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Liberal Democrats leader Jo Swinson touted her leadership credentials as she told a rally she could “do a better job as prime minister” than Boris Johnson or Jeremy Corbyn.
Speaking at the Battersea Arts Centre in South London, Ms Swinson commented on the party’s previous coalition with the Tories and reiterated her desire to stop Brexit by revoking Article 50.
Both the Conservatives and Labour have suggested the choice for PM is between their respective leaders, Ms Swinson has strongly insisted she is also a contender in getting the keys for Number 10.
Continuing her preparations ahead of the December 12 general election, she told the crowd: “So while I look at what is on offer from Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn, I know I could do a better job than them as prime minister.”
General Election 2019 – In pictures
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson tries his hand at making an Antony Gormley inspired clay figure during an arts class whilst visiting the George Spencer Academy in Nottingham, while on the General Election campaign trail around the country
PA
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Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn unveils the Labour battle bus while on the General Election campaign trail in Liverpool
PA
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Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson helps quality control staff during a general election campaign visit to the Tayto Castle crisp factory in County Armagh, Northern Ireland
Reuters
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the campaign trail on Thursday
PA
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Brexit party leader Nigel Farage eats fish and chips from Whitehaven Fish Bar Takeaway Restaurant during a walkabout after attending an election campaign even
Getty Images
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Boris Johnson at Downing Street
Jeremy Selwyn
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Leader of the Liberal Democrats Jo Swinson attends an election campaign event in Golders Green
Getty Images
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First Minister Nicola Sturgeon eats a cupcake during a visit to a bakery whilst on the election campaign trail in Alloa
PA
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Carrie Symonds shares a picture of Dilyn the dog ready for the General Election
@carriesymonds
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Boris Johnson speaks to staff at the East Midlands and East of England Genomic Laboratory Hub, in Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge
Reuters
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Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage during a visit to Bolsover Boxing Club near Chesterfield in Derbyshire
PA
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Britain’s opposition Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn delivers a speech during their election campaign event on Brexit in Harlow
AP
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Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves 10 Downing Street on route to Buckingham Palace ahead of an audience with Queen Elizabeth II and the formal start of the General Election
AP
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First Minister Nicola Sturgeon holds a guitar as she visits Dalkeith Community Hub with Owen Thompson, SNP election candidate for Midlothian
Getty Images
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Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage addresses supporters at the Washington Central Hotel in Workington
PA
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Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie (right) and party General Election campaign chairman Alex Cole-Hamilton on the General Election campaign trail in Blackhall, Edinburgh
PA
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Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson during a visit to Sigma Pharmaceuticals in North Watford
PA
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Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage stops for a pint of beer with the party’s candidate for Ashfield Martin Daubney (right) during a campaigning stop in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire
PA
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Brexit Party chairman Richard Tice poses as he wears boxing gloves at a general election campaign event at Bolsover Boxing Club in Chesterfield
Reuters
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Jeremy Corbyn kisses Emily Thornbury’s hand in Battersea
Jeremy Selwyn
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Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson takes a selfie as she appears on BBCC’s The Andrew Marr Show
BBC/AFP via Getty Images
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Jeremy Corbyn prepares to launch the Labour Party’s election campaign in south London
AFP via Getty Images
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SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon helps to serve soup during a visit to the Lochside Community Centre in Dumfries, to meet voters and activists while on the General Election campaign.
PA
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Nigel Farage at the Brexit Party’s election campaign launch
AP
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Boris Johnson looks at old photographs of London with students at Abbots Green Primary Academy in Bury St Edmunds
Getty Images
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Nigel Farage on The Andrew Marr Show
BBC/AFP via Getty Images
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SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has a coffee in Cafe Gelato, Rutherglen
PA
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Jacob Rees-Mogg arrives at Downing Street in London
Reuters
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Jeremy Corbyn meeting the party faithful during a rally while on the campaign trail in Swindon
PA
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Larry the cat walks outside Downing Street
Reuters
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Boris Johnson as he leaves 10 Downing Street
AFP via Getty Images
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Nigel Farage gives the thumbs up
PA
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Jeremy Corbyn takes a selfie while on the General Election campaign trail in Milton Keynes
PA
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Government advisor Dominic Cummings walks along Whitehall on his way to Downing Street wearing a bulldog clip
Getty Images
