09/05/2017 Election 2017

onwards. And that is why, if you are brave enough to defy parliaments,

you would be considered as bold as brass.

Colleagues, friends, brothers and sisters, welcome to Event City here

in Manchester, to launch the Labour Party general election 2017

campaign. What a wonderful city! What a

wonderful people! APPLAUSE

And, I've got to say, I'm terribly excited!

About the general election! I'm terribly excited about the policies

which Jeremy Corbyn's Labour Party are rolling out in 2017!

I'm so proud and so privileged. I was a coal miner in the coal mines

of the north-east. What a fantastic job at was. Great solidarity, great

camaraderie, friendship. And I really privileged to be joined

national campaigns coordinator with my good friend Andrew Gwynne, and

I'm also very proud to be parted Jeremy CorbynShadow Cabinet!

CHEERING These...

These, colleagues, are the future of a very bright new dawn with the

Labour Party. Listen, this election on aids of June is extremely

critical, colleagues. -- on the 8th of June. It isn't complex, it isn't

in any way work at science, but it is about serving the many and not

the few, as you see on some of the boards. It is about justice, it

about equality and fairness across our communities. This election is

about transforming our society, making people's lives are better in

this country. APPLAUSE

Colleagues... Colleagues, we cannot simply

continue down the Welch red Tory pass, where a fuel at the very top

take the spoils and the rest of the country struggles to cover their way

in the world -- we cannot continue down the well-tread Tory path. An

election is about the future of the many, not the few. Building a more

equal society, a fairer society, a better society for all. You know, I

am ashamed at times to see how this country has fallen into the state it

actually is. Where it -- we are the sixth richest economy in the world.

I want no lectures off anybody telling us we have not got the

finances to look after those at the bottom! I don't want anybody kidding

me about the wealth of this nation! In the last 12 months, the top 1000

richest people in this country increased their wealth by ?83

billion whilst one million-plus people use food banks simply to

exist. No lectures on the wealth of this nation. We have seen the

National Health Service brought to its knees with staff are

undervalued, with the children left in corridors or, indeed, using

chairs for beds. We have all seen that photograph in the Daily Mirror

where we had this little baby in a critical condition in hospital lying

on two patio chairs pushed together. Colleagues, it's got to change!

CHEERING We've seen the schools...

We've seen our schools under attack, with the least well off seeing the

biggest cuts and the Prime Minister pursuing a wasteful and divisive

Academy and grammar School programme. And we will not stand by

and allow this to happen. We have seen the world of work change beyond

recognition, with a secure job now the stuff of dreams for many people.

With 1 million people on zero-hours contracts. Colleagues, we will ban

zero our contracts! CHEERING

-- we will ban zero-hours contracts! We have seen a rise in poverty

across-the-board, with child poverty, with pensioner poverty,

with fuel poverty all soaring. We hear harrowing stories about

children, kids, babies, at school, putting their arms up and asking to

go to the toilet and then visiting the cloakroom to get the sandwiches

out of somebody else's packed lunch. We hear the harrowing stories of

kids, our future, rating the refrigerators in the schools instead

of being fed properly like this party promises. Cannot be allowed to

continue, man. It's 2017, and the Labour Party will stand to put up

with it no more, colleagues. APPLAUSE

It's doesn't have to be this way! Politics is about choices, and this

election offers our party a golden opportunity. It offers a chance to

offer the British people a programme that will improve their lives and

make our country a better place to live. The manifesto is bold, it is

imaginative, it is distinct. It is a great Labour Party manifesto. It

seeks to excite the young people, it seeks to protect sure start, ensure

school funding is maintained, giving everybody a hot nutritious meal at

school, restoring the education maintenance allowance and university

bursaries. For the Older People, we ensure the pensions triple lock will

be maintained, free bus passes and winter fuel will be maintained.

