Davey: Lib Dems "Won't Give Up" Fight Against Populism & Hate!

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has declared his party "won't give up the fight" against "nasty populism," delivering a passionate rallying cry at the Lib Dem annual conference. In a speech aimed at energizing members, Sir Ed directly targeted Nigel Farage's Reform UK and billionaire X owner Elon Musk, drawing parallels to his early activism against apartheid-era South Africa.

Sir Ed emphasized that the battle against injustice, which fueled his university days, is far from over. He slammed what he called the "nasty populism of (Donald) Trump, (Marine) Le Pen, the AfD and the rest," and criticized

the world's richest man who learned racism in apartheid South Africa from funding racism around the world,

a clear jab at Musk.

The Lib Dem leader didn't hold back on Reform UK, accusing them of wielding a "£72 million arsenal of hate and lies"—a sum reportedly received from two crypto billionaires. He also defended the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), whose volunteers have faced online attacks amid anti-migrant protests, stating that Reform UK "don’t speak for the real United Kingdom."

Davey expressed hope that opponents watching would see "a party that won't be ground down. That won't be deterred. That won't give up the fight." He then led the audience in a chant of “we care, we fight,” followed by the unconventional choice of playing the song “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters.

Beyond the strong rhetoric, the conference also saw the unveiling of key policy proposals. Sir Ed reiterated the party's distinctive goal to rejoin the EU single market and customs union, believing it crucial for economic growth and tax reduction.

Meanwhile, Lib Dem health spokesperson Helen Morgan introduced a £600 million plan to overhaul maternity care, aiming for one-to-one midwifery for every woman in labor, backed by round-the-clock senior consultants.

This initiative, they claim, would pay for itself by significantly cutting NHS compensation costs from maternity negligence.

Education spokesperson Munira Wilson also announced a guarantee of 100 hours of work experience for students aged GCSE to 18, addressing the growing crisis of young people not in education, employment, or training.

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