10/03/2018

0:00:23 > 0:00:27Hello and welcome to live coverage of Scottish Labour's Spring

0:00:27 > 0:00:31conference from Dundee. For the first time, the new leader Richard

0:00:31 > 0:00:35Leonard will make his keynote address. We will bring you that

0:00:35 > 0:00:40shortly. The conference has been dominated by debate about Brexit,

0:00:40 > 0:00:44why Labour can't back single market membership was laid out by UK leader

0:00:44 > 0:00:52Jeremy Corbyn.We are determined to negotiate a deal, determined to

0:00:52 > 0:00:56negotiate a deal that gives us full tariff free access to the single

0:00:56 > 0:01:03market. But divisions are laid bare. Former Scottish leader Kezia Dugdale

0:01:03 > 0:01:09has been saying why we should be in the single market.And I will be

0:01:09 > 0:01:12here in Dundee itself to bring you all the very latest from the

0:01:12 > 0:01:18conference floor and from the fringe.This is the first of our

0:01:18 > 0:01:22conference programmes. The beast from East put paid to our conference

0:01:22 > 0:01:26coverage of the Scottish Tories in Aberdeen last week. I'm delighted to

0:01:26 > 0:01:30say we will have all the action live from the Labour conference in the

0:01:30 > 0:01:36Caird Hall in Dundee. As ever, I'm joined in the studio by Professor

0:01:36 > 0:01:42Sir John Curtis. Thank you for joining us. This is Richard

0:01:42 > 0:01:45Leonard's first conference speech as leader. What do you think he has to

0:01:45 > 0:01:49do?The most obvious and immediate thing he has to do is try to move

0:01:49 > 0:01:53the journalists' attention away from the row about Brexit that you

0:01:53 > 0:01:57referred to, onto himself first of all, and secondly his plans for

0:01:57 > 0:02:01Scotland. Richard Leonard's most basic problem at the moment is very

0:02:01 > 0:02:05few people in Scotland know who he is. When YouGov recently asked

0:02:05 > 0:02:08people whether or not they thought he was doing well or badly as

0:02:08 > 0:02:13Scottish leader, no less than 60% said, I do not know. I think most of

0:02:13 > 0:02:17those 60% were probably replying, please Richard Leonard. The first

0:02:17 > 0:02:22thing is to get himself across. The second thing is to begin to try to

0:02:22 > 0:02:25persuade people that the vision he has for Scottish Labour, which is

0:02:25 > 0:02:28clearly a much more left-wing message, much closer to Jeremy

0:02:28 > 0:02:33Corbyn, is one that can begin to attract voters. Some evidence that

0:02:33 > 0:02:37probably back in June of last year under Jeremy Corbyn's UK leadership,

0:02:37 > 0:02:41the Labour Party in Scotland began to peel off the more left-wing

0:02:41 > 0:02:48element of support for the SNP. He wants to hang onto that, grow that

0:02:48 > 0:02:51constituency. The thing he has to worry about is the Labour Party lost

0:02:51 > 0:02:55a lot of votes last year to the Conservatives and winning them back

0:02:55 > 0:03:01with a more left-wing agenda might prove more difficult. Much for more

0:03:01 > 0:03:07from John later in the programme.We can go across live to Brian Taylor

0:03:07 > 0:03:13who is in the Caird Hall in Dundee for the duration. Your assessment of

0:03:13 > 0:03:17what Richard Leonard has to do at this conference, and we always like

0:03:17 > 0:03:22to speak about the mood of the conference in initial discussions.

0:03:22 > 0:03:28It secure is mood because there is a surface unity and calm, but bubbling

0:03:28 > 0:03:32beneath that is a very substantial subject of Brexit and what the party

0:03:32 > 0:03:38is going to do, what stands it will take. I expect Richard Leonard, the

0:03:38 > 0:03:42main topic I think will be on housing. He will talk about rent

0:03:42 > 0:03:45controls and ways to make it easier for tenants so they don't face what

0:03:45 > 0:03:51he would describe as extortionate rents from landlords. It will be a

0:03:51 > 0:03:55speech in the classical Labour mould in that regard. And John is right,

0:03:55 > 0:03:58he needs to reach out to all sections of the party, and I'm sure

0:03:58 > 0:04:02he will begin by thanking his predecessor, Kezia Dugdale, despite

0:04:02 > 0:04:05the fact she is now taking a different stance on the issue of the

0:04:05 > 0:04:10single market. I just came from a fringe meeting where Kezia Dugdale

0:04:10 > 0:04:12was speaking, the organisation of Scottish Labour for the single

0:04:12 > 0:04:18market, and she said it adamant that it's not about factions in the party

0:04:18 > 0:04:21or ego, but she was equally adamant this is an extremely important

0:04:21 > 0:04:26topic. At the same fringe, Ian Murray MP was asked what was

0:04:26 > 0:04:28required to get the concept of membership of the single market into

0:04:28 > 0:04:34the bill, the withdrawal bill in the Commons, otherwise in practical

0:04:34 > 0:04:37terms, what's the process. He said it's quite simple, we have to

0:04:37 > 0:04:43convince the Labour front bench. Much more from Brian Taylor later.

0:04:43 > 0:04:51John, let's pick up on this, that row that has dominated the

0:04:51 > 0:04:56conference, about the single market membership. Just as Brian Taylor

0:04:56 > 0:05:01laid out. From the very first moment, from Thursday night before

0:05:01 > 0:05:06conference even started, the Scottish executive committee met,

0:05:06 > 0:05:10that row began. Explain it to us. The truth is, there has long been

0:05:10 > 0:05:13pressure inside the Labour Party both north and south of the border

0:05:13 > 0:05:16for the party to come out in favour of staying inside the EU single

0:05:16 > 0:05:22market. A survey of Labour Party members recently suggested around

0:05:22 > 0:05:2785% of them are in favour of staying inside the single market. That

0:05:27 > 0:05:33internal debate going on for a while. We had a classic Labour Party

0:05:33 > 0:05:37row about procedure. There were some motions down for debate tomorrow

0:05:37 > 0:05:42morning, put forward not least by Ian Murray's on constituency in

0:05:42 > 0:05:45Edinburgh South, saying the Scottish Labour Party should commit to being

0:05:45 > 0:05:49in favour of staying in the single market. Lo and behold, the Scottish

0:05:49 > 0:05:55executive comes along with a motion that now has priority that basically

0:05:55 > 0:06:01doesn't say that and tries to unify the party behind the idea of staying

0:06:01 > 0:06:03inside the customs union but not this early going to the single

0:06:03 > 0:06:09market, although they are not ruling it out. Those procedural rows

0:06:09 > 0:06:12inevitably have a tendency to take on a life of their own, especially

0:06:12 > 0:06:16when we know it's a division inside the party. It might save Richard

0:06:16 > 0:06:21Leonard's face tomorrow morning, but it's meant his conference has been

0:06:21 > 0:06:24dominated by this row that frankly didn't need a great deal of ignition

0:06:24 > 0:06:31for it to take off.Brian pointed out that undercurrent is there, that

0:06:31 > 0:06:35buzz is around conference, people were fairly upbeat and there seems

0:06:35 > 0:06:40to be a fairly upbeat mood. But that undercurrent is there, about the

0:06:40 > 0:06:44divisions when it comes to...It's worth reminding ourselves, compared

0:06:44 > 0:06:48to 12 months ago, the Scottish Labour Party is in a lot better

0:06:48 > 0:06:52state. When you and I talked about the Scottish Labour Party conference

0:06:52 > 0:07:0212 months ago, we were talking about a party that was around 15% in the

0:07:02 > 0:07:06opinion polls and looked set for a pasting in the local elections in

0:07:06 > 0:07:09May. It survived the local elections, with 20% of the vote, it

0:07:09 > 0:07:15lost Glasgow and North Lanarkshire but it did survive. It then gain

0:07:15 > 0:07:19some ground in the election last year, not spectacular, but it gained

0:07:19 > 0:07:23ground, and we are now look at a party at around 25% of the vote, in

0:07:23 > 0:07:29competition with the Scottish Conservatives to be second party in

0:07:29 > 0:07:32Scotland. There is a lot to be relieved that, if not necessarily

0:07:32 > 0:07:38happy. But for all parties, Conservative, Labour, SNP, even the

0:07:38 > 0:07:40Liberal Democrats, Brexit is an internally disruptive issue and all

0:07:40 > 0:07:46parties are divided and all parties' supporters are divided. We know the

0:07:46 > 0:07:50majority of people who voted Labour voted to remain, including around

0:07:50 > 0:07:5470% of Scottish Labour voters. The trouble with the way the party sees

0:07:54 > 0:07:59it is that people inside the party who above all were most likely to

0:07:59 > 0:08:02vote to leave, for its most working-class supporters, and there

0:08:02 > 0:08:07is still a big affection inside the Labour Party for that traditional

0:08:07 > 0:08:10core working-class support. One might want to argue it is taking too

0:08:10 > 0:08:15much notice of that. But because its vote is divided and because the more

0:08:15 > 0:08:21Eurosceptic end of its vote among the more traditional working-class

0:08:21 > 0:08:25support, Labour is trying to say as little as possible about its

0:08:25 > 0:08:30position on Brexit, not just in Scotland but at UK level.Going back

0:08:30 > 0:08:33to Dundee, speaking of the slight revival in the Labour fortunes, how

0:08:33 > 0:08:38much of an element of that is down to Jeremy Corbyn, do you think? He

0:08:38 > 0:08:41said in his speech yesterday that they are no longer a party of

0:08:41 > 0:08:50opposition at Westminster at least. A fan base, but it's a fan base

0:08:50 > 0:08:53within the Labour Party, whether it extends beyond that to wider

0:08:53 > 0:08:57supporters is an entirely different question.We have been talking here

0:08:57 > 0:09:03about the row about the single market membership. That has been

0:09:03 > 0:09:06unfortunate perhaps for Labour at their conference, when Richard

0:09:06 > 0:09:11Leonard, who will be speaking shortly, is trying to stamp his

0:09:11 > 0:09:16authority on the party.I don't think he would see it as stamping

0:09:16 > 0:09:20his authority, I think he would see it as being in tune with the

0:09:20 > 0:09:23position adopted by Jeremy Corbyn, who has been Eurosceptical at many

0:09:23 > 0:09:29points in the past. He campaigned for remain, but some felt he didn't

0:09:29 > 0:09:33campaign all that vigorously. He made a substantial point in his

0:09:33 > 0:09:37speech yesterday, saying that he believes there could be constraints

0:09:37 > 0:09:40on a socialist programme of government, socialist intervention

0:09:40 > 0:09:44in industry, nationalisation and state aid etc, and Kezia Dugdale was

0:09:44 > 0:09:49seeking to rebut that at the fringe, saying there was no evidence to say

0:09:49 > 0:09:54the EU would countermand the Labour Party manifesto. She pointed to

0:09:54 > 0:09:57state owned outfits in the railways in France, Germany and elsewhere.

