‘Never let anyone tell you that there’s no difference between a Labour government and a Conservative government’ says Rachel Reeves

As part of her address to the Liverpool conference, Rachel Reeves said: “Our first year in power was about fixing the foundations. Our second must be about building a renewed economy for a renewed Britain. A renewed economy, that works for working people and rewards their contribution. A renewed economy, where we reject austerity and support our public services. A renewed economy that supports investment, that gets inflation and borrowing down and where we build growth in every part of Britain. 

“I will make my choices at the Budget. They will be choices to take our country forward, and whatever tests come our way, whatever tests come my way, I make this commitment to you: I will take no risks with the trust placed in us by the British people. Remember everything that is at stake here.

“The single greatest threat to our way of life and to the living standards of working people is the agenda of Nigel Farage and the Reform Party. Whatever falsehoods they push, whatever easy answers they peddle, however willing they are to tear communities and families apart, they are not on the side of working people.” 

Joanne Thomas – Usdaw general secretary says: “Nobody can doubt that the situation the Tories left for Labour was appalling and we are still paying the price for their chaos, incompetence and the Liz Truss experimental budget. Rachel Reeves has set about turning the country around and putting the economy back on track. We are particularly pleased with the investment in police to help tackle retail crime, the significant increases in minimum wage rates to help make work pay and progress on ending rip-off youth rates.

“There is still much more to come, as the Chancellor set out. Usdaw is participating in the reviews on Universal Credit and paid parental leave, to help transform the support working parents receive. The cost of living is still a big issue for our members and establishing a real National Living Wage will be a real achievement. The youth job promise announced today will help a generation that feels left behind and Usdaw will want to play a part in helping deliver it. We have every confidence that this Chancellor will deliver the change we voted for.”