Ed Davey’s New Year message: “Beating the Conservatives isn’t enough”

EMBARGO: 22.30 Saturday 30th December 

Ed Davey will ring in the New Year with a call to “transform the nature of British politics for good.”

In the video message, the Liberal Democrat Leader argues that “neither the Conservatives or Labour are capable of tackling” the “big, deep-rooted challenges in our country”, because neither will change the “broken political system” that underpins them.

He will say that beneath the “daily stream of crisis and scandal,” the country is facing long standing problems like entrenched poverty and inequality, climate change and Britain’s diminished standing in the world.

Highlighting the Liberal Democrats’ long-standing commitment to electoral reform, he says the current system “rewards short-term self-interest at the expense of actual solutions” and “serves no one, except the vested interests of the Conservative and Labour parties.”

With Labour “still wedded to First Past the Post”, Ed Davey says “it falls to Liberal Democrats to be the agents of change once again” and “not just to change who sits in power, but to change where power sits.”

He concludes:

“We must do nothing less than transform the nature of British politics for good.

“Fight for a fair deal, that empowers everyone, and holds the already powerful to account.

“Smash the two-party system, reform our elections, and give everyone an equal voice.

“Because that is the only way we can build a fairer, greener, more caring country.”

ENDS

Notes to Editor:

New Year Video Message: Here

Full text of Ed Davey’s New Year message:

As Liberal Democrats, we know: getting rid of the Conservatives will not be enough to bring about the radical change we need.

Though absolutely necessary, it is nowhere near enough to solve the big, deep-rooted challenges in our country.

The change we seek – the change our party has always sought – the change liberals have championed for generations – is so much bigger than that.

Because, beneath the daily stream of crisis and scandal, lie much older and more fundamental problems – that neither the Conservatives nor Labour are capable of tackling.

Entrenched poverty and inequality. Systemic injustice. Climate change and the nature crisis. Britain’s diminished standing in an increasingly authoritarian world. The concentration of so much power in the hands of so few.

And underpinning them all: a broken political system.

A political system that leaves millions feeling powerless and excluded. That makes it impossible to hold those in power properly to account.

A political system that rewards short-term self-interest at the expense of actual solutions.

A two-party system that serves no one, except the vested interests of the Conservative and Labour parties. That swings from blue to red and back again, while nothing really changes.

A political system that has been fundamentally broken for generations.

And only we – Liberal Democrats – will fix it.

No one else will. Labour certainly won’t. They’ve made that crystal clear. Because the truth is – the current system suits Labour just fine.

Yes, it lets the Conservatives in most of the time. But they are bound eventually to let people down so badly that Labour think they can simply take their turn – without ever having to actually offer a convincing vision of the future. Without ever grappling with the big challenges we face, or the radical solutions they demand.

So look what we have as a result:

A Labour Party fully signed up to Conservative spending plans. Even when it means leaving millions of children to grow up in poverty.

A Labour Party with nothing to say about Britain’s place in the world. Following the Conservatives’ lead on cuts to the aid budget, and rejecting our plan to rebuild our critical relationship with Europe.

And, of course, a Labour Party still wedded to First Past the Post, even though the majority of voters want change.

And so it falls to us. To Liberal Democrats. To be the agents of change, once again. And bring millions with us, to make it happen.

That’s why cold hands clutch wet phones to canvass voters. Why worn-out shoes walk miles to put leaflets through letterboxes. Why tired mouths urge neighbours to lend us their votes.

Not just to beat the Conservatives, though beat them we must.

Not just to change who sits in power, but to change where power sits.

We must do nothing less than transform the nature of British politics for good.

Hand back far more control to individuals and communities.

Fight for a fair deal, that empowers everyone, and holds the already powerful to account.

Smash the two-party system, reform our elections, and give everyone an equal voice.

Because that is the only way we can build a fairer, greener, more caring country.

That is our goal. That is our calling.

So happy new year, and I’ll see you out there!