Who’d have thought ‘stuntman’ Ed Davey could be the next leader of the opposition?

The Liberal Democrats have made a splash during the election campaign – as their leader has played his photo ops for laughs. But maybe it’s time to take them seriously, writes John Rentoul

Projections that put the Conservatives on as few as 53 seats raises the extraordinary possibility that the Lib Dems could become the second largest party (PA Wire)

Ed Davey once jumped off the platform at Clapham Junction to rescue a woman who had fallen onto the tracks. Ever since I heard that story, I have thought of him as someone with hidden qualities. He looks after his disabled son. He lent Ed Balls his O-level history notes when he was in the year above at Nottingham High School.

And now he is being talked about seriously as the possible leader of the opposition in the next parliament.

It is a surprising turn for someone who has hardly been noticed as leader of the UK’s fourth party since he took over four years ago. In a recent video of people being stopped in the street and asked if they could identify party leaders, the most common response was a shake of the head: “I can’t help you with the last one, sorry.”