Davey pushes maternity care at Lib Dem conference as party relevance questioned
The Liberal Democrats are campaigning for more maternity spending and dedicated midwives at their Brighton conference, while Ed Davey defends the party's focus and wider vision.
The Full Story
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The Liberal Democrats used their Brighton conference to call for more spending on maternity care and for every mother to have a dedicated midwife during childbirth. The party says the risk of life-altering injury has reached a record high and is pointing to NHS data to support its campaign.
The figures cited by the party show that three in every 100 women who give birth in a maternity unit face severe bleeding. Similar numbers suffer severe physical injuries that need immediate medical attention. Ed Davey says these problems are caused by shortages of midwives and consultants, and that more money is needed.
The maternity campaign fits the party's recent electoral strategy. It won more than 70 MPs at the last election by talking about the NHS, care and local hospitals. But some Liberal Democrat councillors have criticised that focus, arguing the party needs to speak about issues people can relate to beyond that.
Davey rejected the criticism in an interview. He said the party has grown quickly under his leadership, has a record number of MPs and now runs more councils than the Conservatives. He added that a bigger party cannot please everyone all the time. He has also been talking about growing the economy, cutting taxes and joining the EU single market.
Those themes are part of an attempt to define the Liberal Democrats, especially against the Conservatives, as they target seats at the next election. But questions remain about whether the party's offer is broad enough. Davey says it is, while some in his party are not convinced.
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Channel Perspectives
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This report gave the Liberal Democrat maternity campaign prominent treatment, using NHS data and staffing shortages to frame the party's conference message. It also aired scepticism from local councillors and pressed Ed Davey on whether the party's pitch is broad enough. The tone was neutral and explanatory, ending on the unresolved question of whether the Liberal Democrats can appear relevant to voters beyond their NHS focus.
- “Liberal Democrats say that every mother should have a dedicated midwife during childbirth because the risk of life-altering injury has reached a record high.”
- “The criticism has been from some, particularly some councillors here, that they need to be talking about things that people can really relate to beyond that.”
- “And it means when you have a bigger party, you can't please everyone all the time.”
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