Sir Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, has called for Britain to develop a “genuinely” independent UK nuclear deterrent free from US influence, as he pushes to win over “soft” Conservative voters.
Davey’s call in a speech on Sunday came as he faced brewing discontent inside the centrist party. Its fall to fifth place in national opinion polls has triggered debate among MPs about whether the leadership is moving fast enough to capitalise on an electoral breakthrough in 2024.
The Green Party’s recent win in the Gorton and Denton by-election, where the Lib Dems lost their deposit, has heightened concern that Davey’s party is losing its traditional role as the choice for voters wanting “none of the above”.
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