Proper funding of the NHS and social care. And what is really important

for the Older People is tackling the epidemic of loneliness. These are

guarantees from Jeremy Corbyn's Labour Party. You know, we can do

pet if -- better for people in work. Giving the workforce arise, a rise

in the living wage to its real level, banning zero-hours contracts

and insuring workers have the boys. We could do better for public

services and ensure the currently undervalued staff, who are

overstretched, not only get a pay rise but the resources to do their

jobs properly. Whose sole Theresa May on the BBC only last week? I was

amazed. She was asked, is it fair that nurses have had a 14% pay cut

since 2010? And are having to use food banks? She was bonded by saying

the reason nurses are using food banks is extremely compact -- she

responded by saying. It's not complex, they have not got enough

money to feed themselves and their families. And that must end,

comrades. APPLAUSE.

You know, when you want to change, when we want to change the political

landscape of work, when we are looking to change politics in the

best interests of everyone, when we are up against the might of the

establishment who'll do whatever it takes to cling on to that unchecked

powers, we'll all experience setbacks as individuals and as a

party. We get knocked down but we've got to get back up again, dust

ourselves down and get back into this fight for Government. We might

be down at times. As I say, dust yourselves down, there's a fight to

be had. You know, we've got... APPLAUSE.

A great political movement. In the movement, the Labour and the Trade

Union movement was born in struggle. They don't call it the struggle for

nothing. And we understand the challenges here. Never forget the

sacrifices that our predecessors made to deliver the institutions and

freedoms we now enjoy. And remember, things can be different. It doesn't

have to be this way. No-one should be held back and you need no-one

behind. Colleagues, we have a duty, we have a moral duty, we have a

political obligation, to communicate and articulate our messages, our

policies in every town, every city, every village here in the UK we must

speak to people door-to-door in whatever capacity we can. Anybody

who wants to help can next the number on the screen supposed to be

behind me now, see. Colleagues, I'm concluding quite simply by saying,

let's mobilise a winning future for all. Let's win the hearts and minds

of our people and deliver a fairer, equal Society for The many and not

the few. On wards and upwards! CHEERING AND APPLAUSE.

Thank you. Thank you. Colleagues, thank you. Thank you so much.

Colleagues, it gives me great pleasure to introduce the next

speaker, Julie Hesmond-Halsh. Best-known for Corrie and more

recently broad church and Happy Valley. Julie, the floor's yours.

Thank you. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE.

Thank you. Right, well, follow that. Brilliant. Hello, everyone. Good

morning. I feel incredibly humbled and honoured to be here today at the

launch of the Labour Party general election campaign in this amazing

city with its rich history of culture, of industry of protest, of

struggle and resistance. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE.

When Jeremy Corbyn became leader of the party 18 months ago, I can

honestly say that in my adult life I had never felt as excited and

exhilarated by Party Politics. APPLAUSE.

For me, it felt like a moment. A moment when the Labour Party and its

core values and principles would finally be in line with my own

deeply held socialist beliefs about equality, justice and peace.

APPLAUSE. At the time on the campaign trail, I

said I felt like I was part of a new, exciting mass movement of

people who gave a toss about stuff. APPLAUSE.

Well, this is our moment, this is our chance and from tomorrow we have

30 days. 30 days to be on the right side of history. 30 days to take our

message into the homes and the hearts and the minds of people who

been long disenfranchised with politics thinking that we are all

the same. We emphatically are not. APPLAUSE.

We have 30 days to create the opportunity for a fairer, better,

more equal society and 30 days to save our NHS.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE. Now is the time to put everything

else aside, to stand up for what you believe in in your hearts and souls,

to get out on to the streets, get this message across loud and clear.

Let's turn this mass movement into a Government, a country, a society

that truly gives a toss about stuff. Now, everyone please give a warm,

riotous welcome to a man who's dedicated his life to giving a toss

about other people. Jeremy Corbyn! CHEERING AND APPLAUSE.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Thank you, Julie, for that fantastic introduction and to you and Ian for

that fantastic welcome here to Manchester today. It's fantastic we

are launching our election campaign here in Manchester. Manchester shows

the way in many, many things. One, it showed last Thursday, was by

electing Andy Burnham as the Mayor of Greater Manchester.

APPLAUSE. And can I... Andy! Andy!

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE. Well done. Thank you very much.

