Lib Dem leader Ed Davey has closed the party’s conference with a promise to introduce legislation that would guarantee cancer patients in the UK receive treatment within two months of referral. This announcement reinforces the party’s focus on the National Health Service (NHS) ahead of the general election. Davey called for cross-party consensus on a five-year plan to improve cancer survival rates, with the proposal costing an estimated £4 billion over the period.
Under the new policy, the current 62-day target for patients in England to begin treatment after an urgent referral would be enshrined in law. The health secretary would be held accountable for any failure to meet this standard, initially through the health service ombudsman and potentially through the courts. At present, 40% of people wait longer than the target time for treatment.
Davey drew on his personal experience of losing both his parents to cancer and highlighted the need for improvement in cancer survival rates, arguing that the UK lags behind comparable countries. He expressed his hope for a cross-party consensus to prioritize cancer care in the next parliament.
In addition to the two-month guarantee, the Lib Dem plan includes provisions for easier access to radiotherapy and a cancer survival research act, inspired by a similar US initiative, which would fund research into cancers with the lowest survival rates.
While the Lib Dems plan to target specific seats with localized messaging during the election campaign, the NHS is described as the golden thread that runs through their overarching message, aimed at winning over Conservative voters.
Davey also used his conference closing speech to take aim at recent Tory prime ministers, accusing them of corruption, chaos, and carelessness, which he believes has damaged public trust in the political system. He criticized Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, and Rishi Sunak, and expressed his apologies to a clown who was offended by being unintentionally compared to the Conservative government.
The Lib Dem leader also criticized the Labour Party’s approach, accusing them of merely opposing the Conservative government without offering substantial changes. He described Labour’s pitch as Not as bad as the Tories and criticized their lack of ambition in opposing government policies.
Davey briefly touched on other policy areas, lambasting Sunak’s dilution of net zero policies as a disgraceful failure of leadership. While Brexit was not directly mentioned, Davey referred to improving the trade deal with the EU and made a brief reference to the Lib Dems’ support for electoral reform, a key party priority.
In conclusion, the Lib Dems’ focus on guaranteeing timely cancer treatment and improving cancer survival rates demonstrates their commitment to the NHS. With the election approaching, the party aims to appeal to Conservative voters and win support with their emphasis on healthcare. However, they also criticized the Tories’ record on corruption and chaos, as well as Labour’s lack of ambition in opposing government policies.
