Lib Dems offer alternative to extremes of Reform and Greens, Davey says

Lib Dems offer alternative to extremes of Reform and Greens, Davey says7 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleBecky MortonPolitical reporterPA MediaLiberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has said his party offers an alternative to the "extremes" of Reform UK and the Greens, as he hailed gains across England and Scotland.The Lib Dems gained 153 councillors in England, winning control of Stockport and Portsmouth council, and six seats in the Scottish Parliament.However, the party's gains were more modest than those of Reform UK and the Green Party of England and Wales, with the Lib Dems primarily benefitting from a slump in support for Labour and the Conservatives.In Hull, a Reform UK surge saw the Lib Dems lose control of the council, while Nigel Farage's party thwarted their hopes of winning in Tory-run Hampshire.Speaking on a visit to Edinburgh on Saturday, Sir Ed said: "There's no doubt that British politics is in flux, the old two parties have failed, people looking for change."I think the option for British people is the change of the populist parties on the extremes of left and right - Reform and the Greens - or change that is true to British values from the Liberal Democrats."Many people voted for that type of change and I'm going to champion that."Challenged over whether his party was losing momentum, Sir Ed it was the eighth consecutive year of net gains for the Lib Dems in English council elections, while the party had its best result for nearly 20 years in Scotland.He added: "Clearly, the populist parties on the extremes of left and right have also done well."But I think the more that they are exposed and the more people see their policies, they will realise they are either pipe dreams or the politics of division."LIVE: Follow reaction to UK election results What results show us in maps and chartsSir John Curtice: Election results show politics in the UK has fragmentedIn Stockport and...