The Liberal Democrats are more famous for socks, sandals and vegetarian cuisine than for being the party of small business and enterprise. However, if an entrepreneurs’ election hustings held this week was anything to go by, some of Britain’s five million self-employed may be ready for a rethink.

Sir Ed Davey, the party’s deputy leader, was the big winner of the event held in the City, with 54 per cent of the audience of more than 100 small business owners, investors and freelancers backing him at the end of a Question Time-style debate with political rivals.

His closest competition came from a beleaguered Liz Truss, the Conservative trade secretary, who was supported by only 24 per cent in the “exit poll”, down 12 points