0:09:57 > 0:10:01She didn't believe state aid would be blocked in the way Jeremy Corbyn

0:10:01 > 0:10:06was suggesting. She was arguing that leaving the single market would be

0:10:06 > 0:10:09catastrophic for employment. You have a very fundamental dispute that

0:10:09 > 0:10:14is taking place. It's taking place, of course, perhaps across fault

0:10:14 > 0:10:17lines that emerged during the leadership competition, that leads

0:10:17 > 0:10:21to a suggestion that it is a little more than just an argument about an

0:10:21 > 0:10:25individual issue. In that sense it could be factional, although I

0:10:25 > 0:10:29stress that Kezia Dugdale was adamant it was not the case. And

0:10:29 > 0:10:33Richard Leonard said he welcomes debate within the party.We should

0:10:33 > 0:10:36hear from Richard Leonard fairly soon. One final point on the Jeremy

0:10:36 > 0:10:40Corbyn speech yesterday. He said yesterday that they cannot be held

0:10:40 > 0:10:47back, inside or outside the EU from taking the steps they need to

0:10:47 > 0:10:49develop. He made a controversial point, according to some people, of

0:10:49 > 0:10:55preventing employers from importing cheap agency labour to undercut

0:10:55 > 0:11:00resident employment and that caused an argument.Kezia Dugdale Andy

0:11:00 > 0:11:07Murray picked up that at the fringe. -- and Ian Murray picked up on that,

0:11:07 > 0:11:09and they said the only person laughing at that would-be Nigel

0:11:09 > 0:11:14Farage and Ukip.We will pick up shortly with John Curtis in the

0:11:14 > 0:11:19studio. It caused quite a row, the comment Jeremy Corbyn made about

0:11:19 > 0:11:22importing cheap agency labour.It takes us to the heart of the

0:11:22 > 0:11:26argument about whether the UK will remain inside the single market or

0:11:26 > 0:11:29not. It's perfectly clear from the stands taken by the European Union

0:11:29 > 0:11:33that the only way we can remain in the single market, indeed probably

0:11:33 > 0:11:37the only way we can get so-called full access to the single market,

0:11:37 > 0:11:40the phrase the UK Labour Party has been using, is by accepting the

0:11:40 > 0:11:45provisions of freedom of movement, that EU citizens would be continued

0:11:45 > 0:11:51to allow to come to the UK to work without anyone else having a say so.

0:11:51 > 0:11:54That was a central issue of the referendum. It's undoubtedly a

0:11:54 > 0:12:01crucial issue that led to a narrow majority vote in favour of leave.

0:12:01 > 0:12:05Because the Labour Party knows that quite a significant proportion of

0:12:05 > 0:12:08its voters are concerned about immigration, therefore that is one

0:12:08 > 0:12:12of the reasons why Jeremy Corbyn is taking the stance that he is,

0:12:12 > 0:12:15because at the end of the day, he realises that single market

0:12:15 > 0:12:21membership means free movement. He has other concerns as well, but I

0:12:21 > 0:12:26think in truth that's the reason that was picked up. On the other

0:12:26 > 0:12:29hand, the Scottish Labour MEP Catherine Sterner said the Labour

0:12:29 > 0:12:35Party should stand up and argue in favour of the benefits of

0:12:35 > 0:12:38immigration and take a principled position. I suspect even a less

0:12:38 > 0:12:42Eurosceptic leader than Jeremy Corbyn might just respond, that's

0:12:42 > 0:12:48all well and dandy, but the truth is, I am hoping to win a UK Labour

0:12:48 > 0:12:51election sooner rather than later and to that extent at least I need

0:12:51 > 0:12:54to be aware that there is actually quite widespread concern about the

0:12:54 > 0:12:57levels of immigration in the UK has experienced in recent years and

0:12:57 > 0:13:01therefore I'm not quite sure whether I want to take such an exposed

0:13:01 > 0:13:06position on the issue as you suggest I should.John, Richard Leonard will

0:13:06 > 0:13:10be making his first conference speech as leader. But this is a

0:13:10 > 0:13:15party that is now in third place at Holyrood.It is in third place at

0:13:15 > 0:13:20Holyrood, still in third place in terms of the number of MPs that the

0:13:20 > 0:13:24party has at Westminster. And it's in third place in Scottish local

0:13:24 > 0:13:28government. To that extent at least, it has been a very difficult to

0:13:28 > 0:13:32years for the party. But at least in the wake of the June election, it

0:13:32 > 0:13:39began to turn things around. And by the way, it turned around well Kezia

0:13:39 > 0:13:42Dugdale was still leader, but that bit of history seems to have been

0:13:42 > 0:13:46rubbed out. But certainly Richard Leonard has inherited a party that

0:13:46 > 0:13:50at least has some chance of getting back into second place from the

0:13:50 > 0:13:54falls to third place it has recently experienced.We can go live to the

0:13:54 > 0:13:59Caird Hall in Dundee where we are about to hear from Richard Leonard,

0:13:59 > 0:14:03at least I think he was being introduced and we should go in very

0:14:03 > 0:14:09shortly to hear from him. Just being introduced by Maria Fyfe, a former

0:14:09 > 0:14:13Labour MP, and he will give a keynote address, the first time

0:14:13 > 0:14:17Richard Leonard will speak to the party in his position as Scottish

0:14:17 > 0:14:21Labour leader after winning.

0:14:21 > 0:14:25APPLAUSE

0:15:01 > 0:15:08Thanks, conference. Can I begin by saying just how humbling it is to be

0:15:08 > 0:15:13introduced by Maria and Susie? Maria represents everything great about

0:15:13 > 0:15:23the Scottish Labour Party and Suzy. Suzy represents everything great

0:15:23 > 0:15:29about the future of the Scottish Labour Party.

0:15:30 > 0:15:34Labour Party. Comrades and friends, it is wonderful to be back in

0:15:34 > 0:15:39Dundee, a city which has always been at the heart of the Labour movement

0:15:39 > 0:15:45in Scotland, from Mary Brooks back to Margaret Irwin. From Alexander

0:15:45 > 0:15:49Wilkie to the Timex workers, whose heroic struggle and bitter defeat

0:15:49 > 0:15:53exactly a quarter of a century ago we mark this year and we should

0:15:53 > 0:15:59never forget. Well, it has been a while, conference since we have seen

0:15:59 > 0:16:04a map of Scotland on our television screens covered in so much red as we

0:16:04 > 0:16:12did chewing the storm forecasts of last week. -- during the storm

0:16:12 > 0:16:15forecasts. APPLAUSE

0:16:15 > 0:16:18It is little wonder that Tories took one look and cancel their

0:16:18 > 0:16:24conference.

0:16:24 > 0:16:35conference. Well, let me say, at the very start this afternoon, that's my

0:16:35 > 0:16:39ambition, our aim, our task, is to paint that map of Scotland read

0:16:39 > 0:16:50again at the next election. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

0:16:50 > 0:16:58-- red. But the beast from the East served to reminders that in the

0:16:58 > 0:17:03teeth of adversity, Scotland is a country which puts community first,

0:17:03 > 0:17:08where people look out for their neighbours, for their friends and

0:17:08 > 0:17:12for their families. Conference that this is my first conference as your

0:17:12 > 0:17:20leader and I want to begin by banking Kezia for her leadership and

0:17:20 > 0:17:26technology during the most turbulent political times. -- banking. Kezia,

0:17:26 > 0:17:32I want to thank you will

0:17:35 > 0:17:40. I said when I stood that now is the time for real change, real

0:17:40 > 0:17:46change. And and for the Scottish Labour Party. This conference is a

0:17:46 > 0:17:50springboard for that change and I want to thank you all for the

0:17:50 > 0:17:57contributions you were making here this weekend. No one single person

0:17:57 > 0:18:01on their own can bring about the scale of transformational change

0:18:01 > 0:18:07that the people of Scotland need. We are the Labour Party and we do it

0:18:07 > 0:18:11together and we will stand or fall together as well.

0:18:11 > 0:18:14APPLAUSE

0:18:18 > 0:18:24So, let us unite and not simply for the sake of unity but Unite for the

0:18:24 > 0:18:30sake of renewed unity of purpose and for the sake of all of those people

0:18:30 > 0:18:35in all of those communities who don't just need a strong Labour

0:18:35 > 0:18:40opposition but who need a strong Scottish Labour government. And we

0:18:40 > 0:18:45need to be united now more than ever, precisely because our society

0:18:45 > 0:18:52is more deeply divided now more than ever. You know, over 40% of our old

0:18:52 > 0:18:58age pensioners are living in fuel poverty this winter, forced to

0:18:58 > 0:19:03choose between heating and eating. Many of us in this hall have

0:19:03 > 0:19:10relatives and neighbours making that decision every morning this winter.

0:19:10 > 0:19:16And I know, from the 20 years I've spent as the organiser of the GMB's

0:19:16 > 0:19:20type members section in Scotland, the harsh reality of what living

0:19:20 > 0:19:26from week to week in pensioner poverty really means. Now some of

0:19:26 > 0:19:30those pensioners are here at this conference today, like Jimmy Miller,

0:19:30 > 0:19:36still walked of the union and now a North Ayrshire Labour councillor. --

0:19:36 > 0:19:49aced all walked -- a stalwart. Sadly some are not here like Betty Worden,

0:19:49 > 0:19:55a Labour Party member in Springburn who just passed away a few days ago.

0:19:55 > 0:20:01We will miss her, I will miss her. But the best way to honour Betty's

0:20:01 > 0:20:13memory is to keep on fighting for the causes that she believed in.

