Davey: We paid the price for Coalition

ENERGY Secretary Ed Davey admitted the Lib-Dems were “paying some price” for going into coalition with the Conservatives as he became one of the party’s highest-profile casualties.

The Cabinet minister was defending a majority of more than 7,500 votes in Kingston & Surbiton, but ended up losing by almost 3,000 votes to Conservative James Berry.

However, Mr Davey said he had “no regrets” over the decision to form a coalition government: “We put the national interest above the party interest which was the right thing to do at the time. I have no regrets on that.”

The 49-year-old told reporters he was “obviously disappointed” with his defeat, but admitted: “We knew it would be close — we had it written on our leaflets. But I don’t think the voters did. When I was out canvassing today I had a man said to me ‘you’ll be fine, Ed’. I wish I had a vote for all the people who told me I would be fine.”

He warned the results showed Britain was a “divided nation” and there could be “dangers ahead” for the union, adding a referendum on

the European Union proposed by the Tories was a “serious risk”.

Rumours had circulated that Mr Davey had managed to hang on to his seat by a fraction and his supporters were visibly shocked when the announcement was made, while Mr Berry’s supporters whooped in delight.

Mr Berry, 31, thanked Mr Davey for giving “18 years of hard service” to the constituency but said he was delighted his party was “now back in the driving seat”. He added: “The turnout here tonight proves that democracy is live and kicking in Kingston.”

Mr Davey, who was first elected in 1997 with a majority of just 56, said it had been an “honour” to serve the borough.

Turnout was 73.11 per cent (59,395) up from 70.4 per cent in 2010.