Lets speak to our lets speak to our political correspondent political correspondent damian grammaticas, who is at The Party damian grammaticas, who is at the Party Conference in brighton. Conference in brighton. You join us you join us youjoin us in you join us in writing where youjoin us in you join us in writing where the Lib Dems are enjoying that the Lib Dems are enjoying that election result. More than a election result. More than a four fold, fivefold increase four fold, fivefold increase election result. More than a election result. More than a fourfold, fivefold increase in mp5, Sir Ed Davey enjoying fourfold, fivefold increase in mp5, Sir Ed Davey enjoying mps, Sir Ed Davey enjoying absolutely will mps, Sir Ed Davey enjoying that. The benefits that he that. The benefits that he brought to the election where brought to the election where he put himself out there are he put himself out there are took part in lots of stance in took part in lots of stance in defence but try to talk about he put himself out there are took part in lot to stance in he put himself out there are took part in lot to talk ice in he put himself out there are took part in lot to talk about defence but try to talk about policies, according to policies, according to strategists, as part of the strategists, as part of the balance they are trying to pull balance they are trying to pull off here too, as an alternative off here too, as an alternative to both labour and to both labour and conservatives. Ed davey spoke conservatives. Ed davey spoke this morning to laura this morning to laura kuenssberg, this is a flavour kuenssberg, this is a flavour of their exchange. We of their exchange. Irate absolutely of their exchange. We of their exchange. We absolutely of their exchange. We absolutely will of their exchange. We absolutely will challenge the government where we disagree with them. It is important we keep with them. It is important we keep the with them. It is important we keep the trust we built up. We are going keep the trust we built up. We are going to talk about the nhs and care, are going to talk about the nhs and care, Cost Of Living and already and care, Cost Of Living and already the government has made two big already the government has made two big mistakes in those areas and we two big mistakes in those areas and we are holding them to account and we are holding them to account. On the Cost Of Living, they account. On the Cost Of Living, they are account. On the Cost Of Living, they are withdrawing the Winter Fuel Payment from millions of pensioners when energy bills are going up by 10 this winter so they are going up by 10 this winter so they are making a mistake they so they are making a mistake they are, so they are making a mistake they are, we are opposing Them On that, they are, we are opposing Them On that, we are worried in the nhs on that, we are worried in the Nhs Debate they are talking about Nhs Debate they are talking about reform before investment when about reform before investment when we about reform before investment when we think there needs to be reform when we think there needs to be Reform And Investment so we will hold Reform And Investment so we will hold them to account. But we will be different from the conservatives, because being constructive means you have a different tone, you do not do the Yah Boo Politics that people are sick of, and you also put your alternatives forward. At Prime Ministers questions last week when i was opposing the reduction of Winter Fuel Payments, we agree there is a black payments, we agree there is a Black Hole payments, we agree there is a Black Hole left by the tories but we Black Hole left by the tories but we put ideas forward rather than but we put ideas forward rather than punishing pensioners. But labour has than punishing pensioners. But labour has a than punishing pensioners. Emit labour has a majority of 167 and have suspended mps for daring to disagree with Them On their own side so you said you will be listened to in a different way but they dont have to listen to you, can you admit that . I have to listen to you, can you admit that . Have to listen to you, can you admit that . I think anyone who has been in admit that . I think anyone who has been in british admit that . I think anyone who has been in british politics has been in british politics and has been in british politics and sees that size of a majority knows that you have to do opposition in a particular way do opposition in a particular way to do opposition in a particular way to get heard and i think the Tone Way to get heard and i think the tone we are adopting, way to get heard and i think the tone we are adop which putting forward ideas which will include investment in Social will include investment in Social Care. Its absolutely essential. They talk about reform essential. They talk about reform and i think they are right reform and i think they are right too, reform and i think they are right too, but we have to get the right right too, but we have to get the right type of reform i think the right type of reform i think they the right type of reform i think they are right to do so. We have think they are right to do so. We have to get right that sociat we have to get right that Social Care is the most important part of that reform. I important part of that reform. I dont important part of that reform. I dont believe you can sort out i dont believe you can sort out some i dont believe you can sort out some of the problems in hospitals out some of the problems in hospitals where People Cannot et hospitals where People Cannot get discharged, or people keep going get discharged, or people keep going back, and there is a revolving door, unless you sort out sociat revolving door, unless you sort out Social Care and that means better out Social Care and that means better Care Homes, more care staff, better Care Homes, more care staff, better commissary services, paying Care Workers more, services, paying Care Workers