Liberal Democrat conference: Sir Ed Davey pledges two-month cancer treatment guarantee in closing speech
Sir Ed Davey has promised to introduce a guarantee for cancer patients to begin treatment within two months if his party holds the balance of power after the next general election.
In his closing speech to the Liberal Democrat conference in Bournemouth, the party leader attacked “Conservative chaos” in government for leading to “unacceptable delays”.
And he pledged the policy would be the “top priority” for him and his MPs in the next parliament.
Read more: Sir Ed Davey’s speech featured a crude political calculation – analysis
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Sir Ed Davey made his pitch to his party at the Liberal Democrat conference.
Sharing how he lost both his parents at a young age to cancer, Sir Ed told the audience: “My family’s story isn’t unique. There are millions of us whose lives get turned upside down by cancer.
“This very day, across the UK, a thousand people will hear that fateful diagnosis. A thousand people, choking back tears as they try to process what it means for them.
“Far too many people are still waiting, far too long for a diagnosis, or to start treatment after being diagnosed.
“We will hold the government to account, for every target it misses and every patient it fails. We will never stop fighting for better care for you and your loved ones.”
The Lib Dem conference was held in Bournemouth
A source close to the leader said that in practice, the policy would work like the Armed Forces covenant – a promise from the nation that those who serve or have served in the armed forces, and their families, are treated fairly – to improve services.
The health secretary would be the person ultimately responsible for making sure the target is met.
Patients would be able to complain to the health ombudsman if they weren’t seen within the timeframe, and it could see the government getting sued as a result.
The source would not be drawn over whether the policy would be a deal breaker in any negotiations with Labour after the election, as the party continues to avoid answering questions about any possible agreement coming from a hung parliament, saying instead that the Lib Dems were “focused on voters”.
But he did reveal the cost of the plan was £4bn over five years.
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Lib Dems hint at Labour deal
Sir Ed underlined a number of health pledges the party has made over recent days during the speech – including enabling patients to see a GP within seven days and bringing in mental health MOTs for vulnerable groups.
But he also focused his ire on the Conservatives, as the Lib Dems attempt to win over voters in traditional Tory seats.
Sir Ed said the Tories had “botched” the post-Brexit settlement with Europe, “broken” the UK’s relationship with the continent, and “tied up British business in red tape”.
In a section that received rapturous applause, the Lib Dem leader said his party is the only one to “set out a detailed plan to tear down those trade barriers, fix our broken relationship with Europe and get a better deal for Britain.”
And at the start of his speech – his first conference address as leader – Sir Ed joked that it had been unfair to call the Conservatives “clowns” in July.
But he quipped that he needed to apologise to actual clowns – as they took offence at being compared to the Conservatives. “I’m sorry. I used the wrong C-word,” he said.
Throughout the conference, the party has hammered home its strategy of targeting the so-called “Blue Wall”, with around 80 seats in their sights where they came second to the Tories at the last general election.
Policy announcements made this week designed to appeal to those constituencies included ditching their long-standing pledge to add 1p to income tax.
But the leadership failed to get support from its members to water down its housing targets, losing a vote on the conference floor after a campaign by young activists.
Read more:
Lib Dems have their tails in the air once again – just don’t mention Brexit
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Lib Dems are determined to translate recent by-election wins into more widespread gains at an election
Despite the cuddly caricature frequently cast on the Lib Dems, the party has a ruthless streak – especially when it comes to by-elections.
If this four-day gathering on the Dorset coast has shown anything, it’s that the party leadership is determined to try and translate the discipline shown during recent individual votes into a wider strategy to pick up seats across the country.
That involves talking a lot about some things – chief among them the NHS, cost of living and the Tory record in government.
But crucially it’s also about barely mentioning others – for that, see the tension on show between members and party HQ over the lack of emphasis being placed on the long-term policy to re-join the EU.
Sir Ed Davey’s closing speech today was another illustration of this approach.
But the lack of some detail and costings around the key policy announcement of a cancer guarantee points to a possible criticism of this broader plan.
Are these serious and realistic answers to the big difficult questions facing the country?
Or just a sort of “centrist populism” that promises the world – just so long as you’re a disillusioned Tory who lives within a handful of marginal seats?
Lib Dems know the risks of making promises you can’t keep.
But after their post-coalition wipeout, they also know that policy can lack much purpose without a presence in parliament.
Sir Ed said: “For the British people, the next general election can’t come quickly enough. People are desperate for change.
“And while Rishi Sunak clings on, out of touch and out of ideas, our job – our responsibility – is to show the British people that positive change is possible. And that we are ready to fight for it, whenever the election comes.
“And this week, we’ve done just that. We’ve shown we have the policies, the passion and the people – not just to get the Conservatives out, but to deliver the real change people want. The fair deal people deserve.”
