Davey ‘happy for Lib Dem ideas to be stolen’ as he welcomes new MPs to Parliament

The Liberal Democrats will continue to argue for the policies in their manifesto, Sir Ed Davey has said as he welcomed his party’s 72 MPs to Parliament on Tuesday.

The tally is the highest number of Liberal or Lib Dem MPs for more than a century, with the party securing victories in former Conservative strongholds in the South West and South East.

Tuesday was the first time all 72 had been in Westminster at the same time, as MPs gathered to re-elect Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle and begin swearing the oath of allegiance ahead of next week’s State Opening of Parliament.

Speaking to broadcasters in Parliament, Sir Ed said he was confident the Liberal Democrats’ weight of numbers would mean “our voice will be heard”.

He said: “We will keep championing Liberal Democrat policies in our manifesto.

“We called it a fair deal for people and we want that fair deal delivered in Parliament.”

Sir Ed added: “I’ve been in Parliament a little while. If you have great arguments, great ideas, it’s great when the Government steals them.

“I’m very happy for great Liberal Democrat ideas to be stolen.”

He also stressed the party would continue to focus on health and social care, a subject of personal importance to Sir Ed who cared for his mother as a teenager and now cares for his disabled son.

The party’s haul of 72 MPs came on the back of 3.5 million votes, around 600,000 fewer than the total that saw Reform UK secure just five seats.

But Sir Ed reiterated his commitment to arguing for a more proportional voting system, saying his party had “argued for fair votes to improve our democracy, to make sure people’s voices are heard wherever they are, for over 100 years”.

He added: “We’ve led that campaign, we will continue to lead that campaign, and if we have converts from other parties that’s always welcome.”