more. We services, paying Care Workers more, we set that out in our election more, we set that out in our Election Campaign and we are going Election Campaign and we are going to Election Campaign and we are going to be banging the drum for care going to be banging the drum for care and caters because we think for care and caters because we think thats the only way you can save think thats the only way you can save our nhs. Think thats the only way you can save our nhs. Many Viewers Miaht can save our nhs. Many viewers might like can save our nhs. Many viewers might like that can save our nhs. Many viewers might like that idea can save our nhs. Many viewers might like that idea but can save our nhs. Many viewers might like that idea but it might like that idea but it costs a lot of Money And Weve looked at one of looked at the figures between Comic Behaviour main proposals to provide care in england in a similar way to scotland but you say it would cost 2. 7 Billion but experts say it would be more like six or 7 Billion so now you had a bigger party, you want to be seen as a more influential outfit, do you have to have a closer look at your own numbers . From what weve seen, they dont quite add up. We had this debate in the election ensure that our numbers are the right ones, im very numbers are the right ones, im very happy numbers are the right ones, im very happy to talk to people who very happy to talk to people who did very happy to talk to people who did your workings and show them who did your workings and show them our who did your workings and show them our workings. First of all, them our workings. First of all. There them our workings. First of all, there is money already in the Government Pot which will be used the Government Pot which will be used for part of this work and be used for part of this work and secondly, if you look at a lot of and secondly, if you look at a lot of the and secondly, if you look at a lot of the analysis, if you do free lot of the analysis, if you do free personal care, it saves the free personal care, it saves the nhs free personal care, it saves the nhs by The End of this decade the nhs by The End of this decade over 3 billion a year because decade over 3 billion a year because it frees up the nhs and its so because it frees up the nhs and its so much cheaper to look after its so much cheaper to look after people in Care Homes are in their after people in Care Homes are in their own homes in the way we are in their own homes in the way we are proposing so our numbers are very we are proposing so our numbers are very robust. Really happy to have are very robust. Really happy to have that debate whether its with to have that debate whether its with government or yourselves because this is so important. I Cant Stress enough important. I Cant Stress enough when i go to my local hospital enough when i go to my local hospital in kingston, really wett hospital in kingston, really well run hospital in kingston, really well run hospital, great staff, fantastic well run hospital, great staff, fantastic care, their biggest challenge is that they cannot find places for the people they have find places for the people they have treated, they have elderly patients, have treated, they have elderly patients, disabled patients who should patients, disabled patients who should not be in hospital because the Care Packages and there because the Care Packages and there. What is so crazy and why this needs there. What is so crazy and why this Needs Reform is it is way more this Needs Reform is it is way more expensive to keep people in hospital, is not good for them in hospital, is not good for them or in hospital, is not good for them or their families so our reform them or their families so our reform proposals, i can take you reform proposals, i can take you to reform proposals, i can take you to my reform proposals, i can take you to my constituency and many other you to my constituency and many other hospitals in communities across other hospitals in communities across the other hospitals in communities across the country, our proposals are the right ones and proposals are the right ones and weve been talking about them, and weve been talking about them, arguing forthem, and them, arguing for them, and what them, arguing forthem, and what really upsets me is we actually what really upsets me is we actually managed to legislate for a actually managed to legislate for a lot actually managed to legislate for a lot of our reforms in 2014 for a lot of our reforms in 2014 in for a lot of our reforms in 2014 in the carers act and the conservatives said they were going conservatives said they were going to conservatives said they were going to pack it and then when they going to pack it and then when they were by themselves after 2015 they were by themselves after 2015 general election, they jumped totally. There are over 1 Million jumped totally. There are over 1 Million pensioners and disabled people who are not getting disabled people who are not getting care now that would have getting care now that would have done if the conservatives had kept have done if the conservatives had kept to their word and followed the Liberal Democrat legislation. Having seen how the conservatives have failed so many the conservatives have failed so many pensioners and disabled people so many pensioners and disabled people and failed the nhs because they didnt proceed with because they didnt proceed with those Social Care reforms, i with those Social Care reforms, i am with those Social Care reforms, i am more with those Social Care reforms, i am more determined than ive ever i am more determined than ive ever been i am more determined than ive ever been to hold this new government to account on Social Care Social Care And Health big issues for the Lib Dems, also education which has been a theme here today. The person who was talking about that is with us now. Can i ask you first of all, 72 Lib Dems mps in parliament, 15 before, what