Davey says there is 'no ceiling' on Lib Dem MP gains as he admits party lagging FAR BEHIND Reform on social media

From the Newshound archive · first published 20 September 2026.

Sir Ed Davey has declared there is "no ceiling" on his ambitions for Lib Dem seat gains at the next general election, telling a Q&A with members the party could target 57 further seats where it came second by fewer than 10,000 votes. New research struck a damaging note for Davey, finding four times more voters had heard from Reform than the Lib Dems despite the party returning a record 72 MPs. Davey acknowledged the party's social media effort had not been "good enough" and pledged to quadruple the team working on it by autumn.

Reform's £72m war chest from two crypto billionaires towers over the Lib Dems, who have just 16% social media reach against Farage's 66%.

Davey used his conference opener to blast Reform's "arsenal of hate and lies" and vow to defeat the "nasty populism" of Trump, Le Pen and the AfD.

He refused to rule out a future coalition, telling members asking about it: "I think you're getting ahead of yourself there."