Keir Starmer has already made ‘two large errors’, Lib Dem chief warns

On Sep 15, 2024

Ed Davey has claimed the Liberal Democrats will be better at holding Labour to account than the divided Tories rearing off to the right.

On the second day of his party’s annual get-together, Sir Ed promised to “challenge” Keir Starmer’s new Government “when we disagree with them”. He said No10 had already made two “big mistakes”, including cutting winter fuel payments for millions of pensioners in a switch towards a means-tested system.

Sir Ed said: “On the cost of living, they’re withdrawing the winter fuel payment from millions of pensioners who are struggling when energy bills are going up by over 10% this winter. So they’re making mistakes on the cost of living, and we’re opposing them on that.”

He also said the Lib Dems are “worried” about the government talking about reform of the NHS – before investment. Sir Ed insisted: “We think there needs to be reform and investment.” Speaking on the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme, he added: “We are going to be a better opposition than the Conservatives, who are so divided and going off to the right.”

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey opening the party’s annual conference in Brighton
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Getty Images)

The party is also calling for free school meals to be given to all children in poverty – giving an extra 900,000 kids a healthy meal.

Lib Dem education spokeswoman Munira Wilson was expected to tell the party’s conference on Sunday that extending free school meals would give “more pupils a full stomach each lunchtime”. She said it would also lead to “better academic progress, better behaviour and concentration, better health outcomes”.

Still jubilant from his party’s success at the General Election which saw the Lib Dems scoop 72 MPs – a record for the party – Sir Ed said people were “absolutely ecstatic” as he kicked off the annual conference on Saturday.

In a nod to his eye-catching election stunts – including being filmed shouting “vote Liberal Democrat” while doing a bungee jump – Sir Ed arrived at the party’s conference in Brighton on Saturday on a jet ski as he waved at supporters.