Sir Ed Davey has called for Britain to adopt a new written constitution, arguing it is essential to make the nation "resistant to authoritarian creeps like Donald Trump".
Speaking at the Liberal Democrat spring conference, the party leader advocated for a "new Magna Carta" to safeguard the UK's fundamental commitments to human rights, the NHS, and freedom of expression from potential erosion.
During his address, Sir Ed also urged Britain to decouple its nuclear deterrent from its reliance on American maintenance, asserting that Trump has demonstrated the United States is no longer a consistently dependable ally.
He also criticised Reform UK and its leader, Nigel Farage, in the context of his constitutional proposals.
Drawing a parallel to the original Magna Carta, a foundational document that historically checked the power of King John and bolstered parliamentary authority, Sir Ed suggested the current political climate "demands" a similar new settlement.
He clarified: "Not a literal rewriting of an 800-year-old document, but a renewed national commitment – enshrined in law – to the values that have always made Britain worth defending."
These values, he explained, include "the rule of law, with the courts always independent of political interference," and "a commitment to universal human rights that cannot be ripped up at the whim of a populist like Farage."
He also defended trial by jury, adding that it is “still a fundamental right that we hold dear”, in a veiled critique of Labour’s proposals to limit jury trials to more serious offences.
Sir Ed continued, advocating for "a democracy that is transparent, accountable, and resistant to the authoritarian creep we see in other countries, and resistant to authoritarian creeps like Donald Trump."
He added that the new constitution should "go much further than the old Magna Carta, to enshrine the rights we have asserted over generations since: A free press, genuinely free; freedom of expression, and yes, that means on social media too; the proud British and liberal commitment to universal healthcare, free at the point of use – something else Farage wants to scrap."
The Liberal Democrats also reaffirmed their commitment to proportional representation, giving "everyone equal power and an equal voice."
Elsewhere in his speech, Sir Ed contended that Britain’s Trident missile system does not constitute a truly independent nuclear deterrent, given its reliance on American-made weapons and US maintenance.
"Britain’s nuclear deterrent must be genuinely, verifiably ours – not dependent on Trump or whoever his successor may be," he stated.
Referring to Trump’s "ongoing actions which have upset the global order”, the Liberal Democrat leader concluded: "Trump has proven we can’t rely on America as a dependable ally."
Sir Ed’s call to detach Trident from US support comes amid the "American-Israeli war against Iran in the Middle East”, which has sent shockwaves through global energy markets.
Trump has previously been critical of the UK’s decision not to engage in the conflict and threatened to halt trade with Spain after it denied American access to its airbases.
He has also clashed with European allies over his desire to annex Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark.
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