In a fiery keynote speech that closed the Liberal Democrat conference in Bournemouth on September 23, 2025, party leader Sir Ed Davey issued a stark warning to Britain: electing Nigel Farage and his Reform UK party would, in his words, turn the country into "Trump's America." The speech, delivered before a crowd of 72 MPs and hundreds of party activists, painted a vivid—and deeply controversial—portrait of what Davey believes the UK would look like under Farage's leadership.
"Imagine living in the Trump-inspired country Farage wants us to become," Davey declared, setting the tone for a blistering attack that would dominate both the conference and subsequent headlines. According to Sky News, Davey accused Farage of plotting to privatise the NHS, rolling back gun laws, and removing the UK from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). He warned that such policies would leave patients "hit with crippling insurance bills or denied healthcare altogether," and force British children to "undergo drills to prepare for mass shootings."
Davey's speech was heavy on references to the United States, particularly to the controversial policies and rhetoric associated with former President Donald Trump. "That is Trump's America. Don't let it become Farage's Britain," Davey implored, drawing a direct line between the American right and Farage's vision for the UK. He claimed that under Farage, Britain would "pay Putin for expensive fossil fuels and destroy our beautiful countryside with fracking – while climate change rages on." He added, "Where gun laws are rolled back, so schools have to teach our children what to do in case of a mass shooting. Where social media barons are free to poison young minds with impunity."
For Davey and the Liberal Democrats, the stakes are nothing short of existential. He argued that basic rights and freedoms would be trampled under a Reform UK government, especially if the country were to leave the ECHR. He also accused Farage's party of giving "tacit support" to racism and misogyny, citing the possibility of figures like Andrew Tate being held up as role models for young men. "Where everything is in a constant state of chaos," Davey said, summing up his dystopian vision.
Some of Davey's most pointed criticism centered on Farage's past and present positions on gun control. While Reform UK has not made looser firearm laws official policy, Farage did, as Ukip leader in 2014, call the ban on handguns "ludicrous" and support relaxing firearms laws—a fact repeatedly referenced by Davey and reported by The Independent. Sir Ed argued that this attitude, if brought to power, would force British schools to conduct "mass shooting drills," a practice familiar to American students but virtually unheard of in the UK.
Reform UK, for its part, was quick to dismiss Davey's claims. A party source told The Independent that Davey had "squandered his big moment by spouting total madness," and insisted that relaxing gun laws is not part of their current platform. Farage himself took to X (formerly Twitter) to mock Davey's focus on him, writing, "Just watching poor Ed Davey speak. He is obsessed with me. I am happy to pay for a psychiatrist."
But Davey was undeterred, mentioning Farage by name an astonishing 30 times in his speech—a point not lost on political editors and commentators. He also invoked the names of Elon Musk and Vladimir Putin, claiming that Farage stood with them and Donald Trump, while "Liberal Democrats are on the side of the British people. Because, unlike Farage, I actually love Britain. I'm proud of our country." The Press Association reported that Davey also accused Musk of "inciting far-right violence" and called for stricter enforcement of UK laws to prevent harm to children online. He doubled down on his criticism of Musk, even suggesting he would welcome a lawsuit, telling Sky News, "If he... sues me, let's see how he fares, because I don't think he'll win."
Davey's speech also featured a strong appeal to patriotism, with the Liberal Democrats seeking to reclaim national symbols like the St George's Cross from what they see as right-wing co-optation. He painted a picture of Britain as "the land of the Lionesses, fish and chips and village greens," and called on voters to "back his vision for Britain"—one rooted in tolerance, decency, and respect for both individual freedom and the rule of law.
The Liberal Democrats used the conference to unveil a series of policy proposals, including a windfall tax on big banks to fund home solar panels and insulation, cigarette-style health warnings on social media apps, a law to bar ministers from lobbying for foreign leaders, and the establishment of police front desks in community hubs. Davey also announced a "cast-iron guarantee" that every UK cancer patient would begin treatment within two months under a Liberal Democrat government. He accused Trump of slashing billions from the US National Cancer Institute's budget, and urged the UK to step up by boosting cancer research funding and creating a new National Cancer Research Institute.
Davey didn't reserve his criticism solely for Farage and Trump. He also took aim at the Conservative government and Labour leader Keir Starmer, accusing the latter of failing to challenge populist figures like Trump and Musk. According to The Independent, Davey's speech mentioned Trump 24 times, Farage 30 times, and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch just once—while omitting the current prime minister altogether.
Former Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable defended Davey's rhetoric, calling it "entirely reasonable" and arguing that "Farage’s weakness is close links to Trump and social media oligarchs. We must stand up to them, especially as Starmer has opted for vassal statehood." The party also sought to highlight what it sees as Farage's responsibility for the so-called "small boats crisis," blaming his support for Brexit for the abolition of 27 migrant return agreements with EU countries.
As the conference wrapped up, the battle lines were clearly drawn. Davey positioned the Liberal Democrats as the party of real change, in contrast to what he described as the chaos and division of Reform UK. He appealed to traditional Tory voters, urging them to "oppose this failing Labour government" and expressing a desire for the Liberal Democrats to win more seats than the Conservatives for the first time since 1910.
With the next general election looming, Davey's speech set the tone for a campaign likely to be defined by fierce debates over national identity, public services, and Britain's place in the world. Whether his warnings about "Farage's Britain" resonate with voters remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the Liberal Democrats are determined to make this a fight for the soul of the nation.
