Former Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron has warned his party that ‘winning is everything’ as he announced he is backing Ed Davey in its leadership race.
Mr Farron remained neutral the last time the Lib Dems chose a new leader.
But he said he had made the ‘difficult’ choice to break his silence this time around because he believed Sir Ed, a former energy secretary, was more likely to help his party win seats at the next election than his opponent, Lib Dem education spokesman Layla Moran.
Download the new Independent Premium app
Sharing the full story, not just the headlines
Sir Ed was a politician who understands “winning is everything, it is your passport to making a difference”, he said.
Mr Farron’s successor Sir Vince Cable is expected to remain neutral in the race, as is former party leader Jo Swinson.
In an interview with the Independent, Mr Farrron said that before Ms Swinson’s election he felt that as a former party leader “neutrality was sort of expected”.
He added: “There’s a huge temptation, which I have so far kind of given into, just to play the ‘I’m a former leader therefore I’m going to stay neutral’ card.”
But he added that he had made the “very difficult” decision over the last week, that “if I think the future of the party matters then I probably ought to do something that might influence the outcome”.
He said that in December’s general election the Lib Dems came second in 91 seats, 80 of which were won by the Conservatives.
Sir Ed, whose London seat is a Tory facing marginal, was the candidate who could help the party win against Conservatives, he said.
Winning over former Tory voters had been central to the party’s victories under former leaders Paddy Ashdown and Charles Kennedy, he added.
The latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox
Ms Moran is widely seen as to the left of Sir Ed and was recently behind a book laying out a platform of “progressive and centre-left policies”.
Mr Farron praised both candidates.
But he said the task for the next few years was not just “rebuilding the Liberal Democrats, it is about defeating the Conservatives and that is why I have decided to break my silence”.
He said that while new Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer had made a good start he did not see a way the party could win a majority at the next election.
Boris Johnson could lose his, however, potentially offering an opportunity for the Lib Dems, he predicted.
Mr Farron said that after December’s poor election result there were three choices for the Lib Dems – give up, reach for what he defined as “comfort zone stuff”, in which the party talked only to itself not to voters, or find a way to win again.
He said that Sir Ed’s experience of winning his seat against the odds and not giving up “is the story of the party I would like to see unfold”.
Sir Ed said he was delighted to receive Mr Farron’s backing.
“Tim understands we need a clear message that speaks to the entire country. It is vital that we take seats from the Conservatives and stop them winning a majority at the next election,” he said.
“I will lead the party to build a fairer, greener and more caring society so that we can rebuild the Liberal Democrats and take on Boris Johnson and the Conservatives.”
A campaign source said: ‘The fact Tim has decided to step in publicly and campaign for Ed shows how strongly he feels about the direction of the party. This is a hugely significant endorsement for us.’
Ms Moran, the MP for Oxford West and Abingdon who was first elected to parliament in 2017, has suggested she can free the party from the shackles of its coalition past.
The other declared challenger, the party’s environment spokeswoman Wera Hobhouse, pulled out of the race earlier this month and backed Ms Moran.
A postal ballot of Lib Dem members will take place over the summer, with the winner announced on 26 August.
A spokesperson for Ms Moran said: “Layla has huge respect for Tim. However, the way to win seats off the Tories is to put the coalition behind us, and appeal to a broad base of support from progressive to soft Conservative voters.
“Layla has done that in Oxford West and Abingdon, increasing her majority in 2019 by 8000 votes, and under her leadership we have a chance to move forward together and do it across the country.”
