18 March 2015updated 07 Jun 2021 4:45pm

Ed Davey is officially running to be Liberal Democrat leader. Here’s why it’s going to be a very odd contest

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - OCTOBER 07: Liberal Democrat Energy Secretary Ed Davey addresses the Liberal Democrat Autumn conference on October 7, 2014 in Glasgow, Scotland. The energy secretary told the conference there will be a major tax cut for energy efficiency in the party's pre-manifesto. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

And we’re off! Ed Davey officially launches his candidacy in British politics’ other leadership election today, as he sets out his stall for the job of Liberal Democrat leader. Unlike the Conservative race, which has almost as many declared candidacies as the Liberal Democrats have MPs, this will almost certainly be a two-horse race: between Davey and Jo Swinson, the party’s deputy leader.

It’s an odd contest, and not just because by ending a three-year run in which every decision she made accelerated the Liberal Democrat revival, Theresa May has managed to time her exit in a way that will choke off most of the coverage that this race might have received.