our first guest, please put your hands together for ourfirst guest, sir ed davey. applause hi there. good to see you. so, sir ed davey, welcome. just to say, our rules here are pretty simple. they are the same for every leader. you won't get interrupted if you keep your questions reasonably brief and actually answer the question. myjob here is to keep you to the point. so, on that, let's have our first question from alison. the liberal democrats - are planning to spend five times as much as the labour party in extra spending. _ aren't you going to i bankrupt the country? thank you for your question, alison. the answer is no. we put together a very detailed, costed manifesto, and it has got a big health and social care package at the centre, about £9 billion, and other things, for instance, helping with free school meals and the cost of living, and we have shown how we will pay for everything we have got in that. for example, we are thinking that some of the large corporates could pay more, example, the oiland of the large corporates could pay more, example, the oil and gas giants could pay more. they have made a huge fortune with oil and gas prices being so high. we have also said the big banks, the tax cuts the conservatives have given them, should be reversed, which would raise, for example, £45 billion. we have said to pay for our mental health programme, to make sure there is a mental health professional in every primary and secondary school, there should be an increase in the digital service tax on the social media giants, partly because some people think they are responsible for the mental health crisis for many young people. so when you say you have costed everything, you are promising to spend a whopping £26.8 billion extra spending overall. by spending overall. by the fifth year of the parliament. yes. there are some things i could not find how you will pay for in your manifesto. you want to sort out the courts back like. you will need to hire extra staff. i couldn't see where you would get the money for that. you say you also want to settle the issue of compensation for a waspi women about pension changes. that could amount to 10 billion. there is no reference to how you would pay for that. there are a number of tax changes we are making. one is to clamp down on tax avoidance and evasion, and all the parties are saying that. i think we can say that more credibly because we want to invest £i we can say that more credibly because we want to invest £1 billion in her majesty's revenue and customs. 50 in her ma'esty's revenue and customs. , ., ., ., in her ma'esty's revenue and customs. ., ., customs. so you are not saying in our customs. so you are not saying in your manifesto _ customs. so you are not saying in your manifesto how _ customs. so you are not saying in your manifesto how you _ customs. so you are not saying in your manifesto how you will- customs. so you are not saying in your manifesto how you will pay l customs. so you are not saying in | your manifesto how you will pay for it, you are saying now you will pay for those things out of taxation? yes, well, we have said in the manifesto, in the costings, we have pointed to a number of tax rises, and i am talking about the want of clamping down on people who are not paying theirfair share clamping down on people who are not paying their fair share of tax. the way to do that is to have more tax inspectors. hmrc have been cut back dramatically and can't do the job, and so, if you talk to the experts, they reckon for every pound you spendin they reckon for every pound you spend in tax officials and the technology for hmrc, you can raise £18. we haven't put that in our costings, we have just £18. we haven't put that in our costings, we havejust said £18. we haven't put that in our costings, we have just said an extra £7, so i think we have been quite cautious, and i think the money can be found. it's about the political will. and look what you can do with it. our nhs is on its knees. it's on its knees. people can't get gps, there is no nhs dentist, they are having to wait hours for ambulances, and on the care system, people are going without care. that is just wrong. going without care. that is “ust wronu. �* , , going without care. that is “ust wronu. ~ , wrong. let's see if alison is convinced. _ convinced. it may be a reflection of the labour expenditure — it may be a reflection of the labour expenditure plan, _ it may be a reflection of the labour expenditure plan, so _ it may be a reflection of the labour expenditure plan, so who - it may be a reflection of the labour expenditure plan, so who knows. it may be a reflection of the labour . expenditure plan, so who knows how much _ expenditure plan, so who knows how much we _ expenditure plan, so who knows how much we can — expenditure plan, so who knows how much we can afford? _ expenditure plan, so who knows how much we can afford? it _ expenditure plan, so who knows how much we can afford? it really- expenditure plan, so who knows how much we can afford? it really is - expenditure plan, so who knows how much we can afford? it really is not. much we can afford? it really is not a bottomless — much we can afford? it really is not a bottomless pit, _ much we can afford? it really is not a bottomless pit, is _ much we can afford? it really is not a bottomless pit, is it? _ much we can afford? it really is not a bottomless pit, is it? it— much we can afford? it really is not a bottomless pit, is it? it is- much we can afford? it really is not a bottomless pit, is it?— a bottomless pit, is it? it is not, of course _ a bottomless pit, is it? it is not, of course step— a bottomless pit, is it? it is not, of course stop and _ a bottomless pit, is it? it is not, of course stop and i _ a bottomless pit, is it? it is not, of course stop and i think - a bottomless pit, is it? it is not, of course stop and i think our i of course stop and i think our proposals are responsible, they are costed. the parties are frankly not putting the money in. we need to rescue our public services, particularly the nhs, but i was schools need betterfunding too. i've talked about the mental health provisions we want to make, but i think if you look at the cost of living, i'm very worried that children are going to our schools with empty stomachs, that they are hungry. they can't learn if they are hungry, and when we were in government, we provided free school meals for infant children. actually, we used a pilot that labour had done, so to give credit where it is due, but we put it in. the tories didn't like us doing