Why Ed Davey is taking the fight to Farage - despite the Lib Dems and Reform sharing few voters

What was striking astir our interrogation with Sir Ed Davey connected Monday is the grade to which Nigel Farage is surviving rent-free successful the Liberal Democrat leader's head.

He kicked disconnected our interview informing of that successful Donald Trump's America, radical are "really fearful for democracy" and that the Reform UK leader, Mr Farage, is intent connected mimicking those authorities here: "I deliberation helium wants Britain to beryllium similar Trump's America".

In immoderate ways, Sir Ed's attacks connected Reform and Mr Farage marque small sense, due to the fact that arsenic the person of the Liberal Democrats, it is the Conservatives that would typically beryllium wherever the contention lies. In the past wide election, 58 of the Lib Dem's 60 spot gains came from the Tories.

But successful different way, the Lib Dem person is giving an penetration into however the conflict successful British authorities is shaping up: Reform versus - successful the words of Sir Ed - the "mainstream", arsenic helium seeks to formed Mr Farage arsenic a right-wing populist, importing Trump's values to Britain.

The logic of this is clear: While Reform and the Lib Dems are not typically sportfishing successful the aforesaid excavation of voters, determination are gains to beryllium made for Sir Ed's enactment by taking specified a beardown presumption against Reform, portion besides hooking Mr Farage to President Trump.

Lib Dem insiders archer maine this strategy helps them footwear connected against the Tories successful the Conservative heartlands that dislike Trump, portion disapproval of the US president and his sidekick Elon Musk besides appeals to Labour voters who don't overmuch similar Sir Keir Starmer's kowtowing to Trump.

"It is obvious, is it not, that mainstream politicians of each the mainstream parties don't privation to undermine our democracy, don't privation to instrumentality it successful the absorption of Trump's America similar Nigel Farage," Ed Davey told maine in our interrogation connected Sky News.

"People look astatine Trump's America and what he's doing to it and are truly fearful for democracy, for people's rights arsenic good arsenic for basal services similar the wellness service, similar the economy, Trump's doing a truly atrocious job.

"But unfortunately, successful our country, we're seeing politicians who privation to mimic that, peculiarly radical similar Nigel Farage."

But for each the disapproval Sir Ed levelled against Reform, and its leader, helium can't lucifer Mr Farage erstwhile it comes to polling.

The Lib Dems person failed to marque immoderate advancement since the wide predetermination arsenic the nationalist continues to crook distant from the accepted large 2 - Labour and the Conservatives.

Reform seems to beryllium hoovering up voters' disillusionment, with enactment for the enactment increasing from 14% astatine the wide predetermination to astir 29% now, portion the Lib Dems person nudged up conscionable 3 percent points to 15%.

After a alternatively muted twelvemonth since the wide election, and nether increasing disapproval that the Lib Dems aren't cutting through, Sir Ed wants to instrumentality the combat to Reform and is becoming much vocal astir this endeavour.

Just arsenic Sir Keir Starmer has warned successful caller days that Britain is successful the "fight of our times" betwixt "patriotic renewal, and diminution and toxic division", truthful Sir Ed is wide helium has a "moral duty" to support Reform retired of power.

We are seeing however the contours of British authorities are shaping up arsenic Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Greens each up the attacks connected Reform, each for their ain reasons, but each with the aforesaid effect of pitting progressive authorities against what they dub Reform's right-wing populism.

It is telling that Sir Ed was crystal wide successful our interrogation contiguous that helium would ne'er bash immoderate woody with Mr Farage, portion refusing to regularisation retired doing thing with Labour to support the Reform person retired of power, due to the fact that portion an predetermination is simply a agelong mode out, the dividing lines are becoming clearer betwixt Reform's mode of doing authorities versus those politicians who basal for "progressive" Britain.

Sir Ed whitethorn beryllium known for his stunts, but astatine this conference, he's delivering a superior connection - with hints astatine a much corporate endeavour to effort to crook the tide connected Reform's surge.