The Liberal Democrat conference in Bournemouth has closed with Sir Vince Cable's first address as party leader.

He pledged to take his party on a journey "back to government" and repeated his backing for a referendum on a final Brexit deal.

He described Brexiteers as masochists and called for the party to work with "sensible grown-ups in the Conservative Party and the Labour Party and the Greens" to keep the UK in the single market and customs union.

And he reiterated his commitment to Lib Dem policies such as a penny on income tax for the NHS, and electoral reform.

You can watch the speech back via the video tab on this page.

The Daily Politics

Miranda Green, who was press secretary to the former Lib Dem leader Paddy Ashdown, has been giving her verdict on the speech to the Daily Politics. She was pleased he "got off" the subject of Brexit but thought it was "quite risky" to call himself a "proud saboteur". She expects the tabloids to "go with" that remark in their coverage of his speech.

Overall, she thought the speech was a "bit crowded" and needing honing down to a few messages but she reckoned his comment that "homes are to live in and not monopoly pieces" would resonate.

Gavin Stamp
BBC political reporter

After Vince Cable finished his speech, he came to the press room in Bournemouth to watch the end of Donald Trump’s speech.

The US President was addressing the United Nations in New York.

The Scottish and Welsh governments are working together on amendments to the EU withdrawal bill.

"The time for waiting is over," Sir Vince Cable says as he reaches the end of his speech.

"Only the Liberal Democrats have the ideas, the experience and the commitment to transform the fortunes of our country."

This includes "an exit from Brexit [and] a grown-up approach to the economy", he adds.

The Lib Dem leader ends his speech by urging colleagues to work to take the party "back to government".

The Lib Dem leader says there is "an upsurge of xenophobia and racism, which many of us dared to hope had been banished for good".

He adds: "There is much to be done before we can call our country... successfully integrated."

He argues that the party's support for equal marriage shows it can "lead public opinion in a liberal direction".

"Votes at 16 are at the centre of our campaigning for political reform," Sir Vince Cable says.

The Lib Dems also support "proportional representation for Westminster and for English and Welsh local government [and] a fully elected House of Lords", he adds.

Sir Vince Cable describes student debt as "an elephant in the room", adding: "We all know we suffered grievous political harm from making a pledge seven years ago on tuition fees that we couldn't meet."

A review of higher education policy will consider options including a graduate tax, he tells his party.

"A doubling of annual housing supply to buy and rent is needed," the Lib Dem leader.

He envisages "a new generation of garden cities and garden villages" and argues that government needs to "roll up its sleeves and get involved" again.

"Being pro-business doesn't mean being anti-worker," Sir Vince Cable says.

"I spent five years in government fighting off Tory plans to introduce 'fire at will' and to abolish the right to strike. We are pro-business and we are also pro-worker."

He argues that the European Commission is "the only body strong enough to stand up to Microsoft, Google, Amazon and Facebook" and suggests that "a post-Brexit British government will... roll over when the big boys come looking for favours or dodging taxes at will".

Sir Vince Cable says there is a "dangerous over-dependence on property markets and banks in the south east corner of England".

He argues that "this country needs a massive injection of public investment" in infrastructure.