Fantastic. Give them a wave. Thanks, Andy.

Andy will be a great Mayor. But just think how much more Andy will be

able to achieve if he's working with a Labour Government committed to the

many not the few. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE.

Andy, thanks, congratulations on your election and the people of

Manchester are lucky to have you as their Mayor. Well done, Andy.

APPLAUSE. We have four weeks, we have four

weeks to take our message to the voters, to convince them, Britain

can be better. It can be transformed. It doesn't have to be

like this. We can transform Britain into a country that instead of being

run for the rich, is one where everyone can lead richer lives.

APPLAUSE. And I mean richer in every sense.

Richer because all of us have potential to fulfil, family to

support, interests to pursue, richer when that potential that is there in

all of us is not held back. Because there is no doubt this country is

being held back. If your children aren't getting the education they

deserve, because the class sizes are too high, then your children are

being held back. If you're a young couple or anyone trying to get a

home and can't make a home because rent and house prices are too high,

then you're being held back. If you've worked hard all your life but

you can't pursue your dreams of your retirement because you're supporting

your family well into their adulthood, then you too are being

held back. But Britain is a rich country, the sixth richest country

in the world. We caught a glimpse of that wealth only two days ago when

Rupert Murdoch's Sunday Times published its rich list. In the last

year, Britain's 1,000 richest people have seen their wealth rise by 14%

to ?658 billion. That is six times the total budget of our National

Health Service. Imagine the outcry if public sector workers decided to

put in for a 14% pay rise. Just imagine it. But it's no surprise

that the richest have got even richer after the tens of billions

the Tories have handed them in tax cuts. That's what we mean when we

say the system is rigged for the rich. So thanks for making that

clear, Mr Murdoch. APPLAUSE.

And so I don't know if Rupert Murdoch plans to give us any other

help during the election campaign, but we are grateful for that

information. LAUGHTER.

In fact, I am more likely expecting hostility. Our challenge to a rigged

system is bound to meet hostile till. Change always involves taking

on vested interests and there is a real danger that the Tories'

scaremongering and spin machine will make some people settle for less

than they should, resign themselves to things the way they are.

Underestimating just how many more burdens the Tories could impose if

an omission to halt the rich getting riching is not halted. The stakes

are high. We know from last week's local elections how big the

challenge is. We have to convince the sceptical and undecided. They're

not sure which way to turn. Who can blame them? People are alienated

from politics and politicians. Our Westminster system is broken and

our economy is rigged. Both are run in the interests of the few labour

is under attack because we are standing up to the elite, who are

determined to hijack Brexit and pay even less tax and take even more of

the wealth that we all create. APPLAUSE

Labour is under attack because we're standing up to the corporate

interests plundering our National Health Service.

How much more will be privatised if the Tories get another five years?

We are drawing a line under decades of privatisation, from energy, to

rail, to health, to social care. APPLAUSE

That privatisation has made some people very rich indeed, but it has

not delivered richer lives for the majority of our people.

In the coming days, we will be setting out our plan to transform

Britain with an upgraded economy run for the many, not the few.

APPLAUSE Theresa May thinks she can dodge the

Tory record by claiming she wants to build a fairer Britain, that she

cares about working people. Does she think people will forget

how the Tories have actually treated working people? It was this Tory

leader who sat alongside David Cameron in Government for six years.

She was with him when they introduced the bedroom tax. What is

Remona Aly fairer about the bedroom tax? What was fair about racking up

tuition fees? Or taking benefits away from people with disabilities?

APPLAUSE Or about closing the wonderful

Labour achievements, our Sure Start centres around the country. Or

starving our schools of the cash they need to pay teachers and all

those that work in those wonderful teams in our schools? Or opening up

the National Health Service to be feasted on by profiteers? Just in

case their talk of fairness doesn't wash, they have another card to

play, that this election is all about Brexit and who can play at

being toughest with Brussels. Labour will not allow the Tories to put

their party interests ahead of the real national interests, the

interests of the people of this country.