0:20:13 > 0:20:16the causes that she believed in. So, I pledge today that I will keep on

0:20:16 > 0:20:20fighting for the eradication once and for all of pensioner poverty,

0:20:20 > 0:20:25for dignity in retirement and a new deal for Scotland's pensioners. I

0:20:25 > 0:20:30can give you this cast iron guarantee as well that this Labour

0:20:30 > 0:20:37Party will fight every inch of the way any move by the SNP to cut our

0:20:37 > 0:20:43concessionary travel scheme for the over 60s.

0:20:43 > 0:20:50APPLAUSE

0:20:50 > 0:20:58But it is not just our elderly who need Labour's support. The number of

0:20:58 > 0:21:03children growing up in poverty in Scotland is rising and the real

0:21:03 > 0:21:07scandal, the real scandal is that 70% of them are brought up in

0:21:07 > 0:21:13households where at least one adult is in work. All of this comes, all

0:21:13 > 0:21:20of this property comes, in the midst of plenty. In Scotland today, the

0:21:20 > 0:21:25richest 1% own more personal wealth than the whole of the poorest 50%

0:21:25 > 0:21:32put together. That should anger us as socialists but it should offend

0:21:32 > 0:21:38our sense of morality as a nation as well. I will tell you this, the rich

0:21:38 > 0:21:46are only so rich because the pool are so poor.

0:21:46 > 0:21:55are so poor. -- poor. So, it should jolt us into action because it is a

0:21:55 > 0:22:01sign of just how urgently we need to change the imbalance of wealth but

0:22:01 > 0:22:07also the imbalance of power in our economy. So, this really is no time

0:22:07 > 0:22:13to tinker around the edges. I tell you this, we cannot simply manage

0:22:13 > 0:22:18our way out of those great social and economic ills which confront us,

0:22:18 > 0:22:23any more than we, as a party, can simply manage our way back into

0:22:23 > 0:22:29power. So, this afternoon, I want to leave you with this message, that

0:22:29 > 0:22:35our party's mission under my leadership is not simply to secure a

0:22:35 > 0:22:44parent distribution of wealth from the existing economic system, it is

0:22:44 > 0:22:49to fundamentally change the existing economic system. -- a fairer

0:22:49 > 0:23:00distribution. APPLAUSE

0:23:00 > 0:23:06Because, I tell you, in Allston 70, that is the only way to end the

0:23:06 > 0:23:14stark inequality of wealth and power that confronts us in Scotland today.

0:23:14 > 0:23:17The Scottish Labour mission is to face the future and to bring about

0:23:17 > 0:23:25real change will stop real change to that system and its decaying values.

0:23:25 > 0:23:32Real change to that imbalance of power and the real change in the

0:23:32 > 0:23:34priorities of Scottish politics, with their new-found sense of

0:23:34 > 0:23:40urgency to give the people of Scotland hope out of despair.

0:23:40 > 0:23:46Conference, it is just over 100 days since I was elected leader of the

0:23:46 > 0:23:50Scottish Labour Party. I have used that time to pursue our goal of real

0:23:50 > 0:23:57and radical change in favour of the many. My very first act was to join

0:23:57 > 0:24:02the workers at the

0:24:03 > 0:24:07the workers at the gates of... It was a statement of intent about how

0:24:07 > 0:24:14we would act as a party and how we would act as a movement. If the

0:24:14 > 0:24:18Scottish Labour Party cannot support a group of workers in the fight of

0:24:18 > 0:24:21their lives for their jobs, what is our purpose?

0:24:21 > 0:24:29CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

0:24:37 > 0:24:41In my first week, I also stood shoulder to shoulder with

0:24:41 > 0:24:46firefighters who are lobbying Parliament to stop cuts, cuts to our

0:24:46 > 0:24:51Fire And Rescue Services. I have campaigned on the streets of town

0:24:51 > 0:24:55centres with capital at unite to oppose Royal Bank of Scotland branch

0:24:55 > 0:24:59closures and I joined picket lines to back university workers in their

0:24:59 > 0:25:06struggle to defend their pensions because, while we may challenge

0:25:06 > 0:25:09injustice in the Parliament, we will always challenge it on the streets

0:25:09 > 0:25:14of Scotland and in our workplaces as well because that is what we do and

0:25:14 > 0:25:19that is what I have done throughout my working life. There is one person

0:25:19 > 0:25:25in particular whose struggle I want to share with you. The very first

0:25:25 > 0:25:30employment tribunal case I pursued as a union organiser was an equal

0:25:30 > 0:25:36pay claim. Yvonne Trotter was the head chef at recitals dockyard. We

0:25:36 > 0:25:44discovered that she was being paid £2 an hour less than her major

0:25:44 > 0:25:55predecessor. We won her case.

0:25:55 > 0:25:58predecessor. We won her case. Yvonne then had to make a sex

0:25:58 > 0:26:03discrimination claim because, in pursuing equal pay, she was

0:26:03 > 0:26:07victimised and made redundant. We won her case.

0:26:07 > 0:26:14APPLAUSE

0:26:14 > 0:26:17And, incredibly, conference, not long afterwards, I had to represent

0:26:17 > 0:26:23Yvonne again in another equal pay claim because, in her very next job,

0:26:23 > 0:26:31she discovered that a male chef doing the same job was paid a higher

0:26:31 > 0:26:39hourly rate. That male chef incidentally was her husband, Dave.

0:26:39 > 0:26:48And we won her case again.

0:26:51 > 0:26:58But, you know a few weeks ago, I met up with Yvonne again for the first

0:26:58 > 0:27:03time in about 20 years. Thankfully this time she had no equal pay

0:27:03 > 0:27:18claims but she did tell me that she was a Waspi women. One of hundreds

0:27:18 > 0:27:23of thousands of women losing out financially because of unfair

0:27:23 > 0:27:31pension changes brought in by the Tories. Yet, she said to me, in a

0:27:31 > 0:27:39quieter moment when we met, she said, in the end, the fight goes out

0:27:39 > 0:27:44of you. But my message to Yvonne is the same now as it was the first

0:27:44 > 0:27:49time we met and it is the same message I sent out to all of those

0:27:49 > 0:27:56of you who are struggling out there. Do not give up, I will not give up.

0:27:56 > 0:28:03We, in this movement, will never give up fighting for you.

0:28:03 > 0:28:06APPLAUSE

0:28:20 > 0:28:27Because this Labour movement and this Labour Party was established to

0:28:27 > 0:28:31take on those fights, to fight injustice and win equality and that

0:28:31 > 0:28:35is what, under my leadership with renewed vitality and conviction we

0:28:35 > 0:28:41will do again.

0:28:41 > 0:28:48will do again. Because our job is to give people confidence. It is to

0:28:48 > 0:28:54raise hope and, sometimes, it is to overcome fear. That is what this

0:28:54 > 0:28:58movement does and that is what this party will do. Equality should be at

0:28:58 > 0:29:02the heart of everything we do and should be at the heart of all that

0:29:02 > 0:29:09we stand for. But there have been times when we have failed to live up

0:29:09 > 0:29:15to that simple and enduring value. As a result, we have let people

0:29:15 > 0:29:25down. So there are changes we need to make to our party. Black, Asian

0:29:25 > 0:29:28and minority ethnic members face a constant battle against

0:29:28 > 0:29:32discrimination and racism in their daily lives. They should not have to

0:29:32 > 0:29:39face it in our party. APPLAUSE

0:29:45 > 0:29:49So, I am delighted that conference has passed the interim report on how

0:29:49 > 0:29:58we will support our members, how we will not only

0:29:58 > 0:30:02will not only tackle -- have zero tolerance towards any harassment

0:30:02 > 0:30:07orders, nation that how we will also promote equality and diversity in

0:30:07 > 0:30:13our party because, when it comes to eradicating inequality, Scottish

0:30:13 > 0:30:21Labour will listen to all voices and we will act on educating our members

0:30:21 > 0:30:27and mobilising our movement. Conference...

0:30:29 > 0:30:34Conference, we have an old fight on our hands. Social ills we thought

0:30:34 > 0:30:39had been dealt with once and for all our back thanks to Tory austerity.

0:30:39 > 0:30:43The weather of the last few weeks has been atrocious. But for those of

0:30:43 > 0:30:50us in this hall we have, I expect, been lucky enough to close our doors

0:30:50 > 0:30:59and stay warm. Imagine not having that option. Imagine having to sleep

0:30:59 > 0:31:05rough on the streets, the streets of this city or any other, on a hard,

0:31:05 > 0:31:10frozen pavement, or in a shop doorway. Too many people in Scotland

0:31:10 > 0:31:14don't have to imagine it. Rough sleeping is all too real. But this

0:31:14 > 0:31:21party knows that it doesn't have to be this way. It was Labour in the

0:31:21 > 0:31:23Scottish Parliament that introduced world beating homelessness

0:31:23 > 0:31:29legislation. But through the years of Tory austerity and brutal welfare

0:31:29 > 0:31:34cuts, and the years of SNP complacency, rough sleeping is on

0:31:34 > 0:31:42the rise again. So tackling the scandal of homelessness, of rough

0:31:42 > 0:31:47sleeping, of soaring rents, of too few affordable homes, lies at the

0:31:47 > 0:31:52very heart of our plans to change Scotland. I have already secured a

0:31:52 > 0:31:55commitment from the Scottish Government to review not only the

0:31:55 > 0:32:00scale of rough sleeping in Scotland, but to consider at last a total ban

0:32:00 > 0:32:11on winter elections. -- winter evictions.

0:32:14 > 0:32:20And I can today announce that in parliament we have begun work to

0:32:20 > 0:32:30introduce a new rent restrictions act, a Mary Barbour law.

