We are opposing them on that. We are opposing them on that. We are worried that in the nhs debate, they are talking about reform before investment, when we think there needs to be reform and investment. So, we will hold them to account. But we will be different from the conservatives, because being constructive means you dont do the kind of politics which people are sick of, and you also put your alternatives Forward. At the Prime Ministers questions just last week, when i was opposing the Governments Withdrawal of Winter Fuel payments, we were saying, yes, there is a financial deficit left by the tories, we agree with you on that, but there are other ways to deal with that problem, and we put them Forward. We to deal with that problem, and we put them Forward. To deal with that problem, and we put them Forward. We can go live to brighten we put them Forward. We can go live to brighten out we put them Forward. We can go live to brighten out to we put them Forward. We can go live to brighten out to speak live to brighten out to speak to our political correspondent who is at The Party conference. Sir Ed Talking about constructive opposition, but he needs to carve out the dividing lines with labour, and i assume thatis lines with labour, and i assume that is what he is going to try and do at the conference over the next few days . Education day, and we are expecting to hear very shortly from the Liberal Democrats education spokesperson, Munira Wilson, who will be talking about expanding free School Meals to more pupils. So, at the moment, there are various ways that children can be eligible for free School Meals, but one of them is that their parents have to be on universal credit, with a Household Incomes of less than around 7,500. The Liberal Democrats want to see that expanded hugely, so that the threshold will be set at 20,000, rather than 7,400. They say that would mean that almost i million extra children would become eligible for free School Meals, which, for many, they say, is their only meal of the day. They see this as a way of tackling child poverty, and also Munira Wilson will say it would lead to better academic progress, better behaviour, better concentration, better outcomes overall. So, that is one of their policies, and one of their focuses. We are also expecting to hear her talk about children with Special Educational Needs and disabilities, calling for a new body to support them. She will describe the current system is broken, with many parents struggling to access the support that their children need. And the idea is that this new body would take responsibility for the support that children with Special Educational Needs and disabilities would need. It would apparently pay any gusts above a set threshold, it would enter the postcode lottery, the Liberal Democrats say. So, we are expecting to hear these kind of ideas in Munira Wilsons speech when she takes to the stage at conference. And this is just one area where i think the Liberal Democrats are trying to push labour to go a bit further, in the spirit of that constructive opposition that constructive opposition that they keep talking about. Theyre setting out their ideas. Being quite specific in some of the policies, in terms of what they say that labour could do more. There is of course that question of the public finances, Labour Keep talking about the need to take tough decisions, because of the state of the public finances, as they are, Labour Claim that on the conservatives, there is a healthy dollop of blaming the conservatives going on here at lib Dems Conference as well, because of course they won many seats from the conservative party, and they want to maintain that and even build on it even further. But the Liberal Democrats insist that all of these policies that they are setting out our fully costed, they say that they have done their workings and their calculations and they say that these things would be affordable. Forthe these things would be affordable. For the chancellor, rachel reeves, sitting there in the treasury, there are all kinds of different priorities. But what we are seeing from the Liberal Democrats at conference, as is their right, is really them saying, these are the things that we think you ought to be pushing on. We are expecting Munira Wilson to start speaking very shortly and we will go straight inside the hall as soon as that happens. I assume, hannah, the mood amongst the delegates there is high after such a good General Election, as you have already mentioned . Election, as you have already mentioned . Yeah, i have lost count of the mentioned . Yeah, i have lost count of the number mentioned . Yeah, i have lost count of the number of mentioned . Yeah, i have lost count of the number of times | count of the number of times people have said to us, we have got 72 mp5 and what a significant increase that is for them after the last General Election in 2019. There is definitely a celebrated remote to this. And i think also they have talked about being the third biggest party in parliament, being a big responsibility. There is an awareness that while Ed Davey loves doing all of these stunts and they think that those capture peoples imagination and make politics a little bit more fun for the general public, they are aware that they do notjust want public, they are aware that they do not just want to public, they are aware that they do notjust want to be seen to be celebrating, they want to be seen to be doing something with the newfound position that they have. I think the Liberal Democrats in that sense are trying to use this to set out various different policies, but there is absolutely no denying