Voters want to see MPs working together, Lib Dem chief whip to say
The party is staging its first conference since returning to be the third largest in the Commons.
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Your support makes all the difference.Voters across the UK want to see MPs work together, the Liberal Democrats’ chief whip will say in her conference speech.
North East Fife MP Wendy Chamberlain will address the annual event on Saturday morning – the first party conference since the Lib Dems took back third place in the July election from the SNP, winning 72 seats in the Commons.
Ms Chamberlain will stress the difference between her party, the Conservatives and the SNP in holding the new Labour Government to account.
“One of the benefits of our historic general election result is that we have returned to our former position of third party in the House of Commons,” she will say.
I’m not going to stand here and gloat about the demise of the SNP. But I do think there is a lesson for everyone in politics about what happens if you take voters for granted
“And frankly we aim to take a very different approach to the SNP and the Conservative Party.
“I think what people want to see is MPs working together to try and secure a fair deal for the whole of the UK – not trying to divide us.
“Being the third party is a big responsibility. We have a far greater ability to affect change now than we did in the previous Parliament.
“We want to be a constructive opposition. We want to be local champions. We want to do things differently.”
She is also expected to hit out at the former third party in UK politics, claiming the SNP took voters for granted.
“I’m not going to stand here and gloat about the demise of the SNP,” she will say. “But I do think there is a lesson for everyone in politics about what happens if you take voters for granted.
“I’m not sure the SNP had that sense of entitlement a decade ago. But over recent years they have used their position on the green benches in Westminster not to work to improve things, but grandstand.
“They used their positions of power in the Scottish Government not to deliver, but to over-promise.
“No wonder so many former SNP voters that I spoke to during the campaign were utterly disillusioned with the party.
“Meanwhile, Liberal Democrats were out there offering positive solutions.”