Sir Ed Davey accused the Conservative Party of having "poisoned" the UK's relationship with Brussels, outlining a four-step process to rejoin the Single Market.
This came after Liberal Democrats promised to reverse Brexit in their General Election manifesto, saying it would "aim to place the UK-EU relationship on a more formal and stable footing by seeking to join the Single Market."
Asked by GB News' Christopher Hope how long he sees the process taking, Davey said: "It's difficult to say, because the Conservatives have so poisoned Britain's relationship with our nearest neighbours in Europe that it's going to take quite a while to rebuild the trust.
"I genuinely don't know and I know you like me to say it's going to happen then, but I genuinely can't know.
Ed Davey accused the Conservative Party of having "poisoned" the UK's relationship with Brussels, outlining four four-step process to rejoin the Single Market
GBNEWS
"We have a four-stage process. We couldn't be clearer about the things we'd like to do.
"One of the things we'd like to do is get a better trade deal. The trade deal that Boris Johnson and the Conservatives have got, it's been a disaster.
"It's a chance to review it and we'd get a much better deal. I've spoken to European politicians who say, you know what, trade is in our mutual benefit."
But the Lib Dem leader also denied that he wants to repoen the wounds of Brexit saying: "We don't want to do that. For many people it was exhausting.
"We're being very practical, very realistic, taking a step-by-step approach. But I do genuinely think better relations with our neighbours is a good thing."
The same interview saw Davey vow not to raise taxes. He told GB News: "We don''t think taxes should go up. The Conservatives have put taxes up to record levels.
"And that's one of the reasons why ... we said our first priority for tax cuts when resources law and public finance allow to take people out of tax and people know that we did that before and they know that the Conservatives reverse that."
Davey launched the Liberal Democrats manifesto in North London today.
This year’s manifesto, titled For A Fair Deal, put the NHS at its heart. It is 116 pages long and features 22 chapters, including one called Our Fair Deal and another named Political Reform.
In the foreword, Davey said: "The Conservatives have got to go. And in so many parts of the country, we have shown that it is the Liberal Democrats who can get them out."
Setting out the Liberal Democrats’ policy plans, Davey said: “There’s so much I’m proud of in our manifesto: our clear plan to end the scandal of raw sewage being dumped into our waters and on to our beaches, and to hold the water companies to account for the damage they have done.
“Our policies to solve the cost-of-living crisis for the long-term, from an emergency home energy upgrade programme to cut people’s energy bills, to a national strategy including free school meals.
“Our commitment to restoring proper community policing, and guarantee that every burglary will be attended by the police and investigated, so that everyone can feel safe in their own homes and walking down their own streets.
“Fixing our broken relationship with Europe, re-building the ties of trade and friendship, boosting our economy, and restoring Britain’s role on the world stage.”
