Ed Davey put on spot as Lib Dem members raise hands to demand UK rejoins EU

Sir Ed Davey came under pressure over the Lib Dems' Brexit policy today as activists showed their overwhelming support for rejoining the EU.

The Liberal Democrat leader was taking part in a Q&A session at the party's annual conference in Brighton when members of the audience were asked to raise their hands if they wanted the party's policy to be unequivocal about the UK returning to Brussels.

The camera turned to the auditorium where the majority of people had their hands up.

Sir Ed said: "I think the issue is you have to rebuild trust with our European friends, that's the issue.

"I've debated this with friends and members across the whole country many times, I think we all agree the Conservatives have so damaged Britain's relationship with the EU that it's going to take a little while to repair.

"What we've done as passionate pro-Europeans is said how to do that, we're the only party doing it.

"We passed policy here at the conference talking about the four steps to do that including getting back in the single market as our objective, we've campaigned on that and we'll continue to campaign on that."

Sir Ed also repeated his party's demand for a youth mobility scheme with the bloc as he hit out at Labour's "timid" approach.

He said: "What I'd say is that although Labour has made a tentative start to reengage with our European friends and neighbours, and it's good to see the Prime Minister going to Europe.

"I'm afraid their approach is too timid. By ruling out Britain going back into the single market I think they're undermining that rapprochement.

"We said at the election that should not be ruled out, that should be part of the strategy, and we stick by that.

"I don't think our economy and the trade deals we need to strike before we go back in the single market will be as strong as they could be and need to be to get our economy and our country back on track.

"Let me give you another example where you could do this relatively quickly where I think the Government is being nowhere near ambitious enough and that's on the youth mobility scheme.

"Many of our European neighbours are willing to agree a whole range of things whether it's on crime, security, climate change or trade to help repair that relationship and one of the things they've put on the table is a youth mobility scheme.

"We have a youth mobility scheme at the moment with Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Andora, San Morino. Why can't we have a youth mobility scheme with the rest of Europe?

"We will be pushing forward and hard for a much more ambitious approach on our relationship with Europe."

The Lib Dems focused much of their general election campaign on issues including the NHS and sewage, rather than Brexit.

The party was reduced to just 11 MPs at the 2019 election after standing on a vow to stop Brexit.

Under Sir Ed's leadership, it has set out a long-term four-stage plan to rejoining the EU which includes returning to the single market.