Tear down trade barriers with Europe, says Davey
The Lib Dem leader will say Britain must rebuild relations with Brussels if the economy is to prosper.
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Your support makes all the difference.Britain must ātear downā trade barriers with Europe if the economy is to prosper again, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey will warn.
In a keynote address to the partyās spring conference in York on Sunday, Sir Ed will say Boris Johnsonās ābotchedā Brexit deal has been a disaster for UK business.
He will argue the country needs a far more ambitious agenda than what he says is Rishi Sunakās aim of āmere economic survivalā.
His attack comes as MPs prepare to vote this week on a key plank of Mr Sunakās revised agreement with Brussels on post-Brexit trading arrangements in Northern Ireland.
Ministers hope the Windsor Framework will pave the way for better relations with the EU after the turbulence of recent years.
Sir Ed will say, however, that a more radical approach is needed if the UK is to enjoy a āstrong and sustainableā economy.
āIf you want to boost our economy, you have to repair our broken relationship with Europe,ā he will say, according to advance extracts of his speech.
āYou donāt need me to tell you what a disaster the Conservativesā botched deal with Europe has been for our country.
āItās why we campaigned against it. Why, when Boris Johnson brought his terrible deal to Parliament, when even Labour supported it, Liberal Democrats stood alone and voted against it.
āAnd itās why Liberal Democrats are now the only ones with a real plan to fix Britainās trade ā to tear down the Conservativesā trade barriers, rip up their red tape, and rebuild the ties of trust and friendship with our European neighbours.ā
Sir Ed will also underline his partyās reputation as āproud internationalistsā, condemning the Governmentās āanti-refugee billā.
He will also attack Mr Sunakās decision when he was chancellor to abandon the commitment ā first introduced by the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition ā to devote 0.7% of national income to international aid.
āOur 0.7% commitment survived three Conservative chancellors. But then along came Rishi Sunak, ripping up that proud commitment for the UK to lead the world on aid for the poorest. How cruel, counterproductive, and unpatriotic,ā he will say.
āSo Liberal Democrats, we will put the UK back where it belongs. Leading the fight against poverty, hunger and disease ā everywhere in the world.ā