Ed Davey is now captain of a bigger ship than he could have dreamed of steering in 2019. With 72 MPs in Parliament, the Liberal Democrat leader could cause the Labour government a middling two-paracetamol-level headache. Instead, he risks running adrift with no clear landing strategy in sight.

That’s because, despite their clear electoral success, some in the party aren’t sure that Davey’s plans to chase away the Tory threat will work. Instead, they think voters will punish them if the party focuses all its fire on the Tories and lets Labour off without proper opposition.

To be generous, the Liberal Democrats are in a holding pattern, waiting to see where the axe falls in the Budget and calibrating who the next Tory leader will be. But even among the cheerful party crowd, some see squalls on the horizon.

In Brighton, at the party’s annual conference, the sun was shining, with activists in a heady mood. At the annual Glee Club on Monday night, 300 people belted out party anthems including an anti-Brexit song whose sweary lyrics aren’t suitable for a family newspaper. They were having a lovely time.

But strolling along the front, peering into shops selling Brighton rock and considering fish and chips for lunch, other activists were more fretful. Some MPs and councillors told i the party should not only target seats held by the Tories, amid concern a too narrow focus will result in seats being squeezed at the next general election and the Tories regaining control of urban councils and former........

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