it. george osborne did not like giving free school meals to infants, i can tell you, but now we think we need to go further. with a cost of living crisis, any child in poverty really should be getting a free school meal. let's take a question at the very back there. let's take a question at the very back there-— let's take a question at the very back there. , �* , ., , ., back there. isn't the problem that ou have back there. isn't the problem that you have a _ back there. isn't the problem that you have a credibility _ back there. isn't the problem that you have a credibility issue? - back there. isn't the problem that you have a credibility issue? you | you have a credibility issue? you enabled — you have a credibility issue? you enabled the _ you have a credibility issue? you enabled the posterity— you have a credibility issue? you enabled the posterity of- you have a credibility issue? youl enabled the posterity of cameron you have a credibility issue? you - enabled the posterity of cameron and osborne _ enabled the posterity of cameron and osborne i'm — enabled the posterity of cameron and 0sborne~ i'm not _ enabled the posterity of cameron and osborne. i'm not sure _ enabled the posterity of cameron and osborne. i'm not sure people - enabled the posterity of cameron and osborne. i'm not sure people will- enabled the posterity of cameron and osborne. i'm not sure people will be i osborne. i'm not sure people will be convinced _ osborne. i'm not sure people will be convinced by— osborne. i'm not sure people will be convinced by what _ osborne. i'm not sure people will be convinced by what you _ osborne. i'm not sure people will be convinced by what you say _ osborne. i'm not sure people will be convinced by what you say and - osborne. i'm not sure people will be convinced by what you say and do i convinced by what you say and do now _ - applause i have to say, it was very difficult governing with the conservatives. we couldn't get everything we wanted. but we are faced with a choice as a minister. you either had to stay in and fight inside the government or leave. i think the easy choice for me would have been to leave the government, vote against it and do a tour of the media studios and complain. the hard choice was to stay in, roll my sleeves up and really fight, and as i explained earlier, the tories didn't want us to bring in free school meals. we fought for that and we got it. they wanted actually to cut spending on welfare far greater than happened. for instance, in the second budget, when inflation was about 5.2%, they wanted to freeze benefits and pensions. but the question is about what you agreed to. are you embarrassed by some of the things you agreed to in coalition? i am not proud of some of the votes we did, fiona. i'm not proud of them, they want to overturn them. a lot of our policies are changing some of the things we had to agree to back then. but look what happened when we left office. i lost my seat, the conservatives were governing by themselves. george osborne's first budget cut welfare spending by £12 billion, hitting the poorest in our country. we stopped that, and people often,... i don't blame them, but they forget what we stopped as well. let's take another question from linda. britain desperately needs a leader who we can respect and trust. - your media profile has mainly- consisted of daily horseplay on tv. is this prime ministerial? well, . .. obviously, falling well,... obviously, falling off the addle well,... obviously, falling off the paddle board. _ well,... obviously, falling off the paddle board, going _ well,... obviously, falling off the paddle board, going down - well,... obviously, falling off the paddle board, going down a - well,... obviously, falling off the | paddle board, going down a water slide, going on a roller—coaster. you name it, you've done it. i'm happy to sort through all of them. i don't know what they have got in store for me after! we did wonder if you would paragliding here tonight! but it is a serious question, and i'm gratefulfor it. i take but it is a serious question, and i'm grateful for it. i take your concerns and the concerns of voters very seriously, and if you look at our manifesto, we have got some very well thought through policies to do things like rescue the nhs. but i don't think politicians should take themselves too seriously but i think thatis themselves too seriously but i think that is part of the problem in politics. people i really disillusioned. they think politicians don't get them, and yes, it is to grab attention, but when i fell off that paddle board and lake windermere, the serious message was about the sewage problem. the conservative government and water regulators have allowed water companies to pump filthy sewage into our environment, our lakes, rivers and seas, and that has got to stop. we want to end the sewage scandal. applause what about the roller—coaster? what was the serious message behind that? the roller—coaster... that was the day we launched our manifesto, and i said politics can be a roller—coaster ride, and boy, it was! roller-coaster ride, and boy, it was!— but _ roller—coaster ride, and boy, it was! filth! but let me give you another was! oh! but let me give you another one, when i slid down a slide in somerset. it was half term, lots of families and kids having fun, and i had some fun, yes. but that day, we launched a policy about the crisis in mental health for our young people and children, and hundreds of thousands of children are waiting to get care, to get counselling and therapy. that shouldn't be happening. it is going to blight their whole future if they don't get that help, and so we were putting forward, the day i came down that's like a very serious policy. the man there in the waistcoat. someone broke into my church, and they were _ someone broke into my church, and they were caught— someone broke into my church, and they were caught by— someone broke into my church, and they were caught by the _ someone broke into my church, and they were caught by the police - someone broke into my church, and they were caught by the police and i they were caught by the police and then when— they were caught by the police and then when i— they were caught by the police and then when i went _ they were caught by the police and then when i went to _ they were caught by the police and then when i went to see _ they were caught by the police and then when i went to see them - then when i went to see them afterwards, _ then when i went to see them afterwards, to _ then when i went to see them