Key facts
- Liberal Democrat President Josh Babarinde called for the party to "flip the table over and rise up" to challenge powerful entities.
- Babarinde aims to tackle issues from big tech to crypto billionaires, seeking to return power and "cash back to people".
- The Liberal Democrats have about 5,000 members attending their annual conference in Brighton.
- Babarinde cited William Beveridge's fight against want, disease, ignorance, squalor, and idleness as inspiration.
- The party has been polling at around 11% for months despite winning 71 MPs in the 2024 election.
- Babarinde previously set up a social enterprise smartphone repair service staffed by former offenders and at-risk youth.
Liberal Democrat President Josh Babarinde has urged party members to adopt a more aggressive stance against powerful entities he described as "big modern giants" that hinder people's progress. Speaking ahead of the party's annual conference in Brighton, Babarinde, 33, called for a spirit of "flipping the table over and rising up" to challenge issues ranging from big tech to crypto billionaires.
Babarinde, who was elected party president in November 2024, drew inspiration from the great Liberal thinker William Beveridge, who tackled the "five evils" of want, disease, ignorance, squalor, and idleness. Babarinde believes the Liberal Democrats must identify problems, pinpoint those obstructing solutions, and propose actions to empower ordinary citizens.
Despite the party securing 71 MPs in the 2024 general election and gaining 153 councillors in England in May, national polls have shown them consistently around 11%. This stagnation has led to internal grumbling, with some MPs feeling that party leader Ed Davey struggles to gain media attention compared to figures like Nigel Farage. Babarinde acknowledged the crowded multi-party system and the need for clear messaging without resorting to sensationalism.
He dismissed claims that the party lacks eye-catching policies, asserting there are "oodles and oodles of it," but stressed the need for enhanced digital campaigning to reach beyond the party's traditional middle-England base. Babarinde, who has personal experience with engaging hard-to-reach communities through his past work setting up a social enterprise smartphone repair service for ex-offenders and at-risk youth, believes his strategy can help the party "reach new heights."