"In a Britain increasingly dominated by extremists and ideologues, I want us to fill the huge gap in the centre of British politics," Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable says.

He adds that the party "will always fight for the green agenda" and says: "It is very striking that the most fervent apostles of Brexit are climate change deniers."

Sir Vince Cable says the Lib Dems support a penny on income tax to help fund the NHS.

"If we want a decent service, we've all got to pay for it," he tells his party conference.

The Liberal Democrat leader says of Labour: "Their basic appeal is to offer something for nothing.

"All paid for by someone else.

"For them budgeting is just a bourgeois hobby."

Sir Vince Cable accuses "Boris and the Brexiteers" of believing "in the slogan of dictators everywhere: 'one person, one vote, once!'".

He accuses "true believers in Brexit" of wanting to make the country poorer and displaying "masochism".

But he adds: "But unlike masochists, the Brexit ideologues usually envisage someone else bearing the pain.

"And that pain will mainly be felt by young people who overwhelmingly voted to Remain."

The Liberal Democrat leader calls on the Conservative government to give EU nationals in the UK a "right to stay - now".

Sir Vince Cable renews his call for a referendum after the Brexit talks.

"At the end of these tortuous divorce negotiations, the British public must be given a vote on the outcome," he says.

"Let me be clear about this. This is not a call for a re-run. This is not a call for a second referendum on Brexit. This is a call for a first referendum on the facts."

"What the country now desperately needs is some political adults," Sir Vince Cable says.

"That's you. That's us."

He adds: "We have got to put aside tribal differences and work alongside like-minded people to keep the single market and customs union, so essential for trade and jobs."

Accusing Labour of a confused policy on Brexit, Sir Vince Cable tells Liberal Democrats: "I think the current line is: we should transition to the transition gradually while we prepare for a post transition world.

"This is what they mean by the smack of firm leadership.

"I believe Jeremy Corbyn would do a lot better to get off the fence and refurbish his revolutionary credentials.

"So Jeremy - join us in the Anti-Brexit People's Liberation Front!"

Sir Vince Cable says he can understand why people supported Jeremy Corbyn in June, "genuinely expecting a better politics and a better future".

But he says those voters are "already being betrayed" by Labour, joking: "You don't qualify for the Labour shadow cabinet these days unless you have studied the Venezuelan guide on how to bankrupt a rich economy.

"It's no wonder they backed Brexit."

"Brexit Britain will be poorer and weaker than if we had decided to stay in Europe," Sir Vince Cable says.

Party members applaud as Sir Vince Cable attacks David Cameron and Boris Johnson, saying the EU referendum was "the product of a fraudulent and frivolous campaign led by two groups of silly public school boys reliving their dormitory pillow fights".

He adds: "And thanks to Boris Johnson, they have degenerated into a full scale school riot with the headteacher hiding, barricaded in her office."

Sir Vince takes aim at Labour and the Conservatives.

He says they are responsible for "three great disasters" - "the war in Iraq; the banking crisis; now Brexit".

Going into coalition with the Conservatives in 2010 to "help repair the damage" was "the right thing to do", he insists.

He says former leader - and deputy PM - Nick Clegg led the party "courageously", adding: "Nick has been much vilified by our opponents but we are proud of him and his record."

However, Sir Vince tells his party: "For many voters, we still have to scrub ourselves hard to get rid of the smell of clearing up other people's mess."

Sir Vince Cable opens his first conference speech as leader, saying: "It is with a real sense of pride that I stand before you as leader of the Liberal Democrats."

He pays tribute to predecessor Tim Farron, saying the party is "hugely indebted to him".

Sir Vince tells party members: "He hands over a party which is larger, stronger and more diverse than the one he inherited.

"He stood up for refugees whose plight the government had shamefully ignored.

"He established our very clear identity as the only real, undiluted pro-European party."

Gavin Stamp
BBC political reporter

Image source, PA

It is more than two years since their much-criticised alliance with the Conservatives came to an end.

But there are those who worry the Liberal Democrats are still in something of a post-coalition haze, to coin a phrase having "lost a (ministerial) empire but not yet found a role".

The Brexit vote has, of course, given the party fresh impetus and, with membership numbers rising above 100,000, there is no shortage of new blood at this conference.

Tim Farron's speech - a very personal reflection on how the Lib Dems clawed their way back from the brink of extinction in 2015 under his leadership - was meant to show this is a party with plenty of life in it.

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