not look away. We stand up. We care. And we fight.”
He framed his speech around the liberal responsibility to act as a firewall against divisive figures such as Reform’s Farage and meddling billionaire Elon Musk. This comes after last weekend’s London Security Conference where he emphasised liberal democracy and defence are now a part of the same fight.
According to him, there is no ceiling to what the future holds for ALDE Member Liberal Democrats as they continue to build on their previous electoral success.
Recently elected ALDE Party Vice-President Baroness Julie Smith spoke at a conference reception hosted by ALDE Party, emphasising the evermore importance of strengthening and maintaining global partnerships. Other speakers included leader Sir Ed Davey, the party’s Europe spokesperson Al Pinkerton MP and the leader of the party in the House of Lords, Lord Jeremy Purvis.
ALDE Party Vice-President Baroness Julie Smith
Alongside this, the conference was used to pass a number of resolutions, from wildfire crises and a liberal vision for healthcare, to violence against women and girls, defending British democracy, and the restoration of trans rights. Delegates also debated a motion on AI, reflecting a wider anxiety, echoed across the conference, about how AI and the concentration of tech power are reshaping both politics and the economy.
The full range of adopted resolutions can be read here.
The party also concluded its internal review process with the adoption of a new party strategy to build on the record-breaking success at the last parliamentary elections and deliver a more liberal Britain. Amongst its core objectives are building a stronger national message, improving social and digital campaigning and making breakthroughs in more areas of the country ensuring we are a more diverse and representative party.
The party also wants to boost democratic alliances, stand up to President Trump, ensure solid defence and the protection of liberal values, curb foreign interference and mitigate political intimidation and violence.
In concluding, Sir Ed struck a confident tone in rallying supporters:
“We will stand and fight for the country we love, because this fight isn’t just about the next election. It’s about the future of our country. What kind of Britain our children grow up in – and whether they can be proud of it.”
“It’s not just a choice between policy platforms. It’s a choice between tearing our great country down and looking for someone to blame, or lifting it up by trusting the British people. Between a politics of grievance and a politics of empowerment. That is the choice. And it is ours to win.”
Watch his full speech below.