Lib Dems to embark on 1,343-mile journey in bid to reclaim Tory seats

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In the final week of general election campaigning, Sir Ed Davey said he planned to embark on a 1,343-mile tour of the seats the Lib Dems hope to take from the Tories and the SNP.

Over five days, the party’s battle bus, known as Yellow Hammer 1, will travel from John o’Groats in northern Scotland to Land’s End in Cornwall.

The Lib Dems leader said there was “no ceiling” to his ambitions, with the party claiming it was gaining strength in communities across the country, from rural Highlands and West Country constituencies to former Tory heartlands in the South East.

Sir Ed said: “Everywhere I have been during this campaign I have been impressed by the decency, courage and resilience of the British people.

“I met family carers caring for loved ones, families struggling with rising mortgage payments and retirees worried about selling their home to pay for care.

“All are dismayed by the chaos and neglect we have seen in recent years, but optimistic that a brighter future is possible.

“There is now no ceiling to my ambition for the Lib Dems and the UK. From John O’Groats to Land’s End, people are crying out for change and turning to the Liberal Democrats to bring it.

“Together we can fix the health and care crisis, get our economy back on track and end the sewage scandal.

“On July 4, voters in seats across the country face a stark choice: five more years of Tory chaos or a local Liberal Democrat champion fighting for a fair deal.”

By the end of the campaign, Sir Ed will have visited more than 50 constituencies and traveled more than 6,300 miles, according to the party.