Conference, first of all, some sad news. Jim Andrews, a champion
for Barnsley, passed away suddenly on Thursday night. He
was the best of our movement, representing the people of
Rockingham for 35 years right up until last May. Deputy Leader at
Barnsley Council, a lifelong Sheffield United fan and a friend of
so many people here. I know he will be missed and my
thoughts are with Sharon and his family.
Conference, it’s great to be here in Yorkshire, a region which
has always been kind to me. I went to university in Leeds, just
up the road. Fantastic days and a huge part of my journey from a
working class family to head of the Crown Prosecution Service. My
wife’s mum was born and brought up in Doncaster on the edge of
the racecourse, which gave love of racing which she’s passed on
to my wife. And of course in Leeds there is Elland Road, where I
am hoping for just a little bit more kindness tomorrow afternoon
at two o’clock.
But this region is also important to this Labour Party and our
shared journey, from the pain of defeat four times, to a moment
where the prospect of serving our country again no longer looks
impossible. Because it’s in Yorkshire and Humber where we took
our biggest steps. In Batley and Spen, where we beat back the
forces of division with . Fantastic. In local
elections where we’ve made important gains, taking control of
Kirklees. Wins for and – two shining examples of
what Labour can do in power. And as Rachel mentioned in June,
with in Wakefield, our first
by-election gain for a decade
We have more to do of course. The road to a fairer, greener
Britain runs right through this region. Fourteen battleground
seats, fourteen – and we must win them all. We need Luke Charters
as the Labour MP for York Outer, Anna Dixon winning in Shipley,
Marie Tidball here in Penistone and Stockbridge. We need them in
as Labour MPs at the next election.
But conference, lets also take a moment to reflect on how far
we’ve come, nd for me to say to you, thank you. Without your hard
work, your enthusiasm, your hope for a better future, the
door-knocking, the casework, the quiet conversations with your
communities – rain or shine. Nothing this party hopes to achieve
for our country is possible. So thank you to all of you for
eeverythign that you do for our party, everything that you’ve
done to put it in the position we’re in today.
And I don’t just mean that in terms of our victories, it’s also
about our values – who we are as a party. When I became leader, I
knew we had a huge task ahead. We had to change our party and
prepare for power all in one go. Not change for change’s sake.
Change with a purpose, to make our Labour Party fit to serve our
country. That’s why we had to rip antisemitism out by its roots,
why we had to show our support for NATO is non-negotiable, show
we want business to thrive and prosper, shed unworkable policies.
Country first, party second
There’s always more work to do – I know that. I know how hard
it’s been for people on the receiving end from those who can’t
face up to the change we need. But always remember that together
we have changed our party. The British people are looking at us
again and we can return their gaze with confidence. And that is
down to you. Thank you so much, each and every one of you.
But now people need more. Britain is crying out for clear
leadership - Labour must provide it. We must turn our collar up
and face the storm. Stand with working people. Meet their
ambitions for real change. And build a new Britain, together. A
Britain that is fairer, greener, more dynamic. Where we grow the
economy and raise living standards for everyone, not just a
privileged few, tackle climate change by creating new jobs, new
industries, new opportunities, redesign our public services to
unleash opportunity and provide security, restore faith in
politics as a force for good, get Britain’s hope, its confidence
and its future back.
But it won’t be easy. I would love to stand here and say Labour
will fix everything. But the damage they’ve done to our finances
and public services means things are going to be really tough. We
can’t take irresponsible risks with the country’s finances. We
must be the party of sound money. You can’t build a fairer,
greener Britain without first restoring economic stability.
That’s why Rachel and I have set out a robust framework to do
exactly that. We are determined to reduce debt as a share of our
economy. Every policy we announce will be fully costed. A new
Office for Value for Money will make sure public spending targets
the national interest. And we should be clear about what this
means. It means not being able to do things – good Labour things
– as quickly as we might like.
But conference, this is what “country first, party second” means.
It’s what restoring faith in responsible government and
leadership means. As a great Labour leader once said: “You can’t
play politics with people’s jobs, with people’s services or with
their homes.” As clear a warning against the dangers of “rigid
dogma” and “impossible promises” as you will ever see…
You might recognise it – I certainly do. But not just in that
great footage of Neil. No. I see that attitude – the very same
thing he was fighting against – in the behaviour of the Tories
these past few weeks… And now we see the result. The “grotesque
chaos” of a Tory Prime Minister handing out redundancy notices to
her own Chancellor! And conference, there are no historical
precedents for what they’ve done to our economy.
Britain has faced financial crises before. But the Prime
Ministers and Chancellors who wrestled with them all acted fast.
When their policies ran against the rocks of reality, they took
decisive action. But this lot, they didn’t just tank the British
economy. They also clung on. Clung on as they made the pound
sink, clung on as they took our pensions to the brink of
collapse, clung on as they pushed the mortgages and bills of the
British people through the roof.
They did all of this. All of the pain our country faces now is
down to them. And there’s still one person clinging on. The Prime
Minister. No doubt we will hear plenty of laughable excuses in
the coming days. After twelve years of stagnation, that’s all her
party has left. But even they know she can’t fix the mess she’s
created. And deep-down, her MPs know something else. They no
longer have a mandate from the British people.
No mandate for an outdated ideology which says it’s the rich and
only the rich who drive this country forward. No mandate for
unfunded promises that destroy our economic stability. No mandate
for an economic policy that says we can’t see your struggles -
our dogma has drawn the curtains.
So conference, know this. Whatever they say now, whatever they
do, tt boils down to one argument. For them it’s Party first,
country second. And that is unforgivable. The change this country
needs is a Labour Government. Because whatever damage they do, we
will remain bold on reform, on renewal, on national
reconstruction.
That’s what the British people expect from a Labour Government –
and we will deliver. It’s what we did in 1945, when out of the
rubble of the Second World War we built a land fit for heroes. In
1964, when we harnessed the white heat of technology to pay our
way in a modern economy. In 1997 when we modernised a country
held back by crumbling public services and outdated institutions.
It’s up to us now to write a new chapter of Labour history,
together. About how we built a fairer, greener, more dynamic
Britain, by tackling the climate emergency head on and used that
to create the jobs, the industries, the opportunities of the
future. Across the world countries are already gearing up to meet
this challenge – we cannot afford to miss out. Because some
nation is going to lead the world in offshore wind – why not this
one? Some nation will win the race for electric vehicles – why
not us? Some nation will be the first to harness new hydrogen
power – why not Britain?
That’s what our Green Prosperity Plan is all about. It’s action
on the cost of living – now, tomorrow and the day after.And it
starts by backing working people on rising energy prices. When
the Prime Minister was arguing against “handouts”, Labour
provided the clarity our nation needed. We said: This winter not
a penny more on anyone’s bills. And we’d make sure the oil and
gas companies pay their fair share.
But to end this national emergency once and for all, we also need
a long-term plan, a plan that will deliver cheaper bills for
working people - now and in the future Growth and jobs in
every part of our country and real independence from tyrants like
Putin, who weaponise fossil fuels and threaten our
security.
This is the central mission of the next Labour Government. We
will turn Britain into a green growth superpower. And driving us
forward will be a goal that puts us ahead of any major economy in
the world. 100 percent clean power by 2030. A goal that means
investment in wind, solar, nuclear, hydrogen, green steel and
carbon capture. Training for plumbers, electricians, engineers,
software designers, technicians, builders. A national sovereign
wealth fund that generates growth and private investment.
Insulation for 19 million homes. And Great British Energy. A
publicly owned company that takes advantage of the opportunities
in clean British power and turns them into good, secure,
high-paid British jobs
The argument for our plan is simple. Clean energy is already
cheaper than fossil fuels – nine times cheaper. Working people
need more of it. Britain needs to own it. And the jobs and growth
it creates must be shared with every community. British power to
the British people
This is why I’ve always said we will fight the Tories on economic
growth. It’s not just their record - the worst decade for growth
in two centuries. The “vicious cycle of stagnation” as the former
Chancellor calls it. It’s that we have a clear and practical plan
to spread the opportunities of the future to every community in
Britain. That’s why we struggle for growth – we lock too many
communities out of the wealth we create, create too many jobs
that are low paid and insecure. And our public services aren’t
strong enough to help working people succeed.
The Tory trickle down fantasy has no answer to this. Working
people won’t be better off because we make the rich richer. It’s
fantasy economics - if you leave this many people behind a nation
cannot grow fairly.
So we will invest in clean hydrogen power and create new
opportunities here in South Yorkshire. We will radically expand
offshore wind in Grimsby, the East Riding, North Yorkshire… all
the way up the coast. Solar Panels generating income for farmers
and rural communities and home insulation putting cash in working
peoples’ pockets right across the region.
I’ve seen this for myself in Huddersfield, where the Labour
council had the good Yorkshire foresight to do a real job on
insulation. I went in January, it was freezing cold. I was
invited in, the house was warm, the energy bills were next to
nothing and the tenants were grinning from ear to ear… And why
not: over a grand off your winter fuel bill – what’s not to like!
That’s what levelling-up really looks like. Practical Labour
solutions, not empty Tory slogans And conference, slogans don’t
come much emptier than “Northern Powerhouse Rail”.
I’ve got to be honest – I don’t know whether this is a commitment
is keeping or cutting. I’m not sure she does either!
But what I do know is her Government has promised to deliver
Northern Powerhouse Rail sixty times. And we’re all still waiting
for action.My suspicion is you’ll go on waiting right up until my
Labour Government wins power until Labour delivers Northern
Powerhouse Rail and the HS2 in full. As Lou Haigh said at
national conference – the North will get its Elizabeth Line and
it will drive growth across the region.
But if we want fair growth everywhere in Yorkshire and Humber, we
need to spread economic power to every community. The decisions
which drive growth should be made by local people with skin in
the game. The people of Barnsley know what’s best for Barnsley.
And the same is true of Sheffield, York, Hull, Huddersfield.
Communities across this region need a bigger stake in how to grow
their local economy.
So we will transform the state so they get it. And we will make
sure they get more affordable housing for working people to own.
I’ve seen home ownership rise for most of my life – it’s the
bedrock of for security and aspiration. People build their whole
life around their house and their community. The pebble-dashed
semi I grew up in meant everything to my family. Now, even
before the last few weeks, the dream of owning your home was
slipping away for too many under the Tories. But with mortgage
costs through the roof, hains collapsing.., people no longer able
to get on the ladder as interest rates rise, I’m afraid it’s only
likely to get worse.
Don’t forget it, never again can we let the Tories claim to be a
party of aspiration. Labour is the only party that can get home
ownership rising again. And we will do it with a new set of
political choices, a Labour set of political choices.
We will set a new target – 70 percent home ownership. And we will
meet it our way. No more buy-to-let landlords or second
homeowners getting in first… Distorting the market in places like
the Yorkshire Dales. We will back working people’s aspiration,
help real first-time buyers onto the ladder with a new mortgage
guarantee scheme, reform planning so speculators can’t stop us
getting shovels in the ground. My message is this. If you’re
grafting every hour to buy your own home: Labour is on your side.
Labour is the party of home ownership and aspiration in Britain
today.
But conference, let’s not kid ourselves. The next two years will
be tough. The Tories will never give up on power – that’s not who
they are. And because of their record, because of the state of
Britain, they’re getting desperate. With so little that’s good to
defend, they’ll lash out. So no complacency. No let up. Take
nothing for granted. We need to be prepared, disciplined,
relentlessly focused on the future, spend each day working to
earn the trust of the British people, provide the leadership this
country so desperately needs and walk towards a better future.
A future where aspiration is rewarded, where working people
succeed, where Britain is a force for good in the world. A clean
energy superpower. Together we can do it. A fairer, greener, more
dynamic, Yorkshire and Humber in a fairer, greener, more dynamic,
Labour Britain.
