Liberal Democrat conference: Sir Ed Davey calls for 'once-in-a-generation' election

Sir Ed Davey called on the Liberal Democrats to "bring the blue wall tumbling down"

Sir Ed Davey has urged Liberal Democrats to "make this a once-in-a-generation election" in his speech at the party's spring conference.

He argued his is the only party to offer transformational change at the general election, calling on members to "bring the blue wall tumbling down".

The party leader focused on the NHS in his speech in York on Sunday setting out reforms so people can see a GP, dentist or pharmacist.

No date has been set for the election.

It has to be held by January next year with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak this week ruling out holding an election on 2 May, having previously indicated it would be in the second half of the year.

Sir Ed urged Mr Sunak to "go to the palace" immediately and call for a general election.

He accused Labour and the Conservatives of "trying to cloak themselves in the costume of change, but they're both really saying keep things the same".

The Liberal Democrats, he claimed, "will deliver a fair deal" and want to change the whole system.

The party won 11 seats at the last general election in 2019, and has since gained four formerly Conservative constituencies in southern England after by-elections. These are Chesham and Amersham in Buckinghamshire, Frome in Somerset, Tiverton and Honiton in Devon, and North Shropshire.

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Emphasising his focus on the NHS, Sir Ed calledfor a health service where community and primary healthcare services are the priority.

He said there needed to be investment in community services, "to save lives and save money in the long run".

"Instead of throwing cash at crisis after crisis, with nothing to show for it," he added. "Better for the NHS. Better for taxpayers. Better for patients."

The Lib Dems are using the conference to prepare to push into areas traditionally held by Conservatives, including more seats in the south and south-west of England.

"In so many parts of the country, only we can beat the Conservatives," Sir Ed said. "And we must."

He called on members to "knock on five million doors" and "send more Liberal Democrats to Parliament".

While polls suggest Labour is on course to win the election, Sir Ed has refused to be drawn on discussions of a power-sharing pact, if there was a hung Parliament.

"I don't believe in pacts or deals before an election," he said earlier this week.

The spring conference comes to an end on Sunday.

Correction 18th March: The original version of this article wrongly described the political party Reform UK as far-right when referring to polling. This sentence was based on news agency copy and was subsequently removed from the article as it fell short of our usual editorial standards. We have also published a statement and apology on the BBC's Corrections and Clarifications page.