LIB DEM leader Sir Ed Davey scrambled to defend his party from friendly fire today after MP Roz Savage aired concerns the party is “struggling for relevance” before their annual conference.

Sir Ed insisted that he would lead the party into the next general election following the broadside from the Lib Dem South Cotswolds MP.

Devon council leader Julian Brazil also joined the chorus of criticism, saying the Lib Dems were “not saying the things that people can relate to” as the party met for its annual conference in Brighton.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Sir Ed cited his party winning a record 72 seats in Parliament in 2024 and took council seats in local elections, saying: “We’ve grown really fast in recent years under my leadership. Record number of MPs.

“We’re running more councils than the Conservatives — councils up and down the country.

“Really proud of that record and it means when you have a bigger party, you can’t please everyone all the time.”

Sir Ed also claimed that he does not look at polling, which has consistently put the Lib Dems behind the other major parties, saying: “What I look at is elections.”

The party was described as “weak” by more than half of those surveyed in recent YouGov polling.

Few have seen Sir Ed on social media, heard from the Liberal Democrats, or know what they stand for, polling from More in Common suggested.

Speaking on Sky News, he said that the Liberal Democrats will focus on tax cuts and Europe as they look to get voters on side before the next general election.

The party has already called for a 10p fuel duty cut until at least Christmas to ease cost-of-living pressures and Sir Ed said further proposals would be unveiled in his leader’s speech at its conference on Tuesday.

It also wants to rejoin the EU’s customs union and single market, which they say will boost Britain’s economy and allow them to cut taxes.

Lib Dem deputy leader said the party believes a return to the customs union and single market could be negotiated within a year.