Sir Ed Davey celebrates an ’exceptional’ election result for the Liberal Democrats

05 July 2024 , 06:18

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Sir Ed Davey celebrates an ’exceptional’ election result for the Liberal Democrats

The Lib Dem leader said he "rather enjoyed" the election campaign as he was re-elected in his Kingston and Surbiton seat.

Sir Ed Davey has hailed the Liberal Democrats’ "exceptional" results in the general election.

When polls closed on Thursday night, the exit poll by Ipsos UK for Sky News, the BBC and ITV News suggested the Lib Dems would win 61 seats - up from 11 - more than five times the number they secured at the last election in 2019.

Since then, the Lib Dems have secured a number of gains from the Tories - including in Wells & Mendip Hills, Dorking & Horley, Wimbledon, Yeovil, Hampshire North East and Norfolk North.

The Lib Dems also unseated multiple prominent Tory cabinet ministers.

Alex Chalk, the justice secretary, lost to Max Wilkinson in Cheltenham.

The party also took Chichester - with Jess Brown-Fuller beating Education Secretary Gillian Keegan with a majority of 12,172 votes.

While Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer lost her seat in Ely & East Cambridgeshire and Michelle Donelan lost to Liberal Democrat Brian Mathew taking her place in Melksham and Devizes with a 2,406 majority.

The Lib Dems had set out to target the so-called ’Blue Wall’ of Conservative seats in the southwest and southeast of England, and its strategy appears to have paid off.

Lib Dem leader Sir Ed was re-elected in his Kingston & Surbiton seat with 25,870 votes, ahead of his Conservative rival Helen Edward on 8,635.

Speaking at The King’s Centre in Chessington, in southwest London, Sir Ed said the party had put voters’ concerns "at the heart of our campaign", adding that he had "rather enjoyed" the six-week run-up to the election.

Throughout the campaign, he has conducted a series of stunts such as paddle boarding, bungee jumping and conducting an interview on a fairground teacup ride.

Sir Ed at the London Art Bar in central London. Pic: PA

"I think it’s possible to have a serious debate as well as having a bit of fun. I don’t take myself as a politician seriously. I want to take the concerns of the British people seriously," Sir Ed said after his re-election.

"I hope that the style we’ve gone about it has encouraged people to join the Liberal Democrats.

"It’s certainly encouraged them to vote for us. This is an exceptional result, a historic result for the Liberal Democrats."

James Smith