Stories

Sun, 20 Sep 2026

Sun, 20 Sep 2026 Lib Dems vow to end 'computer says no' economy to boost growth

Deputy leader Daisy Cooper also proposes a Growth and Defence Partnership with the EU in a speech to her party conference.

* Britain's economic growth is being held back by a "computer says no" approach, with too many start-ups and research projects leaving the country.
* The Liberal Democrats have unveiled a 30-page growth plan aimed at removing barriers to business investment and innovation.
* A new Growth and Defence Partnership with the EU would be a key part of this plan, reversing the economic damage of Brexit which is currently costing the UK £90bn a year in lost tax revenue.
* Cooper claims that re-joining the EU single market and customs union could be done "within a year".
* The Lib Dems would create a digital one-stop-shop service for businesses and investors to simplify red tape and help small and medium-sized businesses compete and grow.
* Cooper attacked the Conservatives and Reform UK for their economic policies, saying they were "locked in a race to the bottom" without any credible costings.
* She also attacked Nigel Farage for modelling himself on Donald Trump and warned that allowing him to win the keys to No 10 would be disastrous.