Duration: 1:48

5 views

0

The Liberal Democrats have launched their annual conference with a prominent proposal for free social care in England, vowing to allocate £5 billion annually to this initiative. Party leader Sir Ed Davey has emphasized the importance of addressing the social care challenge, positioning it as a top priority for the party. This conference marks their first in-person event since 2019 and provides a platform to unveil their policy agenda ahead of the forthcoming general election. Among their key policies is a commitment to offer free nursing care for those in need, along with support for mobility, hygiene, and medication, aiming to enable more individuals to receive care in their homes. The estimated cost of this proposal is £5 billion annually, but the party anticipates approximately £3 billion in savings in NHS and care home costs, resulting in a net cost of £2 billion. The Liberal Democrats will reveal their funding plan for this policy in the coming week. Additionally, the conference will introduce other policies, including an extension of statutory shared parental leave, childcare affordability improvements, and increased small-group tutoring for students who have fallen behind in their studies. The party is also expected to address electoral system reform, voting rights for 16-year-olds and over, and closer relations with Europe, although rejoining the EU is currently considered "off the table." Sir Ed Davey has firmly rejected pre-election pacts with Labour, focusing on defeating Conservative MPs as his primary goal. The party, known for its previous coalition government with the Conservatives in 2010, may play a pivotal role in power-sharing if neither major party secures a majority in the next general election and the Liberal Democrats perform well.