We had a very successful Labour conference in Liverpool with over 18,000 people attending. It came on the back of our byelection victory in Rutherglen and Hamilton West and our newest MP, Michael Shanks was introduced to a huge and very happy crowd.
In my speech I set out how, after 13 years of Tory misrule in Westminster, our alternative vision where a Welsh Labour government and a UK Labour government could create a Wales where everyone can thrive. Getting our economy growing again – built on good jobs so that incomes grow faster than outgoings.
Breaking down the barriers to opportunity with everyone under 25 in Wales, guaranteed work, education, training, or self-employment.
Unlocking Wales’s green energy potential to get cheaper bills, new high paid jobs, and security from tyrants like Putin.
Modernising our NHS by investing in the NHS workforce of the future with a new medical school in North Wales.
And making our streets safe with more police officers and PCSOs in our communities.
Read My Speech in Full bellow.
Conference, it’s an honour to be back here in Labour Liverpool.
A spiritual home over the water, or just up the road for people like me, lucky enough to have grown up in beautiful North Wales.
And it’s an honour to be here again, hopefully for the last time as Shadow Secretary of State for Wales.
And I’m very fortunate to have Jessica Morden and Baroness Wilcox working with me in our front bench Wales team.
I’m delighted to be sharing a stage with Mark Drakeford, Welsh Labour’s leader and First Minister of our Welsh Government.
We shouldn’t need physical reminders in this country of what decency, dignity and determination look like in the name of public service – but I am thankful for how Mark exudes all those things in everything he does.
We could not be prouder of his leadership.
And we are in the very lucky position of having a leader, in Keir Starmer, who shares that decency, dignity and determination.
Who believes in public service.
Who loves and understands Wales.
Who has united our Party on a path to victory.
Along with our campaigning force of nature, Welsh Labour Deputy Leader Carolyn Harris, our brilliant Welsh PLP and our great Welsh Labour staff, we look forward to the coming election; MPs, Senedd Members, Councillors, Party members and trades unions, all continuing our conversation with the people of Wales.
Working hard for every vote.
Conference,
Have the Tories lost direction? Yes, undoubtedly so.
But, have the Tories lost the election, Not yet, no.
We have a brutal job of work to do to win power.
Just ask Mark, and our Welsh Labour Government.
Day in day out, over years and years they give blood, sweat and tears to earn and maintain the trust of the Welsh people.
And the secret of Welsh Labour’s success? Determination and damn hard work.
And I’m incredibly proud to work alongside Mark, and all our colleagues in the Senedd and champion their record of delivery.
The best childcare offer in the UK
28,000 apprenticeships
A new medical school in North Wales
A real living wage for all care workers
All this in the face of the Tories in Westminster wrecking growth and acting like an opposition, not a government.
What a powerful force it would be to have two Labour governments working together in the interests of everyone across Wales.
Mission driven governments delivering on the real priorities of our people.
Getting our economy growing again – built on good jobs so that incomes grow faster than outgoings.
Breaking down the barriers to opportunity with everyone under 25 in Wales, guaranteed work, education, training, or self-employment.
Unlocking Wales’s green energy potential to get cheaper bills, new high paid jobs, and security from tyrants like Putin.
Modernising our NHS by investing in the NHS workforce of the future with a new medical school in North Wales.
And making our streets safe with more police officers and PCSOs in our communities.
Help for those that need it the most.
Hope for a brighter, better future.
Honesty and integrity back into the heart of UK Government.
Help – for working people –an end to fire and rehire, a ban on zero-hour contracts and rights from day one
Hope – for steel, with a world-leading £3billioninvestment plan to decarbonise the industry. The Tories sleepwalk on steel. Labour will save our steel.
Honesty – back as the watchword we never thought we’d need. A rejection of the hate, bile and lies that have been allowed – actually, not allowed, been encouragedto poison political discourse in this country.
Help. Hope. Honesty.
A return to growth and stability.
More pounds in your pocket.
No more panic when the bills come in.
This is what Labour in power can do. We’ve done it before. We will do it again.
The Conservatives want the next election to be about anything other than this.
But when they’ve presided over the biggest drop in living standards since records began, nobody is going to be taken in by their distraction and distortion.
But Conference, Labour’s deal with the Welsh and British people remains to be sealed.
We have to earn that trust.
Earn each and every vote.
Let’s create a Wales and a Britain where everyone can thrive.
Join us on this journey.
Together, we can and we will redefine our future.