Sir Ed Davey: Lib Dems can relegate SNP and be third-biggest party in Commons

The Liberal Democrats can relegate the SNP to the fourth-largest party in the Commons, Sir Ed Davey has said.

The Lib Dem leader insisted his party was on course to take seats from the nationalists in Scotland, just as it plans to win Conservative-held constituencies south of the border.

Launching his party’s Scottish campaign on Monday, Sir Ed pinpointed four Scottish seats currently held by the SNP that the Lib Dems are targeting and said he thought there would be “more liberals than nationalists” in the new parliament.

Should the Lib Dems oust the SNP as the third party in the Commons it would mean Sir Ed would gain SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn’s coveted weekly slot at Prime Minister’s Questions.

“We are a big part of the change that’s happening,” Sir Ed said. “I think there is a massive desire to get rid of the Conservatives in Westminster and also, actually, to get rid of the SNP.

“I think we have a real chance, when we get to July 5 – the day after polling day – there will be more liberals than nationalists in the next parliament. I think the Liberal Democrats can be the third party in UK politics again.”

Any large losses for the SNP would also see John Swinney’s party forfeit significant short money – public cash made available to support opposition parties allocated on the number of seats won and votes received.

In 2023-24, the SNP, which had 43 seats, received £1.3 million in short money. The Lib Dems, which won 15 seats but significantly more UK-wide votes, received £1.05 million.

Scottish seats that the Lib Dems are targeting include Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire, part of which is the late Charles Kennedy’s former constituency, and Mid Dunbartonshire, the successor to the seat lost by Jo Swinson, the former Lib Dem chief, in 2019.

Sir Ed launched the Scottish Lib Dem campaign on Monday in North Queensferry with a pledge to protect NHS dentistry, despite this being a policy that is Holyrood’s responsibility.

Alex Cole-Hamilton, the Scottish Lib Dem leader, said that in Fife there were no NHS dentists currently open to new patients and that people were resorting to attempting to carry out procedures themselves.

“People are resorting to DIY dentistry and buying tools off Amazon to do the job themselves because they can’t get an NHS dentist,” he said.

“No matter how much pain you are in, seeing an NHS dentist in Scotland is harder than ever before. It’s a stark reminder of how the SNP makes empty promises and can’t get the basics right.”