0:32:34 > 0:32:37act, a Mary Barbour law. To protect tenants and to control rents exactly

0:32:37 > 0:32:42as I pledged to do in my leadership campaign. The Mary Barbour law will

0:32:42 > 0:32:48regulate the private rented sector to ensure that no one, no one, is

0:32:48 > 0:32:53forced to rent a home that pushes them into poverty, or falls below

0:32:53 > 0:32:55the standards needed to protect their physical and mental

0:32:55 > 0:33:03well-being. I passionately believe that a home is a basic, fundamental

0:33:03 > 0:33:08human rights. APPLAUSE

0:33:13 > 0:33:19And that's why a future Scottish Labour government would ensure

0:33:19 > 0:33:25access to a safe, secure, habitable and affordable home. In my view,

0:33:25 > 0:33:30it's a government's obligation to the people to guarantee everyone,

0:33:30 > 0:33:35making sure everyone can exercise those rights to live in security, to

0:33:35 > 0:33:40live in peace, and to live in dignity. But in Scotland today,

0:33:40 > 0:33:43almost one in ten households are currently waiting for public

0:33:43 > 0:33:48housing. In this city of Dundee alone, over 7000 households are on

0:33:48 > 0:33:54the waiting list. When Scottish Labour was last in power we built

0:33:54 > 0:33:5961,000 homes for rent in Scotland. And when we gain power again, we

0:33:59 > 0:34:06will build again. Not only by funding local housing associations,

0:34:06 > 0:34:12not only by stimulating housing co-operatives, which we will do, but

0:34:12 > 0:34:24by restoring powers to local councils as well. APPLAUSE

0:34:28 > 0:34:33So, let me be clear, under a future Scottish Labour government, we will

0:34:33 > 0:34:43start building council houses again. APPLAUSE

0:34:46 > 0:34:52Building more public homes, tackling rip-off rents and agency fees, will

0:34:52 > 0:34:56create better homes for bringing up our children. It will reduce the

0:34:56 > 0:35:00cost pressures of housing, and it will provide a supply of sheltered

0:35:00 > 0:35:03housing too, which will be in growing demand with our ageing

0:35:03 > 0:35:09populations. And of course, building more houses means we can boost to

0:35:09 > 0:35:13local economies and generate local jobs. But we need it to be funded in

0:35:13 > 0:35:21an open and transparent way. Pension funds seek low-risk investments with

0:35:21 > 0:35:25reasonable return, making them perfect for long-term finance

0:35:25 > 0:35:30projects. Scottish local government pension funds hold £42 billion worth

0:35:30 > 0:35:35of assets. So investment in public housing is a logical next step. What

0:35:35 > 0:35:40is needed then is the political will to secure the economic

0:35:40 > 0:35:43transformation that Scotland's needs. And frankly, we are not

0:35:43 > 0:35:50prepared to wait until 2021 for real change. We are taking the fight to

0:35:50 > 0:35:54the SNP now. So we propose an anti-austerity budget, which would

0:35:54 > 0:36:01halt cuts to lifeline services. Invest in the NHS. Tackle child

0:36:01 > 0:36:06poverty by raising child benefit, and fully fund a pay rise for public

0:36:06 > 0:36:17sector workers, including those in local government. APPLAUSE

0:36:18 > 0:36:24Because, I tell you, public sector workers should stop paying the price

0:36:24 > 0:36:30for a crisis they did not create. APPLAUSE

0:36:35 > 0:36:39And this anti-austerity budget would be paid for by a social

0:36:39 > 0:36:44responsibility allowance, a tourist tax, a land value tax on vacant

0:36:44 > 0:36:51land, and, yes, by raising the top rate of income tax so those with the

0:36:51 > 0:36:54broadest shoulders bare the biggest burden. Because there is nothing

0:36:54 > 0:37:02wrong of the old socialist

0:37:02 > 0:37:08wrong of the old socialist visible, -- socialist

0:37:26 > 0:37:32they can also lead the way in the fight against poverty and inequality

0:37:32 > 0:37:36too. But they are starved of their resources, stripped of their powers

0:37:36 > 0:37:41and forced to shed their staff by this SNP government. In education

0:37:41 > 0:37:48alone, we have seen the cuts, cuts in teacher numbers, cuts in support

0:37:48 > 0:37:53staff members, and we have seen the rise of parents being asked to buy

0:37:53 > 0:37:56textbooks for their children. Even to fill teacher vacancies

0:37:56 > 0:38:03themselves. And we still have an abiding educational attainment gap

0:38:03 > 0:38:07that refuses to narrow, while the curriculum does just that, closing

0:38:07 > 0:38:13down our children's options. Labour would offer real change in our

0:38:13 > 0:38:18education service. Scotland needs a year-round, all age, flexible

0:38:18 > 0:38:23childcare system. It needs local councils to be able to protect

0:38:23 > 0:38:26education spending. It needs school teachers do feel respected and

0:38:26 > 0:38:30valued. It needs a college system that offers fully funded bursaries

0:38:30 > 0:38:36and financially supports students, instead of one which cuts student

0:38:36 > 0:38:42places in a move which, let me say, is frankly anti-working class.

0:38:42 > 0:38:52APPLAUSE

0:38:54 > 0:38:57And it needs a university education system which is based upon access

0:38:57 > 0:39:04according to merit, where there is no privilege gap. And where the

0:39:04 > 0:39:10poorest students no longer rack up the highest debts. Our three

0:39:10 > 0:39:15emergency services are also under attack from austerity. Our Scottish

0:39:15 > 0:39:18Fire and Rescue Service must have the resources it needs to keep

0:39:18 > 0:39:24people safe. And protecting people and keeping them safe should also be

0:39:24 > 0:39:31the priority for our police service. And Scottish Labour is clear, the

0:39:31 > 0:39:37role of the Scottish Ambulance Service as the appropriate to all

0:39:37 > 0:39:49medical emergency calls, must be maintained. APPLAUSE

0:39:51 > 0:39:56We have seen in just these last few weeks how much we depend on our

0:39:56 > 0:40:01emergency services. And once again, how much we depend on our national

0:40:01 > 0:40:05health service. Yet, in the last year, we have seen GP shortages

0:40:05 > 0:40:13rise. Nursing vacancies rocket, and Ward closures forced on local

0:40:13 > 0:40:18communities. That is why the Scottish budget we propose this year

0:40:18 > 0:40:23would have meant an extra £100 million for our NHS, and we know

0:40:23 > 0:40:29that represents money well invested. Invested in the doctors, nurses,

0:40:29 > 0:40:32expert health staff, porters, cleaners and catering staff as well.

0:40:32 > 0:40:36All of whom battled their way through snow and storms to make sure

0:40:36 > 0:40:42they were there to care for us when we needed them, and who would do the

0:40:42 > 0:40:47same day in, day out, night in, night out, so Scottish Labour says

0:40:47 > 0:40:54thanks to all of you. APPLAUSE

0:41:00 > 0:41:05But, you know, words of appreciation are not enough. And that is why we

0:41:05 > 0:41:10will fight to make sure that the pay rise our NHS workers deserve is paid

0:41:10 > 0:41:16up in full, and we will fight it sure it is not paid for by more cuts

0:41:16 > 0:41:21to NHS services. And that is why a Scottish Labour government will also

0:41:21 > 0:41:26move to cap the profits that private agencies make in our health service.

0:41:26 > 0:41:32Investing instead to attract and retain the staff that we need to

0:41:32 > 0:41:36benefit the patients as well as the workforce. And that is why we have

0:41:36 > 0:41:44set up a workforce commission led by my friend Anas Sarwar to find a

0:41:44 > 0:41:49long-term solution to the workforce crisis in our NHS. And behalf of

0:41:49 > 0:41:55this whole conference, I want to thank Anas for all his hard work on

0:41:55 > 0:42:01the National Health Service. APPLAUSE

0:42:10 > 0:42:14Conference, it is not just public sector wages which have stagnated

0:42:14 > 0:42:18and stalled. It is Scotland's whole economy. Which is growing three

0:42:18 > 0:42:25times slower than the rest of the UK. It is a low-wage and a low

0:42:25 > 0:42:29output economy. Built on the quicksand of precarious work,

0:42:29 > 0:42:36zero-hours contracts, agency work and umbrella companies. The SNP is

0:42:36 > 0:42:40complacent. They tell us the foundations of Scotland's economy

0:42:40 > 0:42:45remains strong. And short time fixed term contract work is what people

0:42:45 > 0:42:55want. But let me tell you about someone I know. Over the last 12

0:42:55 > 0:43:04months, he has worked in Grangemouth and was then made redundant. He then

0:43:04 > 0:43:11worked for an umbrella company laying pipes for Scottish water. He

0:43:11 > 0:43:22was paid off when the contract ended last spring. He finished last year

0:43:25 > 0:43:29working for but he was paid from their last month. During the last

0:43:29 > 0:43:33year, when he was out of work between contracts, he would

0:43:33 > 0:43:39sometimes drive a taxi. Scrimping and saving to make ends meet. His

0:43:39 > 0:43:44wife works, but they have a mortgage to pay, two kids, one still at

0:43:44 > 0:43:51school. So right now, he's back on the taxis. He is a hard worker, he

0:43:51 > 0:43:58wants to work, and he wants to find secure work. I know him because he's

0:43:58 > 0:44:05my brother-in-law. And his life is all too typical. Of what work is

0:44:05 > 0:44:14like for too many people in Tory Britain and SNP Scotland in 2018.

0:44:14 > 0:44:16APPLAUSE

0:44:27 > 0:44:34And that is why I am absolutely determined to bring about real

0:44:34 > 0:44:38change, to end this insecurity in the labour market. And it's also why

0:44:38 > 0:44:45I am angry. Angry about the callousness of the Tories, but angry

0:44:45 > 0:44:54as well about the complacency of the SNP.

0:44:56 > 0:45:02Our economy needs less market and more planning. Less short termism

0:45:02 > 0:45:06and more long-term, sustainable development. These issues have been

0:45:06 > 0:45:11with us for too long already. But they now assume a new urgency with

0:45:11 > 0:45:17Brexit. The Scottish parliament's primary purpose should always have

0:45:17 > 0:45:21been economic transformation. Tackling the underlying weaknesses

0:45:21 > 0:45:27of the Scottish economy. Not least, the massive growth in overseas

0:45:27 > 0:45:31ownership of our industry, which is now a third of our economy. But

0:45:31 > 0:45:37given Brexit, there must be redoubled and renewed sense of

0:45:37 > 0:45:47urgency. A new determination that we begin economic transformation now.

