Image source, PA Media

The speech moves on to a more personal note now, with Davey discussing his experiences with cancer.

He lost both his parents to the disease - he was four when his father died and 15 years old when his mother passed away.

He describes a “tough period” as a teenager while looking after her, and goes on to say that “too many families have their cancer stories like mine”.

He says he mashed up carrots and apples for healthy juice drinks for his mother and helped her with pain management by "pouring out doses of morphine from this big bell jar we had in the kitchen".

Davey adds that he learned a lot from his mother during that time. "She was so strong, so resilient. Fighting to be with her boys, even in the face of such a cruel disease," he says.

Chris Mason
Political editor, reporting from Bournemouth

Probably the longest applause so far - in fact definitely the longest applause so far - comes as Ed Davey criticises the government’s Brexit deal.

The hall is loving it.

But don’t expect to hear Sir Ed bang on about this too prominently today or between now and the next election.

Image source, PA Media

Ed Davey continues his criticism of Rishi Sunak, saying he doesn't care about tackling climate change or the damage his U-turns will do to our economy.

He moves on to Brexit and Britain's relationship with Europe, saying: "Something we have always been proud to champion, even when no-one else even dared whisper it - fixing our broken relationship with Europe."

This line is met with extended applause from the audience.

"The Conservatives botched the deal with Europe, and it’s been a disaster for the UK," he says, adding that Lib Dems always stood against it.

Chris Mason
Political editor, reporting from Bournemouth

The cost of living, the NHS and sewage.

They are the policy focuses from the Liberal Democrats.

Some activists would love to talk so much more about Brexit - and their conviction it was a terrible mistake.

But the party leadership say no - this, they think, wouldn’t resonate as a priority with a lot of the folk they want to woo at the next election.

Pete Saull
Political Correspondent, reporting from Bournemouth

Plenty of Lib Dems have turned up to hear their leader speak, but there are definitely a fair few empty seats at the back and the sides of the auditorium.

Davey goes on to outline his party’s vision for the country. The Lib Dem leader says his party has an economic plan that “gives everyone the chance to get on in life” and tackles the climate crisis.

He calls Sunak’s speech announcing a U-turn on net zero policies last week “disgraceful”.

“The contrast between our approach and his could not be clearer,” he adds.

Focus of Davey's speech clear from the offpublished at 14:50 British Summer Time 26 September 2023

14:50 BST 26 September 2023

Chris Mason
Political editor, reporting from Bournemouth

From the off, the focus of Ed Davey is abundantly clear: the Conservatives, and his aim to beat them, primarily in the south of England.

Expect this to be a thread throughout the speech.

Davey says Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is “failing to deliver” and lists how he thinks the country is not working.

He mentions a couple at risk of losing their house because of rising mortgage payments, parents skipping meals so their children can eat, “crumbling school buildings” and “potholes everywhere”.

He adds: “I have never known our country so badly governed.”

Sir Ed Davey starts his speech by telling members he had been contacted by a clown, who is also a party member, who “took great offence” at being compared to the Conservative government in a previous speech.

The leader explains he said “get these clowns out of No 10" as part of a PR stunt involving a cannon to celebrate a by-election win in July. Davey admits “he’s got a point”.

“Clowns didn’t crash our economy and send interest rates soaring,” he says.

He continues to speak about the Tories’ record in government, including the NHS in “crisis” with "billions of pounds" wasted on “dodgy PPE contracts” and a “law-breaking prime minister”.

Sir Ed Davey is now addressing attendees at the Lib Dem conference in Bournemouth.

We're going to bring you the highlights from his speech, as well as analysis, and you can also watch all the action live at the top of this page. Just hit the Play button.

While we wait for Ed Davey to take to the stage in Bournemouth, let's bring you a flavour of the Lib Dems' early version of their manifesto, external for the general election:

• Give everyone a new right to see their GP within seven days, or 24 hours if it’s urgent, with extra doctors to make it happen
• Ban water companies from dumping raw sewage into rivers, lakes and coastal areas
• The manifesto says the Lib Dems “support a longer-term objective of EU membership” and in the meantime would move to conclude a new comprehensive agreement which removes as many barriers to trade as possible
• Change the voting system, to introduce proportional representation for electing MPs, and local councillors in England
• Introduce a “proper, one-off windfall tax on the super-profits of oil and gas producers and traders” to help people with the cost of living and energy bills
• Extend free school meals to all children in primary education and all secondary school children whose families receive Universal Credit
• Scrap the Conservatives’ Illegal Migration Act and provide safe and legal routes to sanctuary for refugees

Ed Davey will be taking to the stage shortly to give his maiden autumn conference speech as Lib Dem leader.

You'll be able to watch along by clicking Play at the top of this page, plus we'll be bringing you the key lines, analysis and reaction here.

Paul Seddon
Political reporter in Bournemouth

Activists will be watching closely to see what Sir Ed Davey says about Europe - an issue that has not been prominent on the conference floor agenda, but is close to the hearts of party members.

Over the weekend, the party adopted a four-stage roadmap to the "longer-term objective" of EU membership - but some activists are looking for clearer commitments, and for the party leadership to talk about the issue more than it has done in recent times.

Davey was heckled by a couple of members during a Q&A session earlier in the conference.

