Liberal Democrat conference: Sir Ed Davey pledges to be champion for carers in emotional speech

Published

7 months ago

September 17, 2024

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Sir Ed Davey has pledged to be a champion for carers – as he put his party forward as the “responsible opposition”.

In a personal and emotional keynote speech in Brighton on Tuesday, the Lib Dem leader said “care and carers must not be forgotten and ignored any longer”.

“If the Liberal Democrats don’t offer that hope – if we don’t speak up for care in parliament – no one else will,” he said.

“Of course, everyone knows the Conservatives don’t care. But did you know, carers weren’t mentioned once in Labour’s election manifesto. And carers weren’t mentioned once in the King’s Speech either.

“But carers did feature in Keir Starmer’s first Prime Minister’s Questions. Because I made sure they would.”

Sir Ed spoke about caring for his mother as a child while she had bone cancer, then looking after his “wonderful Nanna” who looked after him when both his parents died.

“Now, Emily and I, caring for our wonderful, smiley 16-year-old son John – with his challenges from his severe disabilities,” he said.

“Even at 5.30 in the morning, when he shouts ‘Daddy’ to wake me up, it’s a blessing – given he was nine years old, when he was first able to say ‘Daddy’.

“But alongside the fun and the blessings, I have to tell you, caring for your family can be tough. Just dealing with whatever comes each day. Making plans that too often fall through.

“As millions of people across our country know, a carer’s life is often exhausting.”

During the election campaign the Lib Dems released a video showing Sir Ed and his wife Emily looking after their son, John, who has an undiagnosed neurological condition.

He said he was not prepared for “so many incredible, heartfelt responses” and told of a 15-year-old who has been looking after his mum, who has MS, since he was five.

The teenager, Joseph, said it was the “toughest but most rewarding feeling” and has “never really had his opportunity to be heard”.

Sir Ed said Joseph wrote: “I wanted you to know that people like yourself are everywhere. Quiet and silenced but we are still here.”

Following four days of celebrations after the Lib Dems’ most successful election in a century, Sir Ed also called on the government to invest now “to make the NHS winterproof” with a new taskforce.

However, his spokesman could not provide any details on how it would work.

He also said the 72 Lib Dem MPs would be “the responsible opposition to this government” and will hold Labour to account “for the promises they made to clear up the Conservatives’ mess”.

Sir Ed’s spokesman said the party will continue to focus on winning local elections and is aiming to take more Conservative seats at the next election by focusing on local needs and concerns.

Sir Ed became known during the election campaign for his stunts, which continued during the conference, with him entering on a jet ski, playing beach volleyball, and building a stile.

However, he revealed in his speech that health and safety stopped him from “putting my hand up a cow’s behind or wing walking on a biplane”.

The spokesman said the cow idea had been seriously considered but did not go ahead due to health and safety concerns for both the cow and Sir Ed.

Politics

Crypto sentiment recovers, but weekend liquidity risks remain

Published

2 hours ago

April 26, 2025

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Crypto sentiment recovers, but weekend liquidity risks remain

Crypto investor sentiment has seen a significant recovery from global tariff concerns, but analysts warn that the market’s structural weaknesses may still result in downside momentum during periods of weekend illiquidity.

Risk appetite appeared to return among crypto investors this week after US President Donald Trump adopted a softer tone, saying that import tariffs on Chinese goods may “come down substantially.”

However, the improved investor sentiment “does not guarantee that Bitcoin will avoid volatility over the weekend,” analysts from Bitfinex exchange told Cointelegraph:

“Sentiment improvements reduce fragility, but they do not eliminate structural risks like thin weekend liquidity.”

“Historically, weekends remain vulnerable to sharp moves — especially when open interest is high and market depth is low,” the analysts said, adding that unexpected macroeconomic news can still increase volatility during low liquidity periods.

Bitcoin (BTC) staged a near 11% recovery during the past week, but its rally has previously been limited by Sunday liquidity dynamics.

Bitcoin fell below $75,000 on Sunday, April 6, despite initially decoupling from the US stock market’s $3.5 trillion drop on April 4 after US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned that Trump’s tariffs may affect the economy and raise inflation.

The correction was exacerbated by the lack of weekend liquidity and the fact that Bitcoin was the only large liquid asset available for de-risking, industry watchers told Cointelegraph.

“While improved sentiment creates a more stable foundation, cryptocurrency markets are still susceptible to rapid movements during periods of reduced trading volume,” according to Marcin Kazmierczak, co-founder and chief operating officer of RedStone blockchain oracle firm.

“The sentiment recovery provides some cushioning, but traders should remain cautious as weekend liquidity constraints can still amplify price movements regardless of the current market mood,” he told Cointelegraph.

Crypto investors may have “maxed out on tariff-related fears”

Cryptocurrency markets may have priced in the full extent of tariff-related concerns, according to Aurelie Barthere, principal research analyst at crypto intelligence platform Nansen.

“It feels like we’ve maxed out on tariff-related fear,” she told Cointelegraph, adding:

“While many remain uncertain about where things are headed over the next month or so, it also seems like markets were just waiting for the slightest signal that we’re back in the game.”

“Whether the rally is sustainable depends on whether we can break through previous resistance levels, at least in isolation. It could have legs, as markets now seem to believe there’s a ‘Trump put’ under equities, the US dollar and US Treasurys,” Barthere added, warning of more potential volatility amid the upcoming negotiations.

