Ed Davey conference speech: 5 million doors to knock the Conservatives out of power

Embargoed until 22.30 Saturday 16 March

Ed Davey will today (Sunday 17 March) challenge Liberal Democrat members to knock on five million doors this year, “to bring the Blue Wall tumbling down, and get more brilliant Liberal Democrats elected to transform our country for the better.”

In his speech to the party’s Spring Conference in York, the Liberal Democrat Leader will urge Rishi Sunak to “go to the palace” and call a General Election immediately, saying “the country can’t wait a moment longer to see the back of this terrible Conservative Government.”

Ed Davey will put the NHS at the heart of the speech, setting out the party’s “big, bold reforms” to “make sure people can see a GP, an NHS dentist or a community pharmacist when they need to, so people don’t end up in A&E for something that could have been treated in their local surgery, pharmacy, or even at home.” He will call for a focus on prevention and early access to care that would be better for the NHS, patients and taxpayers, “spending money wisely instead of just throwing cash at crisis after crisis.”

Ed Davey will argue that the Liberal Democrats could make this a “once in a generation election”, because “the mess our country is in demands not a plan to tweak things, but a plan to transform everything.”

On beating the Conservatives in the Blue Wall, he will say:

“The opportunity is before us, to make this a once in a generation election. In so many parts of the country, only we can beat the Conservatives. And we must.

“So Liberal Democrats my challenge to you is this: this year, let’s knock on five million doors. Five million knocks to bring the Blue Wall tumbling down. And get more brilliant Liberal Democrats elected to transform our country for the better.”

On Sunak bottling the election, he will say:

“Who knows? Maybe – despite what he says – Rishi Sunak will call the election tomorrow, or next week. I certainly hope so. The country can’t wait a moment longer to see the back of this terrible Conservative Government.

“And as we’ve shown this weekend, the Liberal Democrats are ready. We’re up for the fight. We have our amazing candidates, already brilliant local champions for their areas.

“We have the right policies, that speak to the challenges people are facing. And we have the strongest campaigning force in British politics today. So come on Rishi, get that podium out in front of Number 10. Time to go to the palace. The British people are ready, and so are we!”

On the NHS, he will say:

“Fixing our NHS will take far more than the timid policy-by-press-release of the other parties. It will take the big, bold reforms only the Liberal Democrats are putting forward.

“An NHS where community and primary healthcare services are the priority – to make sure people can see a GP, an NHS dentist, or a community pharmacist, when they need to.

“So people don’t end up in A&E for something that could have been treated in their local surgery, pharmacy, or even at home. Investing in public health, in prevention, in early access.

“Spending wisely to save lives and save money in the long-run, instead of just throwing cash at crisis after crisis, with nothing to show for it. Better for the NHS. Better for taxpayers. Better for patients.”

On transforming the country for the better, he will say:

“The mess our country is in demands not a plan to tweak things, but a plan to transform everything. Steady as she goes isn’t going to cut it. The same old answers will only leave us with the same old problems.

“Tinkering around the edges won’t come close to solving anything. And yet that’s what both the Conservatives and Labour are offering. They’re both trying to cloak themselves in the costume of change, but they’re both really saying “keep things the same”. That’s why our role at this election is so critical.

“Because only the Liberal Democrats are putting forward the transformational change this moment demands. Only the LiberalDemocrats are offering a truly fair deal. On issue after issue, problem after problem, the Liberal Democrat approach is so different from the other parties.

“Because we don’t just want to change things on the surface – paper over the cracks, but leave the foundations to crumble underneath. We want to change the whole system.”

ENDS