For the party though, it’s a delicate balance, as it targets a number of Tory-held, Leave-voting seats - particularly in south-west England - at the next general election.

Party officials are also trying to focus their campaigning on issues - such as the NHS and the cost of living - they say feature more prominently as voter priorities in opinion polls.

Upbeat mood as Lib Dems feel they've got mojo backpublished at 14:15 British Summer Time 26 September 2023

14:15 BST 26 September 2023

Chris Mason
Political editor, reporting from Bournemouth

There is a something nostalgic about being at the seaside for a party conference.

In recent years, big cities have become fashionable for these kinds of shindigs.

Next week the Conservatives will be in Manchester. The week after Labour will be in Liverpool.

Not much sand and sea about. But plenty of it here.

Activists here are upbeat. This feels like a party that has its mojo back, and knows who and where it is focused on.

Who? The Conservatives. Where? The south of England.

Expect a shedload of disparaging references about the Tories in Ed Davey’s speech, and Labour barely getting a mention.

Paul Seddon
Political reporter in Bournemouth

Image source, Getty Images

The Lib Dems only have 15 MPs currently, but a good performance at the next general election, expected next year, could boost their chances of playing kingmaker in a hung Parliament.

Ed Davey has said his party will not do another deal to share power with the Tories.

But in media interviews, he has notably refused to say the same about Labour - leaving the door open to some sort of tie-up with them, if they fall short of winning a majority of seats.

Although Davey hasn’t explicitly ruled this out, the mood among activists I’ve sensed is that they would prefer not to enter into another formal coalition, as Nick Clegg did with former Conservative PM David Cameron.

But some sort of looser arrangement - perhaps in a limited number of policy areas - could provide the Lib Dems with a platform to enact some of their policies.

Given the amount of talk about “the election” and “the next election”, you’d be forgiven for thinking we know when it will be… but we don’t.

The maximum term of a parliament is five years from the day on which it first met - and the current one first met on 17 December 2019 - which means the next election has to be called by 17 December 2024.

A few weeks are allowed after that date for an election campaign, taking the last possible date for an election to January 2025. But it’s considered unlikely anyone would want to kick off an election campaign just before Christmas.

There’s been speculation about “the spring” or “the autumn”. The prime minister decides the exact timing. So for now, we know it’s definitely looming, but it’s a case of wait and see on the date.

We’ve got some more details on the rules - you can read our explainer here.

Helen Catt
Political correspondent

This will be the first autumn conference speech that Sir Ed Davey has given since he became the Liberal Democrat leader.

It is also likely to be his last before a general election - and he will use it to rally his party for the contest. He'll call on them to bring the "blue wall" - as they describe their Conservative-held target seats - "tumbling down".

Davey will also set out the ground on which the Lib Dems hope to do that - drawing a link between health and care and the economy.

He's expected to say that economic growth will not be possible while millions of people remain on waiting lists or are unable to work through ill health. He will also criticise the Tories’ record on the NHS.

The speech will mark the culmination of a conference where the focus has been on trying to put the Lib Dems in the best position to try to win over Conservative voters - whenever the election may come.

• On Saturday at the conference, Sir Ed Davey announced a plan for free social care in England, worth £5bn a year
• On Sunday, he was heckled after insisting to delegates that he was "campaigning hard on Europe"
• The party also adopted an early version of its manifesto, external for the general election, expected to take place next year
• On Monday, the Lib Dems dropped plans to put a penny on income tax to invest in the NHS and social care. Davey told the BBC "the last thing" people needed was "yet more tax rises" during a cost-of-living crisis
• Also on Monday, Lib Dem party members debated dropping a pledge to build 380,000 new homes a year in England, in favour of a promise of 150,000 new council or social homes. But delegates defied the leadership, rejecting calls to abandon the national targets

Good question!

They have been part of the UK political calendar for more than a century, but they only became big media events in the 1950s, when TV cameras were invited in for the first time.

The original purpose of conferences was to decide on party policy. These days, they are festivals of debate, socialising and partying lasting four or five days - like Glastonbury for political nerds, as someone once said.

The guest list features party members, think tanks, trade unions, charities and businesses who come together to share ideas, lobby politicians and debate policies.

They also provide fundraising opportunities for the parties - and an invaluable opportunity to get guaranteed media coverage.

To make time for conferences in politicians' busy schedules, Parliament usually enters a three-week recess in autumn.

You can read more here about what happens at party conferences - and when and where this year’s are taking place.

Marita Moloney
Live reporter

Image source, PA Media

Sir Ed Davey has been leader of the Liberal Democrats since 2020. He studied at Oxford before becoming an MP in 1997. He’s married with two children, but here are some facts you may not know about him:

• He almost became a spy as MI6 once tried to recruit him. He told the BBC: "I’d just been appointed to be the economic adviser to Paddy Ashdown, so I never became Double O Davey"
• Davey has had some unexpected jobs. During a gap year before university, he worked in a pork pie factory and later on a campsite in France
• In 1994, he received awards from the Royal Humane Society and the Chief Constable of the British Transport Police after rescuing a woman from the path of an oncoming train at Clapham Junction
• Davey is a Notts County FC supporter and a big mushy pea fan
• He told Metro, external that if a bust of him was to be made, he would like recycled tyres to be used

Read more about Sir Ed Davey here.