Tories split over whether they should seek post-election

Lib Dems kick off manifesto launch week with pledges to fix NHS and social care while the Conservatives focus on post-election plans

Good morning. It’s manifesto week, and this morning Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader, will be publishing the Liberal Democrats’ policies for government. The Conservatives, the Green party of England and Wales and Labour are all due to follow later this week. As Jessica Elgot reports, the Liberal Democrat document will include plans to overhaul capital gains tax to raise £5bn for the NHS.

Speaking on the Today programme this morning, Daisy Cooper, the Lib Dems’ deputy leader, said:

Our manifesto is a manifesto to save the NHS and social care.

We want to boost GP numbers, we want to improve cancer survival rates, we want to end the access crisis in terms of people trying to reach their NHS dentists, we want to improve waiting lists for cancer treatment and mental health as well. And we have a bold plan to do that.

We need to, in the future, to find some way to work together because there shouldn’t be big differences between us. I would welcome Nigel into the Conservative party. There’s not much difference really between him and many of the policies that we stand for.

We are a broad church, we should be a welcoming party and an inclusive party and if someone is supportive of the party, that’s a precondition and they want Conservatives to get elected then they should be welcomed.