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson tries his hand at making an Antony Gormley inspired clay figure during an arts class whilst visiting the George Spencer Academy in Nottingham, while on the General Election campaign trail around the country
PA
2/34
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn unveils the Labour battle bus while on the General Election campaign trail in Liverpool
PA
3/34
Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson helps quality control staff during a general election campaign visit to the Tayto Castle crisp factory in County Armagh, Northern Ireland
Reuters
4/34
Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the campaign trail on Thursday
PA
5/34
Brexit party leader Nigel Farage eats fish and chips from Whitehaven Fish Bar Takeaway Restaurant during a walkabout after attending an election campaign even
Getty Images
6/34
Boris Johnson at Downing Street
Jeremy Selwyn
7/34
Leader of the Liberal Democrats Jo Swinson attends an election campaign event in Golders Green
Getty Images
8/34
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon eats a cupcake during a visit to a bakery whilst on the election campaign trail in Alloa
PA
9/34
Carrie Symonds shares a picture of Dilyn the dog ready for the General Election
@carriesymonds
10/34
Boris Johnson speaks to staff at the East Midlands and East of England Genomic Laboratory Hub, in Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge
Reuters
11/34
Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage during a visit to Bolsover Boxing Club near Chesterfield in Derbyshire
PA
12/34
Britain’s opposition Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn delivers a speech during their election campaign event on Brexit in Harlow
AP
13/34
Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves 10 Downing Street on route to Buckingham Palace ahead of an audience with Queen Elizabeth II and the formal start of the General Election
AP
14/34
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon holds a guitar as she visits Dalkeith Community Hub with Owen Thompson, SNP election candidate for Midlothian
Getty Images
15/34
Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage addresses supporters at the Washington Central Hotel in Workington
PA
16/34
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie (right) and party General Election campaign chairman Alex Cole-Hamilton on the General Election campaign trail in Blackhall, Edinburgh
PA
17/34
Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson during a visit to Sigma Pharmaceuticals in North Watford
PA
18/34
Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage stops for a pint of beer with the party’s candidate for Ashfield Martin Daubney (right) during a campaigning stop in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire
PA
19/34
Brexit Party chairman Richard Tice poses as he wears boxing gloves at a general election campaign event at Bolsover Boxing Club in Chesterfield
Reuters
20/34
Jeremy Corbyn kisses Emily Thornbury’s hand in Battersea
Jeremy Selwyn
21/34
Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson takes a selfie as she appears on BBCC’s The Andrew Marr Show
BBC/AFP via Getty Images
22/34
Jeremy Corbyn prepares to launch the Labour Party’s election campaign in south London
AFP via Getty Images
23/34
SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon helps to serve soup during a visit to the Lochside Community Centre in Dumfries, to meet voters and activists while on the General Election campaign.
PA
24/34
Nigel Farage at the Brexit Party’s election campaign launch
AP
25/34
Boris Johnson looks at old photographs of London with students at Abbots Green Primary Academy in Bury St Edmunds
Getty Images
26/34
Nigel Farage on The Andrew Marr Show
BBC/AFP via Getty Images
27/34
SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has a coffee in Cafe Gelato, Rutherglen
PA
28/34
Jacob Rees-Mogg arrives at Downing Street in London
Reuters
29/34
Jeremy Corbyn meeting the party faithful during a rally while on the campaign trail in Swindon
PA
30/34
Larry the cat walks outside Downing Street
Reuters
31/34
Boris Johnson as he leaves 10 Downing Street
AFP via Getty Images
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Nigel Farage gives the thumbs up
PA
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Jeremy Corbyn takes a selfie while on the General Election campaign trail in Milton Keynes
PA
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Government advisor Dominic Cummings walks along Whitehall on his way to Downing Street wearing a bulldog clip
Getty Images
She said the Lib Dems had better policies than what was on offer from “the tired two old parties led by men who want to rehash ideas from the past” and added: “Whether its the 1870s or the 1970s.”
Ms Swinson also shared her desire to “bring the country together”, criticising former PM Theresa May for having “failed to do so”.
When asked how she would plan to unite Remain and Leave voters after “stopping Brexit”, she said: “It’s very important to bring the country together. I think that’s something that Theresa May failed to do when she became prime minister.
“And, of course, there are many things that people are united by. If you look at the childcare policy that we’ve outlined today. You know, there’s parents who voted Remain or voted Leave will find this something that’s attractive.
“Similarly when it comes to mental health, we’re tackling the climate emergency, our ambitious plan for the future is about facing forward and how we can take the whole United Kingdom forward together.
“Four nations in our wonderful family of nations stronger together in the European Union and focusing government on making people’s lives better.”
Following he speech, Ms Swinson also reflected on her previous time in government.
She said: “I think that time in government is something where we did achieve many many good things and implement lots of Lib Dem policies from shared parental leave to same-sex marriage to more money for poorest pupils in schools through the pupil premium.
“But we didn’t get everything right and we’ve learned from that.”
She said her party should have stood against the bedroom tax and said it “got it wrong” on tuition fees.
At the rally, Ms Swinson also announced that working parents could receive 35 hours of free childcare per week when their baby reaches nine months under Liberal Democrat plans.
Speaking from the rally, she said: “The choice for parents is simply not good enough. For so many people the cost of childcare means returning to work is impossible.
“How many of us know friends, usually women, who faced with astronomical childcare fees decide to stay at home instead of going back to their career? Maybe taking a couple of years out until the current free provision starts.”
She said the proposal would close the gap between the end of paid parental leave and the start of free childcare provision.
Additional reporting by PA.
