Sir Ed Davey has now finished his round of quickfire BBC local radio interviews and there were a number of key lines he was keen to get across in all of them.

• He says the Lib Dems are doing well at the ballot box - pointing to the party's strong performance in the last general election
• He believes people have lost trust in Labour and the Tories, and that Reform UK and the Lib Dems are the only two parties of change
• Nigel Farage his favourite topic, however - he says the Reform leader wants the UK to be more like Trump's America and called him arrogant

Davey also spoke about some of his policies, namely reforming social care to take the pressure off the NHS, investing in renewables to help tackle the cost of living, and investment in local government.

He was also questioned about US President Donald Trump's state visit to the UK and his decision to boycott today's state banquet over the situation in Gaza - you can follow our coverage of the visit here.

We're ending our live coverage now, thanks for joining us.

BBC Radio Lancashire

There were two kinds of people on the Unite for Britain March in London this weekend - those who supported Tommy Robinson's "divisive" politics and those who are just "fed up", Davey tells BBC Radio Lancashire's Graham Liver.

• For context: Up to 150,000 joined a "Unite the Kingdom" rally in London on Saturday, organised by Robinson

He says Lib Dems' showing in Lancashire at the last election shows it is the only one to "hold off Reform"

He again accuses Nigel Farage of wanting to "create Trump's America in the UK".

"Farage wants fracking and that is a big issue in Lancashire - people don't want it," he said.

"I get it people are frustrated, don't go to the Tommy Robinsons who tell a pack of lies."

Davey blames Farage for small boat crossing surgepublished at 08:02 BST

08:02 BST

Ewan Murrie
Political reporter

Image source, PA

Let's wind back briefly to Davey's appearance on BBC Radio Solent, during which he claimed Nigel Farage was to blame for the surge in small boat crossings.

The Lib Dem leader argued that Brexit - championed by the Reform UK leader - collapsed key EU returns agreements.

But while he was quick to highlight the problem, he offered little by way of solutions.

His line: “Let’s stop the small boats, but let’s do it in ways that work — not just divisive rhetoric.”

Lib Dems are 'the party of practical policies' - is that enough to cut through?published at 08:00 BST

08:00 BST

Matthew Cole
Political correspondent

Ed Davey tells BBC Radio Leicester that the Lib Dems are a party of practical policies and that its MPs are “local champions” – something they have always been “the best” at, in his opinion.

Davey's asking people to “take a look” at his team, and its policies on health, social care and the cost living.

It’s a crowded political field these days – will that plea be enough to cut through?

BBC Radio Leicester

Ed Davey now tells BBC Radio Leicester's Ady Dayman that Donald Trump, currently on a second state visit to the UK, is the man who could end the "humanitarian catastrophe" in Gaza.

Davey says it was a "difficult decision" not to attend the King's state banquet this evening in protest.

He says: "He’s not my cup of tea to be honest, I have to say - I’m the only opposition leader calling him out.

“I’ve liked all the past American presidents even if I haven’t agreed with them, I think that special relationship is very important. Donald Trump is different."

Davey also says Trump is "hitting our economy" with tariffs, and "undermining our security".

Ed Davey's next appearance is on BBC Radio Solent. He's asked about local concerns over safety in Bournemouth after several high profile violent crimes.

"We have to clamp down and get serious about crime," he says.

"I am very concerned that Dorset Police is one of the worst funded police forces in the country."

He sys he was really "impressed" by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council leader Millie Earl for her work in partnership with local businesses and the police to "push down crime".

He adds that "people should be proud that crime has come down in Bournemouth overall since 2021".

"We are looking forward to our conference in Bournemouth it's a huge opportunity" he adds.

Reform keeps cropping up - but there's little mention of Labour and Toriespublished at 07:48 BST

07:48 BST

Matthew Cole
Political correspondent

Speaking on BBC Radio WM – Davey again mentions Reform UK.

The Lib Dem leader says that when people compare his party with Nigel Farage’s, they’ll see that the Liberal Democrats' type of change is more in tune with British values - a line he has repeated in every interview so far.

What’s striking is how little he’s speaking about the Labour and Tory leaders Sir Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch.

Over now to BBC Radio WM. The Liberal Democrat leader says he was "hugely concerned" for workers affected by a recent cyber attack at Jaguar Land Rover, which has car plants in the West Midlands.

"My heart goes out to all those workers and their families," he says, adding that cyber security needs to be a government priority.

"It's just shocking and I think all government and all local authorities have got to work harder for their businesses."

Davey also backs a furlough scheme for affected workers, which he described as part of legislation in other countries in Europe.

Davey says Lib Dems and Reform are the only parties of changepublished at 07:41 BST

07:41 BST

Ewan Murrie
Political reporter

Over the course of his interview round, Ed Davey is repeating the message that voters are hungry for change — but argues neither the Conservatives nor Labour can deliver it.

He accused Reform UK of pushing policies that would make Britain look more like "Trump’s America".

