Ed Davey holds on as Liberal Democrat leadership challenge fails to emerge
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey remains in post after an expected challenge from his own MPs failed to materialise.
MPs held a lengthy meeting in a Commons committee room on Tuesday evening, in the week leading up to 18 October, amid scrutiny of Davey's leadership. No mass opposition emerged and no formal leadership challenge was brought, according to The Guardian.
The meeting followed days of speculation. The Independent reported on 13 October that Davey had been expected to face a challenge but that a vote failed to take place. PoliticsHome reported that Davey was fighting on after a rumoured challenge fell flat.
Discontent had been linked in part to resignations. The Observer reported on 10 October that Davey was preparing for a potential mutiny after the resignation of two frontbench MPs in the prior week. That included Charlie Maynard, who resigned as the party's number-two Treasury team figure about a week before 18 October over concerns the party was failing to cut through with voters, according to The Guardian. Politico also reported frustration among some MPs over what they saw as a failure to exploit a gap in British politics.
Inside Tuesday's meeting, there were grumbles about 'blue wall' policies and 'Ming vase' tactics but no real rancour, The Guardian reported.
Davey had sought to steady his position. On 13 October, The Telegraph reported that he promised to 'embrace change' to shore up support.
The episode comes two years after Davey led the party to 72 MPs in the 2024 election. At the party's September conference, he promised £17bn in income tax cuts if the Liberal Democrats are elected and expressed support for the pensions triple lock. Andy Burnham has pledged to change the triple lock.
As that conference began in Brighton, Davey said the Liberal Democrats are "a firewall against Nigel Farage and Reform", according to the BBC. The party's official website continues to identify Davey, the MP for Kingston and Surbiton, as leader, a post he has held since August 2020.
