{"id":16302,"date":"2018-09-24T15:41:13","date_gmt":"2018-09-24T14:41:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/unitelive.org\/?p=16302"},"modified":"2020-11-12T12:58:13","modified_gmt":"2020-11-12T12:58:13","slug":"ready-build-future-john-mcdonnell-labour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/?p=16302","title":{"rendered":"‘Ready to build the future’"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Labour\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s shadow chancellor John McDonnell asserted that it was \u00e2\u20ac\u015btime to shift the balance of power in our country\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 and \u00e2\u20ac\u015bgive people back control over their lives\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 as he addressed the Labour Party conference on Monday (September 24).<\/p>\n

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In a wide-ranging speech outlining how a future Labour government would re-orient the economy so that it truly represented the interests of ordinary people, McDonnell paid tribute to the trade unions that \u00e2\u20ac\u015bfounded this party\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 and told of his aim to take socialism\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s \u00e2\u20ac\u015bdemocratic vision even further\u00e2\u20ac\u0165.<\/p>\n

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\u00e2\u20ac\u015bIn 2018 I tell you that at the heart of our programme is the greatest extension of economic democratic rights that this country has ever seen,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bIt starts in the workplace. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s undeniable that the balance of power at work has been tipped against the worker. The result is long hours, low productivity, low pay and the insecurity of zero hour contracts.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Among Labour\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s policies that McDonnell highlighted was giving people full trade union rights \u00e2\u20ac\u015bfrom day one whether in full time, part time or temporary work.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He added that Labour would ban zero hours contracts and introduce a real Living Wage of \u00c2\u014110 an hour.<\/p>\n

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\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWages will be determined by sectoral collective bargaining,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he went on to say. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bAnd yes we will make it a mission of our government to tackle the continuing scandal of the gender pay gap which hurts so many women in our society.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Inclusive ownership<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Turning to corporate governance, McDonnell said that \u00e2\u20ac\u015breal power comes from having the right to a collective say at work\u00e2\u20ac\u0165, as he outlined legislation Labour would introduce to create an \u00e2\u20ac\u0098Inclusive Ownership Fund\u00e2\u20ac\u2122.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This would require large companies to transfer shares into the Fund which\u00c2\u00a0would be held and managed collectively by workers.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe shareholding will give workers the same rights as other shareholders to have a say over the direction of their company,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he explained. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bAnd dividend payments will be made directly to the workers from the fund. Payments could be up to \u00c2\u0141500 a year. That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s 11 million workers each with a greater say, and a greater stake, in the rewards of their labour.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A proportion of revenues generated by these Inclusive Ownership Funds would be transferred back into public services as part of what he called a \u00e2\u20ac\u015bsocietal dividend.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

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\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe all know it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not just the employees of a company that create the profits it generates,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he said. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bIt\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the collective investment in infrastructure, education and research and development that we as a society make that enables entrepreneurs to build and grow their businesses.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The shadow chancellor pledged to re-programme the Treasury so that the \u00e2\u20ac\u015bTreasury bias against investing the regions and nations outside of London\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 is ended. He\u00c2\u00a0reiterated the party’s support for\u00c2\u00a0bringing water, energy, Royal Mail and rail into public ownership.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Some press said the voters would be horrified. They couldn’t have been more wrong,” he said as he pointed to opinion polls showing massive cross-party support for nationalisation of public goods and services.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“But let’s be clear to people,” he added. “Nationalisation will not be a return to the past. We don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want to take power away from faceless directors to a Whitehall office, to swap one remote manager for another.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

McDonnell announced that he and shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey would be\u00c2\u00a0launching a large scale consultation on democracy in public services.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“We are also setting out our plans for a new publicly-owned water system that puts this essential service back in the hands of local councils, workers and customers,” he added.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tax avoiders<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Turning to tax avoidance, McDonnell\u00c2\u00a0denounced businesses that \u00e2\u20ac\u015bavoid paying their taxes on an industrial scale\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 and so deny \u00e2\u20ac\u015bour hospitals, our schools and carers the resources they need.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But he added that Labour cannot and should not wait until it is in government to take action against tax avoidance.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bOne way is to mobilise shareholder power to demand companies uphold basic tax justice standards,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he explained. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bNumerous institutions from churches to trade unions and pension funds have large scale shareholdings in many of the companies that avoid taxes.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bSo today, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m announcing my intention to bring together these organisations to launch a shareholder campaign. We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll be demanding companies sign up to the Fair Tax Mark standards, demonstrating transparently that they pay their fair share of taxes.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe game is over,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 McDonnell warned tax avoiders.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Global challenges<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

The shadow chancellor highlighted the global challenges facing Britons and people across the world as climate change accelerates and major nations are on the brink of a trade war.<\/p>\n

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\u00e2\u20ac\u015bJust as at the Bretton Woods conference in 1944, there is an urgent need to work out if the current international system can cope with these threats,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bOver the past few decades that system has concentrated power in the hands of an international financial elite. Individuals, communities, and even nation states have been made increasingly powerless.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In response to this, McDonnell said Labour will be convening an international social forum in the spring, to be led by Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bto bring together leading economists, politicians and civil society representatives, launching a dialogue on the common risks we face and the actions we need to take.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Turning to Brexit, McDonnell said that the Tories\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 failures to date \u00e2\u20ac\u015bhave been in plain sight.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bI just say to the Tories, in the interests of our country get out of the way and let us get on with securing a way forward,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he said to applause. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bA way forward that will protect our economy, our jobs and standards of living for our people. If they won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t do that then, you know my preference, let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s have a general election.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The shadow chancellor called on conference to be bold and aim for \u00e2\u20ac\u015breal change.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe greater the mess we inherit, the more radical we have to be,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he said, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe greater the need for change, the greater the opportunity we have to create that change and we will.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He added that the Tories \u00e2\u20ac\u015bfail to understand that we have an unwavering faith that together people can change the world. They need to understand we will not settle for anything less.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Concluding to a standing ovation, McDonnell said the party was ready for the next general election, whenever it may come.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bBring it on,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he said, adding that the Labour party was \u00e2\u20ac\u015bready to campaign for victory, ready for government, ready to build the future.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Unite general secretary Len McCluskey hailed McDonnell\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s speech.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bSo many fantastic commitments by John McDonnell which will improve the lives of and empower working people,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he tweeted. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bHis commitment on sectoral collective bargaining will be music to Unite members\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 ears.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Labour\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s shadow chancellor John McDonnell asserted that it was \u00e2\u20ac\u015btime to shift the balance of power in our country\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 and \u00e2\u20ac\u015bgive people back control over their lives\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 as he addressed the Labour Party conference on Monday (September 24).   In a wide-ranging speech outlining how a future Labour government would re-orient the economy so that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":16303,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[497,872,1022],"wps_subtitle":"Shadow chancellor John McDonnell outlines Labour\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s economic plans","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16302"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=16302"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16302\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25853,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16302\/revisions\/25853"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/16303"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=16302"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=16302"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=16302"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}