Pressed on what change the Lib Dems themselves would offer, he stuck to familiar ground: pledges to revive the NHS and fix adult social care.

But more provocatively, he also promised to ramp up renewables — a notable dividing line with Reform UK, which opposes green energy projects.

Responding to the dire financial situation at Shropshire Council, which the Liberal Democrats have run since May's local elections, Davey said local government finance would be a key focus of the conference.

He said councils were massively underfunded by the last Conservative government, particularly on social care and special educational needs, and said "Labour hasn't put that right".

He added: "The Tories over 20 years had failed at local and national level to back Shropshire... the books show it's a complete mess... the government's got to come and help local authorities put that right."

Davey accuses Farage of arrogancepublished at 07:31 BST

07:31 BST

Matthew Cole
Political correspondent

Labour and the Conservatives are all too aware of the rise of Reform UK.

It seems the Liberal Democrats have the party's leader, Nigel Farage, on their mind as well - with Ed Davey being repeatedly disparaging

On BBC Hereford & Worcester, the Lib Dem leader accuses Farage of being arrogant, of “measuring up the curtains” for No 10, and of wanting a “harsh American right-wing” for our country.

Davey says his was in fact the party of traditional British values, that he loved the UK and wants to make it better.

But when accused of not cutting through – he regularly references Reform UK – joining the politicians drawing attention to Farage rather than themselves.

Adam Green
BBC Radio Shropshire

We're moving now to BBC Radio Shropshire.

Ed Davey begins by denying that his party is failing to cut through in the light of Reform UK's strong polling.

He says the Liberal Democrats are "a party of change who really want to reform the NHS, focusing on care in particular", as well as cutting bills and improving ties with the EU.

Tammy Gooding
BBC Hereford & Worcester

During his first interview, Davey tells BBC Hereford & Worcester that the Liberal Democrats are offering change.

"We're the party that most represents traditional British values and has at its heart the sort of changes that people want," he says

He predicts that at the next general election voters will move away from Labour and the Tories, in favour of the Lib Dems.

He then describes Reform UK leader Nigel Farage's vision for the future as belonging to "a harsh American right-wing".

"We’re truer to true British values, we’re the patriotic party," he says.

"I don’t think Nigel Farage even likes our country."

The leader of the Liberal Democrats will shortly be speaking on BBC Hereford & Worcester - his first in a series of back-to-back interviews on local BBC radio stations taking place over the next hour.

You can follow along by tapping the watch live button at the top of this page.

On Tuesday, Ed Davey defended his "difficult decision" to boycott the banquet for Donald Trump's state visit, happening later this evening.

• You can follow our live coverage of Trump's state visit to the UK on our separate page

He said Trump was "the one person in the world" who could pick up the phone to Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and tell him to end the fighting in Gaza.

He also urged the US president to speak to Gulf States in order to prompt Hamas to release the hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza.

He said that there wouldn't have been an opportunity for him to speak to the US president at the state banquet, but argued by boycotting he could "put pressure on Donald Trump to do the right thing".

Image source, PA Media

For those of you unfamiliar, Sir Ed Davey has been the leader of the Liberal Democrats since 2020.

His first election victory came in 1997, when he contested and won the Greater London constituency of Kingston and Surbiton.

In 2010, he was made a junior minister under the coalition government, responsible for postal affairs. (This period of his career has come under renewed scrutiny in light of the inquiry into the Horizon IT scandal and wrongful conviction of hundreds of sub-postmasters.)

Davey rose further in 2012, when he was promoted to the cabinet position of energy and climate change secretary.

Following a crushing general election for the Lib Dems in 2015, Davey lost his seat. He won it back in 2017 and three years later was crowned party leader.

Davey focuses on topics he believes will appeal to his party's target voters, including the NHS and sewage in rivers.

From bungee jumping off a crane in Eastbourne to paddleboarding on Lake Windermere, his huge success in the 2024 general election was carried, in part, by a series of campaign stunts - often blunt visual metaphors for the issues facing Britain.

The local radio round has been a pre-conference tradition for many years, and the leaders of all of Westminster's main parties are being given a similar opportunity.

Richard Tice was up a couple of weeks ago, ahead of Reform UK's annual gathering in Birmingham.

Next will be Labour - its conference is taking place in Liverpool between 28 September and 1 October this year - followed by the Greens and the Tories.

Today it's the turn of the Lib Dems' Ed Davey. Stay tuned.

Image source, PA Media

Sir Ed Davey is about take part in a series of back-to-back interviews on BBC local radio stations, ahead of the Liberal Democrats' party conference in Bournemouth this weekend.

Today is a chance for us to quiz him on the party's policies.

First on Davey's schedule is BBC Hereford & Worcester - he's due shortly after 07:00 BST.

He'll then blast through appearances on Radio Shropshire, Radio WM, Radio Solent, Radio Leicester and Radio Lancashire.

Stay with us for updates and analysis on all the key lines.

To follow along, tap the watch live button at the top of this page.