Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey told delegates at the start of the party's conference that the Lib Dems are a 'firewall against Farage' and pledged that the party would try to better its 2024 result if a snap election were called.
Davey said the party's target was to exceed the 72 Members of Parliament it secured in the 2024 contest, framing that aim as part of a broader effort to offer voters an alternative to figures associated with Nigel Farage.
The remarks came as the conference opened with delegates and senior figures focusing on strategy and messaging ahead of an uncertain parliamentary timetable. Davey sought to position the Liberal Democrats as a decisive force in forthcoming electoral battles by stressing contrast with opponents he characterised as polarising.
Party officials said the conference would set out priorities for campaigning, candidate selection and local organisation to prepare for any early poll. Davey's pledge to improve on the party's 2024 performance signals an attempt to consolidate and expand the Lib Dems' parliamentary presence in what he described as a potentially volatile political landscape.