Daisy Cooper – The next leader of the Lib Dems?
At the Lib Dem conference 2026, Deputy Leader and Treasury Spokesperson of the Lib Dems delivered a keynote speech on her plans to boost economic growth. During her speech, she criticised the Chancellor’s growth speech for its lack of ideas and accused other parties of being locked in a debate over the size of the state. She argued strongly that social justice and supporting businesses are ‘‘two sides of the same coin’’. The key policies announced included a new defence and growth partnership with the EU and support for businesses, particularly small businesses through the removal of everyday barriers.
The speech was a gentle, but clear attempt to position Cooper for future leadership. It was refreshing to see a Lib Dem MP proactively provide answers to significant economic issues like stagnant growth, rather than staying in the comfort zone of talking about social care, as it has been for the past years. The party has been struggling to identify itself against populists and find its political relevance at the national level – an assessment shared by an increasing number of party members, MPs and activists. Cooper’s speech provided one possible path.
Cooper’s leadership ambitions now appear to be more overt albeit not immediate. She emphasised that “we are not a divided party” and said Ed Davey is the right leader. However, she also did not rule out a leadership bid in an interview with PoliticsUK.
The day before her speech, she joined a reception co-hosted by Cratus Group and Lib Dems for Growth, a new pro-growth group advocating for policies driving economic growth, housing, energy and development, and encouraged people to attend her speech and “listen to my plans for growth”. It was one of a full day of engagements for Cooper, ensuring she maximised her time with the party faithful.
Taken together, these actions suggest that Cooper is not openly challenging Davey, but is beginning to establish her own political identity and build support around a different set of priorities. The focus on economic growth, in particular, gives her a way to distinguish herself and easing herself away from her long term collaboration with Ed Davey.
Timing is everything. Cooper delivered her first keynote speech after Davey’s cringe-inducing speech at the conference rally, where the audience was asked to chant “We Care, We Fight”. Davey’s end-of-conference speech was better and included more meaty policies on tax cuts, but had already Cooper got in there first. The contrast between the two speeches helped position Cooper as a senior Lib Dem politician willing to talk about economic growth and the wider direction of government.
At the conference, it was an open secret that there was chatter about whether Davey is on his way out and who will replace him. A few names were floated, but there is no single candidate that the majority of the party can get behind and reportedly, no campaigns are at the stage of organising themselves.
Having received a standing ovation following her speech, Cooper has a certain degree of support within the party. For a leadership challenge to become realistic, she would need to build significantly more support within the party ranks and take greater political risks.