afterwards, to see _ then when i went to see them afterwards, to see why - then when i went to see them afterwards, to see why they. then when i went to see them - afterwards, to see why they broke in, they— afterwards, to see why they broke in, they said — afterwards, to see why they broke in, they said because _ afterwards, to see why they broke in, they said because they- afterwards, to see why they broke in, they said because they wanted j afterwards, to see why they broke i in, they said because they wanted to feed their— in, they said because they wanted to feed their children, _ in, they said because they wanted to feed their children, and _ in, they said because they wanted to feed their children, and 30%- in, they said because they wanted to feed their children, and 30% of- in, they said because they wanted to feed their children, and 30% of the i feed their children, and 30% of the uk now. _ feed their children, and 30% of the uk now. the — feed their children, and 30% of the uk now, the children _ feed their children, and 30% of the uk now, the children are _ feed their children, and 30% of the uk now, the children are in- uk now, the children are in desperate _ uk now, the children are in desperate need, _ uk now, the children are in desperate need, not - uk now, the children are in desperate need, notjust. uk now, the children are in- desperate need, notjust during the school— desperate need, notjust during the school period. — desperate need, notjust during the school period, but _ desperate need, notjust during the school period, but outside - desperate need, notjust during the school period, but outside the - school period, but outside the school — school period, but outside the school periods. _ school period, but outside the school periods. can _ school period, but outside the school periods. can we - school period, but outside the school periods. can we not. school period, but outside the . school periods. can we not raise school period, but outside the - school periods. can we not raise for lower— school periods. can we not raise for lower income — school periods. can we not raise for lower income tax _ school periods. can we not raise for lower income tax people _ school periods. can we not raise for lower income tax people at - school periods. can we not raise for lower income tax people at the - lower income tax people at the threshold — lower income tax people at the threshold of— lower income tax people at the threshold of income _ lower income tax people at the threshold of income tax? - threshold of income tax? i threshold of income tax? i wish _ threshold of income tax? i wish we _ threshold of income tax? i wish we had _ threshold of income tax? i wish we had the - threshold of income tax? . i wish we had the resources threshold of income tax? - i wish we had the resources to do that at the moment. people talk about the costing in the manifesto, we can't do anything. we have said in our manifesto when resources allow, we want to do that. we did that before. the conservative said you can't do that, and we said we can and must. but it is about making sure you are spending more money on certain things and any other party, but not in terms of making people pay less tax at the lower end of the tax sale? i don't think we can afford that yet, but one thing we can do to help families with children, there was you were talking about, i think the two child limit on universal credit isjust wrong. i two child limit on universal credit is just wrong. i think it has to go. if you look and talk to experts, they say the quickest, most cost—effective way of tackling child poverty is to get rid of that two child limit on universal credit, and thatis child limit on universal credit, and that is something that could happen really quickly. it is costed in our manifesto, because it is pricey, but i think it is the best way, and hopefully that means the family you were talking about would have the money and would not have to do that thing. a question back here. you're manifesto... is a case that you have gone unrealistic, because you have gone unrealistic, because you are not going to be prime minister— you are not going to be prime minister in _ you are not going to be prime minister in your— you are not going to be prime minister in your party- you are not going to be prime minister in your party will- you are not going to be prime minister in your party will not| you are not going to be prime . minister in your party will not get into power? _ into power? first, - into power? first, i- into power? i first, i would into power? - first, i would say, into power? _ first, i would say, with into power? — first, i would say, with due respect, the election is not over. i'm here to persuade people in this audience and people viewing it across the country to vote liberal democrat, because i think we have got great ideas, and i think we have been getting great responses from people. share been getting great responses from --eole. �* , ., been getting great responses from --eole. �* ,, , been getting great responses from eo le, �* , ., , ., been getting great responses from --eole. , people. are you trying to persuade eo - le people. are you trying to persuade peeple you — people. are you trying to persuade people you can _ people. are you trying to persuade people you can be _ people. are you trying to persuade people you can be prime _ people. are you trying to persuade people you can be prime minister? i am realistic about our chances, right? we have had three very bad elections. everyone knows that. when i became leader, i said elections. everyone knows that. when i became leader, isaid my elections. everyone knows that. when i became leader, i said my top priority was to defeat as many conservative mps as possible. so do you think you can or cannot be prime minister? we might as well hear it from you. we know what the polls say. it would be challenging, given the polls, but i don't want to put a ceiling on our ambitions. i want to persuade you. but ceiling on our ambitions. i want to persuade you-— ceiling on our ambitions. i want to persuade you. but the question here is about, persuade you. but the question here is about. is — persuade you. but the question here is about. is your _ persuade you. but the question here is about, is your manifesto - is about, is your manifesto effectively a wish list? for instance, you say, everyone should have the right to see a gp within 24—hour is. that doesn't mean anything unless you can find and fund gps, train them and transform the system so that is possible. a ve