Liberal Democrat leader calls for emergency health budget while pottery painting in Marple

ITV News' Ann O'Connor spoke to Sir Ed Davey during his visit to Marple.

Sir Ed Davey has called for the winner of the General Election to pass an emergency budget to "fix" healthcare.

The Liberal Democrat leader made the demand while campaigning in Marple, Stockport, after attending a pottery painting event in the town.

While Labour have ruled out a snap budget after the election, the Liberal Democrats say the NHS needs something "much more targeted in scope than a normal budget".

Sir Ed Davey said: "Part of the Liberal Democrat health budget is to put right what is wrong with so many hospitals.

"One of the reasons why the Liberal Democrats are calling for an emergency budget next month is because I don’t think the NHS can wait.

"Doctors who are coming out of medical school and can’t be employed because the money’s not there. There’s something seriously wrong there."

He was joined by Lisa Smart, who is running in the Hazel Grove constituency, which includes Marple, and is hoping to take the seat from the Conservatives.

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Sir Ed Davey says the Liberal Democrats are the only party putting healthcare at the top of their agenda.

She claimed the state of Stepping Hill Hospital was a prime example of why an emergency budget was needed.

She said: "The issue comes up on doorstep after doorstep is Stepping Hill Hospital. It’s the fact that Outpatients B had to be knocked down because it was unsafe.

"There’s a bucket brigade that has to go out everytime it rains. In 2024, we shouldn’t have a hospital building in the state it’s in."

While on a visit to the hospital, Sir Ed Davey was left "shocked".

He said: "I’ve been around the hospital and I was quite shocked by the fact that they haven’t had the capital to make it right.

"If people vote for… Liberal Democrat MPs we will campaign for places like Stepping Hill Hospital."

However, the Liberal Democrat leader refused to back the 35% pay rise Doctors are currently calling for, and urged them to end the strikes.

He said: "The Conservatives’ failure to sort this out is appalling actually.

"But [Doctors] shouldn’t be on strike and patients shouldn’t suffer. I would ask them to not go on strike, I would ask them to wait and see what happens."

The following candidates are standing in Hazel Grove:

  • Paul Athans - Conservative and Unionist Party

  • John Howard Kelly - Reform UK

  • Tim O'Rouke - Social Democratic Party

  • Graham Reid - Green Party

  • Lisa Smart - Liberal Democrats

  • Claire Vibert - Labour Party

Lisa Smart said she was "mortified" when she found out her comments had offended people.

Both Sir Ed Davey and Lisa Smart also addressed footage of an exchange she had while campaigning in Hazel Grove.

The ring doorbell footage shows Lisa Smart knocking on doors in Hazel Grove when she met a woman from Liverpool visiting her family.

After the woman explained she was registered to vote in Liverpool, Ms Smart replied: "Ah, understood – so you've just been nicking stuff while you're here."

The family, who do not want to be identified, said it was offensive, but said sadly living in Greater Manchester they had heard the "derogatory stereotype" a number of times.

Apologising for the incident, Lisa Smart said: "I am genuinely mortified to have upset someone on the doorstep.

"It’s a phrase I’ve used a couple of times in the last month or so when it’s someone behind the door when they’ve been housesitting, babysitting, catsitting.

"As soon as I learnt I’d upset someone I went straight round to their house and apologised. I am really sorry."

Sir Ed Davey added: "I’ve known Lisa for a long time, this is not in character for her. She said she was trying to make a joke and it really fell flat and she’s apologised.

"She’s said she shouldn’t have said it. She’s an amazing campaigner, she’s a great strong woman, and will be a champion for Hazel Grove."

While it was not as adventurous as falling off of a canoe or braving waterslides, Sir Ed Davey continued his unconventional campaigning approach with a pottery painting session in a Marple field.

Revealing the strategy behind his many stunts, Sir Ed Davey said: "The stunts evolved from the last parliament when we kept winning these by-elections in Conservative heartlands, and we wanted to celebrate them and have a serious message.

"We smashed down that blue wall in Chesham and Amersham as a sign that we were back."

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Sir Ed Davey also spoke about balancing the stunts against the story of losing his parents at a young age, and his role as a carer for his son.

He said: "In regards to my own story and my son, I hadn’t talked about that before I became leader but people were asking questions and so I said to my wife Emily I’m going to get more questions, and we need to find a way to talk about this

"It’s easier to talk about my parents because they died when i was a child, but it was talking about my son that was the most challenging.

"We’re very fortunate that we have lots of support from our families, but lots of people looking after children with special needs or disabilities aren’t as lucky as we are, and I wanted to be a voice for them."

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