Together we can win

Faith in the future – that’s what Labour leader Ed Miliband wants for Britain. His aim – to restore that faith and ensure the next generation does better than the last. And the key – to do it together.

In a wide-ranging speech Ed Miliband set out a vision of a Labour government in action. He asked the British people for 10 years to rebuild our nation.

Included were great moves on young people, and a re-committal to our NHS – but a in the pledge to supercharge home ownership there were echoes of Thatcherism.

He asked, “Can anyone build a better future for the working people of Britain?’ That is the general election question.”

He emphasised that faith in the future and a united nation were key.

He asked how those who have turned away from politics, including the 1.6m in Scotland who voted yes to independence, can be assured that politics can work for them again.

He said, “Our task is to restore people’s faith in the future. But the way to do it is not to break up our country.

He said, “We are better together.”

He added, “I’m not talking about changing a policy, or simply a different programme. But something that is bigger – transforming the idea, the ethic, of how our country is run.”

His speech sought, “to raise the British people’s sights for what can be achieved, by making our country work for them once again, with a national mission to change the fundamentals of our economy and turn decisively away from a Tory government run only for the privileged few.”

He said, “So many people have lost faith in the future. I’ve met young people who should have the brightest of futures who tell me their generation is falling into a black hole. People in England who think all politics is rubbish.

“People in Scotland who wanted to leave our country because they felt they had nothing left to lose.

He said the task was “to restore people’s faith in the future.” But the way to do it was not to break up the UK. Rather it was “to break with the old way of doing things.”

Unity was key – or as he put it ‘the principle of together’. “Together we can change the future,” he said. “It’s time we ran the country like we know it should be run.”

Mr Miliband gave voters a real choice. Labour was about being together – with the Tories you would be on your own. The Tories were a party of wealth and privilege – Labour was a party of hard work and fair pay.

What did the UK’s people really want? Wherever they lived, “what people are saying is this country doesn’t care about me.

“Politics doesn’t listen. The economy doesn’t work. And they are not wrong. They are right. But this Labour Party has a plan to put it right.”

Plans for each of these goals would be set out in the ‘One Nation’ manifesto. Mr Miliband added, “I’m not talking about changing a policy, or simply a different programme.

“But something that is bigger – transforming the idea, the ethic, of how our country is run.”

Mr Miliband presented Labour’s ‘Plan for Britain’s Future’ to the expectant conference hall – describing his six “ambitious national goals our country must achieve over the coming 10 years if it is to succeed for everyday working people.”

He said, “I want to set out six national goals, not just for one year or one term of office, but a plan for the next 10 years: Britain 2025.”

He believed, “the 10-year plan will help overcome the greatest challenges of our age so that hard work is rewarded, our environment is protected, and everyone gets a decent shot at succeeding in our economy, as well as transforming our NHS so it provides the care our families need in this century as well as it did in the last.”

At the heart of it of his aim was to “secure the future for young people.” A point Unite was very pleased to see. This government has done nothing to help the nearly one million young people out of work, one third of who have never had a job.

Mr Miliband aimed to raising the number of school leavers going on to high quality apprenticeships to equal those going to university. And more for young people – 16 year olds will be given the vote.

On housing, he announced, with echoes of Thatcherism, to double the number of first time buyers in a year. He pledged Labour would be the party of building.

But for Unite the real issue was home availability.  Unite believes we need a massive programme of housing building now to create houses of all types of housing – private and social – so that the four million people in housing need have a chance of a decent, stable home.

With interest rates sure to rise and personal debt levels extremely high in the UK, the union believes there are questions of sustainability with this policy.  Decent rental homes must be a serious option from Labour – and Unite was pleased that Ed announced new corporations that will kick start rental building.

People need a fairer share in society and Mr Miliband pointed out that one in five workers – five million people – are now on poverty pay.

But Unite believes his plan to get £8 an hour national minimum wage over five years could be done now – without costing a single job and saving the country billions in benefit top ups.

On the NHS – Labour’s finest achievement ever – he spoke of a range of measures on saving the institution and improving service. He pledged a 21st century NHS.

He would stop the Tories fragmenting the NHS. He would repeal the government’s health and social care act, to put the right values, back at the heart of the NHS and stop wasteful spending.

He said, “I am so proud of our health service,” and said that under Labour the NHS would always be there. “We will transform our NHS. It’s time to care about the NHS.”

And with an extra 36,000 NHS doctors, nurses and midwives paid for out of a new mansion tax, tobacco profits tax and a crackdown on tax avoidance – it was all welcome news.

It was a welcome recognition that we will need years of renewal to repair the attacks on the fabric of society under this government, the wasted opportunities to build homes and create decent, secure jobs. And that Labour understands it place in our political life, which is to transform society for the good of all, not the few.

But disappointingly Mr Miliband did say Labour was committed to clearing the deficit in the next Parliament – and so would not be making any unfunded spending pledges.

He said his aim was to clear the deficit was, “through big reform, not big spending” and that Labour’s plan would “ensure the recovery works for working people not just a few at the top.”

Unite believes that Labour should be more flexible in government as the targets it’s setting in opposition are unrealistic.

With 50 per cent of cuts at least yet to come, and growth anaemic, even the Tories would struggle to deliver such a pledge.

It was Labour in 1948 who delivered the pillars of the state which helped attack poverty and build prosperity. Decades on, after the biggest fall in living standards since Queen Victoria was on the throne, the country needs Labour to be that party again.

“We are ready. Labour’s plan for Britain’s future. Let’s make it happen together,” he concluded.