Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey opened his party's annual conference in Brighton by addressing the political challenges posed by Nigel Farage's Reform UK and Elon Musk, criticizing what he called "nasty populism" and the far-right party's "£72m arsenal of hate and lies." Speaking on the main stage at the Brighton Centre, Davey urged his fellow delegates not to be intimidated by Reform UK's strategy of using anger and misinformation to weaken opposition. He praised earlier speakers for showing why the Liberal Democrats remain committed to their values and contrasted this with Reform UK, which he claimed is driven by financial interests rather than public service, noting that the party is funded in part by two cryptocurrency billionaires. Davey used the speech to address internal frustrations within his party, acknowledging that some Liberal Democrat MPs had expressed doubts about his leadership. He reflected on his early political experiences, including his time as a student campaigning to boycott Barclays over its investments in apartheid-era South Africa. He described the emotional impact of witnessing human rights violations and linked this to the current need to stand up against modern injustices. He emphasized that the Liberal Democrats are reinvigorated and ready to fight against leaders like Donald Trump, Marine Le Pen, and others who promote divisive rhetoric. Davey also criticized Elon Musk for allegedly using his wealth to fund racist causes, drawing a connection to the history of apartheid in South Africa. The leader also highlighted the importance of defending public institutions, citing recent online attacks on the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) by far-right activists during anti-migrant protests. He argued that Reform UK lacks legitimacy and cannot represent the true spirit of the United Kingdom. Davey expressed confidence that the Liberal Democrats would remain resilient and continue their fight, rejecting the idea that people would grow weary of opposing figures like Farage. In addition to Davey's speech, the conference included policy announcements. Health spokesperson Helen Morgan proposed a £600m plan to improve maternity care, including one-to-one midwifery for every woman in labour and 24/7 support from senior consultants. The plan aims to reduce the NHS’s costs related to maternity negligence claims, which reached £1.3bn in 2024-25. Education spokesperson Munira Wilson announced a commitment to provide 100 hours of work experience for students aged 14 to 18, aiming to address the growing number of young people not in education, employment, or training.