Lib Dem leader: Invest in the NHS or face its decline.

 

Lib Dem leader: Invest in NHS or accept decline

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey is urging the Labour government to "invest more in the NHS or face ongoing decline." He is calling for an October "budget for the NHS," advocating increased funding for hospitals and the training of doctors, nurses, and dentists. The party proposes an additional £3.7 billion annually for NHS day-to-day operations, alongside £1.1 billion for infrastructure investments. The NHS and social care are key priorities at the party’s autumn conference in Brighton.

The Liberal Democrat conference comes as a report by surgeon and independent peer Lord Darzi labeled the NHS a "broken system" in "serious trouble." The former Labour minister’s report highlighted a £37bn shortfall in NHS investment, including a lack of funding for hospital repairs. In response, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer promised a 10-year plan for the NHS but ruled out additional funding without reforms.

At the Lib Dem conference, Ed Davey argued that reform alone won’t suffice and called for a dedicated NHS budget ahead of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s autumn budget. "We need investment to fix our crumbling hospitals, replace outdated equipment, and ensure access to GPs and dentists when needed," said Sir Ed. He emphasized that only increased funding, alongside reform, can deliver the improvements patients urgently require. "The government must choose: invest more in the NHS or accept its continued decline."

The Lib Dems celebrated their best-ever performance in July’s general election, securing 72 seats, and have positioned themselves as a "constructive opposition" in Parliament. Sir Ed opened the conference dramatically by riding a jet ski through Brighton Marina, continuing his penchant for attention-grabbing stunts. Despite Labour’s majority in the general election, the Lib Dems are working to set themselves apart. At a fringe event, newly elected MP Tom Morrison emphasized "empowering communities" and reforming social care as ways to distinguish the party from Labour. Another new MP, Paul Kohler, stressed the need to "challenge Labour’s authoritarian tendencies" and offer progressive solutions, such as addressing the prison overcrowding crisis.

However, the party agrees that the Conservatives remain their primary opponents in key election battlegrounds.

The Liberal Democrat conference takes place following a report by surgeon and independent peer Lord Darzi, which described the NHS as a “broken system” in “serious trouble.” The former Labour minister’s report highlighted a £37bn shortfall in investment, including underfunding for hospital repairs. In response, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer promised a 10-year NHS plan, but said no additional funding would be available without reforms.

At the Lib Dem conference, leader Ed Davey stressed that reform alone won't solve the NHS's problems, calling for a dedicated NHS budget ahead of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s autumn budget. “We need investment to repair our crumbling hospitals, upgrade ageing equipment, and ensure people can see a GP or dentist when they need to,” Sir Ed said. He argued that additional funding, alongside reform, is essential to improve patient care, warning the government: “Invest more in the NHS or accept its continued decline.”

The Lib Dems are in high spirits after their best-ever performance in July’s general election, winning 72 seats. Positioned as a "constructive opposition," Sir Ed opened the conference with a memorable stunt, riding a jet ski through Brighton Marina. Now the third-largest party in the House of Commons, the Lib Dems are looking to carve out clear differences from Labour, which won a commanding majority.

At a fringe event, newly elected MP Tom Morrison emphasized the importance of “empowering communities” and social care reform to set the party apart from Labour. Fellow MP Paul Kohler called for challenging Labour’s “authoritarian tendencies” and proposing progressive solutions, such as addressing prison overcrowding. Despite Labour’s dominance, the party agrees the Conservatives remain their main opponents in most electoral battlegrounds.