Lib Dems to 'finish the job' in Tory heartlands, says Davey

The Liberal Democrats plan to "finish the job" of eliminating the Conservatives from their traditional heartlands at the next election, Ed Davey has promised, saying a further move to the right by a new Tory leader would make this even more likely.

- Peter Walker

In his first interview since the Lib Dems won 72 MPs in the general election, beyond party strategists' highest predictions, Davey said this expanded Commons contingent nearly seven times more than their 2019 total - had given them a bigger platform for their message.

Confirming that he intended to lead the party into the next election, Davey said the party would again ruthlessly target so-called blue wall seats, traditionally Conservative areas where the Lib Dems had taken advantage of perceived Tory complacency and disaffection with the party's ideological direction.

"We need to finish the job at the next election," he said. "We took down a lot of the blue wall - more than I expected. But there is still some left. We have a real opportunity.

I don't think there has been anybody in this party for over 100 years who could credibly say that." With the Lib Dems now fewer than 50 seats behind the Conservatives, taking another chunk out of Tory strongholds could see Davey's party targeting second place in the Commons. "I'm not going to make any predictions," Davey said.