good afternoon. it was an enormous privilege to represent our party at the funeral of her late majesty queen elizabeth ii. and if the splendour of westminster abbey surrounded by dignitaries from nations around the world, it was a beautiful memorial to a life of faith. devoted to our country and

our commonwealth, and a poignant celebration of values we hold dear. patriotism, compassion, service. values embodied by her majesty. we thank her yet again. and we welcome her son, thank her yet again. and we welcome herson, king thank her yet again. and we welcome her son, king charles iii, to the throne. the speech was of course already scheduled for september in brighton, but we rightly cancelled our confidence so we could properly mourn her majesty. that does of course mean i have had to postpone the speech for 47 days, or to use the speech for 47 days, or to use the modern unit of measurement, approximately one liz truss. and that says it all, doesn't it? the chaos and incompetence that these conservatives have inflicted on our great united kingdom, all their squabbling, their scandals, their

sleaze, it is shameful. this would be unacceptable at any time, but when our country is in the grip of a cost of living crisis, when local health services, when war ravages our continent, it is nothing less than a betrayal of the british people. has there ever been such a chasm between the duty and dedication needed for public office and the appalling dishonesty and disregard of this government. over the last few months, i have listened to countless people in my constituency and all around the country, people are struggling just to make ends meet. pensioners, shivering at home, scared to turn on the heating. pub landlords seeing their overheads skyrocket, parents making difficult cutbacks, trying hard not to let their children see how worried they are. people need a

government in control, with a plan, with a fair deal. what have we got instead? chaos from conservative clans who either do not get it or just do not care. the conservatives try to blame their chaos on everyone else, the bbc, the civil service, the wokeratti, whoever they are. they blame the bank of england, british businesses, and even british workers, but it will not wash. we all know who is responsible. the blame for this chaos lies squarely with the conservative party. applause. but we also know that the cost of living crisis has been made worse by

the evil hand of vladimir putin. just as he is waging war by tanks and missiles against the heroic people of ukraine, vladimir putin is waging an energy war against the whole of the western world. we stand with all ukrainians as the gravely and brilliantly resist the russian war machine, and tens of thousands of british families have opened their homes and their hearts to people fleeing for safety. the uk will continue to aid their fight for their country, their democracy, and their country, their democracy, and their freedom. their country, their democracy, and theirfreedom. ukraine's fight their country, their democracy, and their freedom. ukraine's fight is ourfight. applause. but we must resist vladimir putin as he wages his energy war, to. it is a war that threatens a different kind

of misery and destruction of right across the continent, and it is a war we must win. the uk must fight back, notjust by arming and training ukrainian soldiers but with a wartime effort here at home to protect the british people from vladimir putin's aggression. we need wind turbines, solar panels, and wind turbines, solar panels, and wind power. and we must insulate every home, notjust from the cold, but from the cost of putin's gas war. we must protect the british people from notjust bombs and bullets but soaring energy bills today and climate change tomorrow.

soiam so i am proud that it was we liberal democrats who built up our country's defences when we were in government. investing in a cheap renewable energy. building doesn't�*s clean energy. building doesn't�*s clean energy defences, and i am proud that again liberal democrats are leading the charge for new defences for britain, to protect ourfamilies the charge for new defences for britain, to protect our families and pensioners from vladimir putin's energy war, paid for by a windfall tax. more than a year ago, the liberal democrats were a first party to argue for a windfall tax on the record profits of the oil and gas companies. since then, the case for our windfall taxes and we got stronger as those profits have

soared even higher, for one main reason — a brutal dictator spilling in ukrainian blood. there are no arguments left. the right thing to do, the fairthing arguments left. the right thing to do, the fair thing to do is to tax those blood oil profits. but chancellor rishi sunak said no. he chose to pass on higher energy costs, not to those property than from russia's energy war, but to those suffering from it. but in�*s struggling families and hard—pressed businesses. and he waited another six months before introducing his so—called energy profits levy. a tax so—called energy profits levy. a tax so ineffective, do you know how much shell paid out on its £26 million

profit? not a single penny. my friends, the conservatives are both totally incompetent and morally bankrupt. in the conservatives almost bankrupted britain as well, with their unfunded tax cuts for the super wealthy. their unfunded tax cuts for the superwealthy. instead their unfunded tax cuts for the super wealthy. instead of tackling the cost of living crisis seriously, they chose to treat the british economy as their own personal playground, using people as playthings in their reckless game of fantasy economics. just look at the damage. for our country, billions of pounds extra on the national debt, pension funds at risk, inflation through the risk, export to the floor. predictions for the longest recession in history. and for

struggling families across britain, a mortgage crisis, with people's monthly payments up by hundreds of pounds, millions of families struggling to pay. never again can the conservatives claim to be the party of homeowners, of business, the part that balances the books. the conservatives at the party of chaos. —— are the party. and now, what happens next? after inflicted and so

