Sir Ed Davey has dismissed any threat from the Greens at the local elections by saying they appeal to “Corbynista” voters.
The Liberal Democrats leader hit out at the “dangerous” policies of Zack Polanski’s party, even as he said he would not oppose his councillors entering a coalition with them after the May 7 polls.
Sir Ed struck an optimistic note about his party’s prospects as he launched the local elections campaign in East Horsley, in Surrey, despite the Lib Dems flatlining in polling while Reform UK and the Greens have surged.
Asked about voters casting a protest vote against Labour and the Conservatives, which traditionally went to the Lib Dems, peeling off to the smaller parties, Sir Ed told the Press Association: “The Greens are taking a lot of left-wing, sort of Corbynista votes from Labour with their policies of pulling out of Nato and getting rid of the nuclear deterrent.
“Those are very dangerous policies, and Liberal Democrats do not support them. And we support having our nuclear deterrent, having alliances with other countries to keep our country strong.”
But he said councillors “will decide on what pacts they want on a local level, that’s up to them, after the election” when asked about possible coalitions with the Green Party.
Sir Ed predicted his party would take seats off the Greens in the upcoming elections and beat them in areas including Richmond.
And he said he was “buoyant” about its chances of making “big gains” from the Tories and holding off Reform in Sussex, Hampshire, Hertfordshire and Huntingdonshire, as well as gaining ground against Labour in parts of London, Birmingham and Newcastle.
Sir Ed said he would “absolutely” lead his party into the next general election, amid mutterings about his leadership as the party’s poll ratings fail to budge.
“I think we’re going to keep winning, and therefore I think we’ll remain the most united party in Parliament,” he told PA.
“It’s the Labour Government who seem divided… And the Conservatives, they keep losing MPs to Reform. Kemi Badenoch is very good at shrinking her own number of MPs.”
At the launch event, Sir Ed took part in a bake-off competition with Lib Dem Surrey MPs, where he was tasked with making a Victoria sponge and an Eton mess.
He handed out the desserts to party activists, with the first person he served choosing a slice from the sponge baked by a rival team.
In a speech to activists, the Lib Dem leader pledged to do the “hard work” in communities and “get things done”, contrasting his party with Nigel Farage’s Reform, which he said would rather “point the finger of blame” than “get their hands dirty” fixing the issues communities face.
He pointed to the Lib Dem campaign priorities, which will focus on the cost of living, NHS and care, rescuing high streets, cleaning up rivers and restoring community policing.
