Overview

• Speaking at the Liberal Democrat conference in Bournemouth, Sir Ed Davey said he would wait for the election result before deciding on any agreement with Labour.
• He categorically ruled out any deal with Nigel Farage's Reform UK, describing the party's values as the opposite of the Lib Dems'.
• Davey framed keeping Reform out of power as a moral duty and argued his party could block a Reform majority by winning targeted constituencies without pre‑election pacts.
• A conference straw poll showed only a fraction of attendees expressing support for a coalition with Labour.
• The party set out online child‑safety plans including cigarette‑style warnings on social apps and a "doomscrolling cap," as Davey also pressed his criticism of Elon Musk and urged parliamentary scrutiny over alleged online harms.