much chaos, the conservatives want us to pay for it. they are talking about more cuts to pensions and benefits, schools, the police, even our nhs, ought to fill the whole they themselves created. it is like they themselves created. it is like they robbed our bank and the now they robbed our bank and the now they are asking us for a loan to buy their getaway car. well, we say no. rishi sunak and jeremy hunt, instead of inflicting even more pain on struggling families and pensioners, it is time to start helping. put a proper windfall tax on the blood oil profits of the fossil fuel giants, reverse of tax cuts for the big banks, they are unfair and unnecessary, and use those extra billions to give people real help with energy bills. to protect pensions and benefits from inflation, to safeguard schools, hospitals and councils fork out to

pay that penalty. liz truss and kwasi kwarteng were rightly kicked out of downing street for their disastrous policies, but no one else should lose their homes because of them. so today, i am should lose their homes because of them. so today, iam proposing should lose their homes because of them. so today, i am proposing a new mortgage protection fund to cover the extra costs for those families are seeing their payments rise most sharply, to protect them from falling into serious arrears or even facing repossession, and it is not just homeowners who need help. the conservative property penalty is making it even harderfor young families and people to get a mortgage in the first place. so we will keep campaigning for stronger rights for renters, to give them security in their homes and protection from unfair rent hikes.

people and businesses need help now. just to survive inflation this winter. but they will also need a plan to end the recession, to end the chaos of the pain. a plan to get our economy growing again, to create opportunity and prosperity for all, and that plan cannot be the cut to the bone race to the bottom trickle down nonsense wheels here from the conservatives. the real answer for liberal democrat economic plan is about innovation, investment, trade and people. innovation from batteries to biotech, investment in every part of the united kingdom. trade on our high streets and with the world backing local businesses with rights reform, and tearing applicants absence' red tape that is strangling trade with our closest

neighbours with europe. but above all, the liberal democrat economic plan is about people, because you cannot get the economy growing again without the right people, the right skills, in the rate drops. from construction to care, from hospitality to health, the british economy is being held back by a lack of staff and a lack of skills. so let's tackle the health crisis that keeps hundreds of thousands of people off work as they wait for treatment. let's offer more training for young people and adults alike, and let's make thejobs we need jobs people want to do. by giving people more flexibility, greater security, and better conditions at work. so that those in

work want to stay there, and those who left work after lockdown want to go back. that is how to grow our economy. the conservatives are doing precisely the reverse. neglecting local health services, threatening more cuts to schools and colleges, and turning up hard—won employment rights. all because rishi sunak does not understand the reality of most people's daily lives. he does not get what it is like for the mum and dad working shift to get told that i was just days in advance —— who get told their hours. for having to find someone to look after the kids on, how hard that makes budgeting for the weekly shop. rishi sunak is so out of touch, he even appointed in work and pensions secretary who

wants to roll back hard—won maternity and paternity rights. to grow our economy again, we need a plan for innovation, investment and trade, we need a government that puts people first, the conservatives are incapable of doing that, the liberal democrats will. and this is notjust the economy where they conservatives are failing the british people. it isjust about everything. i have never known our country so badly governed. need to renew your passport in time for your holiday? good luck. need an

operation to relieve the pain on your hip? stock up on painkillers. need an ambulance or an nhs dentist? many people are resorting to diy. what has happened to our country under the chaos conservatives? i know conservative mps said things would magically get better once liz truss was gone, just like i said would magically get better once borisjohnson was gone. that went well, didn't it? the faces of the top change, but all the same problems remain. one of the cis was my first decisions —— not that,

obviously. one of rishi sunak�*s first decisions was to reappoint the awful suella braverman as home secretary. nadhim zahawi said it was time for boris 2.0. it looks like got his wish with rishi sunak. under borisjohnson, he was having his cake and eating it. with rishi sunak, it is let them eat cake. we conservatives are still hopelessly out of touch with the everyday lives of the british people. they are still letting you down and taking you for granted, and it is still our job to hold these conservatives to account and get them out of office at the next general election.

at that election, known to voters will be asking a simple question —— millions of voters. how do we get rid of our awful conservative mp? and we have shown time and again thatis and we have shown time and again that is something you liberal democrats are pretty good at. take our three historic by—election wins. overturning a conservative majority of 16,000. overturning a conservative majority ofi6,000. overturning overturning a conservative majority of 16,000. overturning a majority of 22,000. and this summer, overturning a conservative majority of 211,000. fantastic!

