LibDem MP Roz Savage endured a car-crash interview on Times Radio last night. Quizzed by Peter Cardwell on a seemingly straightforward question, “What would the Liberal Democrats do on social care?”, Savage floundered, unable to find an answer. Not like it’s one of her party’s flagship policies…
“Well um we know the system is broken…I actually have quite a different view on this from the party line I think that for too long we have, um, I’m not saying this is not the party line it’s very certainly very different from the Labour line…I’m feeling like this is a policy exam…I’m just going to hold my hands up here and say that um as I think you may know that I have been in politics for less than two years.”
It doesn’t take a Westminster veteran to skim the opening pages of the LibDem manifesto and find out exactly what they’ve promised on social care. Guido thought he’d help her out for the next time she’s asked the question. Here are some of the LibDem’s pledges on social care:
A savage four minutes for the LibDumb…
UPDATE: Savage has missed out on snagging a spot on the new LibDem frontbench. Shock…
Ed Davey and his clan burst into song as the Lib Dem conference comes to a close. Painfully, Davey’s mic was still on whilst singing ABBA’s “Take a Chance on Me”. Just the latest of his publicity stunts…
The Lib Dem conference has been quite the circus, with Davey prancing about playing volleyball, zipping around on jet skis, and the party members falling over themselves to pat each other on the back. Today, a Lib Dem councillor toasted the supposed “success” of South Cambridge council’s four-day week. A scheme that hardly warrants a celebration…
Lib Dem Councillor Bridget Smith, who ignored the Tory government’s calls to scrap the scheme, declared today that the four-day week had been a roaring victory. The scheme was initially touted to save £1 million on agency staff. Then that figure quietly shrank to £434,000, before being revised again to a measly £370,000 – clearly moving the goalposts to make this bungled plan seem like anything but a disaster. If this is their idea of success, one dreads to think what failure looks like…
First he jumped into a lake five times from a paddleboard. Then he rode a bike wonkily down the road. Now Ed Davey’s throwing himself down a lacklustre waterslide to get the TV cameras turning his way as he announces LibDem mental health plans. Soggy politics…
Broadcasters are at least starting to cotton on to the desperation. On Sky News the stunt was described as “tragic“. Andrew Pierce had one word for Davey: “idiot“. What’s he going to next – jump out of a plane to promote his regulatory regime?
Ed Davey’s slick publicity strategy is working. Today the LibDem leader fell into the water no fewer than five times while paddle-boarding in Windermere with Tim Farron. That’s enough goes to get a few good camera angles for the broadcasters…
As usual almost everyone has fallen for it. The only way for the LibDems to get people to notice their party conference last September was for Davey to get pushed off a canoe by a candidate. Sunak was just following the real trailblazer…
Apart from Lee Anderson saying Ed Davey “should start by clearing his desk, clearing his diary, and clear off” at PMQs, ex-postmistress Sally Stringer has called for the LibDem leader to resign on BBC Radio 5 Live today. She says she has a letter from Davey in which he says he was “fully aware” of what was going on in the Post Office while minister. Speaking to LibDem Wendy Chamberlain MP, who claimed Davey was “lied to” about the goings on by officials after asking questions in 2010, Stringer claimed that Davey was well-informed of the scandal’s details. She went on to say, “So either he is not telling the truth, or he is stupid.” The BBC’s Nicky Campbell made a rare sound comment: “If Ed Davey wasn’t Ed Davey, Ed Davey would be calling for Ed Davey to resign”…
Meanwhile, the LibDems have been sending out emails painting Davey as a victim in the scandal, blasting the Tories’ “personal attacks“, “misrepresent[ation]” and “scapegoat[ing]” of Sir Ed. Deputy LibDem leader Daisy Cooper has put an article in her local paper expressing her “full support” for the victim of Tories who are “manufacturing political attacks“. Guido doesn’t have to think twice about who the real victims are…
Read the LibDems’ email to supporters in below: