The Liberal Democrats have demanded the government publish a highly embarrassing report on air pollution before the election.

Ed Davey, Lib Dem former cabinet minister for Energy and Climate Change, has said the government is reportedly blocking release of its report into air pollution because it is worried the “shaming” findings would become a major election issue.

Ed Davey said: “Air pollution is one of the biggest health challenges in Britain today. The Conservatives have hidden the truth about their toxic policies. Increasingly air pollution is linked to a rise in asthma, COPD, heart conditions, and even recently to dementia. A vote for the Tories is a vote for more air pollution.

“It is a disgrace that the government wants to block a report which is expected to say that pollution is at dangerous levels in many of our cities and towns.

“Ministers are hugely embarrassed because it is EU air quality standards the government is flouting. No wonder Theresa May wants a hard Brexit, so she can change the rules to leave polluters free to damage the nation’s health.

“You can’t have clean air and a hard Brexit.

“The government is refusing to spend the money on measures that would improve air quality, such as investment in public transport, but this is a false economy because it burdens the NHS and destroys lives.”

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The Liberal Democrat membership surge is about to take the party to a landmark 100,000 members – thanks to a staggering 12,500 joining since Theresa May announced the snap General Election last Tuesday.

Reaching six figures makes the party bigger than it has been since the mid-1990s and puts it on course to reach its highest membership ever within days. The biggest the party has been since its formation is 101,768 in 1994.

It means that more than 50,000 members have joined since last year’s European referendum and more than 67,500 since the 2015 General Election.

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron pledged to build the party to 100,000 members by the end of the parliament as a key pledge during his 2015 leadership campaign – but at that point everyone expected the end of the parliament to be 2020.

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Tim Farron said:

“Thousands of people are joining the Liberal Democrats every day because they want to change Britain’s future.

“People want a strong opposition to Theresa May’s Hard Brexit agenda and the Liberal Democrats are the only party challenging them up and down the country. Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour has completely failed, offering no opposition whatsoever and giving Theresa May a blank cheque to pursue a Hard Brexit.

“This election is your chance to change the direction of our country. If you want to stop a disastrous Hard Brexit, if you want to keep Britain in the Single Market, if you want a strong opposition to fight for an open, tolerant and united Britain, this is your chance.”

The landmark figure is just the latest sign of the party’s gathering momentum:

• The latest poll in Sunday’s Observer gave the party a four point increase. The party is consistently polling between 11-14%, close to double its average for most of 2015 and 2016.
• We are on a winning streak. Not only did we win the Richmond Park by-election in stunning style in December 2016, we have had an astonishing run of council by-election gains – more than 30 since last May – making it the best year for by-election gains in the party’s history. We are winning from the Tories, Labour and UKIP, and in areas that voted both Leave and Remain. We are also the only party to have increased its share of the vote in every recent parliamentary by-election.
• We have over-taken Labour in fundraising. In the last quarter of 2016, the Liberal Democrats raised nearly £2m – more money than the Labour Party for the first time ever.

Tim Farron has ruled out doing any coalition deals with Theresa May or Jeremy Corbyn after the election.

Every Liberal Democrat vote and every Liberal Democrat MP elected is a challenge to Theresa May’s Hard Brexit agenda. In the next parliament we will fight to stop a disastrous Hard Brexit, keep Britain in the Single Market and make sure people have their say on the final Brexit deal in a referendum with remain as an option.

We don’t rule out future coalitions – we believe in plural politics – but we won’t do one with May or Corbyn.

This election is your chance to change the direction of our country. If you want to stop a Hard Brexit, if you want to keep us in the Single Market, if you want a real opposition, this is your chance. But you can only do that by voting Liberal Democrat.

With a large number of pro-European Lib Dem MPs in the next parliament we can force the government to soften its approach to Brexit and give people the final say over what comes next.

What about the Tories?

Under no conditions can we sign up to Theresa May’s Hard Brexit agenda. She is going to be the Prime Minister – that’s not in doubt. Our job will be to hold her to account and fight for the things we believe in – above all else our membership of the single market and for the people to have the final say on the deal.

What about Labour?

Everybody knows Jeremy Corbyn won’t be the next Prime Minister. There is no prospect of a coalition that would put him in power. There are many issues that Labour and the Liberal Democrats agree on and many people on their side that we respect – but we won’t put Corbyn into power. He is pro-Brexit, has promised to pull us out of the single market and marched his MPs and Peers through the lobbies to vote for article 50 without any concessions from the Tories. On top of that, he would be a disaster for the country – he has no plan for the country, our economy and offers no leadership.

Are you ruling out a progressive alliance?

We want to work with like-minded, pro-European people of all parties and none to oppose Theresa May’s Hard Brexit agenda and fight for a Britain that is open, tolerant and united. But everyone knows Jeremy Corbyn won’t be the next Prime Minister and we wouldn’t want him to be. We will work with pro-European MPs in any party to stand up to the Conservatives over Hard Brexit, but Corbyn is not that – and there is no prospect of a coalition that would put him in power.

Would you join a coalition with the SNP?

We won’t be doing a deal with the SNP at Westminster because, whatever they might say, they are only interested in getting independence. They will not be interested in making a success of the UK.

The President of the European Parliament has said Britain would be welcomed back with open arms if voters changed their minds about Brexit on 8 June.

This directly contradicts Theresa May’s claim that ‘there is no turning back’ after Article 50.

Liberal Democrat Leader Tim Farron said: “This shows it’s not too late to prevent a divisive, hard Brexit.

“On 8th June, together we can change the direction of this country.

“The Liberal Democrats will be the real voice of opposition to this Conservative Brexit government.”

Ed Davey, former Liberal Democrat Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, has accused the government of engaging in a “politically dubious” act announcing the controversial sale of the Green Investment Bank to an Australian bank in a cut price deal.

Mr Davey, who is seeking the Lib Dem nomination for his former seat of Kingston and Surbiton, likened the £2.3bn agreement to “selling off the family silver”.

Ed Davey said: “Selling the Green Investment Bank is environmentally irresponsible, and on the eve of an election is politically dubious. The government clearly hopes to avoid parliamentary scrutiny.

“The Toxic Tories are getting closer to Donald Trump every day and their record on renewable energy since 2015 has been pathetic. Only the Liberal Democrats are fighting for the environment.”

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