and we didn't just and we didn'tjust beat the conservatives, we showed boris the door. in may, we also secured a fantastic set of local election results, defeating webber, the conservatives, and plaid, and making big gains in scotland, whose obsession with breaking up the uk at the expense of all else is causing real pain. but my favourite result in a's local elections was in blackmore vale and somerset where a

toady counsellor was beaten. we beat the tories running the tory unit dedicated to beating the lib dems. afterwards, somebody asked me if we had our own crack squad specialising in beating the conservatives. i said yes, it's called the liberal democrats! i was very pleased with that, because i am a very clever boy. we win by really listening to people, listen to your concerns, your frustrations, people, listen to your concerns, yourfrustrations, and people, listen to your concerns, your frustrations, and showing we hear you. showing we care about the things you care about. making sure you can afford a decent home, pay the bills come and save for

retirement, access to high—quality local health services without waiting for weeks, good schools for your children, where your child's needs are met. so communities where you and your neighbours are free from the threat of frame. clean local environments where you and yourfamily can enjoy local environments where you and your family can enjoy open green spaces and blue rivers. conservative mps had utterly failed to stand up for their constituents. they have let water companies make vast profits while getting away with dumping their filthy sewage. and the regulator has been at the accomplice in their crime. so i am calling on the government to abolish it, set up a proper watchdog with real teeth, to do whatever it takes to stop the sewage. steal the liberal democrat

idea first, sewage tax, borrow our ban on bonuses for water bosses, and make them finally clean up our rivers. that is the sort of fair deal i am talking about, the sort of deal you expect and deserve, and that is the fair deal we liberal democrats are fighting for. so let me tell you why this fight matters so much to me personally. like so many of us, my life has taught me about care and the importance of our nhs. i come from nottinghamshire, the youngest of three brothers. both of our parents were ta ken of three brothers. both of our parents were taken from us when we were still young. my dad died when i

was four and nine months when i was 15. that is why a campaign so much on bereavement, how we should care more for bereaved families. and why am improving orwant more for bereaved families. and why am improving or want to improve cancer services, and why that is so close to my heart, as both my parents died from cancer. i have spoken before about how i care for my mum in ourfinal years, my nana in herautumn years, my mum in ourfinal years, my nana in her autumn years, and my mum in ourfinal years, my nana in herautumn years, and how my mum in ourfinal years, my nana in her autumn years, and how emily and! in her autumn years, and how emily and i now care for our disabled son, john. i know a little about caring for loved ones. the mental health challenges at school when you are a young carer, the financial challenges of keeping a deeply loved grandmother in a care home, the emotional challenges ofjuggling work and care as a parent. this week, and we decided to talk about her own challenges with ms. i am in

a of her. and all the carers who manage their own ill—health while looking after others. we know how hard every day can be for family carers, the millions of family carers, the millions of family carers across our country. how important their work is to our society and our economy. and yet have forgotten that they so often are. so when i look at the challenges facing our country, i do so through a carer's eyes. and i see a lot that needs to be fixed. but i want to start by ending the national scandal of millions of people within four weeks to see a doctor. the blame for this crisis is clear, does not are overworked gps, it is the conservatives. the promise 6000 more

doctors at the last election, but the number of qualifying gps has actually fallen. our solution is clear, give everyone the right to see their gp within seven days and within 2a hours if it is urgent. not an ambition, not an expectation, but it right. and we know you cannot deliver on that right by copying the conservatives�* failed approach. just secondary targets and cutting gp numbers, then winning the doctors when the targets honest. this is about the government stepping up to train, retain and recruit 8000 more gps, to fix the broken pension rules forcing many doctors to quit. to

adjust the pressure on gps with pharmacists, nurses, paramedics help and wherever possible, to give nurses and doctors the time to do thejob so nurses and doctors the time to do the job so everyone can get the care they need. there is one more change, we must fight for, a crucial part of ourfair deal, a further we must fight for, a crucial part of our fair deal, a further politics. if there�*s one thing the last year has told us, first past the post distorts democracy, it denies voters a real choice, it incentivises political parties to do exactly what the conservatives do now, focus on a small number of voters in a small number of marginal seats ignoring everyone else, and so taking millions of people for granted. we have to stop that in the end for us

as liberals, it comes down to power, and a proportional electoral system would give every voter equal power, and with fair votes, everyone could make their voices heard, everyone�*s vote would have real power, voter power to hold every mp to account. putting power in people�*s camps, holding the already powerful to account, that is our liberal mission. so, liberal democrats, let�*s make this general election the last one to use first past the post. speaking of general elections, why haven�*t we had one yet? it is obvious we need one. the british people demand one. even that

well—known constitutional scholar nadine dorries, even the dean now says it is impossible to avoid an election. so why has rishi sunak not cold one? i think we know why. i think it is because he knows he would lose. he saw what liberal democrats did to conservatives in buckinghamshire, shropshire, and in devon. and he knows we will do it again in seats along the blue wall right across the country. but being scared of the democrats isn�*t a good enough reason to deny the british people their say. this is the guy who two years ago was telling us all, eat out to help out. well, our message to the conservatives as this, helped out by clearing out.

rishi sunak, your government does not have a shred of credibility left. it does not have a shred of legitimacy left, and if you had a shred of integrity left, you would call a general election now. whenever the election comes, the liberal democrats, we will show that we are the party that cares comedy party that has a plan, the party that offers a fair deal, and that is why we will win.

that was ed davey with a keynote speech to replace the party conference speech after the liberal democrat party conference was cancelled because of the death of the queen. a political speech and also some poignant personal moments

from him.