Five years after he was elected Liberal Democrat leader, a YouGov poll has found most Britons aren’t familiar enough with Sir Ed Davey to name him when shown his photo. That – to mangle the old joke – may just mean we don’t recognise him with his clothes on.

He spent a lot of the 2024 general election campaign in a wetsuit, or underwater or on – or falling off – a surfboard, and thus becoming the butt of many a political joke about deep water and sewage.

But Ed undeniably had the last laugh when his antics paid off and the Lib Dems won 72 seats – making them the third largest party, and Davey the most successful Lib Dem leader ever in parliamentary seats. The party currently controls more councils than the Conservatives.

One year on, Davey has found a way to make a splash whilst kee

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