Sir Ed Davey today said office spaces should be turned into homes after coronavirus led to millions of people working from home.
The Liberal Democrat leader was due to give his party conference speech via video link this afternoon.
He was expected to discuss his own personal experiences of being a carer as well as the party’s disappointing election performance.
He will say: “We must listen to people in business...Businesses facing the Covid challenge. The Brexit challenge. The climate challenge.
“No one else is listening to them. So the Liberal Democrats will. And in partnership with business, let’s mould the new economy.
“So if there’s less demand for office space, let’s work with businesses to turn those buildings into sustainable, affordable homes to help solve the housing crisis.”
The government is again encouraging people to work from home if they can, as part of their latest raft of measures aimed at slowing the spread of Covid-19.
Sir Ed, the former Coalition Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, became leader of the Lib Dems in August after an election triggered after Jo Swinson lost her seat in the snap December election.
