Lib Dems unveil new top team after election success

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has unveiled his new 33-member frontbench team, as he promised to focus on issues including the NHS, social care and the cost-of-living crisis.

It comes after the number of Lib Dem MPs grew to a record 72 at July's general election, making them the third largest party in the House of Commons.

Members of the new intake are among those to be given frontbench roles, with Lisa Smart becoming the party's home affairs spokesperson and Calum Miller spokesperson for foreign affairs.

Meanwhile, Helen Morgan, who won the North Shropshire by-election in 2021, will lead on health and social care - a key priority for the party.

She replaces Daisy Cooper, who remains the party's deputy leader but will also take on the key role of Treasury spokesperson, focusing on the cost-of-living crisis.

The new line-up has left a Lib Dem back bench comprising 39 MPs - more than twice the size of the party's representation in Parliament before July's general election, when they had 15 MPs.

Former members of the Lib Dem frontbench, Layla Moran, Alistair Carmichael and Jamie Stone have stepped back from their roles after being elected to chair parliamentary select committees.

This created a number of vacancies for new MPs.

Select committees are cross-party groups which scrutinise the work of government departments, ranging from health and social care to foreign affairs.

The party hopes that having Lib Dem MPs chairing some of these committees will give them greater influence.

Lib Dem leader Sir Ed said: "My new frontbench will champion the people’s priorities, ensuring we hold the new government to account as a responsible opposition.

"I am humbled by the result of the general election and the millions of voters who put their trust in the Liberal Democrats, including many for the first time. We will stand up for our communities every day on the issues that matter most, fixing health and care services, tackling the cost of living crisis and protecting our precious environment."

At the Lib Dem annual conference earlier this week, Sir Ed said his party would offer a positive alternative to Labour's "doom and gloom" and urge the government to invest more in the NHS.