Edward Davey attended Nottingham High School and went on to study Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Jesus College, Oxford and to gain an MSc in Economics from Birkbeck College, London University.
From 1989 to 1993 he worked in the Commons as an economics researcher for the Liberal Democrats, becoming the party's senior economics adviser. In 1993 he left Parliament to work for Omega Partners, specialising in consultancy in the postal services sector.

Edward became Liberal Democrat MP for Kingston and Surbiton in 1997 and was appointed the party’s economics affairs spokesman in 1997. After the 2001 election he joined the Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, the first of a number of shadow roles, including shadowing the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister with responsibility for local government and the regions (2002-2005), Shadow Education and Skills Secretary (2005-2006) and Shadow Trade and Industry Secretary (2006).

After serving as Chief of Staff to party leader Menzies Campbell, and Chair of Campaigns and Communications for the Liberal Democrats, he was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs after Nick Clegg was elected party leader in 2007. He was appointed as Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on 3 February 2012.
Edward lives with his wife and son in Surbiton.