Keir Starmer highlights the change that has been achieved as he sets out a mission to renew Britain for all

As part of his address to delegates in Liverpool, Keir Starmer said that politics has made working people question Britain: “And can you blame them? They’ve been nothing but patient. They lived through austerity, Brexit, Covid, played by the rules, kept their side of the bargain, but time and again politics ducked the challenge of renewal… That is why we must never find ourselves defending a status quo that manifestly failed working people.

“The defining mission of this government is to grow the economy, improve living standards and change the way we create wealth. An economy that grows, not just from the top, but from the grassroots. Because growth is the pound in your pocket.

“Take our investment in childcare. Thirty hours free for every child between 9 months and four years, a massive difference to the cost-of-living, thousands of pounds back in the pockets of working parents. Because we made tough decisions, tough Labour decisions, at the last budget. Now, this will help parents and carers back to work, especially women and that is good for growth, but fundamentally it’s for the children.  
 
“Last year, Bridget Phillipson and I went to a primary school in Nuneaton and we got talking to the reception teacher and she said some kids arrive at reception reading books, others are virtually still in nappies. There are similar stories right across the country. Inequality at aged just four, that is baked in for life. So our childcare provision is a game-changer, giving every child the best start in life, every single child equal at the starting line of their education. That’s national renewal.  
 
“That’s why we made the tough decisions and I make no apologies if they tilt towards working people, because it’s working people who paid the price of Tory decline. That’s why we invested in our NHS; fired up Great British energy; stood up for British Steel; new protection for renters; sick pay for the least well off; fire and rehire finished; zero hour contracts scrapped; record investment in Scotland and Wales; rebuilding our schools; new homes, new towns, new trainlines - publicly-owned of course; spreading prosperity right across Britain, and a proper living wage.   
 
“The culmination of a long journey for our movement, the mark of a Britain built for all. Extending free school meals, 100,000 children lifted out of poverty, the first step on our journey to end child poverty. We have walked that road before and we will walk that road again, because a Britain where no child is hungry, where no child is held back by poverty - that’s a Britain built for all.”

Joanne Thomas – Usdaw general secretary says: “Keir Starmer’s wide-ranging speech was very much welcomed by delegates as he set out the significant gains made since Labour came into Government. These are the changes we voted for and there is much more to come, with extensive new employment rights still going through Parliament, along with measures to tackle retail crime.

“The mission to renew Britain for all and reject the politics of despair, which says nothing can change, is very welcome. Throughout the Prime Minister’s speech he talked about working people, showed that he understands the difficulties working people face and put working people at the heart of Britain’s renewal. That is what our members want to hear and Usdaw will be a part of Britain’s renewal to improve the lives of workers and bring back economic growth.”