Ed Davey: Towards a Liberal Populism?

The notion of a liberal populism seems paradoxical. The politicians, movements and parties that we label as ‘populist’ have positioned themselves as anti-liberal in order to be anti-elite. If we understand populism as a form of anti-establishment politics, then liberalism and populism must be viewed as mutually exclusive. However, if we understand populism not as ideology but as political style, then that style may be adopted by a wider range of political standpoints and parties. During the 2024 General Election campaign, stunts by Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey began to make sense of the liberal-populist paradox, deploying comic licence and play.