Cross with the Conservatives but queasy at Reform... Will the Lib Dems stake claim to Middle England?

Sir Ed Davey told GB News that the Lib Dems are the “patriotic party”. That they want “to build on the best in Britain” and that we should “be really proud” of being British.

And he launched a blistering attack on Reform leader Nigel Farage, who he told me is “a plastic patriot” who “doesn’t love our country”.

We’re used to seeing Liberal Democrats brandishing the EU flag - still aggrieved that over 17 million people voted to leave the bloc, and hoping they might change their minds.

But flags are popping up all over the place because of "Operation Raise the Colours". Reform used a massive Union Jack flag as a backdrop to their mass deportations plan for illegal migration.

Now, the Liberal Democrats say they are the “patriotic party”, and believe they can appeal to large swathes of Middle England where voters are still cross with the Conservatives but queasy at the prospect of Reform.

“Yes, we have problems in our NHS, in the economy, in our rivers and lakes and seas. There are problems, but we need to fix them because Britain has been a fantastic country and we should be really proud of it”, Sir Ed Davey told me yesterday, having just kicked off conference at the head of a marching band which began with “Always Look On The Bright Side of Life”.

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He bats away suggestions they risk looking "un-serious", and they are certainly enjoying taking a pop at Nigel Farage.

Press are treated to goodie bags which include small Lego-style mini-figures of the Reform leader, labelled “Plastic Patriot” and come complete with a Maga hat and a mini love-heart picture of the US President.

And Sir Ed slams Mr Farage over his recent trip to the United States, where he voiced his concern about free speech in the UK.

“He talks down our country, he goes to the United States and says, we’re like North Korea. How insulting is that?"

Davey continues: “Farage doesn't love our country. He wants to make us like Trump’s America. He said Vladimir Putin is the world leader he admires the most.”

“British people do not want Donald Trump here. They do not want someone who is a friend of Vladimir Putin.”

YouGov’s most recent figures, from August 25-26, show just 19 per cent of Britons have a favourable opinion of the US President, with 69 per cent holding an unfavourable view.

And over half, 53 per cent, think Trump’s presidency has had a negative impact on the UK, with only nine per cent thinking it’s been positive.

So the Lib Dems feel there’s an opportunity for them to target more fed-up former Tories, with a view to the local elections next spring and the general election in four years' time.

The party is riding high with 72 seats in Parliament, and though they’re clearly still delighted, there is also a frustration that Reform, and Mr Farage in particular, manage to hog so many headlines despite having just 5 MPs.

Today, their Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper spoke to the difference between “patriotism” and “nationalism”.

She said that a patriot “is someone who loves their country”, where as nationalists “hate their neighbours”.

Sir Ed argues that people “want a party that stands up for British values, for the decent, caring country that we are.”

He claims that “our priorities, our ideas, our values are much more in contact and connection with the vast majority of British people.”