Publish membership figures, Lib Dems tell Tories after shock report

The Liberal Democrats have challenged the Conservatives to publish their latest membership figures after a shock report claimed that Tory membership numbers were tumbling, and may now have fallen below the resurgent Liberal Democrats. The Liberal Democrats have soared to 103,000 members, while reports suggest that the Conservatives are set to fall below 100,000 and are facing "oblivion". Ed Davey MP, Liberal Democrat former cabinet minister, said: "If true, these reports show that on the eve of the Conservative conference the party's grassroots have lost all faith in Theresa May's Brexit government. Be it their bungled general election campaign, their disastrous handling of Brexit or their savage treatment of the NHS and schools, this Conservative government has left many life-long Conservatives feeling utterly appalled. "I would appeal to them to join the resurgent Liberal Democrats, who are now the party of economic competence, and who will also fight for decent public services and a safe environment. "If the Conservatives deny these reports then they should publish their latest membership figures as we do, and let the public see the state of the respective parties. What is clear is that while the Conservatives are in serious decline, the Liberal Democrats are on the way back."