The Lib Dem leader promises to hold the Government to account as his resurgent party holds its conference in Brighton
Sir Keir Starmer has already made “big mistakes” in government, Sir Ed Davey said as he promised to hold Labour to account.
The Liberal Democrat leader criticised Sir Keir for stripping the winter fuel allowance from around 10 million pensioners and for saying the NHS will receive no new cash unless it reforms.
Sir Ed was speaking on day two of the annual Lib Dem conference in Brighton, where the party is celebrating its best-ever general election result with 72 MPs.
Asked about his pledge to lead a “constructive opposition”, Sir Ed told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme that he was “absolutely” going to challenge Labour.
“We’re going to be a better opposition than the Conservatives because they are so divided and going off to the Right,” he said.
Sir Ed continued: “We’re going to talk about the NHS and care, we’re going to talk about sewage, and the cost of living. And already the Government’s made two big mistakes in those three areas at least, and we are holding them to account.
“They’re withdrawing the winter fuel payment from millions of pensioners when energy bills are going up by over 10 per cent this winter – so they’re making a mistake on the cost of living [and] we’re opposing them on it.”
Winter fuel vote
All 72 Lib Dem MPs voted last week against Sir Keir’s decision to remove winter fuel payments from all retirees except those who already receive pension credit, or several other means-tested benefits.
The Government has claimed the plans will raise £1.4 billion for the public finances but charities and campaigners have warned hundreds of thousands of pensioners will fall into fuel poverty.
Sir Ed added also criticised Sir Keir’s insistence the health service would receive “no money without reform”.
“We’re worried that in the NHS debate, they’re talking about reform before investment when we think there needs to be reform and investment,” he said.
“We need the right type of reform, and I think we’re probably the only party arguing with this intensity that social care is a critical part of that reform.
“I don’t believe you can sort out some of the problems in our hospitals … unless you sort out social care.”
Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, was criticised in July for scrapping a cap on social care costs, claiming there was no money to pay for the policy.
The reforms were first proposed by Boris Johnson and would have forced councils to set a cap of £86,000 on the amount anyone in England would be expected to spend in their lifetime on personal care, from next autumn.
Current projections show around half a million more workers are needed in the next 15 years to tackle Britain’s social care crisis.
Disabled son John
The issue is particularly close to Sir Ed’s heart because he cares for his 13-year-old son John, who is severely disabled.
In a video during the election campaign, he discussed his concerns for John’s future while also reflecting on caring for his terminally ill mother before her death aged 46.
Elsewhere in his interview, Sir Ed said the public were “sick” of the “yah-boo politics” of the Tories and pledged to support the Government on issues where his party agreed with Sir Keir.
He went on to claim that there was little difference between the recent direction of the Conservative Party and the policies of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.
Sir Ed will take part in a question-and-answer session with party members on Sunday afternoon as the annual gathering continues.
Members will also debate issues including the European Union, the Israel-Hamas conflict and assisted dying at a number of fringe events.
