Who is Sir Ed Davey? The political career highlights of the Lib Dem’s newly-elected leader

Sir Ed Davey has been elected as the new leader of the Liberal Democrats.

With 11 MPs the centrist Lib Dems are the fourth-largest party in the House of Commons, after the Conservatives, Labour and the Scottish National Party.

Sir Ed, 54, has been acting leader since the 2019 general election, after which former leader Jo Swinson stood down when she lost her seat.

A defender of the Lib Dems’ record in coalition with the Conservatives, Sir Ed is generally considered on the right of the party, with a belief in market-based solutions to social issues.

But who is the new leader, and what has he achieved in his political career so far?

Election at first attempt

Before beginning his parliamentary career Sir Ed worked as an economics researcher for Liberal Democrat MP Alan Beith, among others. He also worked in management consultancy for several years in the 1990s.

MPs often need a few attempts to be elected to the House of Commons for the first time, but Sir Ed was elected in 1997 at the first time of asking, defeating Conservative Richard Tracey in Surbiton, who had held the seat for 14 years.

Lib Dem spokesperson

Sir Ed was given several front-bench roles by the Lib Dem leadership, including becoming the party’s spokesperson on Treasury Affairs.

He was also made a Whip in 1998, meaning that he had responsibility for party discipline on voting issues.

He served in several more Lib Dem roles over the next decade, including working as chief of staff to party leader Sir Menzies Campbell.

Coalition with the Conservatives

When the Liberal Democrats entered Government in 2010 as the junior partner in a coalition with the Conservatives, Sir Ed was given a junior ministerial role as parliamentary under-secretary of state in the department for business, innovation and skills.

He came in for criticism in 2011 for his part in the privatisation of Royal Mail, after a majority stake was floated on the London Stock Exchange that year, ending nearly 500 years of state ownership.

In 2012 Sir Ed was promoted to secretary of state for energy and climate change.

2015 election

Sir Ed lost his seat in 2015, during a crushing election that saw the Lib Dems return its worst-ever performance, losing 48 MPs.

He was knighted in 2016 for “political and public service”.

2017 re-election

Sir Ed regained his Surbiton seat in 2017 and was made Home Office spokesperson.

He was later given his former role of Treasury spokesperson again.

He was a prominent anti-Brexit campaigner even after the vote to leave the EU, speaking in favour of a second referendum at a People’s Vote rally.

2019 Lib Dem leadership vote

After Sir Vince Cable said he would step down in 2019, Sir Ed took part in a leadership contest with Jo Swinson.

Ms Swinson emerged victorious but lost her seat a few months later at the December 2019 general election and stood down as leader.

Sir Ed stood in as interim co-leader with Mark Pack until a new vote was taken.

2020 leadership contest

Sir Ed was one of four MPs to stand for the Lib Dem leadership in 2020, alongside Layla Moran, Wera Hobhouse and Christine Jardine.

Ms Hobhouse and Ms Jardine. Ms Jardine stood down in April, endorsing Ms Moran while Ms Hobhouse withdrew in June, backing Sir Ed.

The results were announced on August 27, with Sir Ed winning 63.5 per cent of the vote.