One sentence summary – The Liberal Democrats’ upcoming annual conference will prioritize domestic issues such as health, housing, and the National Health Service (NHS) over re-joining the European Union, as party leader Sir Ed Davey believes Brexit is not a widely discussed topic among voters, with recent electoral successes indicating that their focus on domestic issues has been well-received.
At a glance
- The Liberal Democrats’ upcoming annual conference will focus on pressing domestic issues such as health, housing, and the NHS.
- Party leader Sir Ed Davey believes that Brexit is not a widely discussed topic among voters.
- The party aims to address critical issues including raw sewage in rivers, rising household bills, and the state of the NHS.
- The conference agenda does not mention Brexit, indicating a shift in focus compared to previous years.
- The party’s recent electoral successes indicate that their focus on domestic issues has been well-received.
The details
In preparation for their upcoming annual conference, the Liberal Democrats have announced that re-joining the European Union is not currently their priority.
Party leader Sir Ed Davey emphasized that the conference will instead concentrate on pressing domestic issues such as health, housing, and the National Health Service (NHS).
Sir Ed believes that Brexit is not a topic widely discussed among voters.
This conference marks the party’s first in-person autumn gathering since before the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Liberal Democrats aim to address critical issues including the presence of raw sewage in rivers, rising household bills, and the state of the NHS.
Focusing on these domestic concerns, the party believes that the future of the NHS and the overall economy will be the determining factors in the upcoming elections, rather than Brexit.
In an attempt to appeal to both Leave and Remain supporters in Conservative-held constituencies, the party’s recent electoral successes indicate that their focus on domestic issues has been well-received.
In contrast, the Labour Party has recently increased their discussions about Europe, with leader Sir Keir Starmer visiting EU offices and seeking cooperation.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, a Conservative, has been engaging with Brussels on matters related to Northern Ireland and science research, potentially affecting the UK’s relationship with the EU.
Sir Ed Davey maintains that those who support closer ties with Brussels should back the Liberal Democrats.
The party’s policy aims to “rebuild” Britain’s relationship with the EU, focusing on education and trade ties, and eventually seek UK membership in the EU’s single market trade bloc.
Internally, there are differing opinions within the party regarding the approach to re-joining the EU.
Some members advocate for a bolder approach, while others support a more gradualist strategy.
However, recent victories in local and by-elections have bolstered the party’s confidence in their current approach.
The conference agenda notably does not mention Brexit, indicating a shift in focus compared to previous years.
This shift may be attributed to the lack of electoral success experienced by former leader Jo Swinson, whose anti-Brexit stance did not resonate with voters.
Consequently, the party has concluded that taking a strong anti-Brexit stance is not a vote winner.
In a separate matter, polling suggests that Conservative MPs could find themselves in vulnerable positions due to Rishi Sunak’s backtrack on key climate policies.
Tory-held constituencies in the southeast of England, where support for climate action is particularly high, may influence the election outcome.
The Conservatives are predicted to hold just 29 out of 52 seats in the region.
Rishi Sunak’s abandonment of several net-zero pledges, including the delay of a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars until 2035, has sparked concern among voters.
In the Uxbridge by-election, the party’s stance on green issues, opposing Sadiq Khan’s expansion of the Ulez anti-pollution scheme, proved successful.
Voters in these marginal constituencies overwhelmingly support specific climate policies, including increased financial support for home insulation, greater government funding for heat pumps, additional investment in renewable power, and subsidized rail travel to encourage eco-friendly transportation.
The campaign for “climate voters,” initiated by Greenpeace and supported by prominent celebrities like Stephen Fry, Olivia Colman, and Mel B, aims to influence the next general election.
In other news, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has asserted that if Labour wins power in the next general election, Britain will not diverge from EU regulations.
This statement suggests a potential inclination towards rejoining the EU, as Starmer is considering granting voting rights to EU nationals and 16-year-olds.
Brexit has had various effects on the UK, including disruptions to the talent supply chain, resulting in unpicked fruits and idle lorries.
Additionally, the General Medical Council’s decision to remove the word “mother” from its staff maternity guidance has sparked criticism from some women who perceive the term as significant.
Concerns have also been raised regarding the West’s policy towards Iran.
Despite the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ involvement in human rights abuses and terrorism, the organization has not been proscribed.
Other topics of interest include calls for bicycle bells to be made a legal requirement to alert pedestrians, criticisms of efforts to maintain ancient churches in rural areas diverting resources from evangelism, and discussions about the BBC’s role in broadcasting religious programs and producing high-quality content.
