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‘The Voice of Women in Politics’

Brandon Lewis, Conservative Party Chairman

Good morning.

It’s a real pleasure to be here and I’m so grateful to Victoria and Helena – two women who have made an enormous contribution to public life in this country.

I realise that there is more than a slight irony in me standing here as a middle aged man, speaking to you about the voice of women in politics...

But all too often, women have been excluded from having enough of a voice in the places where decisions about their lives are made.

The time for a radical change is long overdue. And I want our party to take the lead in tackling this important issue.

THE CASE FOR MORE WOMEN

Politics works best when it is representative of the communities it serves. I saw that first hand when I was elected to Brentwood Council in 1998. And before that as an association officer.

I sat in on meetings where just one female Council colleague among a room full of men was the norm.

I know this is an all too familiar experience for many people here today – Although I’m pleased to see that for once I’m outnumbered…!

In Brentwood, I remember thinking at the time: This room doesn’t reflect the meetings I hold in my business life…, it doesn’t reflect the local party membership who campaigned hard to secure places at the table… and most importantly it doesn’t reflect the community that we have been elected to serve.

So I took action. I worked with the whole team – as a councillor and as an association officer – to recruit more women.

And by the time I stepped down as Leader of the Council in 2009, we had gone from 2 to 11 Conservative women.

With a better gender balance, Brentwood became a better Council.

Now as Party Chairman, I am driving forward change at Conservative Headquarters. We must lead by example, which is why I have put more women at the heart of our operation – appointing more women at all levels, but especially into senior positions…

…Making a commitment to having the greatest possible policies on parental leave and the best support for those with caring responsibilities…

And I’m proud of the fact that across our party we’re bucking the national trend ensuring equal pay for equal work.

RECORD IN GOVERNMENT

And in Government, our second female Conservative Prime Minister has been doing the same: not just talking about the importance of women – but getting stuff done.

There are now more women in work than ever before… And we’re making sure that there are equal opportunities in the workplace – breaking that glass ceiling so women can rise to the top of their professions.

The gender pay gap is at its lowest level on record – and we’re working with business to close it completely…

We’re investing 5 million pounds to help those coming back to work after long career breaks.

And we’ve doubled free childcare to 30 hours a week, making it more affordable for eligible working parents…

I am so proud of the work that we have done as a government so far – but this is just the start.

For one, there is a particular challenge for MPs who have to vote whilst on parental leave…

That’s where our informal pairing system comes in. Often it works, but sometimes it doesn’t.

And when mistakes are made it’s not good enough…

That is why I apologised to Jo Swinson.

I didn’t know that I was paired with her.

And I welcome the debate, taking place in September, when Parliament will discuss how we can make Westminster a better place for those on parental leave.

AMBITION FOR MORE WOMEN

We need the best people in our Parliament and in our Party, representing their communities up and down the country.

We will not achieve this if women are excluded and if their voices are not heard.

Right now, around 30% of those on our approved candidates list are women. This is not enough.

That’s why I am setting out an ambition here today – to have women make up 50 per cent of our candidates list.

This is not an easy ambition. But we have a duty to achieve it and I will personally work tirelessly to make this a reality.

And that requires action.

Action to level the playing field…

Action to make sure women have the same opportunities to succeed…

Action to ensure women are not discriminated against because of who they are.

As some of you may know, we’ve just started the process of selecting our Parliamentary candidates for the next General Election.

We now require association selection panels to reflect their local areas – including gender balance – to help ensure that at every stage women are treated fairly and equally.

Of the three selections that have already taken place, two women were chosen.

This is a promising start. But in order to reach our ambition, we need to have a wider strategy.

STRATEGY TO ACHIEVE AMBITION

Now I can’t go any further in a speech on the voices of women in politics without thanking the Conservative Women’s Organisation and Women 2 Win for the incredible amount of work they have done in engaging and supporting women at every level in our Party.

But as a Party we need to do more.

Around 40 per cent of our members are women, compared to just 20 per cent of our MPs.

To achieve our ambition of getting more women on the candidates list and into Parliament we need to find out where barriers to success exist, and what action we can take to overcome them.

I wish I could give you all the answers – but I can’t…

I know that on average it takes women 6 to 12 months longer from showing an expression of interest in joining the candidates list, to applying - Compared to men who often take a couple of days.

We haven’t got to the bottom of why, so we will commission a substantial piece of research into the issues that lead women away from political and public life.

We will use this to take action to break down barriers wherever they exist, and provide the practical steps to overcome them.

Women must have opportunities at every level of Government, especially locally. Yet just 4% of Councils have formal parental leave policies, which often affects women the most. So I will be encouraging our Conservative councils to take the lead on this issue and offer better paternity and maternity policies.

We will build a Young Women’s network, as part of the Young Conservatives, to increase the participation of young women. Because I am determined to show women of every age and background that they have a vital role to play in our future.

