Liberal Democrat Leadership Election: Four Possible Candidates

Ed Davey, Layla Moran, Christine Jardine, and Daisy Cooper look to be the most likely candidates to take on the Liberal Democrat leadership.

Ed Davey (MP for Kingston and Surbiton 1997–2015, 2017-present and Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 2012–2015)

Photo: Chris McAndrew // CC BY 3.0

Of the four MPs tipped to run for the Lib Dem leadership Ed Davey is by far the most experienced parliamentarian and the only one to have served as a minister in the 2010–15 Coalition Government. First elected to parliament in 1997, he served as a junior minister under Vince Cable in the business department from 2010 until 2012, when he was promoted to Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change. He lost his South West London seat in 2015 but regained it just two years later in 2017, comfortably holding it at the most recent election.

Should he choose to stand, this would be the second time he has sought the top job in a year, having come second to Jo Swinson with 36.7% of the vote in the party’s 2019 leadership contest. Due to being appointed Deputy Leader in the aftermath of that contest, Ed Davey currently holds the post of interim co-Leader of the Liberal Democrats alongside Sal Brinton, the Party President.

Though he came out second best in the 2019 contest, the 28,000 votes he won in that election shows he has a considerable amount of support in the party and members looking for an experienced leader will likely look favourably upon his two decades in parliament and years as a minister. He impressed on the campaign trail during the general election, coming out as the clear winner in the small business hustings hosted by the IPSE. Were he to run, his pitch would likely be that an experienced leader is needed to steady the ship in the aftermath of a disappointing general election.

However, his status as a coalition minister also creates a problem as many party members are eager to move past that era. Jo Swinson’s record as an MP in this period proved an unwelcome line of questioning for the party during the election campaign. Replacing her with another MP who served in the coalition government would simply mean those question are brought to the fore once again. It is also unclear if he would really be interested in standing for the leadership again so soon after his last bid. Though stating that he will not rule out a leadership bid, he may simply prefer to continue in his current role of Deputy Leader and Economics Spokesperson, campaigning on issues that he is passionate about such as the Loan Charge and climate change, and fulfilling the role of one of the party’s elder statesmen in the House of Commons.

Layla Moran (MP for Oxford West and Abingdon 2017-present)

Photo: Chris McAndrew // CC BY 3.0

A favourite among the party grassroots, Layla Moran has served as the Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson since she was elected in 2017 with a majority of just 816, which she increased to almost 9000 in the election this year. Before entering parliament she worked as a maths and physics teacher and is the first ever MP of Palestinian descent. Despite speculation that she would seek the party leadership in 2019 she ultimately chose not to enter the contest, leaving it to be a straight fight between Jo Swinson and Ed Davey.

Moran is regarded as being more open to collaboration with other parties, often citing her experience in her seat where the Green Party have chosen not to stand against her in two successive general elections as an example of cross-party pacts working. Indeed, the Liberal Democrats and Greens regularly stand down for each other at local council level in her area to ensure that both increase their representation.

Since entering parliament a little over two years ago she has proved a hit among members, particularly those who have joined since the 2016 Brexit referendum and want to see new faces take a lead in the party to banish the lingering shadow of the coalition era. Personable, young, and untainted by the legacy of the coalition, Moran could well fit the bill for those eager to distance the party from Clegg’s time as leader. If her grassroots support can be harnessed then Layla Moran could emerge as a frontrunner for the leadership.

One potential concern for a leadership bid is a 2013 incident at a party conference where Moran slapped her then-boyfriend during a row. Both were arrested but then subsequently released when it was determined that there was no case to answer. Though the story has been public knowledge for some time, Moran becoming leader would undoubtedly cause it to resurface. Many Liberal Democrats remember how the the first days of Tim Farron’s leadership were dominated by question as to whether Farron, an evangelical Christian, believed gay sex to be a sin. An unfavourable media story again dogging the start of a leader’s tenure is something few Lib Dems would want to repeat.

Christine Jardine (MP for Edinburgh West 2017-present)

Photo: Chris McAndrew // CC BY 3.0

Another of the 2017 intake mentioned as a possible leadership candidate is Edinburgh West MP Christine Jardine, currently the party’s Home Affairs spokesperson. Formerly a journalist, her first notable involvement with the party was as a media adviser during the coalition years. Earlier this year she narrowly missed out on being elected to the position of Party President to Mark Pack, the editor of Liberal Democrat Newswire who is well known among the party grassroots, securing over 40% of the vote.

Were she to stand, Jardine would perhaps be the closest thing to a continuity candidate in this leadership election. Seen as close ally of Jo Swinson’s, being the first MP to publicly support her in the previous leadership election and being promoted to the key position of Home Affairs spokesperson under her, Jardine might be expected to chart a similar course to her predecessor were she to become the new leader. That being said, she has less of a distinctive image in the party than Davey or Moran, offering her ample opportunity to define any leadership bid in her own terms.

Having a Scottish leader able to articulate the case for the Union would be advantageous for the party in the Scottish Parliament elections in 2021 and, should one occur, in a second Scottish independence referendum.

Without the coalition baggage of Davey or the potential controversy of Moran and with more parliamentary experience than Cooper, Christine Jardine could position herself as the safe, compromise candidate. Members may, however, be wary about the safety of her seat in light of the fate that befell Swinson. Though her majority increased in this election, it is the smallest of the four on this list and the SNP would undoubtedly relish the thought of unseating two Liberal Democrat leaders in as many elections.

Daisy Cooper (MP for St Albans 2019-present)

Photo: Aaron Chown/PA

Daisy Cooper became a dark horse in the leadership race only a few days after being elected as an MP when she told Iain Dale on LBC that she “was not going to rule anything out” when asked about potentially running.

Though new to the House of Commons, Cooper would bring an impressive CV to the table in any leadership contest. Prior to setting her sights on parliament she worked in international development for the Commonwealth Secretariat, promoting transparency and human rights abroad. From 2013 she worked for Hacked Off, an organisation founded in the wake of the phone hacking scandal with the stated aim of campaigning for a free and accountable press, becoming it’s Joint Executive Director in 2015.

Identified as “one to watch” by the Telegraph as far back as 2013, Cooper is already relatively well known in the Liberal Democrats despite only recently entering parliament. In 2014 she came a creditable second in the party’s presidential election, finishing behind peer Sal Brinton and ahead of former MEP Liz Lynne. Her election in St. Albans this year came after she missed out on gaining the seat in 2017 and she ran Jo Swinson’s campaign for the party leadership earlier this year.

A newly-elected MP becoming their leader would undoubtedly help generate headlines for the Liberal Democrats, an important thing to consider for a party that struggles to get media attention. However, there will naturally be doubts about whether she would have enough experience to lead the party given her status as a parliamentary novice. Her supporters may point out that, given the sizeable Conservative majority, she would likely have several years to grow into the role before another election is called. The date of the election could well play a big part in whether or not she chooses to stand. If it is not scheduled until after the party conference in March, or indeed until after the local elections in May, then Cooper would have more time to get settled in Westminster and therefore potentially be more likely to run. Ultimately it remains to be seen whether this parliamentary newcomer can convince Liberal Democrat members to take a risk and make her their next leader.