Jon Ashworth MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister without Portfolio, commenting ahead of Tim Farron’s speech to Lib Dem Conference, said:

“Tim Farron may think it makes a nice slogan to say the Lib Dems are an ‘alternative’ to the Tories and that they will look after the NHS, but it’s nonsense. They said the same before 2010 only to do the exact opposite, entering government with the Tories, backing them all the way and helping them run down the health service.

“The Lib Dems’ promises are worthless. They said they’d scrap tuition fees and then trebled them; vowed not to increase VAT and then did just that; and promised fairer taxes before giving millionaires a tax break at everyone else’s expense.

“You can’t trust the Liberal Democrats. They broke their promises and backed the Tories all the way.”