Jonathan Ashworth's speech at Labour Conference

Jonathan Ashworth MP, Labour's Shadow Paymaster General, closes the party conference.

"It is an honour to be at this podium following Oleksandr Korniyenko.

Oleksandr, your people retain our steadfast support.

Our solidarity remains unbreakable.

Slava Ukraini!

Friends, what a truly remarkable Conference it’s been.

You may have heard that apparently some people call me Jonny Sparkle.

I’m not quite sure whether I’m ready to give up that mantle, though I am a loyal member of the shadow cabinet

But I can speak with some qualification and authority in saying: didn’t Keir sparkle yesterday, and he’s given Labour its sparkle back.

Keir Starmer, our leader, our candidate for Prime Minister.

Strong.

Determined.

Focused.

Taking us from the despair of our worst defeat in history to the hope of a better future.

With Keir we’ll give Britain not just its sparkle but its future back too.

And through every step supported by our friend, the woman who will deliver a new deal for working people, who will level up every community, she glitters as well - our deputy leader, Angela Rayner.

But most importantly, thanks to you our members and trade unions for your contributions here this week for your tireless efforts which gave us that astounding victory in Rutherglen and Hamilton West and for the work you do week in, week out in every community.

Thanks to you and so many like you we end our Conference here in Liverpool, ready for a general election.

The Tories ended theirs ready for another leadership election.

Did you see them last week?

Penny Mordaunt kept telling the Tory conference to “stand up and fight”.

No one stood up, but they did fight one another.

There was Michael Gove complaining about the Tory tax burden.

Rees-Mogg complaining about the lack of economic growth.

Jeremy Hunt complaining about civil servant numbers.

All of them complaining about the runaway costs of HS2.

It’s astonishing, who do these people think have been in power for the past 13 years?

Did you see the fringe?

There was Priti Patel skipping the light fandango with Nigel Farage.

Farage waltzing his way back into the Tory Party and Sunak too weak to stop him.

And then there was Liz Truss too.

Letting it be known she wants a second chance to outlast the lettuce and crash and smash family finances all over again.

That was their Conference fringe.

But I tell you it’s also the Conservative Party’s future.

More turmoil, more risk, more chaos with Truss, Braverman, Rees Mogg and Farage calling the shots

Vote Sunak, get Truss.

That’s the 5th Tory term we have to stop.

We were promised we would see “Rishi be Rishi”.

But no one liked what they saw.

The Tory members WhatsApp group branded Sunak a “loser” who has, and I quote, “about as much enthusiasm and appeal as a doorknob.”

Bit harsh on doorknobs, they are at least useful.

Next Rishi Sunak told us he’s the details man.

But he didn’t mention the biggest detail of all.

And we won’t let him, and nor will the country let him, forget it.

That the Tories crashed the economy, sent mortgages through the roof, and forced working people to pay the price.

This isn’t a details man, it’s a man in denial.

He cancelled a train line to Manchester, in Manchester.

And then published a list of supposed replacement transport projects.

Well luckily for Rishi Sunak, I am a details man.

I’ve been checking the list.

Dualling the A1 first announced in 2010, never delivered.

Upgrading the Ely Junction, announced in 2016, never delivered.

The Don Valley line, announced in 2020, never delivered.

Electrification between Leeds and Manchester announced a decade ago. Never delivered.

The Durham Leamside Line, announced by Sunak on Wednesday, pulled by the Tories on Thursday.

I think we can agree that now goes in the column: ‘never delivered.’

There we have it.

Rishi’s Railways - the modern day Thomas the Tank engine – a fictional railway on a fantasy island with the controller cancelling services and the trains hitting the buffers.

There was more.

Pretending to ban 20 mile per hour zones.

Did you see that one?

Given his leadership is such a slow-motion car crash,

I understand why he wants to ban slow motion.

We also had Cabinet ministers peddling dark and dangerous internet conspiracy theories.

The 7 bins policy junked.

And bizarre claims about a meat tax?

Conference, turns out it was a load of bull.

The British people have the measure of Sunak.

Out of touch.

Out of his depth.

Out of ideas.

And out of time.

And you know what, so many Tories know it too.

Have you ever seen a political party after 13 years in office so silent on their record?

As Keir reminded us yesterday, we all remember a previous Labour prime minister outlining what we achieved in government together.

From the winter fuel allowance, to Sure Start, the shortest waiting times in history, and the minimum wage.

But after 13 years of the Tories.

What of them?

The economy crashed.

Real wages stagnant.

Mortgages up.

25 Tory tax rises.

Schools at risk of collapse.

Record NHS waiting lists.

Universal Credit cut.

Half a million more children in poverty.

Rivers and beaches full of sewage.

Mental health care in crisis.

Councils going bust.

Party gate with more raves in Downing Street than Ibiza.

Rising pensioner poverty.

Record food bank use.

Sure Start centres axed.

Social care on its knees.

Fire and rehire.

Billions lost to Tory cronies for useless PPE and dodgy covid loans.

7 reckless Chancellors.

5 hopeless Prime Ministers.

That’s the Britain they’ve been breaking, that’s what we choose to change.

I hope Gordon won’t sue me for plagiarism.

But there was something we did agree with at Tory Conference.

Rishi Sunak announced it’s time for change.

Yes, Mr Sunak it is time for change.

So call a general election and let the country choose the change it needs.

And when that election comes

All we ask, as a previous leader famously said, is a chance to serve.

A chance to serve, on the basis of our values.

The values we share with the British people.

Values that demand we bring down the barriers to opportunity.

That’s why we’ll introduce reforms to teaching, new breakfast clubs and technical excellence colleges – because when this government fails our children, they fail this country’s future too.

We’ll get the NHS back on its feet because health care isn’t just about curing illness and relief of pain but fairness and equality too.

So this party that created the National Health Service in the 20th century, will rebuild and reform it in the 21st.

We’ll cut waiting lists with more appointments, more staff, and finally deliver parity of esteem for mental health ensuring all, especially children, get the care they deserve.

And to working families hit hard with higher mortgages and rising prices.

To pensioners shivering under blankets in the cold not able to pay the heating bill.

To the young people struggling to get on the housing ladder despite working all hours in jobs that don’t pay enough.

To everyone paying more in tax and receiving less in wages.

Your cares, your struggles are our concerns, our struggle.

Labour will, as our brilliant shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said on Monday in that commanding speech.

Unlock investment, tackle the rising cost of living, create well paid, skilled jobs, make families better off.

We’ll bring down energy bills and deliver the climate justice our children’s future demands.

And, as Keir said yesterday, rather than blocking home building we’ll build homes.

Home ownership for so many just a pipe dream under the Tories will be a reality with Labour.

This is the change a Labour government will bring.

Mission led.

Focused on the country’s priorities.

With stability and sound finances the foundation.

Not the reckless chaos of another five Tory years.

With Labour: Government serving the people, not government serving itself.

So friends as we pack up and say farewell to Liverpool for another year.

Let the message from this Conference be clear.

That to all who yearn for change.

To those who voted Conservative in the past but can see today how far this Conservative Party has moved away from you.

To those who love this country and know it can be so much better.

Join us on this journey to a brighter day.

To every member and supporter watching at home

Join us on the campaign.

Put into action what it says on our membership card: “By the strength of our common endeavour, we achieve more than we achieve alone.”

So with our sights raised, et us dare to glimpse at the possibilities of the future.

And with confidence and conviction.

Together.

Let’s go out and win."