that mps are thrilled to be walking past posters that say that they have got more mps than ever, to be having these Photo Opportunities on rollercoasters is, and out on the jets opportunities on rollercoasters is, and out on thejets key, and parading their mps, getting them known to the media, known to the general public, getting them seem to be championing causes in their local constituencies. One of the new mps are said to me, in some ways this is a Hole Opportunity for them, ways this is a Hole Opportunity forthem, because ways this is a Hole Opportunity for them, because The Party does come together, it is an opportunity for them to be pitching in ideas that are important to their constituents and trying to get them on the national partys agenda. But with 72 of them all trying to do that now, there is a lot more ideas and a lot more constituencies to listen to, but they are certainly very proud of that. I but they are certainly very proud of that. But they are certainly very roud of that. proud of that. I am interested, hannah, proud of that. I am interested, hannah. We proud of that. I am interested, hannah, we have proud of that. I am interested, hannah, we have heard proud of that. I am interested, hannah, we have heard Ed Proud of that. I am interested, i hannah, we have heard Ed Davey mentioning the nhs and Social Care, i wonder if the Word Brexit has come up . Well, not so much. Brexit has come up . Well, not so much. To brexit has come up . Well, not so much, to be brexit has come up . Well, not so much, to be honest. Brexit has come up . Well, not so much, to be honest. But. Brexit has come up . Well, not| so much, to be honest. But we did have yesterday the conference passing a motion which backs the idea of a youth mobility scheme, for young people under 35 to be able to go and live and work and volunteer in european countries. Its something that the European Union is understood to be relatively open to and something that the Liberal Democrats have suggested. They are really quite firmly in favour of it. There has been some criticism among a small number of people in the conference about weather or not the leadership is being too gradual in its support for rejoining, well, not necessarily rejoining, but having closer ties with the European Union. Ed davey s leadership has been very much taking the reality of where things are out now, we are not members of the eu, but kind of suggesting things like the youth mobility scheme, where it might be possible to have some closer ties, might be possible to have some closerties, but might be possible to have some closer ties, but for a party that five years ago was campaigning to stop brexit, i think there is a Firm Acknowledgement now that that argument has happened, they clearly would like closer ties with the European Union, but theyre not necessarily trying to have that argument all over again. They want to move on from, the General Election, they did not really campaign on, in particular, they focused much more on other issues, like sewage, like the nhs and Social Care. That is what they really want to be talking about, and brexit in that sense has taken much more of a back seat. I think it is worth talking about about the nhs and Social Care proposals that they are putting Forward as well. That is something that was mentioned yesterday in the opening speech, Ed Davey then doing interviews on today, and its not officially all being discussed here at conference until tomorrow, discussed here at conference untiltomorrow, but discussed here at conference until tomorrow, but they very deliberately want to be seen to be a party that is tying Social Care up with the nhs and really talking an awful lot about their plans for that as well. Hannah, it looks like the stage is set for Munira Wilson to do her Keynote Speech on education, so let us cross over to the conference hall, and we will have a listen in. There, you can see the stage is set. As we said, Munira Wilson is the Liberal Democrat education spokesperson, as hannah said, we are expecting her to call for an extension of preSchool Meals and a national body for Special Educational Needs. Also, hannah, Mental Health, she is also expected to talk about that amongst children . Yes, and the need to improve Mental Health outcomes, and the crisis that that is causing for many children and a significant issue in terms of their education and things as well. I think the Liberal Democrats, really trying to position themselves in this speech as kind of champions of children and young people, trying to set out what they can do for children and young people, and particularly focusing on those from more disadvantaged backgrounds. As i say, they have been looking to expand preSchool Meals, they also were talking at Conference Yesterday about increasing the amount of money that is spent on the Pupil Premium that schools get to support. Pupil premium that schools get to suoport to support. Hannah, i am auoin to support. Hannah, i am going to to support. Hannah, i am going to interrupt to support. Hannah, i am going to interrupt you to support. Hannah, i am i going to interrupt you because Munira Wilson has just appeared on stage. Munira wilson has ust appeared on staue. Munira Wilson has ust appeared on staue. on stage. Good morning, conference. On stage. Good morning, conference. On on stage. Good morning, conference. On monday i on stage. Good morning,. Conference. On Monday 10th on stage. Good morning, conference. On Monday 10th of june conference. On Monday 10th of June Something extraordinary happened. Yes, there was the launch happened. Yes, there was the launch of happened. Yes, there was the launch