Steal our ideas, Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey tells government

In his interview with Laura Kuenssberg, Sir Ed rejected suggestions that the size of Labour’s majority meant the government did not need to pay attention to the Lib Dems.

He said: “We’ve managed over a number of years to persuade people to steal our policies and that’s a really good idea.

“It was the Liberal Democrats who argued for a windfall tax on the huge profits of the oil and gas companies, made on the back of President Putin in his illegal invasion of Ukraine.

“It was Liberal Democrats making that argument to help people with their energy bills, in three months after we made it, [the] Labour Party stole that idea.

“So, I’m hoping, as we argue for health and care, we argue for ending the sewage scandal, we argue for action on the cost of living, that the Labour government will realise that we actually have the best arguments, the best policies and take them, and that would be great.”

Sir Ed said his party had put health and social care at the heart of its election campaign, and believed an emergency budget was needed “so we can start rescuing our NHS which is on its knees because of the Conservatives”.

Since taking office, both the prime minister and Health Secretary Wes Streeting have described the NHS as “broken”.

But the Lib Dem leader said he was disappointed that Labour’s manifesto had not mentioned family carers or unpaid carers “who are actually critical”.

His party would “be the voice of carers and we will challenge the government to make sure that they deliver for the millions of people looking after their loved ones”, he said.