Overall, the Liberal Democrats’ upcoming annual conference will center on domestic issues rather than Brexit, reflecting the party’s shift in focus.
The conference seeks to address pressing concerns while appealing to a broad range of voters in Conservative-held seats.
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| bbc.co.uk |
|---|
| – Re-joining the European Union is currently not a priority for the Liberal Democrats, according to party leader Sir Ed Davey. |
| – The party’s annual conference will focus on issues like health and housing instead of Brexit. – Sir Ed believes that most people are not talking about Europe on the doorstep. – |
| The conference will be the first in-person autumn conference since before Covid. – Sir Ed wants to address issues such as raw sewage in rivers, household bills, and the NHS. – |
| The party believes that the NHS and the economy will determine the next election, not Brexit. – |
| The Liberal Democrats are trying to appeal to both Leave and Remain supporters in Conservative-held seats. – |
| Recent election successes suggest that the party’s focus on domestic issues is paying off. |
| – Labour has recently started talking about Europe more, with leader Sir Keir Starmer visiting EU offices and discussing cooperation. |
| – Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been making deals with Brussels on Northern Ireland and science research. |
| – Sir Ed insists that those who want closer ties with Brussels should support the Liberal Democrats. – |
| The party has a policy to “rebuild” Britain’s relationship with the EU, including closer links on education and trade ties. – |
| The party seeks to take the UK back into the EU’s single market trade bloc in the future. |
| – Some within the party want a bolder approach to re-joining the EU, while others support the gradualist approach. |
| – Local and by-election wins have given the party confidence in their current strategy. – |
| The conference agenda does not mention Brexit, indicating a shift in focus from previous years. |
| – Former leader Jo Swinson’s anti-Brexit stance did not result in electoral success. – |
| The party has concluded that being big and bold on anti-Brexit is not a vote winner. |
| independent.co.uk |
|---|
| – Polling suggests that Rishi Sunak’s decision to backtrack on key climate policies could leave Conservative MPs in vulnerable positions. – Support for climate action is particularly high in Tory-held constituencies in the southeast of England. – |
| The Tories are predicted to hold just 29 out of 52 seats in the southeast. |
| – Rishi Sunak has abandoned several net zero pledges, including delaying a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars until 2035. – |
| The party’s stance on green issues was successful in the Uxbridge byelection, where they opposed Sadiq Khan’s expansion of the Ulez anti-pollution scheme. – |
| The most marginal constituencies in Tory heartland seats overwhelmingly support specific climate policies and said those policies would influence how they voted. – Voters in these seats want more financial support to insulate homes, more government funding for heat pumps, more investment in renewable power, and rail travel to be subsidized to be cheaper than driving. |
| – Greenpeace has launched a campaign to encourage people to become “climate voters” at the next general election. – |
| The campaign has received support from high-profile celebrities including Stephen Fry, Olivia Colman, Mel B, Will Poulter, Joe Lycett, and Peter Capaldi. |
| telegraph.co.uk |
|---|
| – Sir Keir Starmer has stated that Britain will not diverge from EU regulations if Labour wins power at the next general election – There is a possibility that Britain will seek to rejoin the EU if Starmer becomes prime minister, as he is considering giving votes to EU nationals and 16-year-olds – The Prime Minister’s adjustment to the timing of green policies has been seen as influential by some, while others believe that no one takes notice of the UK after Brexit – Brexit has had an impact on the UK’s talent supply chain, leaving fruit unpicked and lorries undriven – The General Medical Council has removed the word “mother” from its staff maternity guidance, which has been met with criticism from some women who view the word as precious – The West’s policy towards Iran has been criticized for not proscribing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, despite its involvement in human rights abuses and terrorism – Some cyclists use bells to alert pedestrians of their presence, but there is a call for bells to be a legal requirement on bicycles – Efforts to maintain ancient churches in rural areas have been criticized for diverting resources from efforts to “make disciples” – |
| The BBC should continue to transmit religious programmes, as they provide worship opportunities for those who cannot attend church regularly – Some readers would like the BBC to produce high-quality programmes like War and Peace, Civilisation, and Pride and Prejudice again – Keith Floyd, a former RAF recruit, added onions and Marmite to his one-man compo pack of dried food to make it more edible – Complaints about food in the RAF were rare, and one recruit who complained about the lack of butter was told to recite the Lord’s Prayer, which does not mention butter |
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