Lib Dems Poll could reshape UK's political scene for decades - Davey

Tactical voting and disaffection with the main parties makes this Thursday a once-in-a-lifetime general election day that could reshape the political landscape for decades, the leader of the Liberal Democrats has argued.

- Peter Walker

With a series of smaller parties expected to make breakthroughs in terms of vote share and seats, Ed Davey said the Lib Dems seemed poised to entrench themselves in a swathe of formerly Conservative territory, particularly in the south.

"I think this is a once-in-a-century election," the Lib Dem leader told the Guardian between campaign stops in Tory-held seats. "I mean, 1997 was a once in a generation. This is a once in a century." Launching the final week of his defiantly unorthodox campaign with a bungee jump at a football ground in Eastbourne followed by a Zumba class in John Redwood's former seat of Wokingham, Davey insisted such antics had brought attention to party policies in areas such as social care and sewage in rivers.

"We've never seen Liberal Democrat policies talked about as much," Davey said, speaking in a rear section of the party's battlebus festooned with wetsuit tops and swimming shorts drying on the seats.

"Isn't that weird? When we've done it from a lectern in a suit at a press conference, people don't want to talk about our policies. When I fall off a paddleboard or go down a waterslide, people talk about our policies.

I like to think we are running a positive campaign, a bit of fun, but mixed with serious messages.