Politics
Kemi Badenoch accuses Sir Keir Starmer of ‘lying’ about Peter Mandelson prior to sacking him
Kemi Badenoch has accused Sir Keir Starmer of “lying to the whole country” about what he knew regarding Peter Mandelson’s correspondence with Jeffrey Epstein.
Lord Mandelson was this week stripped of his position as ambassador to the US amid fresh scrutiny over his years-long friendship with the convicted paedophile.
The prime minister initially defended the Labour peer but removed him from his post on Thursday after newly seen emails revealed he sent messages of support to Epstein even as he faced jail for sex offences in 2008.
Politics latest: ‘Unite the Kingdom’ rally takes place with counterprotest nearby
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Lord Mandelson – the unanswered questions
The Times has now reported that Downing Street and the Foreign Office were aware of the emails on Tuesday – a day before Sir Keir gave Lord Mandelson his backing at Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs).
In a post on X, Conservative leader Ms Badenoch wrote: “Looks like the Prime Minister and Labour MPs spent the week lying to the whole country about what they knew regarding Mandelson’s involvement with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.”
She continued: “If No 10 had those emails for 48 hours before acting, it means he lied at PMQs and ministers lied again about new additional information. These are yet more errors of judgment.
“The Prime Minister has very serious questions to answer. The only way to clear this up is full transparency about who knew what, and when.”
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Sources said Sir Keir was not aware of the contents of the emails when he told MPs he had “confidence” in Lord Mandelson.
A media enquiry outlining details of the messages between Lord Mandelson and Epstein was sent to the Foreign Office on Tuesday, and passed on to Number 10.
Sir Oliver Robbins, the permanent under-secretary at the Foreign Office, asked Lord Mandelson about the emails on Tuesday, but did not receive a response until the following day.
Sir Keir is understood not to have been aware of the contents of the emails until Wednesday evening.
Speaking to Sky News, one Labour MP has called for more information on what happened behind closed doors at No 10 this week.
Jo White, MP for Bassetlaw, in Nottinghamshire, said: “We cannot move on until we find out how he [Sir Keir] was not briefed properly before PMQs.”
“What he needs to do now is get on top and sort out this mess,” she said. “Suspend the whip from Peter Mandelson and expel him from the party, then have a transparent enquiry about what went wrong at No.10.”
This came as Sir Keir enjoyed some time away from Downing Street.
The prime minister was on Saturday pictured watching Arsenal face Nottingham Forest in a Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal fan Sir Keir cheered on his side as they won 3-0. Pic: Reuters
Lord Mandelson’s exit came after less than a fortnight after another high-profile loss for the Labour government, as Angela Rayner was forced to quit as deputy prime minister and deputy Labour leader over her tax affairs.
As Sir Keir has faced a scandal-hit start to the month, a growing number of Labour MPs have begun calling his leadership into question.
Read more from Sky News:
Mandelson’s exit leaves Trump visit in the lurch
What we know about Mandelson-Epstein relationship
Lucy Powell, who is running to replace Ms Rayner as Labour’s deputy leader, has called for a “change of culture” at Downing Street.
“We’ve got a bit of a groupthink happening at the top, that culture of not being receptive to interrogation, not being receptive to differing views,” she told The Guardian newspaper.
Meanwhile, senior Labour MP Emily Thornberry has written to the new foreign secretary, Yvette Cooper, demanding answers about the vetting process for UK diplomats in the wake of Lord Mandelson’s sacking.
A man has admitted arson after a major fire at an MP’s constituency office.
Joshua Oliver, 28, pleaded guilty to starting the fire which destroyed the office of Labour MP Sharon Hodgson, at Vermont House in Washington, Tyne and Wear.
The fire also wrecked a small charity for people with very rare genetic diseases and an NHS mental health service for veterans.
The guilty plea was entered at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court on the basis that it was reckless rather than intentional.
Hodgson, who has been an MP since 2005, winning her seat again in 2019. Pic: Reuters
The Crown did not accept that basis of plea.
Oliver, of no fixed address, had been living in a tent nearby, the court heard.
Northumbria Police previously said it was “alerted to a fire at a premises on Woodland Terrace in the Washington area” shortly after 12.20am on Thursday.
“Emergency services attended and no one is reported to have been injured in the incident,” it added.
Drone footage from the scene showed extensive damage to the building.
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A spokesperson for the Crown Prosecution Service said: “Our prosecutors have worked to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring the case to trial and that it is in the public interest to pursue criminal proceedings.
“We have worked closely with Northumbria Police as they carried out their investigation.”
Oliver was remanded in custody and will appear at Newcastle Crown Court on Tuesday, 14 October.
In comments to Cointelegraph, Kalshi claimed that Massachusetts is “trying to block Kashi’s innovations by relying on outdated laws.”
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