APPLAUSE This election is not about Brexit

itself, that issue has been settled. The question now is what sort of

Brexit do we want, and what sort of country do we want Britain to be

after that? Labour wants a job 's first Brexit, a Brexit that

safeguards the future of Britain's vital industries.

APPLAUSE A Brexit that paves the way to a

genuinely fairer society, protecting human rights and an upgraded

economy. Labour's plan to transform Britain

will mean a big deal to upgrade the economy, new infrastructure to

support the industries of the future and an investment in training and

skills to equip our workforce to compete globally. It also means

rebuilding our National Health Service and social care services

with the funding they need. APPLAUSE

It means building a million homes to rent and buy.

APPLAUSE And it means tackling the scandal of

our pollution, which contributes to 40,000 deaths per year -- tackling

the scandal of ALL: HOWZAT! Pollution.

-- the scandal of air pollution. We will not be paying lip service to

working people, we will introduce a comprehensive programme to

strengthen rights at work. Make sure new jobs are good jobs.

APPLAUSE And end the race to the bottom in

pay, conditions and job security. Low pay and insecurity have spread

like an epidemic under the Tories. Labour will invest in skills, jobs

and take action to enforce a floor under employment standards right

across-the-board so that all jobs are decent jobs, so that all

workers, the true wealth creators in society, can play their part in

transforming Britain and benefit fully from it.

That is why we are fighting to win this election, so we can transform

Britain for the many and not the few. When we win, the British people

win. APPLAUSE

The nurse... The people win. The nurse, the teacher, the small

trader, the carer, the builder, the office worker. They all win. Labour

is offering a real choice, a real alternative to the rigged system

holding us back, and to the Conservatives, who are running our

country down. The economy is still rigged in favour of the rich and

powerful. When Labour wins, there will be a reckoning for those who

thought they could get away with acid stripping our industry,

crushing our economy through their greed and ripping off workers and

consumers. CHEERING

When did the Conservatives, David Cameron, George Osborne, Theresa

May, Boris Johnson, ever stand up to their financial backers and demand

our money back? APPLAUSE

Instead, they make others that the bill.

-- that make this foot the bill. Nurses, carers, soldiers, disabled,

young people trying to get a home of their own, the elderly looking for

dignity in retirement and those working hard to get on, they make

them foot the bill. This makes me angry, and I know it makes the

people of Britain angry, too! APPLAUSE

So today I say to tax cheats, the rip-off bosses and the greedy

bankers, enough is enough. APPLAUSE

In this election, Labour is standing for decent jobs, investment for the

future, shared wealth creation, security at work, affordable homes

for all and a fully funded National Health Service and schools.

APPLAUSE Training and skills, an end to

rip-off privatisation, fair taxation and a fairer and more equal country.

As we set out our detailed plans for Britain, the scale of the change we

are offering will become very clear. Let's turn our country round. Let's

come together to transform Britain. Together, we can win. For the many,

not the few. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE. So don't wake up on the 9th of June

to see celebrations from the tax cheats, the press barons, the greedy

bankers, Philip Green, the Southern rail directors and crooked

financiers that take wealth and have got away with it, because they are

the party they own. That is the Conservative Party that have won.

We have four weeks to ruin their party. We have ball weeks to have a

chance to take our wealth back. We have ball weeks to show what kind of

country we are. We know that the people of this country don't pass by

on the other side. That is the principal we will take into

government so that we can unlock every person's potential and

everyone can make their contribution, their best

contribution, to our society. We have ball weeks to win and transform

Britain for the many, not the few. -- we have four weeks to win. We

must seize the chance to day and every day until June the 8th!

Thank you very much! CHEERING AND APPLAUSE.

MUSIC PLAYS # Hush now, child, and don't you

cry. # Just move on up.

# Toward your destination. # You may find from time to time

complication. # Bite your lip.

# And take the trip. # Though there may be a wet road

ahead, you cannot slip. # Just move on up.

# For peace divine. # Enter the steeple of beautiful

people, where there's only one kind. # So Hush now, child.

# Don't you cry. I am the UK correspondents for two

global news channels in France and in English and I am delighted to be

here at Chatham House, Chatham House where I learned many,