Jo Swinson admits Lib Dems ‘didn’t get everything right’ in Tory coalition The leader is hoping to win over Remain supporters from Labour

Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson has admitted her party “didn’t get everything right” when it supported austerity in the Tory-led coalition.

Speaking at the launch of former Tory Sam Gyimah’s campaign to win the marginal London constituency of Kensington she claimed she was being “upfront” about their failings.

“We didn’t get everything right,” she told supporters. “I’ve been upfront about that and we need to learn from the things we didn’t get right.

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“The bedroom tax would be an example of that. But I’m confident that we have learnt from that experience.”

The MP served as a junior minister in the coalition Government and has previously come under fire for her role in passing the bedroom tax and university fee hikes.

‘I’m confident we’ve learnt from that experience’

The bedroom tax was one of David Cameron’s Government’s most divisive policies, where housing benefits were reduced if the occupant was deemed to have too many rooms.

Her party also helped to push through increasing tuition fees to £9,000 a year, despite campaigning to scrap them entirely in the run up to the 2016 election.

However, Ms Swinson also defended their role in the government, saying they were able to secure rights such as same-sex marriage and taking people on low incomes out of paying income tax.

She is currently on a tour of the UK, where she is attempting to pitch herself at the country’s next prime minister, claiming the party can win “hundreds of seats”.

Currently, the party only has 19 MPs sitting in the House of Commons, however, the party hope they can pick up votes from Remain voters across the political spectrum.

An unequivocally pro-Remain stance

Ms Swinson said talks were ongoing with other pro-Remain parties such as the Greens and Plaid Cymru to potentially form an electoral pact to avoid splitting the anti-Brexit vote.

Highlighting the success of a Remain alliance in the Brecon and Radnorshire by-election, she said: “I’m sure there will be some more of those arrangements in this coming election.”

However, she was quick to rule out a coalition with either the Tories or Labour – even if they did offer a second referendum on EU membership.

“There is no way that Liberal Democrat votes will put either Boris Johnson or Jeremy Corbyn in No 10,” she said.

Additional reporting by the Press Association.