Sir Ed Davey has vowed to take the fight to Nigel Farage by challenging his “snake-oil sales” with “thought-through” policy.
In a wide-ranging speech, the Liberal Democrat leader accused his Reform UK rival of having “no answers” to the problems facing Britain and said voters “can’t bank on anything that man says”.
He also set out calls for a major shake-up of economic and net-zero policy, including a Swedish-style approach to Government whereby MPs are allowed to debate tax and spend changes – and propose alternatives and amendments – before the measures are finalised.
Speaking at the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) in central London, Sir Ed said his party had considered its proposed reforms carefully beneath the headline announcements.
Asked if a focus on technical detail would cut through to voters enough to combat a populist threat in the polls, he said: “The truth is, Nigel Farage has no answer, right?
“Nigel Farage will tell you about all the problems, but when you ask him about his answers, he’s just got nothing to say.”
He added: “We’ve got to hold these people to account for getting away with their snake-oil sales… the difference with us is we have thought through the policies underneath the headlines, which is why people can bank on them.
“They can’t bank on anything that man says.”
Asked if he saw Reform UK as the main political threat, Sir Ed said: “He has to be taken on… I think he keeps misleading people.”
The Lib Dem leader said Mr Farage’s approach to renewable power “would only benefit foreign dictators like Vladimir Putin”.
He unveiled a package of pledges which he claimed could cut energy bills in half within 10 years, including a proposed switch of all green power contracts on to a subsidy scheme guaranteeing generators a fixed price.
Such contracts for difference (CfD), awarded at a Government auction, would mean the “link can be broken” between electricity costs and market fluctuations caused by the price of gas, Sir Ed said.
He also proposed an Office for the Taxpayer, based in Parliament and designed to hold policy-makers to account, a “bespoke” UK-EU customs union, an “economic coalition of the willing” aimed at fostering more international trade, and a tougher approach to US President Donald Trump.