0:45:52 > 0:45:57There are still too many countries where there is no freedom of speech

0:45:57 > 0:46:02and no democracy, where trade unions are banned, where a conference like

0:46:02 > 0:46:06this would be illegal. These freedoms had to be fought for, so we

0:46:06 > 0:46:13should not treat them likely and so, by the same token, if there is a

0:46:13 > 0:46:20referendum, which we have agreed to, on terms and on a franchise which we

0:46:20 > 0:46:25have agreed to, then we have to accept the result of that

0:46:25 > 0:46:33referendum. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

0:46:38 > 0:46:42Because, in the end, we're not just socialists, we aren't democratic

0:46:42 > 0:46:48socialists. And I have to say this, but if it comes down to a choice

0:46:48 > 0:46:52between the sovereignty of the market and the sovereignty of the

0:46:52 > 0:46:56people, I choose the sovereignty of the people every time.

0:46:56 > 0:47:03APPLAUSE

0:47:08 > 0:47:11But, right now, we have on the one hand the Tory government which wants

0:47:11 > 0:47:16to turn its back on the single market of the European Union and an

0:47:16 > 0:47:20SNP government on the other, which wants to turn its back on the single

0:47:20 > 0:47:25market of the UK, which is worth four times as much to Scotland as

0:47:25 > 0:47:30the EU. So it is only the Labour Party which is proposing barrier

0:47:30 > 0:47:34free access to both and that is the position which Keir Starmer and

0:47:34 > 0:47:40Jeremy Corbyn have set out. Labour's six key tests must be at the heart

0:47:40 > 0:47:46of any deal put to the UK Parliament and Jeremy Corbyn is right on this

0:47:46 > 0:47:50as well, we must have a new customs union with our European neighbours,

0:47:50 > 0:47:55so wherever you stand that don't look back in anger, let's keep our

0:47:55 > 0:48:01options open, to get the best deal that we can for the future. And

0:48:01 > 0:48:04letters not forget either that it is with the shambolic Tory Party that

0:48:04 > 0:48:12the blame for Brexit lies. Their approach to negotiations is putting

0:48:12 > 0:48:17not only our economy but our country and even the devolution settlement

0:48:17 > 0:48:22itself in jeopardy because, here in Scotland, the SNP cynically uses

0:48:22 > 0:48:28that Tory shambles as a way to sow more division in its never ending

0:48:28 > 0:48:34quest for independence. It is only the Labour Party which stands as a

0:48:34 > 0:48:37ball walk against Scottish and British nationalism.

0:48:37 > 0:48:40APPLAUSE

0:48:48 > 0:48:54And, conference, let me be absolutely clear about this. If the

0:48:54 > 0:49:02Brexit deal is not right then Labour will vote down the deal. And let's

0:49:02 > 0:49:06get rid of this rotten Tory government. So, that is why, above

0:49:06 > 0:49:12all else, we must stay united because the United Kingdom needs a

0:49:12 > 0:49:15Labour government, it needs Jeremy Corbyn as Prime Minister and

0:49:15 > 0:49:23Scotland needs... CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

0:49:24 > 0:49:30And Scotland needs a Labour government and it needs a Labour

0:49:30 > 0:49:35First Minister. And let me tell you, conference, I am up for the job.

0:49:35 > 0:49:38CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

0:49:49 > 0:49:54But we will not wait for the next election, or indeed a referendum, to

0:49:54 > 0:49:59make the changes that Scotland's needs. Parliament gives us the

0:49:59 > 0:50:03democratic power to bring about change now. By bringing forward our

0:50:03 > 0:50:11own bills, we are already using that power. Just look at the work of

0:50:11 > 0:50:15Claudia Beamish, Herb Bill to ban onshore fracking in Scotland forced

0:50:15 > 0:50:20the Scottish Government to do just that, protecting the air we breathe,

0:50:20 > 0:50:27keep safe the water we drink and ensuring that we leave our planet

0:50:27 > 0:50:34better for future generations. Look at the work as well... Look at the

0:50:34 > 0:50:40work as well of James Kelly full stop his bill to repeal the

0:50:40 > 0:50:46unworkable and divisive football act will be passed by the Scottish

0:50:46 > 0:50:51Parliament next week.

0:50:55 > 0:50:59Parliament next week. Look at the work of Daniel Johnson, whose bill

0:50:59 > 0:51:03will protect shop workers and bar staff from violence and abuse when

0:51:03 > 0:51:09they are simply doing their jobs. And to look at the work of Monica

0:51:09 > 0:51:14Lennon, who just two days ago launched her bill to end period

0:51:14 > 0:51:21poverty in Scotland.

0:51:25 > 0:51:27poverty in Scotland. Just four members bills which will radically

0:51:27 > 0:51:33improve people's lives will stop and there is more. In the aftermath of

0:51:33 > 0:51:38the tragedy of the Grenfell Tower fire, David Stewart has launched a

0:51:38 > 0:51:43bill to ensure all new social housing is fitted with sprinklers.

0:51:43 > 0:51:49Mark Griffin has already secured government money to help parents who

0:51:49 > 0:51:52face stressful costs when visiting their premature babies in hospital

0:51:52 > 0:51:57gets some recompense. Jenny Marra has already announced her intention

0:51:57 > 0:52:03to bring forward a bill to end the fees in this city's hospital car

0:52:03 > 0:52:12parks. Neil Bibby's makes life are for tenants and protects jobs in

0:52:12 > 0:52:17Scotland's and be a reason and gives greater protection for consumers,

0:52:17 > 0:52:26also known as the nation's beer drinkers. Neil Findlay... Neil

0:52:26 > 0:52:31Findlay... CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

0:52:31 > 0:52:39Neil Findlay aims to prevent MSPs from holding second jobs were now

0:52:39 > 0:52:46supposed to be serving the people of Scotland. -- when they are supposed.

0:52:46 > 0:52:53CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

0:52:53 > 0:52:58So, to those who say the Labour Party cannot make real change while

0:52:58 > 0:53:03in opposition, I say you are wrong. Think how much more we could do if

0:53:03 > 0:53:08we were in government. Conference, Scottish Labour is also the only

0:53:08 > 0:53:12party which has developed an industrial strategy for Scotland.

0:53:12 > 0:53:17So, we don't just say we would spend a bit more on infrastructure or

0:53:17 > 0:53:22offer a few more subsidies to business, or simply that we would be

0:53:22 > 0:53:25a better management team that the SNP are running the economy,

0:53:25 > 0:53:31although I am sure that we would. We have a radical strategy which puts

0:53:31 > 0:53:38full employment at its heart, ending a decade of SNP complacency about

0:53:38 > 0:53:45real unemployment and ending in secure work. It recommends giving

0:53:45 > 0:53:49workers a statutory preferential right to buy an enterprise when it

0:53:49 > 0:53:55is put up for sale or facing closure. Why on earth shouldn't the

0:53:55 > 0:54:13people who create the worst own wealth they create? -- be wealth.

0:54:13 > 0:54:16It supports the development of co-operatives and would see the

0:54:16 > 0:54:23creation of a national energy company. In our industrial policy,

0:54:23 > 0:54:28we want to show people that, through a new approach to long-term

0:54:28 > 0:54:32investment by unleashing innovation and the ingenuity of working people,

0:54:32 > 0:54:38we can herald a renaissance in our manufacturing industries. We will

0:54:38 > 0:54:43seek out new forms, modern ways of Democratic planning in the economy.

0:54:43 > 0:54:50Our strategy will ensure that we stop once and for all, giving

0:54:50 > 0:54:55millions of pounds of public money in subsidies to exploitative tax

0:54:55 > 0:55:00avoiding companies like Amazon down the road in Dunfermline.

0:55:00 > 0:55:02APPLAUSE

0:55:08 > 0:55:14And we will ensure as well that we stop awarding billions of pounds of

0:55:14 > 0:55:19public procurement to companies which don't pay a living wage, which

0:55:19 > 0:55:24use zero-hour contracts and which blacklist workers. So, we meet in

0:55:24 > 0:55:29Dundee and we applaud the redevelopment on the waterfront. But

0:55:29 > 0:55:33we condemn the use of a blacklisted company to do it.

0:55:33 > 0:55:35CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

0:55:48 > 0:55:53We aren't the party of Labour, the party of work, the party of the

0:55:53 > 0:55:58trade unions. We are here to change society to its very economic

0:55:58 > 0:56:03foundations. Our vision has always been to build an economy which works

0:56:03 > 0:56:09for the people rather than simply people working for the economy. That

0:56:09 > 0:56:14is why we know that automation will be a test for us all. In the end, it

0:56:14 > 0:56:20is not the new challenge but an old one. It is the challenge of making

0:56:20 > 0:56:28sure that working people benefit from this fourth Industrial

0:56:29 > 0:56:35revolution and are not casualties of it. That is why we need to be

0:56:35 > 0:56:38reactive to economic crises. Scottish Labour is willing to

0:56:38 > 0:56:46intervene and plan and not rely on voluntary business pledges and the

0:56:46 > 0:56:51invisible hand of the market. We believe trade unions have a huge

0:56:51 > 0:57:04task in not only defending members but planning the economy.

0:57:05 > 0:57:10Scottish Labour is the party of jobs and industry. We are the party of

0:57:10 > 0:57:15cooperative development and, yes, we are the party of public ownership as

0:57:15 > 0:57:21well. APPLAUSE

0:57:21 > 0:57:28We believe in an economy as well as a political system, which is of the

0:57:28 > 0:57:34people, by the people and for the people. The mess we have seen with

0:57:34 > 0:57:40the collapse of Carillion confirms that private contractors carrying

0:57:40 > 0:57:44out public contracts exposes too big a risk to our public services. They

0:57:44 > 0:57:50should never be allowed to happen again. So, let me assure you that

0:57:50 > 0:57:55our starting point in Scottish Labour is to insure that our public

0:57:55 > 0:58:01services are there to serve the Scottish public, not to balance the

0:58:01 > 0:58:06sheets -- finance the balance sheets of wealthy absent shareholders. That

0:58:06 > 0:58:13is why I am pleased to report that we will take Scotland's trade

0:58:13 > 0:58:18services back into public ownership at the earliest opportunity.

