Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has launched a direct attack on the BBC's editorial decisions, accusing the broadcaster of providing disproportionate coverage to Reform UK's Nigel Farage.
During an interview with GB News at his party's Bournemouth conference, Mr Davey expressed frustration about media priorities despite his party holding 72 parliamentary seats compared to Reform's five.
"You'll have to ask the BBC and others about why they give Nigel Farage so much airtime," Mr Davey stated when questioned about Reform UK dominating headlines.
The Liberal Democrat leader's comments came as he highlighted his party's recent electoral achievements, including securing more council seats than either Labour or the Conservatives in local elections and now controlling more councils than the Tories.
Ed Davey lashed out at Nigel Farage
|GB NEWS / PA
Mr Davey launched a scathing attack on Mr Farage's rhetoric about Britain, condemning the Reform UK leader for denigrating the country on international platforms.
"I hear people like Nigel Farage talking down our country. He even goes to the United States and compares us to North Korea. That's insulting," Mr Davey told GB News.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
- Corbyn's hard-left Your Party plunged into chaos as Sultana calls in lawyers over 'baseless attacks'
- Ed Davey woos anti-Reform Tories as Nigel Farage tipped for dozens of defections in blow to Badenoch
- Lib Dem MP says stop asylum seekers ‘languishing’ on wait lists so they can pick crops instead
The Liberal Democrat leader went further, questioning Mr Farage's loyalty to British interests. "He doesn't love our country—he wants to make us like Trump's America. He's even said Vladimir Putin is the world leader he most admires," he stated.
According to Me Davey, The Reform UK leader's political vision would transform Britain into something resembling "Trump's America, with all the chaos that entails," including deteriorating healthcare systems and economic instability.
Ed Davey arrived at the Lib Dem party conference with a band
|GB NEWS
The Liberal Democrats are positioning themselves as the genuine patriotic choice for British voters, according to Davey. "I don't think the British people want Donald Trump here, or a friend of Vladimir Putin," he declared during the interview.
Mr Davey argued that his party embodies authentic British values through practical policies on healthcare, environmental protection and European trade relationships.
"That's why I say the Liberal Democrats—our values, our priorities—are much more in tune with the vast majority of British people," he explained.
The party leader characterised his approach as building on Britain's strengths whilst acknowledging challenges.
Ed Davey said 'you'll have to ask the BBC' why they offer Nigel Farage the amount of screen time they do
|GB NEWS
"Yes, we have problems in our NHS, our economy, and with the state of our rivers and seas. But these are things we can and should fix—because Britain is a fantastic country, and we should be proud of it,"
Mr Davey said.The Liberal Democrats achieved their strongest electoral performance in over a century at the 2024 general election, securing 72 parliamentary seats.
This success has provided momentum as the party gathers in Bournemouth, where Davey defended his unconventional campaign tactics involving jet-skiing and bungee-jumping.
Despite criticism from some MPs about "bull**** stunts," Mr Davey maintained these attention-grabbing activities serve a serious purpose. "We are very serious," he insisted, highlighting that the Liberal Democrats remain "the most united political party in Westminster by a considerable margin."
The party leader emphasised substantive policy positions, noting they are "the only party speaking of real, practical action to get peace in Gaza" and advocating for "a new customs union with the EU to get our economy going again."
Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter