MP, Leader of the Labour
Party, Local Election Launch speech
in Bury
"It’s absolutely fantastic to be here in Bury to launch our local
election campaign right here in the sunshine this morning.
That means that we’ve got exactly five weeks to send a message to
and his Tories that they
can’t ignore.
A message that Britain deserves better than their pathetic, their
miserable response to the cost of living crisis.
So it’s fantastic to be here to start that campaign, and to start
it with all of you.
You know the reality. Prices through the roof, wages through the
floor.
Inflation higher than it’s been since, well, last time the Tories
were in power.
And what’s their response with the cost of living crisis?
Standards of living, the lowest since the 1950s.
Tax, the highest for 70 years.
What’s their response to this?
It’s to take more than they give.
To take more so on average families this year are £2,620
worse off under these Tories. That is the cost of the Tories.
And it’s so frustrating. Because Britain has so much to be proud
of.
But we don’t have a Government that is on the side
of working people, that is on the side of businesses, that’s on
the side of pensioners.
And that’s the difference with Labour. Labour is a party that is
on your side.
That takes your worries and your concerns seriously and
has a plan, a plan for a better future, a better Britain. A
practical plan that we can put into action.
My contract with the British people, the contract that I want to
have on behalf of the Labour Party, a Labour Government with the
British people, is about the security that we need, the
prosperity that we want, and the respect that everybody
deserves.
Security is important. People at the moment feel they can’t pay
their bills.
They are worried. Tossing and turning at night about whether they
can make ends meet. So we need the security of knowing you can
pay your bills.
That’s why we have the windfall tax. A practical way to tax the
oil and gas companies who have made profits they didn’t expect to
make, and say use that money so that people can have up to £600
off their bills.
That’s what security looks like.
The security of knowing that you are safe in your job.
The scandal of P&O would not have happened under a Labour
Government.
A scandal that would not have happened under our watch.
has drawn up that Green
Paper, a better deal for working people, and that’s what gives
people that security at work.
And of course, security at home and in our communities. Too many
people fear anti-social behaviour, fear crime, feel that they
can’t go out of their doors after dark because they haven’t got a
government that’s on their side.
We need prosperity. People want their ambitions and aspirations
to be cherished and valued. To have the skills they need to go on
in their lives, to do what they want to do. To have their
businesses supported, their local economies thriving. That’s the
prosperity that we need.
And then of course - respect. Probably the most important clause
in my contract. Respect, deep respect for people. Whoever they
are and wherever they come from.
So we need change. This is time for change. We need to get
Britain back on track. I’m beyond proud and privileged to be
Leader of the Labour Party.
But I don’t want to be Leader of the Opposition.
I want Labour in power. Labour in power changing lives.
And that’s what this election is about. The chance to have Labour
councillors on your side changing lives.
Eamonn O’Brien here, with Bury, making a real difference. Waking
up every morning thinking: ‘how can I make things better for
the families, the communities that I represent.’
That’s the difference that Labour makes in power.
That’s the difference of a Labour party that is on your side.
Fighting anti-social behaviour. Protecting public services.
Actually having that ambition for a better Britain, excited about
what we can do together.
So our message is very, very clear.
Vote Labour on the 5th of May to send a message to the
Tories about their pathetic response.
Vote Labour on the 5th of May because Britain deserves
better.
Vote Labour because Britain deserves better for a party that is
on your side.
Thank you so much."
