Lib Dems reveal why Ed Davey keeps doing 'silly stunts'

General elections - what with them determining the country's next Prime Minister and everything - are serious and important things, and we’re continuing to see Conservative and Labour Party leaders trade blows with one another over who should be handed the keys to No 10.

While all that’s happening between Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer, Liberal Democrats leader Sir Ed Davey appears to be having a blast engaging in a number of PR stunts to get his party in the news.

He’s already unveiled his party’s “battle bus” (known as ‘Yellow Hammer 1’), fallen into Lake Windermere while paddleboarding, skidded down the streets of Wales on a bicycle and sped down a slip-n-slide ride.

And now, he’s been pictured in a chef’s hat.

But is there a method to this political silliness?

Deputy leader Daisy Cooper says yes and during an appearance on Channel 4 News’The Political Podcast, she confirmed it is “deliberate” and explained exactly why Davey is taking part in these bizarre activities.

“The fact is, as a smaller party, we have to find a way to break into the news cycle, and we often say behind the scenes that we either have to be ... fast, funny or new.

“We either have to get a comment out that’s faster than any other opposition party, we have to be funnier about the way that we give our quotes, or we have to have a really big, bold idea that’s very kind of headline-grabbing.

“That’s really what drives us when we’re trying to cut through with our message.”

She added while Davey is embracing the “centrist dad” persona with these stunts, they “come with a message” every time.

Cooper continued: “So, everybody was sharing this video footage of Ed on this board and he was falling off into Lake Windemere and it happened four or five times.

“And what happened? Everyone was saying, ‘well, why are you here doing it?’ Well, it’s actually because we’ve got a message about tackling the environmental catastrophe of raw sewage being pumped into rivers and lakes.

“So it comes with a message and it gets us that cut through.”

The podcast appearance follows news of the first leaders’ debate of the general election campaign period, with Labour and the Conservatives going head-to-head on ITV next Tuesday in Sunak v Starmer: The ITV Debate.

The focus on just two political parties has been criticised by both the Liberal Democrats and the Scottish National Party, with the latter saying it is making “strenuous representations” to broadcasters about appearing on the debates.

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