Lib Dem leader to close party conference in Brighton by criticising tone taken by Prime Minister and his front bench
The “doom and gloom” offered by Labour cannot solve Britain’s challenges, Sir Ed Davey will say on Tuesday.
The Liberal Democrat leader will use his speech at the end of the party’s conference in Brighton to criticise the tone taken by Sir Keir Starmer and his frontbench.
Sir Keir has warned that things will get worse before they get better, while Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, is expected to set out tax rises and spending cuts in the Budget next month.
The Liberal Democrats are eventually hoping to overtake the Conservative Party and become the official opposition after returning a record 72 MPs to the House of Commons in July’s general election.
In his address to party members, Sir Ed will say: “The challenges we face cannot be solved by burying our heads in the sand and pretending they don’t exist, like the Conservatives do. But nor can they be solved with the pessimism and defeatism we’re hearing from Labour.
“They will be solved the way Britain has always done in the past – by rising to our challenges with guts, determination and hope. So we will cut through the Government’s doom and gloom with ambition for our country.”
Sir Ed has already criticised Sir Keir and Ms Reeves over their decision to strip 10 million pensioners of their fuel allowance this winter.
He also said the Prime Minister was wrong to rule out further cash for the NHS without reform, and that his efforts to improve relations with Europe did not go far enough.
Dozens of new Liberal Democrat MPs gained their seats at the expense of the Conservatives in July, with the party unseating Cabinet ministers Gillian Keegan and Alex Chalk.
The Liberal Democrats’ campaign heavily targeted dozens of specific constituencies, with more than 20 million pieces of campaign literature delivered in all.
Turning his fire on the Tories, Sir Ed is expected to add: “The Conservatives showed themselves completely unfit to govern our country, and the British people booted them out.
“Now they are already showing they are unfit for opposition too… [The Conservative Party] no longer merits a place at the top table of our politics. On July 4, we made a great start, but now let’s go further. Let’s finish the job.”
Elsewhere in his remarks, Sir Ed will say the Liberal Democrats must repay the trust of voters by continuing to focus on the NHS, the cost of living and tackling the sewage crisis.
He will note that many people voted for the party for the first time, and urge his activists to “focus on their priorities” and send a “clear message of hope”.