0:58:20 > 0:58:25APPLAUSE

0:58:33 > 0:58:36De privatising public services and developing public ownership is a

0:58:36 > 0:58:42radical change but it will be a Labour change and it will be a

0:58:42 > 0:58:46popular change. Conference, I tell you why it is vital we need to make

0:58:46 > 0:58:52this radical change. There are grassroots campaigns in this city

0:58:52 > 0:58:56and across Tayside, trying to improve mental health services. This

0:58:56 > 0:59:08morning I spoke to fill Welsh. Phil and his wife, Lesley, have set up a

0:59:08 > 0:59:11website dedicated to their son, Lee, who tragically took his own life on

0:59:11 > 0:59:17the 8th of August last year. Phil told me this morning that Lee and

0:59:17 > 0:59:24George Poor mental health on and off for over nine years. -- enjoyed poor

0:59:24 > 0:59:29mental health. This city of Dundee has a high level of suicides. It is

0:59:29 > 0:59:34the biggest killer of young men in the cities of that that is why today

0:59:34 > 0:59:38I am backing the campaign of an urgent review of mental health

0:59:38 > 0:59:44services here in Tayside. APPLAUSE

0:59:50 > 0:59:55Mental health services need to be put on a stable, financial footing

0:59:55 > 1:00:02and front-loaded investment is needed in prevention services. Put

1:00:02 > 1:00:07simply, more funding is needed. So, here is a suggestion. Why don't you

1:00:07 > 1:00:14simply call a halt to the racking up of extortionate PFI debts which push

1:00:14 > 1:00:20local services to the brink and invest them instead in local, mental

1:00:20 > 1:00:26health services? Take Tayside locally here. £13 million is spent

1:00:26 > 1:00:31on two private finance contracts for mental health facilities which are

1:00:31 > 1:00:37simply not delivering for the people who need them. One contract has

1:00:37 > 1:00:42another nine years to run and is estimated to cost £3 million each

1:00:42 > 1:00:49year. The contract for mental health facilities at the Murray Royal and

1:00:49 > 1:00:53other hospitals is expected to pay out over £300 million over the next

1:00:53 > 1:00:5825 years. From speaking to campaigners, they agree that there

1:00:58 > 1:01:03is no time to lose. This is literally a matter of life and

1:01:03 > 1:01:10death. So, I pledge today, under my leadership, Scottish Labour will go

1:01:10 > 1:01:14into the next Holyrood election committed to signing no new private

1:01:14 > 1:01:19finance deals. APPLAUSE

1:01:27 > 1:01:34At a time when the public sector is facing so many budget cuts, it is

1:01:34 > 1:01:41unjust that private companies through PFI, and, yes, through the

1:01:41 > 1:01:45SNP's schemes are raking off millions of pounds in profits. These

1:01:45 > 1:01:50contracts do not provide value for money. So we will go further. We

1:01:50 > 1:01:56will also explore how to bring back in-house existing contracts, and we

1:01:56 > 1:02:00will develop alternative public sector models for funding which will

1:02:00 > 1:02:05save the public money, improve services, and drive up the working

1:02:05 > 1:02:09conditions of those people delivering those public services.

1:02:09 > 1:02:16APPLAUSE

1:02:16 > 1:02:21And the same goes for our social care services. While our NHS has

1:02:21 > 1:02:26helped people to live longer, we have seen a growing reliance on

1:02:26 > 1:02:31private providers, caring for our elderly. But our vision, to

1:02:31 > 1:02:35transform social care, to meet the needs of the future, means we cannot

1:02:35 > 1:02:41rely on the market. Already, private providers are withdrawing, and that

1:02:41 > 1:02:47is why we now need real change in social care. Including the

1:02:47 > 1:02:52socialisation of its ownership. Because that way lies greater

1:02:52 > 1:02:56accountability and the better planning of these services. The care

1:02:56 > 1:03:02home sector in Scotland is also in crisis. Significant reforms are now

1:03:02 > 1:03:08needed. Demand is rising. But because of SNP cuts, council budgets

1:03:08 > 1:03:14are being squeezed and the system is close to collapse. In my view, in

1:03:14 > 1:03:19most cases, local councils themselves may well be the best

1:03:19 > 1:03:30provider for this care. APPLAUSE

1:03:30 > 1:03:35So I want to make clear today, Scottish Labour's policy going

1:03:35 > 1:03:42forward will not just be to support the principle of integrated health

1:03:42 > 1:03:47and social care, it would be to put that principle into practice, so we

1:03:47 > 1:03:49will prioritise bringing care contracts back into our local

1:03:49 > 1:03:59authorities. APPLAUSE And for the avoidance of doubt, that

1:03:59 > 1:04:06means bringing back care staff, back into local council employment too.

1:04:06 > 1:04:11APPLAUSE

1:04:13 > 1:04:21Our vision for Scotland's care services means we will invest in

1:04:21 > 1:04:26making social care profession, with a career path, and a decent wage, to

1:04:26 > 1:04:30recognise the value of this critical work. And we will make it a public

1:04:30 > 1:04:35service. We will make it a public service with a real future.

1:04:35 > 1:04:43Underpinned by our commitment to build a caring society. So the

1:04:43 > 1:04:50Labour Party's job is today, as it has always been, to set out new

1:04:50 > 1:04:58Horizons, to awaken ideas, to raise consciences, to give people hope

1:04:58 > 1:05:04again. And as we look to the future, the fight ahead to win power demands

1:05:04 > 1:05:11our maximum unity and solidarity. But let us be sustained by the

1:05:11 > 1:05:17vision of the society which we are determined to achieve. We want to

1:05:17 > 1:05:23remove the fear of poverty for good. Tackle persistent unemployment by

1:05:23 > 1:05:30building a full employment economy. Tackle climate change, humanity's

1:05:30 > 1:05:34greatest challenge. Provide decent homes, end rough sleeping. Give

1:05:34 > 1:05:39dignity in retirement to the old. Give opportunities and new horizons

1:05:39 > 1:05:45to De Jong and bring about a renaissance in public ownership. --

1:05:45 > 1:05:49to De Jong. We want to set out to the people of Scotland the biggest

1:05:49 > 1:05:52programme of social and economic reform in the history of the

1:05:52 > 1:06:04Scottish Parliament. -- to the young. APPLAUSE

1:06:04 > 1:06:09So let us rededicate ourselves to our cause of aquatic socialism. Let

1:06:09 > 1:06:15us do it with a mixture of old idealism and new energy. Let us

1:06:15 > 1:06:19gather our strength, let us reinvigorate our own supporters, and

1:06:19 > 1:06:25letters new members into our party, by leading with conviction, putting

1:06:25 > 1:06:30forward our principles and our faith. By being distinctively

1:06:30 > 1:06:35Labour, by being confident Labour, by being principal Labour.

1:06:35 > 1:06:40Reawakening hope again, and let us be proud to say, that in our time,

1:06:40 > 1:06:46in our generation, we help to build a better future by being true to our

1:06:46 > 1:06:52radical roots. Because if we do that working together, nothing and no one

1:06:52 > 1:07:02can stop us. Thank you very much. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

1:07:06 > 1:07:10STUDIO: A standing ovation for Richard Leonard, the Scottish Labour

1:07:10 > 1:07:15leader, as the end of his conference address, delivered at the Caird Hall

1:07:15 > 1:07:19in Dundee. He said he wanted to paint the map of Scotland red again

1:07:19 > 1:07:23at the next election. He spoke about a new Rent Restrctions Act, a Mary

1:07:23 > 1:07:28Barbour law, to protect tenants. He called on delegates to keep their

1:07:28 > 1:07:32options open when it came to the single market membership, not to

1:07:32 > 1:07:38look back in anger. He saw Labour as a bulwark against Scottish and

1:07:38 > 1:07:42British nationalism, and called on people to be united. He spoke about

1:07:42 > 1:07:47public ownership of services and also at the end talked about the

1:07:47 > 1:07:53biggest... Wanting the biggest reform in the history of Hollywood.

1:07:53 > 1:07:58The biggest programme of social and economic reform in the history of

1:07:58 > 1:08:01the Scottish parliament. Richard Leonard taking his applause. I'm

1:08:01 > 1:08:05joined in the studio by Professor John Curtis, and as we watch these

1:08:05 > 1:08:09pictures, what's your initial reaction to the speech?Two crucial

1:08:09 > 1:08:14like a notice to the speech, won the more obvious one, is that this is

1:08:14 > 1:08:24very much traditional Labour. -- two leitmotifs. He said public services

1:08:24 > 1:08:29matter, health and education will stop welfare systems matter. A

1:08:29 > 1:08:32reference in particular to pensioners. And we also need to make

1:08:32 > 1:08:38sure we have people properly housed. Clearly above all saying, I believe

1:08:38 > 1:08:41in trade unions, I believe in planning the economy and the public

1:08:41 > 1:08:45sector. A very traditional Labour message. Two bits of it will

1:08:45 > 1:08:49particularly stand out for people as it this story. The first is the

1:08:49 > 1:08:53suggestion that a future Scottish Labour government might try to end

1:08:53 > 1:08:57the existing PFI contracts that are in place for the delivery of some

1:08:57 > 1:09:01hospital services, and the other, that we should move away from the

1:09:01 > 1:09:06system whereby for the most part social care in Scotland is provided

1:09:06 > 1:09:10by private sector organisations, albeit paid for in many cases by the

1:09:10 > 1:09:13state, but this should also now be a care service provided by the public

1:09:13 > 1:09:18sector. Those are certainly two fairly dramatic ideas if they were

1:09:18 > 1:09:24to be introduced. The first leitmotif is the more obvious one,

1:09:24 > 1:09:30anyone who remembers Labour speeches of 15 or 20 years ago, this is very

1:09:30 > 1:09:34different. The second leitmotif is very different, a call for unity. In

1:09:34 > 1:09:39part, a call for unity, I want my party to be behind this message,

1:09:39 > 1:09:42perhaps a more radical message than some of them membership had

1:09:42 > 1:09:45previously been used it. And also Blaine Gabbert quite openly that the

1:09:45 > 1:09:50other reason he wanted unity, particularly not least on the issue

1:09:50 > 1:09:56of Brexit. -- and also laying out quite openly... . The Labour Party

1:09:56 > 1:10:00hopes that by staying united but by remaining flexible on the prospect

