Editing Ed Davey (section)

===2020 leadership bid===
{{main|2020 Liberal Democrats leadership election}}

[[File:Ed Davey (2020) for leader logo.png|thumb|Davey's leadership bid logo|left]]
In June 2020, whilst acting leader, Davey launched his bid to become leader saying that his "experience as a carer can help rebuild Britain after the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]".<ref name="ed">{{cite web |last=Walker |first=Peter |title=Ed Davey: my experience as a carer can help rebuild Britain after coronavirus |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/jun/04/ed-davey-my-experience-as-a-carer-can-help-rebuild-britain-after-coronavirus |url-status=live |work=The Guardian |date=4 June 2020 |access-date=4 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200604075559/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/jun/04/ed-davey-my-experience-as-a-carer-can-help-rebuild-britain-after-coronavirus |archive-date=4 June 2020}}</ref> He proposed the establishment of a [[Universal basic income|basic income]] to support carers, and said that the Liberal Democrats should be "the party of social care".<ref name=":5" /><ref>{{cite web|title=Davey launches Liberal Democrat leadership bid|url=https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/uk-news/2020/06/04/davey-launches-liberal-democrat-leadership-bid/|date=4 June 2020|access-date=4 June 2020|website=Shropshire Star|archive-date=4 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200604090902/https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/uk-news/2020/06/04/davey-launches-liberal-democrat-leadership-bid/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="stone endorsement">{{cite web|date=4 June 2020|title=Ed Davey pledges citizen's basic income for carers as he launches Lib Dem leadership campaign|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/ed-davey-lib-dem-leadership-policies-citizens-basic-income-carers-a9549211.html|last=Woodcock|first=Andrew|access-date=24 June 2020|website=The Independent|archive-date=21 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200621190419/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/ed-davey-lib-dem-leadership-policies-citizens-basic-income-carers-a9549211.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Davey ruled out a formal electoral agreement with the Labour Party, but said that he would prioritise defeating the Conservatives, and ruled out working with the Conservatives following the next election.<ref name=":5" /><ref>{{cite web|last=Read|first=Jonathon|date=13 July 2020|title=Ed Davey says he is 'anti-Conservative' and will work with Keir Starmer to oust Boris Johnson|url=https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/ed-davey-on-keir-starmer-and-boris-johnson-1-6742995|access-date=26 July 2020|website=The New European|archive-date=26 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726104417/https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/ed-davey-on-keir-starmer-and-boris-johnson-1-6742995|url-status=live}}</ref> He proposed a plan to reduce [[carbon emissions]] from domestic flights to zero by 2030 through investment in research and technology.<ref>{{cite web|date=19 July 2020|title=Lib Dems' Ed Davey calls for zero carbon domestic flights by 2030|url=https://inews.co.uk/news/ed-davey-zero-carbon-domestic-flights-2030-557379|access-date=26 July 2020|website=inews.co.uk|archive-date=26 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726113120/https://inews.co.uk/news/ed-davey-zero-carbon-domestic-flights-2030-557379|url-status=live}}</ref> In a hustings event with Welsh members, he said that the [[2021 Senedd election]] was a priority and he expected success for the Liberal Democrats.<ref name=":6" />
[[File:Official portrait of Rt Hon Sir Edward Davey MP crop 2.jpg|thumb|MP portrait, 2020]]
Davey was one of two candidates running for leader in the Liberal Democrats leadership election, competing with [[Layla Moran]]. One recurring theme of the leadership campaign was Davey's record in the Cameron-Clegg coalition government, and the policies that government had enacted. Moran is considered to be more left-wing than Davey and representing a break from the coalition years.<ref>{{cite web|last=Read|first=Jonathon|title=POLL: Who gets your backing in the Lib Dem leadership election?|url=https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/ed-davey-or-layla-moran-which-lib-dem-gets-your-vote-1-6764865|access-date=15 August 2020|website=The New European|date=27 July 2020|archive-date=9 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200809084821/https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/ed-davey-or-layla-moran-which-lib-dem-gets-your-vote-1-6764865|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="turning left">{{cite web|title=Layla Moran on turning left and whether the Lib Dems should go into coalition again|url=https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/staggers/2020/07/layla-moran-turning-left-and-whether-lib-dems-should-go-coalition-again|access-date=26 July 2020|website=[[New Statesman]]|date=10 July 2020 |archive-date=26 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726084925/https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/staggers/2020/07/layla-moran-turning-left-and-whether-lib-dems-should-go-coalition-again|url-status=live}}</ref> Alongside Clegg and many of the Liberal Democrats who served in the governing Conservative-Lib Dem coalition of 2010–2015, Davey is associated with the party's right-wing [[The Orange Book|Orange Booker]] branch. The record of the coalition, which caused a decline in popularity of the Liberal Democrats after 2015, has been defended by Davey.<ref>{{cite web|title=Was Ed Davey 'a bit right-wing' for a Tory coalition partner?|url=https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/was-ed-davey-a-bit-right-wing-for-a-tory-coalition-partner-|date=4 July 2020|author=Steerpike|website=The Spectator|access-date=15 August 2020|archive-date=5 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200805163205/https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/was-ed-davey-a-bit-right-wing-for-a-tory-coalition-partner-|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 27 August, Davey won the leadership election with 42,756 votes, which translated to 63.5% of total votes. In his victory speech, Davey said that the Liberal Democrats must "wake up and smell the coffee" and "start listening" to ordinary people and those who "don't believe we share their values". He also stressed his experience in the coalition government, and his commitments to tackle [[climate change]]. Moran later congratulated Davey on [[Twitter]], saying "I look forward to working with him to campaign for a better future for Britain."<ref name="GuardianResult">{{cite news|last=Stewart|first=Heather|date=27 August 2020|title=Ed Davey elected Liberal Democrat leader|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/aug/27/ed-davey-elected-liberal-democrat-leader|access-date=27 August 2020|issn=0261-3077|archive-date=27 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200827115727/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/aug/27/ed-davey-elected-liberal-democrat-leader|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="BBCresult">{{cite news|title=Sir Ed Davey wins Liberal Democrats leadership election|date=27 August 2020|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-53933470|access-date=27 August 2020|archive-date=27 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200827104202/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-53933470|url-status=live}}</ref>

Under Davey's leadership, the Liberal Democrats made gains in local elections alongside Labour, with both parties making gains in the [[2023 United Kingdom local elections|2023 local elections]] and made further gains in the [[2024 United Kingdom local elections|2024 local elections]], where the Liberal Democrats finished second for the first time in a local election cycle since [[2009 United Kingdom local elections|2009]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Britain's Conservatives trounced in local elections as Labour makes gains |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/5/4/britains-conservatives-trounced-in-local |access-date=5 May 2024 |website=Al Jazeera |archive-date=16 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240516100659/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/5/4/britains-conservatives-trounced-in-local |url-status=live }}</ref>