Nansen previously predicted a 70% chance that crypto markets will bottom and start a recovery by June, but highlighted that the timing will depend on the outcome of tariff negotiations.

The tariff negotiations may only be “posturing” for the US to reach a trade agreement with China, which may be the “big prize” for Trump’s administration, according to Raoul Pal, founder and CEO of Global Macro Investor.

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Politics

Deloitte predicts $4T tokenized real estate on blockchain by 2035

Published

5 hours ago

April 26, 2025

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Deloitte predicts T tokenized real estate on blockchain by 2035

Over $4 trillion worth of real estate could be tokenized on blockchain networks during the next decade, potentially offering investors greater access to property ownership opportunities, according to a new report.

The Deloitte Center for Financial Services predicts that over $4 trillion worth of real estate may be tokenized by 2035, up from less than $300 billion in 2024. The report, published April 24, estimates a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 27%.

The $4 trillion of tokenized property is predicted to stem from the benefits of blockchain-based assets, as well as a structural shift across real estate and property ownership.

Deloitte predicts $4T tokenized real estate on blockchain by 2035 — *Global tokenized real estate value, growth predictions. Source: Deloitte*

“Real estate itself is undergoing transformation. Post-pandemic work-from-home trends, climate risk, and digitization have reshaped property fundamentals,” according to Chris Yin, co-founder of Plume Network, a blockchain built for real-world assets (RWAs).

“Office buildings are being repurposed into AI data centers, logistics hubs and energy-efficient residential communities,” Yin told Cointelegraph.

“Investors want targeted access to these modern use cases, and tokenization enables programmable, customizable exposure to such evolving asset profiles,” he said.

The uncertainty triggered by US President Donald Trump’s import tariffs has boosted investor interest in the RWA tokenization sector, which involves minting financial products and tangible assets on a blockchain.

Both stablecoins and RWAs have attracted significant capital as safe-haven assets amid the global trade concerns, Juan Pellicer, senior research analyst at IntoTheBlock, told Cointelegraph.

The tariff concerns also led tokenized gold volume to surpass $1 billion in trading volume on April 10, its highest level since March 2023 when a US banking crisis saw the sudden collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and the voluntary liquidation of Silvergate Bank

Blockchain innovation could drive regulatory clarity

Growing RWA adoption may inspire a more welcoming stance from global regulators, Yin said.

“While regulation is a hurdle, regulation follows usage,” he explained, likening tokenization to Uber’s growth before widespread regulatory acceptance:

“Tokenization is similar — as demand increases, regulatory clarity will follow.”

He added that making tokenized products compliant with a wide range of international regulations is key to unlocking broader market access.

However, some industry watchers are skeptical about the benefits introduced by tokenized real estate.

“I don’t think tokenization should have its eyes directly set on real estate,” said Securitize chief operating officer Michael Sonnenshein at Paris Blockchain Week 2025.

“I’m sure there are all kinds of efficiencies that can be unlocked using blockchain technology to eliminate middlemen, escrow, and all kinds of things in real estate. But I think today, what the onchain economy is demanding are more liquid assets,” he added.

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Politics

Crypto banking rule withdrawal by Fed ‘not real progress’ — Senator Lummis

Published

7 hours ago

April 26, 2025

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Crypto banking rule withdrawal by Fed ‘not real progress’ — Senator Lummis

United States Senator Cynthia Lummis suggests the crypto industry may be celebrating too soon over the US Federal Reserve softening its crypto guidance for banks.

“The Fed withdrawing crypto guidance is just noise, not real progress,” Lummis said in an April 25 X post. Lummis called the Fed’s April 24 announcement — withdrawing its 2022 supervisory letter that had discouraged banks from engaging with crypto and stablecoin activities — “just lip service.”

Lummis’ tone was different from the rest of the crypto industry

Lummis, a pro-crypto advocate known for introducing the Bitcoin (BTC) Strategic Reserve Bill in July 2024, pointed out several flaws in the Fed’s announcement, even as Strategy founder Michael Saylor and crypto entrepreneur Anthony Pompliano suggested it was a step forward for banks and crypto.

Cryptocurrencies, United States — *Source:* *Anthony Pompliano*

She argued that the Fed continues to “illegally flout the law on master accounts” and still relies on reputational risk in its bank supervision practices. It comes as the Federal Insurance Deposit Corporation (FDIC) is working on a rule to stop examiners from considering reputational risk when reviewing a bank’s operations, according to a recent Bloomberg report.

Lummis also highlighted the Fed’s policy statement in Section 9(13), which hasn’t been withdrawn, stating that Bitcoin and digital assets are considered “unsafe and unsound.”

She also reiterated many of the same staff behind Operation Chokepoint 2.0 are still involved in crypto policy today.

“We are NOT fooled. The Fed assassinated companies within the industry and hurt American interests by stifling innovation and shuttering businesses. This fight is far from over.”

“I will continue to hold the Fed accountable until the digital asset industry gets more than a life jacket, Chair Powell — they need a fair shake,” Lummis said.

Custodia Bank founder and CEO Caitlin Long seemed to share a similar view to Lummis.

“THANK YOU for seeing this for what it is,” Long said.

However, many crypto executives praised the Fed’s announcement as a positive development for the industry. Saylor said in an April 25 X post that the Fed’s move means that “banks are now free to begin supporting Bitcoin.”

Anastasija Plotnikova, co-founder and CEO of blockchain regulatory firm Fideum, said the Fed’s decision “is a significant development, as it will simplify the path to institutional adoption.”

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