1:10:00 > 1:10:04of Brexit, that back in Westminster, Labour might be able to bring the

1:10:04 > 1:10:07Conservative government is down over the Brexit issue. He was quite open

1:10:07 > 1:10:11about this. It was interesting, don't upset the apple cart now,

1:10:11 > 1:10:15don't get into an internal party row about Brexit among other things,

1:10:15 > 1:10:20because actually, it may be that in the ensuing months, if indeed Brexit

1:10:20 > 1:10:23goes pear shaped for the Conservatives, we might be able to

1:10:23 > 1:10:27gain power. What he said two people, keep your options open, when it

1:10:27 > 1:10:34comes to things like single market membership. He said clearly about

1:10:34 > 1:10:36democratic socialism, and therefore we have to respect the result of the

1:10:36 > 1:10:42referendum. As the Labour Party has been saying pretty much since the

1:10:42 > 1:10:46referendum, we keep options open. So we might be willing to join the

1:10:46 > 1:10:51single market, but maybe we won't. Perhaps the living the Labour Party

1:10:51 > 1:10:56has so far done is to commit itself to a customs union but not the

1:10:56 > 1:11:01customs union. And it's a customs union that would require the

1:11:01 > 1:11:05European Union to negotiate with the UK as an equal partner, including

1:11:05 > 1:11:09two future free-trade deals with other countries. I think many people

1:11:09 > 1:11:13think that's a pretty big ask. But it means for the most part the

1:11:13 > 1:11:17Labour Party, in a sense, is basically not nailing its colours

1:11:17 > 1:11:22any more to the mast and it feels it needs to. Partly, it needs to be

1:11:22 > 1:11:26said early on because it knows voters are divided on the subject.

1:11:26 > 1:11:30Is not to look back in anger and heal those divisions, as he said,

1:11:30 > 1:11:34and as you pointed out, to accept the result of the referendum. Former

1:11:34 > 1:11:38Scottish leader Kezia Dugdale was clearly not clapping, sitting with

1:11:38 > 1:11:41her hands like this.That was clearly one of the camera moments

1:11:41 > 1:11:46that might get replayed. It was an indication that in truth, despite

1:11:46 > 1:11:49his best efforts, Brexit is in truth an issue that divides the Labour

1:11:49 > 1:11:55Party. He might perhaps have been wise to not refer to it. After all,

1:11:55 > 1:11:59this is not his issue. At the end of the day, it's an issue that we will

1:11:59 > 1:12:04be decided by the UK level Labour Party in London. Perhaps he should

1:12:04 > 1:12:08have focus just on his domestic agenda. But one of the intriguing

1:12:08 > 1:12:12things about Richard Leonard's speech, even on the domestic agenda,

1:12:12 > 1:12:15he is not always somebody who demonstrate a high degree of

1:12:15 > 1:12:21sensitivity between reserved and devolved issues. Some issues on

1:12:21 > 1:12:24regulating labour market or improving the position of

1:12:24 > 1:12:27pensioners, at least probably requires work done by the UK

1:12:27 > 1:12:30Government at Westminster for sub it's not entirely clear that the

1:12:30 > 1:12:33Scottish Government on its own has the power to deliver some of the

1:12:33 > 1:12:37ideas that he has in mind.John, thank you for just now forced upon

1:12:37 > 1:12:40them go back to the conference all in Dundee where we joined once again

1:12:40 > 1:12:44by political editor Brian Taylor. You have some guests there. Your

1:12:44 > 1:12:50initial reaction to the speech?I was struck by the nature of the

1:12:50 > 1:12:53speech. The straightforward Socialist appeal, and then linking

1:12:53 > 1:12:58it as well, as John said, to the pitch for unity over Brexit. We will

1:12:58 > 1:13:02be discussing that right now with two senior members of the party. We

1:13:02 > 1:13:08are hoping a third will join us, a little late. Anas Sarwar, you got a

1:13:08 > 1:13:13name check and praise. You must be pleased.I wasn't the only one.He

1:13:13 > 1:13:18did go through a list. The message is commonly talked about a real

1:13:18 > 1:13:22change to the economic system that in practice. What is meant by that?

1:13:22 > 1:13:27What Richard set out today was not just his passion and values, but the

1:13:27 > 1:13:32ideas of why we need a Labour First Minister and government. Using a

1:13:32 > 1:13:36progressive tax system, take from those who can afford it.What does a

1:13:36 > 1:13:39real change to the economic system mean in practice?Looking at the

1:13:39 > 1:13:43model we have at the moment, it doesn't work for working people. In

1:13:43 > 1:13:46means putting more things in hands of the public, public ownership is a

1:13:46 > 1:13:50big part of that, financing and resourcing public services, taking

1:13:50 > 1:13:54money from those at the top and using it to reduce poverty and

1:13:54 > 1:13:58invest in public services. It's a bold idea from the speech.Claire

1:13:58 > 1:14:03Baker, we had 12 pages on the proposals. I readily concede that

1:14:03 > 1:14:06there was a lot of detail that only one paragraph on tax raising,

1:14:06 > 1:14:10referring to various options. The Scottish Government in the coming

1:14:10 > 1:14:14year are raising an additional 219 million from income tax was that how

1:14:14 > 1:14:17much extra indexation will be required to fund this programme?We

1:14:17 > 1:14:21recently had the budget bill passed in Parliament, and we've brought

1:14:21 > 1:14:25forward radical proposals. I think Richard's message today is how do we

1:14:25 > 1:14:30use the Scottish parliament. That Parliament has been in existence

1:14:30 > 1:14:32since 1999 and the current government are showing a lack of

1:14:32 > 1:14:39ambition.You're talking about extra spending? Renationalisation of the

1:14:39 > 1:14:42railways and social care being brought into social ownership. How

1:14:42 > 1:14:46much extra taxation would be required to fund that?I think it's

1:14:46 > 1:14:50all achievable within the powers we have in Parliament. Richard is

1:14:50 > 1:14:53setting out today the ambition and ideas we have.I'm not hearing a

1:14:53 > 1:15:00number.If you look at our budget proposals this year, it was fully

1:15:00 > 1:15:06funded and tax proposals.I'm not hearing a figure.What Richard is

1:15:06 > 1:15:09not setting out today is what the manifesto budget programme will be

1:15:09 > 1:15:12in five years' time and it would be wrong for him to do that. He is

1:15:12 > 1:15:16setting out what he believes the fundamental principles behind the

1:15:16 > 1:15:19platform he would seek to stand on to have a Labour First Minister

1:15:19 > 1:15:24Scottish Government. It would be a fully funded manifesto.How would

1:15:24 > 1:15:28you stimulate the economy if you impose tax on tourism and increasing

1:15:28 > 1:15:33tax?On the tourism tax, I represent a Glasgow constituency. That's a

1:15:33 > 1:15:39city that would want to introduce a tourism tax and it would impact in

1:15:39 > 1:15:42terms of taking advantage of the great tourism we have in our city

1:15:42 > 1:15:46and use it to invest in public services. Glasgow is becoming a part

1:15:46 > 1:15:50of the conference agenda across the EU. Conferences are coming to

1:15:50 > 1:15:54Glasgow. We could use those resources to have the tourism tax

1:15:54 > 1:16:01and the capacity in hotels to fund public services.

1:16:01 > 1:16:06It is also a tax that has come across Europe. I met another big

1:16:06 > 1:16:14thing about hands and -- housing. Some might argue that rent controls

1:16:14 > 1:16:18would deter landlords from entering the system for the unit have to be

1:16:18 > 1:16:24entirely dependent on social provision.I think we are looking at

1:16:24 > 1:16:31a row can housing system within Scotland. There is also an element

1:16:31 > 1:16:37of exploitation in that sector. He Richard is proposing fairness and

1:16:37 > 1:16:45transparency in that sector.On the subject of PFI schemes, PPP and

1:16:45 > 1:16:50later became to you has had also surprises to try and avoid the name.

1:16:50 > 1:16:54Labour implemented it to some extent let's forget that. He is talking

1:16:54 > 1:16:58about trying to missile from existing contracts?If you look at

1:16:58 > 1:17:02the amount of money that PFI contracts are costing us every year

1:17:02 > 1:17:08and how that money would be better spent of course there is concern

1:17:08 > 1:17:11about the tens of millions of pounds if not hundreds of millions of

1:17:11 > 1:17:18pounds that could be spent on public services.How could you get out of

1:17:18 > 1:17:21the contracts?With interest rates being low we could buy them back and

1:17:21 > 1:17:26invest that money in public services.The speech talked about

1:17:26 > 1:17:30taking things into public ownership. With that the market value or under

1:17:30 > 1:17:45market value?It is hilarious we have setup an agenda and

1:17:46 > 1:17:49have setup an agenda and have powers within Parliament to discuss within

1:17:49 > 1:17:52legislation to radically change Scotland for the back is what

1:17:52 > 1:17:58Richard was arguing for today.With the railways, when the contract

1:17:58 > 1:18:02comes up, we have an opportunity to pose a public sector bid. That would

1:18:02 > 1:18:06not cost the taxpayer and expects. When the contract comes up with

1:18:06 > 1:18:10being a place to bid for the contract.Thank you both very much

1:18:10 > 1:18:16for discussing the speech and back to the studio.Let's just pick up on

1:18:16 > 1:18:20that point that Brian was trying to winkle out from the guests when it

1:18:20 > 1:18:27comes to funding. How do you think Labour could fund this? Anas Sarwar

1:18:27 > 1:18:31was pointing out this is not a fully funded manifested that there are

1:18:31 > 1:18:40some expensive promises. One is about bringing back the railways

1:18:40 > 1:18:45into public ownership.The immediate question will be how we will fund

1:18:45 > 1:18:51it. Doubtless this will be an issue pursued by the Labour Party. It is

1:18:51 > 1:18:56par for the course and this is a relatively early stage in the

1:18:56 > 1:19:03Scottish Parliament. They will not put money... Something which Mr

1:19:03 > 1:19:08Lennon has in mind. The railways have franchises. When that comes to

1:19:08 > 1:19:13an end you can get a public sector company to run the railways. The

1:19:13 > 1:19:17infrastructure is already run by the public sector. There will

1:19:17 > 1:19:20undoubtedly be arguments about whether or not, for example, putting