of some Liberal Democrat manifesto, but i will come back to that manifesto, but i will come back to that. No, what was extraordinary was that i, munira extraordinary was that i, Munira Wilson, finally became a cool parent. Why . Because my boss cool parent. Why . Because my Boss Ed cool parent. Why . Because my boss Ed Davey asks me to go on a rollercoaster with him. And suddenly, a rollercoaster with him. And suddenly, having a politician as a suddenly, having a politician as a mum suddenly, having a politician as a mum sounded way more fun. At least as a mum sounded way more fun. At least that is what i had hoped at least that is what i had hoped. Turns out when i got home hoped. Turns out when i got home and hoped. Turns out when i got home and we watched the news that evening, my ten year old daughter that evening, my ten year old daughter declared that i was weird daughter declared that i was weird and embarrassing. Laughter but i dont care, conference, because i had a whale of a time. In fact when all the cameras had gone, Bobby Deen and i went on the biggest, scariest ride we could find. I am a bit surprised that the Press Team did not stop us, because stealth does 0 80 in 1. 8 seconds, and the rain was lashing down so hard that it closed for Safety Reasons immediately after we got off the ride. So, given that nominations have closed, consider yourselves all lucky that you are not out of delivering leaflets in the double By Election right now. Instead, what happened . Well, bobbyjust went and instead, what happened . Well, bobby just went and won Carshalton And Wellington by almost 8000 Votes Applause and yes, conference, what a Campaign It was. 72, 72 Liberal Democrat mps tearing down the blue Wall Brick by brick. But now, we have a seriousjob blue Wall Brick by brick. But now, we have a serious job to do. While the conservatives are divided, and hopelessly adrift, we must be the constructive opposition. Where they took people for granted, we must campaign with care and compassion. When labour repeats the mistakes of the past, we must hold them to account. And where country cries out for change, we must be bold and ambitious. And no more is there is needed than in our nurseries, our schools, is needed than in our nurseries, ourschools, our colleges and our universities. Because our children have been sidelined for too long. It has always been our liberal mission to put them, children, the very future of our country, at the heart of our policy making. Not just when we were in government, but every day, in Town Halls up and down the country. My message is this our nation is bursting with ambition. People young and old who work and study hard and have hopes and dreams for themselves, theirfamilies have hopes and dreams for themselves, their families and their communities. And Liberal Democrats, we can provide division, the positive policies, to help them get there. Applause now, during the campaign, we had moments like this on the doorstep. Parents who drive hour long roundtrips to take their children to a Sports Match or a Music Rehearsal or take on second jobs to put food on the table for their families. All hope that their children might have opportunities that they never had. They know that education is the best investment we can make in our childrens potential and our countrys future growth. Education turbochargers talent, it cultivates creativity and it creates conscientious citizens. And they looked to the conservatives to make that investment. But what did they get . Teacher training targets missed for eight of the last nine years. Nurseries ordered to expand rapidly, with no proper plan to front it. A decades work closing the Attainment Gap wiped out by a lack of investment in covid catch up. One in five people aged 8 25 with a probable Mental Health disorder. Out of the blue, from the schools minister. He would tell me that thousands of children had missed their first day back at school because their buildings were full of crumbling concrete and were not safe to open. Through years of neglect, the conservatives have failed the most basic had failed the most basic had failed the most basic had failed the most basic of its duties in government, to keep our children safe. Well, by the end, the conservatives were negligent unfit to govern, and boy, did the public know it . Now, you know the nine Education Secretaries we had in just eight years . Do you know what happened to them . Well, there was no him said, who stood down in stratford on ivan. There was nadhim zahawi. Who is the new mp there . It is a Liberal Democrat. Applause then there was michelle donelan, Secretary Of State 48 hours. Her constituency got split into. Anyone know who won both of them . The Liberal Democrats thank you and of course, who can forget gillian keegan . She told us showers the only one sat on her cars doing nothing. Well, we decided to get off hours and win her seat as well yes, conference, for as well yes, conference, for a decade ambitious conservative ministers used the Department For Education only as a step on the greasy poll. Well it turns out to much grease, and youre all slipped down that hole again. So it now falls to Bridget Phillipson to clean up the toxic mess, and she will achieve far more than her predecessors by simple staying on the job. Predecessors by simple staying on thejob. Our nurseries, Schools Colleges and universities will benefit hugely from civility and continuity. So, Liberal Democrats will work constructively with the government to fix the foundations. Already, we have seen small, positive steps. Protecting btecs, reforming ofsted inspections, and ending the tories pointle