Pre-debate election broadcast from Sir Ed Davey where the Lib Dem leader is shown caring for his disabled son reduces viewers to tears

Viewers of the BBC debate have tonight gushed over Ed Davey after he struggled to hold back tears as he revealed one of biggest fears is who will care for his disables son when he passes away. 

The leader of the Liberal Democrats released a video today in which he promised to 'be the voice of carers in Parliament', and spoke about his experience of taking care of his son John. 

The video showed Sir Ed making his 16-year-old son 16, who can't walk and has only limited speech due to a neurological condition, lunch, and opening up about what it is like to look after him. 

'I'm always involved in John's care. I like to be the one who gets John up in the morning, so he sees me, because he can't walk.'

He can then be seen guiding John through his kitchen, telling him: 'Come on my sweetheart, we're gonna have some lunch.'

Earlier this month, he revealed his biggest fear in life was over who would look after him after he passes away. 

'He's going to need 24/7 care for the rest of his life, I worry about who is going to look after him,' Sir Ed told ITV.

The Lib Dem leader has cared for family members all his life. He was one of his mother's carers when she was diagnosed with a terminal illness, and his wife, Emily Gasson, has multiple sclerosis. 

Speaking about raising John together, Sir Ed told ITV Tonight's The Leader Interviews: 'My wife has MS so she can do quite a bit but she can't do some things.

'My day tends to start with getting him out of bed, taking him to the toilet, taking his nappy off to give him a shower and cleaning his teeth.

'We massage him every day keep his limbs supple. He'll wake up between 5.30 and 6 o'clock and shout for his daddy, so his daddy has to get up and start that routine.'

Sir Ed described being a father as 'the most joyful and important thing I do'.

'One of my biggest fears in life is what happens to him when I'm gone,' he added.

'I reflect on what my mother thought. I remember I'd been on a school trip to Germany when she was ill and I took a picture of me and this German girl - we'd spoken for about five minutes, it wasn't anything more than that.

'I showed my trip photos to my mum, and she said to me, 'I wonder who you are going to end up with?''

As his voice cracked with emotion, Sir Ed added: 'It's slightly different with John - because he's going to need 24/7 care for the rest of his life, I worry about who is going to look after him.

'No one is going to love him or hold him like I or my wife hold him, so we think about that.

'I'm sure all parents think about that, in some way, but when you've got a child that's so vulnerable with special needs, it's particularly pertinent.

'I think caring and carers is something that I almost have a duty to stand up for and talk about.'

Social media users said after tonight's broadcast was made that they felt Davey would make a good leader. 

'Ed Davey seems like a really decent man. People's character matters a lot to me. I think that's sealed it in terms of who I'm voting for in the GE', one said. 

Another wrote on X: 'Powerful broadcast from Ed Davey. Genuine guy, I hope [the Lib Dems] become the official opposition as his challenge would be healthy.'

Comparing Davey to Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour Party, one social media user said: 'Son of a toolmaker and head of public prosecutions doesn't do normal. He's coded to stay on script at all costs.

'Asking the knighted one about normal won't compute, he's not to be trusted. I feel more drawn to Ed Davey, he's down to earth.'

One user added: 'Have to say how moved I was watching Ed Davey. Comes across as a kind and caring man. Hope he's the Opposition leader next week.' 

It comes as Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer go head-to-head tonight in the final TV debate before the nation heads to the polls next week. 

The Conservative and Labour leaders will face off in Nottingham live on the BBC in the Prime Ministerial Debate hosted by Mishal Husain.

Mr Sunak will desperately be hoping for a gamechanger moment to revive his flagging election campaign which has been hampered by the election date betting scandal.