1:19:20 > 1:19:25social care of something which is run by the public sector as opposed

1:19:25 > 1:19:29to being provided primarily by the private sector will not be more

1:19:29 > 1:19:32expensive. There will be arguments about that and arguments about

1:19:32 > 1:19:38whether or not it will be possible to buy in the PFI contracts and

1:19:38 > 1:19:43raise money. There will be questions about this. Not all of what he has

1:19:43 > 1:19:48in mind is about spending more money, as opposed to regulating the

1:19:48 > 1:19:53market. For example with regards to workers' rights and his plans for

1:19:53 > 1:19:57private sector rentals may not cost the state of great deal of what is

1:19:57 > 1:20:03interesting about the pitch, one of the things that seems to happen

1:20:03 > 1:20:06before the end of the general election in Scotland last year, this

1:20:06 > 1:20:10message, as articulated by Jeremy Corbyn, began to enable the Labour

1:20:10 > 1:20:15Party to win over the left-wing support of the SNP. The word that

1:20:15 > 1:20:19Jeremy Corbyn used a lot was hope. There seems to be some evidence that

1:20:19 > 1:20:23this kind of pitch helped the Labour Party to win over some of the

1:20:23 > 1:20:28younger supporters in the SNP who have been inspired by the idea of

1:20:28 > 1:20:31independence. What Mr Leonard will be hoping, as opposed to the

1:20:31 > 1:20:36different

1:20:39 > 1:20:41different vision of the Scottish economy that we might have to win

1:20:41 > 1:20:43the voters over, they'll be less infused about the idea of

1:20:43 > 1:20:45independence. Some progress by Labour on that front and a lot more

1:20:45 > 1:20:49to be made. The potential downside along the way is the quite

1:20:49 > 1:20:55substantial body, around one in four of the people who voted Labour in

1:20:55 > 1:20:592015 switched to the Conservatives by 2017 primarily because of a

1:20:59 > 1:21:03constitutional issue. Even though he might be at it into SNP support with

1:21:03 > 1:21:09this message, you could also lose votes with the Conservatives.Back

1:21:09 > 1:21:14to Brian in the conference hall. A bit more about Brexit now, I think.

1:21:14 > 1:21:19Quite a bit more. You heard from Richard Leonard on the subject of

1:21:19 > 1:21:26Brexit, appealing for unity and an open mind. The European debate, the

1:21:26 > 1:21:29conference here, will actually take place tomorrow. Jeremy Corbyn said

1:21:29 > 1:21:35he would not be happy to signing up to opposed Brexit arrangement with

1:21:35 > 1:21:39the European Union if it involves constraint on his socialist

1:21:39 > 1:21:50programme of state ownership and state eight. That is a aid. It was

1:21:50 > 1:21:54believed membership of the single market was the way to maintain jobs

1:21:54 > 1:21:58and working rights. The honest debate that Richard Leonard called

1:21:58 > 1:22:04for is under way and I am joined by two very senior participants in that

1:22:04 > 1:22:10debate. Thank you both very much. Iain Murray spoke at the fringe

1:22:10 > 1:22:13meeting at Kezia Dugdale talking about what was needed to pursue the

1:22:13 > 1:22:18case for a single market being to convince the Labour front bench.

1:22:18 > 1:22:21Jeremy Corbyn does not sound convinced was he seems to think it

1:22:21 > 1:22:26was a block thwarting his ambitions for a socialist agenda.What I want

1:22:26 > 1:22:32to do is for the front bench of the Labour Party to have a position of

1:22:32 > 1:22:37the least worst option. Also I have said regularly in Parliament, and to

1:22:37 > 1:22:41the public in public forums, whether you agreed to the single market in

1:22:41 > 1:22:47the customs union, in a very good speech great Richard said that we

1:22:47 > 1:22:52should keep all options open. The least worst option, if and when

1:22:52 > 1:22:57really the European Union is to remain members of the single market

1:22:57 > 1:23:02and the customs union. The Labour Party wrote its manifested in June

1:23:02 > 1:23:07of 2017 whilst we were still members of the European Union and it is

1:23:07 > 1:23:11still deliverable.What is the anxiety in the minds of Jeremy

1:23:11 > 1:23:13Corbyn and presumably yours about the constraints they could be upon

1:23:13 > 1:23:19your programme?It is good to speak to you, especially after such a

1:23:19 > 1:23:23fantastic speech from Richard Leonard. Full of content and great

1:23:23 > 1:23:28delivery. That is the focus for me today, on that. We move on to the

1:23:28 > 1:23:33debate about Brexit tomorrow, which I am looking forward to. The party

1:23:33 > 1:23:37has a very good position in relation to where we are in the Brexit

1:23:37 > 1:23:43debate. Keir Starmer has performed fantastically well. He has clearly

1:23:43 > 1:23:47put us into a place where a bad deal will not be supported by the Labour

1:23:47 > 1:23:51Party when the vote comes through Parliament.To take the argument of

1:23:51 > 1:23:57people like Kezia Dugdale that membership of the single market is

1:23:57 > 1:24:00required to protect jobs and workers' rights?That is a problem.

1:24:00 > 1:24:09We had a referendum and the decision of the people was to leave the EU.

1:24:09 > 1:24:13We cannot be in existing single market if we are outside. I think

1:24:13 > 1:24:19access to that marketers what we want full want a tariff free area is

1:24:19 > 1:24:28needed to trading. -- what we want- we want a tariff free area. The

1:24:28 > 1:24:33least worst option is the single market and customs union.Jeremy

1:24:33 > 1:24:37Corbyn has said that is not compatible.Norway is in the single

1:24:37 > 1:24:42market but it is not a member of the European Union and Turkey is in the

1:24:42 > 1:24:46customs union but it is not a member of the European Union. They should

1:24:46 > 1:24:54try to stay in the customs union for jobs and trading and harmonisation

1:24:54 > 1:24:58issues. We should grab this by both hands.The reality is that Norway

1:24:58 > 1:25:04and Turkey are not for members with voting rights and they are law

1:25:04 > 1:25:09takers, in effect. It is a very different situation. We are not

1:25:09 > 1:25:14comparing the same economies. The Norwegian economy is much smaller

1:25:14 > 1:25:19than the UK. We need a deal that is ripe for the UK and we can do that

1:25:19 > 1:25:23by negotiating access to the single market and by having a tariff free

1:25:23 > 1:25:27area in the customs union.Jeremy Corbyn said yesterday he would not

1:25:27 > 1:25:33allow the Labour programme to be underlined by what he described as

1:25:33 > 1:25:37low-cost agency workers being imported into the UK.You took

1:25:37 > 1:25:41exception to that. We should not scapegoat immigrants but deal with

1:25:41 > 1:25:45the problem of employers bringing in cheap Labour to the country and

1:25:45 > 1:25:49undermining Labour laws. I think the choice of language in the

1:25:49 > 1:25:57immigration debate has to be very carefully chosen.Do you think Nigel

1:25:57 > 1:26:02Farage would be laughing at that? That is the way it is being

1:26:02 > 1:26:06portrayed. Migration is great for this country and we need it for our

1:26:06 > 1:26:14public services. It must be dealt with and kept healthy by migrants in

1:26:14 > 1:26:17the NHS and they are likely to use the NHS. In France they want to deal

1:26:17 > 1:26:21with some of these issues but it must be done within the European

1:26:21 > 1:26:27Union.The idea that Jeremy, who represents Islington, probably a

1:26:27 > 1:26:31constituency that is an absolute melting pot of different cultures

1:26:31 > 1:26:36can someone who is married to a Mexican woman would be a scapegoat

1:26:36 > 1:26:42on migrants is completely wrong. What he was doing is showing how bad

1:26:42 > 1:26:44employers have been exploiting migrants coming into the country and

1:26:44 > 1:26:48that is a very important point in a particularly for the Labour Party

1:26:48 > 1:26:52and the Labour movement because I want workers to have the same terms

1:26:52 > 1:26:56and conditions and same protections and that is what Jeremy was

1:26:56 > 1:27:01highlighting.Are you still open to single market membership?That is

1:27:01 > 1:27:05very difficult in relation to the acceptance of the referendum but

1:27:05 > 1:27:10that will have a good debate tomorrow. The whole situation over

1:27:10 > 1:27:17these negotiations is very fluid.Do you think you can win the market for

1:27:17 > 1:27:21single market membership?You cannot satisfy the six tests set by Keir

1:27:21 > 1:27:26Starmer.Thank you very much indeed. Thank you very much for that in

1:27:26 > 1:27:31Dundee. There are still joined in the studio by Sir John Curtis. Your

1:27:31 > 1:27:35final thoughts as we approach the end of the programme. Where does

1:27:35 > 1:27:40this speech now leave the Scottish Labour Party?The truth is this

1:27:40 > 1:27:44speech leaves the Scottish Labour Party in a far more left wing

1:27:44 > 1:27:47position than it has been since the advent of devolution and you

1:27:47 > 1:27:52probably have to go back to the 1960s. In similar. This party is in

1:27:52 > 1:27:57favour of reducing inequality and expanding the public sector. It is

1:27:57 > 1:28:02not necessarily a stance for all elected representatives of the

1:28:02 > 1:28:06Labour Party. As you have seen in that conversation, the risk to the

1:28:06 > 1:28:10Labour Party as it cannot escape to, and the argument about what stands

1:28:10 > 1:28:14the Labour Party should adopt about Temple macro is at risk of becoming

1:28:14 > 1:28:18a thorough get for the argument between left and right but you know

1:28:18 > 1:28:24still exists inside the Labour Party. At the moment it is being

1:28:24 > 1:28:29played out by the Brexit debate. Critics of Jeremy Corbyn are happy

1:28:29 > 1:28:34to stay inside the EU single market. Those of left-wing disposition are

1:28:34 > 1:28:39more wary of it. That debate is going on inside the Labour Party.

1:28:39 > 1:28:42Thank you for your thoughts this afternoon. That brings our live

1:28:42 > 1:28:48conference coverage to a close. More on Scottish Labour tomorrow with

1:28:48 > 1:28:52Gordon Brewer on Sunday Politics Scotland. That starts at 11am on BBC

1:28:52 > 1:28:58One. Do have a very good afternoon. Goodbye.