difference is that making practically . In making practically . In practical making practically . In practical terms, as weve seen since practical terms, as weve seen since the practical terms, as weve seen since the election was finished and we since the election was finished and we were back in parliament, the conservatives are barely turning the conservatives are barely turning up to a lot of the question times and debates by the Liberal Democrats are there in vast the Liberal Democrats are there in vast numbers now, filling our in vast numbers now, filling our benches and asking the government questions and holding government questions and holding them to account and actually holding them to account and actually doing the job as the main actually doing the job as the main opposition party. And you are getting main opposition party. And you are getting more main opposition party. And you are getting more air main opposition party. And you are getting more air time main opposition party. And you are getting more air time and l are getting more air time and have more colleagues so you think you can make a bigger impact . Think you can make a bigger imact ... impact . Yes, we get to chair more committees impact . Yes, we get to chair more committees now impact . Yes, we get to chair more committees now so impact . Yes, we get to chair more committees now so we impact . Yes, we get to chair more committees now so we were holding more committees now so we were holding down might be holding government to their promises, and a government to their promises, and a big government to their promises, and a big issue for us in the campaign and a big issue for us in the campaign was a sewage and the State Campaign was a sewage and the state of campaign was a sewage and the state of our waterways so they will be state of our waterways so they will be big areas of focus, but well will be big areas of focus, but well be will be big areas of focus, but well be at Prime Ministers questions every week and we get more questions every week and we get more opportunities in parliament so we will hope to Et Parliament so we will hope to get more parliament so we will hope to get more opportunities with you get more opportunities with ou .. get more opportunities with ou .. you you want to be constructive you you want to be constructive but you you want to be| constructive but also you you want to be i constructive but also a you you want to be constructive but also a tough opposition for labour and you focus on two things, Free School Meals which you want expanded, and Special Educational Needs. What is the real sort of fight you want to take to labour on this . ne real sort of fight you want to take to labour on this . One of the big issues take to labour on this . One of the big issues is take to labour on this . One of the big issues is the the big issues is the Attainment Gap between the most disadvantaged children and their disadvantaged children and their more affluent peers is growing their more affluent peers is growing hugely, particularly since growing hugely, particularly since covid. It had been narrowing before that and so looking narrowing before that and so looking at things like Free School looking at things like Free School Meals to help the poorest children to be able to concentrate and study well, particularly through the afternoon is really important because afternoon is really important because a hungry child cannot learn because a hungry child cannot learn easily. Weve also promised a Tutoring Guarantee to help promised a Tutoring Guarantee to help disadvantaged children catch to help disadvantaged children catch up to help disadvantaged children catch up which the national Tutoring Catch up which the national Tutoring Fund was stopped in july, Tutoring Fund was stopped in july, so Tutoring Fund was stopped in july, so they are two areas. And july, so they are two areas. And you july, so they are two areas. And you mention Special Educational Needs, for many of my colleagues, the number one issue my colleagues, the number one issue they my colleagues, the number one issue they are bringing to me a Special Issue they are bringing to me a Special Educational Needs in terms Special Educational Needs in terms of Special Educational Needs in terms of the issues they are seeing terms of the issues they are seeing in terms of the issues they are seeing in their constituencies and parents who are tearing their and parents who are tearing their hair and parents who are tearing their hairout, and parents who are tearing their hair out, fighting a system their hair out, fighting a system that is frankly broken, so theres system that is frankly broken, so theres a lot of work to be done so theres a lot of work to be done and. So theres a lot of work to be done and, to be fair, i think the done and, to be fair, i think the labour done and, to be fair, i think the Labour Education Secretary recognises that. We proposed a couple recognises that. We proposed a couple of recognises that. We proposed a couple of solutions in the Election Couple of solutions in the election which i talked about Today Election which i talked about today including making sure those today including making sure those were the most complex and difficult those were the most complex and difficult needs those with the most difficult needs those with the most complex needs are funded the most complex needs are funded by a national body so that funded by a national body so that local councils can be freed that local councils can be freed up that local councils can be freed up to look after many other freed up to look after many other children who also need help other children who also need help all other children who also need hel. . , other children who also need hel. . , help. All of these things Cost Money and help. All of these things Cost Money and the help. All of these things Cost Money and the government. Help. All of these things Cost Money and the government says there isnt