Sir Ed Davey arrives in Brighton on jet ski for Lib Dem conference

The political leader rocked up at Brighton Marina on a jet ski ahead of the autumn conference, which is taking place at the Brighton Centre this afternoon.

Sir Ed was joined by four of the party’s new MPs, Pippa Heylings, South Cambridgeshire; Josh Babarinde, Eastbourne; Anna Sabine, Frome and East Somerset; and Alison Bennett, Mid Sussex.

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey on a jet ski in Brighton as the party's autumn conference began at the Brighton Centre (Image: Jamie Lashmar/PA Wire)

The politician shows no signs of giving up his stunts after a jam-packed election campaign this summer which saw him bungee jump in Eastbourne, paddleboard on Windermere and ride a rollercoaster at Thorpe Park.

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His escapades paid off with the party securing 72 seats at the general election in July, its best general election result for generations.

Here we go again pic.twitter.com/9MtBy7bHf5

— Ed Davey (@EdwardJDavey) September 14, 2024

In Sussex, the Lib Dems overturned a number of marginal Conservative seats ousting former education secretary Gillian Keegan from Chichester and booting out Maria Caulfield from Lewes.

The party now has five MPs in the county - Josh Babarinde in Eastbourne, James MacClearly in Lewes, Alison Bennett in Mid Sussex, Jess Brown-Fuller in Chichester and John Milne in Horsham.

At the conference Sir Ed said people are “absolutely ecstatic” by the historic result.

“72 MPs makes us the biggest Liberal or Liberal Democrat parliamentary party for over 100 years," he said.

“The third party again, and the strongest third party for over 100 years. So we want our voice to get heard.”

He said his party will be a “better opposition” than the Conservatives.

“We will support when we think the government needs supporting, acting in the national interest," he said.

Sir Ed Davey loves a stunt (Image: Jamie Lashmar/PA Wire)

“But where we disagree with them (…) think they’re getting it wrong, we will oppose and we’ll do it better than Conservatives in this way.

“We won’t use the sort of ‘Punch and Judy’ tone of the Conservatives.

“We want to be more grown up, more mature, more constructive, and more than that, we want to put forward alternatives.”

In an interview with The Argus ahead of the conference, Sir Ed said he wanted the newly elected representatives to be focused on “getting results for constituents” but conceded the party would struggle to win votes in the House of Commons when it comes to opposing Labour policies.

Sir Ed said that he did not want the Lib Dems to get involved in "yah boo politics" where politicians are dismissive of each other.

Sir Ed parking the jet ski (Image: Jamie Lashmar/PA Wire)

 “Our MPs are mustard keen and will work super hard for their constituents,” he said.

“Five MPs across Sussex is quite something and they will be great local champions.

“How you do opposition will matter.

“All opposition parties will not be able to win votes easily, that’s a mathematical fact, but if you opposition well you can win arguments and change things."

The Liberal Democrat Autumn Conference takes place at the Brighton Centre until September 17.