In response to the Prime Minister’s speech to the Tory Party Conference, the Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Tim Farron said:

“The Prime Ministers 11th hour conversion to social justice is welcome but will fool no one.

“If you want to understand this Tory Government you have to look at what they have done and not the promises of a seasoned PR man.

“This, after all, is from a Government that has already scrapped the child poverty target, demonised refugees, cut benefits for asylum seekers and slashed housing benefit for large families.

“It is the most extraordinary chutzpah for Cameron to claim to be a poverty champion at the same time he is picking the pockets of the very poorest workers by slashing their tax credits.

“The Prime Minister might spin a decent line about prison reform too but this is from a party that banned prisoners’ reading books.

“And if he was really concerned about racial discrimination he would publicly denounce his Home Secretary’s shameful attack on immigrants.

The Liberal Democrats welcome the Prime Minister’s change of tone but it has to be backed up by actions – not just easy words.”