Lib Dem leader Ed Davey launches 'Tory Removal Service'

The Liberal Democrats are the "Tory Removal Service", Sir Ed Davey has said as he began 2024 campaigning in seats in Surrey held by senior ministers.

The party leader drove a poster van displaying the message through Guildford, a Lib Dem election target.

He is also visiting the constituencies represented by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt and Communities Secretary Michael Gove.

The Lib Dems have won four seats from the Tories in by-elections since 2019, three of them in the south of England.

Mr Gove held Surrey Heath with a majority of 18,349 over his Lib Dem opponent at the last general election, but the Lib Dems are are seeking to build on a series of gains in recent local polls.

They took control of Surrey Heath Council in May 2023, and have also become the largest party on Waverley Borough Council in Mr Hunt's area.

A leaflet accompanying the poster describes the Lib Dems as the "Blue Wall's Premium Conservative MP unseating service", including repairing NHS waiting times, ending raw sewage discharges, and tackling cost-of-living issues.

Sir Ed also called for the general election to be held in May, adding "let's make it moving day for this Conservative government".

The party said he would present a bill restoring the Fixed Term Parliaments Act - introduced by the coalition government in 2011, but repealed by Boris Johnson's administration in 2022 - which would force a general election on 2 May.

The Lib Dems said the only reason Rishi Sunak would reject it was that he knew he was going to lose.

Sir Ed said: "Four historic by-election wins and sweeping gains in last May's local elections show that voters across the country are turning to us for change.

"We shouldn't have to wait any longer. It shouldn't be up to Rishi Sunak to cling on for another 12 months, desperately hoping for something to turn up and causing even more damage as he tries to keep his fractured party behind him."

In 2019, Mr Hunt held his South West Surrey constituency with a 8,817 majority over his Lib Dem rival. Following boundary changes, he is expected to contest the new seat of Godalming and Ash at the next election, expected this year.

Other Lib Dem target seats in Surrey include Esher and Walton, Woking, Dorking and Horley, and Epsom and Ewell.