25 Apr 2025
Lib Dem leader Ed Davey had a prickly reception when he visited Harpenden today – and not from the media scrum in attendance.
He was accompanying local MP Victoria Collins on a tour of Hornbeam Hedgehog Sanctuary, off Common Lane, and donned a pair of thick gloves in order to get up close and personal with the snuffly critters.
It was his first return visit to the town since before Victoria won the seat, having joined her and St Albans MP Daisy Cooper for a cookery session at High Beeches School, and then wrapping up the party’s election campaign in a pink Cadillac at Hammond’s End Farm.
This time round the politicians found out how to make their homes hedgehog-friendly, fed some of the sanctuary’s residents, had a cuddle with a baby called Green, and helped build a house out of logs.
It might have been more sedate than the stunts Ed is renowned for, but he said the message was no less important, with hedgehogs on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)’s Red List of Threatened Species.
“Actually everyone can help them, whether they’re helping amazing charities like the one here that’s rescuing hedgehogs, or by the way they look after their gardens. I think that people care about their environment, they care about their animals, and it’s right that politicians are finding out about it and seeing what we can do.”
He was also adding his support to the Liberal Democrats’ campaign to seize control of Herts county council from the Conservatives at next Thursday’s local elections.
“We’re going to campaign right to the close of the polls because we don’t take people’s votes in any way complacently. But there’s no doubt the signs are good for the Liberal Democrats here in Hertfordshire and indeed across England.
“We’re finding that lifelong Conservatives are switching to the Liberal Democrats, and so we have a real chance. Building on the success we’ve had in Hertfordshire, here in Harpenden where Victoria Collins was elected the MP last July, we feel there’s real momentum behind the Liberal Democrats.”
But in order to take control of HCC, it is essential for the Lib Dems to win key divisions like those in Harpenden. Arguably until last year the party were on track to take those seats from the Conservatives, but the introduction of on-street parking charges in the town have seen a backlash against the Lib Dem-controlled SADC administration.
Victoria has been very outspoken in calling on SADC leader Paul de Kort to review the charges – is this something Ed would support?
“I tend to leave those sorts of issues to local politicians who know them and understand them. Victoria Collins is an amazing local MP, she’s already made a massive impact in Parliament, and I know she’s got a great reputation as someone who represents her community.
“So I’ll let her as a local MP represent her people, but I’m sure there’ll be a lot of listening. There is a real problem with funding of local government, and I know that’s a real challenge for people, but I think it’s up to local people to have their local solutions.”
Does he not think that the longer this drags on, the more threatening it becomes as an election issue, especially with the Conservatives campaigning for the charges to be reversed? Would he not like to see Cllr de Kort agree to sit down with Victoria and have a conversation about reviewing the scheme before May 1?
“I know they will do the very best they can for local people, but I think it’s a bit rich for the Conservatives, given their appalling track record on the county council.
“I think there’ll be a lot of motorists who will know that the Conservatives are a party opposed to motorists, because they’re having to mend their punctures, they’re having to get their axles repaired because of the damage that the potholes have done. So the idea that the Conservatives are on the side of the motorists is a joke.”
On a wider regional issue, given the recent approval for the expansion of London Luton Airport, what can be done to mitigate against the impact of this on the local infrastructure?
“I think it’s a really bad decision to expand Luton Airport. I’m really worried about the impact on the overall infrastructure.
“It’s already creating a lot of congestion on roads , and I think local people are quite understandably concerned that an expanded airport will cause even more congestion, even more disruption. So if there can be mitigation, it’s going to have to be in a very big investment in local trains and local buses, and helping the local community be able to take this expansion. But I’m very worried that it’s not going to be able to.”