We will create a new network of mentors and shadowing opportunities at all levels of politics, to give women a chance to work with councillors and MPs who are balancing politics, family and day-to-day life. Because, for many women, elected office and the life of an MP can seem incompatible with their lives and responsibilities.

PREORATION

Today I am making the same call as I did as a Brentwood councillor all those years ago.

As the leader of our Party has rightly said, we need more women to join us in Parliament and more women to join our Party.

For too long we have relied on women to come to us. And that isn’t good enough.

That’s why I am here - to hear your voices, learn from your experiences and to say that if you want to stand, we will support you every step of the way.

I am absolutely committed to meeting that ambition of an equal gender split on our candidates list. It will be a challenge. But if I know anything about our Party, it’s that we are not afraid of a challenge.

At our heart, we are the party of opportunity, and I want to make sure we are the party of equal opportunity.

So as we continue to build a Britain fit for the future, I have one message for you - the exceptional women out there;

Come and join our Party…

Stand for office…

Make your voice heard…

And help us create a country that works for everyone…

Thank you.

#womeninpolitics brandonlewis conservatives conservativeparty

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Prime Minister:  Commonwealth Business Forum

Prime Minister Theresa May speaks to members of the Commonwealth Business Forum.

Good morning everyone.

I would like to start by thanking the Lord Mayor for hosting us here today at the beautiful Guildhall, the home of the City of London’s administrators for almost 600 years.

As we have just heard, the building has witnessed its fair share of history over the centuries. And today it is a privilege to add to the rollcall of great events with the 11th Commonwealth Business Forum.

We are here today to discuss how best to make this a more prosperous Commonwealth for all, with contributions from leading figures in some of the world’s top businesses.

And this is just one of four such fora running this week ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, giving a voice to hundreds of people who, in so many different ways, do so much to make our Commonwealth the amazing institution it is.

There is the People’s Forum, providing a platform for the Commonwealth’s incredible Civil Society groups. The Women’s Forum will look at ways of overcoming the challenges still faced by a great many women and girls. And, perhaps most important of all, there is the Commonwealth Youth Forum.

It is so important because, while the Commonwealth itself is a venerable institution, its citizens are much younger: almost two thirds are under the age of 30.

The young people of today are the Commonwealth of tomorrow, its business leaders, its innovators, its heads of government.

They have incredible potential, and we as a Commonwealth have a duty to help them reach it. That is why I have put youth at the heart of this week’s agenda, and why I began this morning by meeting with some of the Youth Forum’s delegates.

As we talked about their ideas and aspirations, about their vision for the future of the Commonwealth, I was struck by the vital role that businesses like yours have in tackling their concerns and giving substance to their ambitions.

They called for cleaner oceans and greater sustainability.

You can help deliver that by changing business practices and creating innovative new products and solutions. They called for action on youth unemployment.

You, as entrepreneurs and business leaders, create the jobs and opportunities our young people need and, by driving our economies, you fund the schools and colleges that equip them with the skills they need.

And the members of the Youth Forum called for an inclusive Commonwealth where greater prosperity is enjoyed by everyone.

That is something that simply cannot be achieved without strong, successful businesses. Because the best way to raise living standards for all is through economic growth based on free enterprise operating in inclusive, fair and open rules-based markets.

A key part of that, one that has become more important in the years since the Commonwealth was founded, is international trade – and it is an area in which the Commonwealth is flourishing.

The 2018 Commonwealth Trade Review predicted that trade between member states will be worth $700 billion by 2020. Here in the UK, for example, the value of our exports to fellow members is roughly double what it was 20 years ago.

Yet risks remain. Global growth is fragile. The challenges posed by protectionism are all too clear. And the world economy is changing, as new technology creates new jobs in some industries while supplanting them in others.

If Commonwealth businesses are to flourish in such times, if we are to deliver and secure the prosperous future our young people want and deserve, then the Commonwealth and national governments must not be afraid to act.

Because although the system of international commerce has done much good for the world, it can always be improved. Playing fields can be levelled, barriers removed, the benefits opened up to all.

So while we should be unapologetic in our support for free and inclusive trade, we should also work hand in hand with businesses to make it more efficient and effective, for example by supporting the use of international standards.

Shared standards have huge potential to stimulate trade.

They create a common language for trading partners across the globe, enhance trust in supply chains and stimulate innovation.

Greater use of these international standards across the Commonwealth will reduce the costs of trade between members, as well as with partners beyond the Commonwealth, for greater global benefit.

That is why the UK will be funding an all-new Commonwealth Standards Network, which will support developing countries in particular to better meet existing international standards.

The network will provide a significant opportunity for national standards experts to collaborate and share best practice.

And it will empower developing countries to have a stronger voice in the international standards community – something that has benefits on a global scale.

We will also be funding a Trade Facilitation Programme, supporting and providing technical assistance to selected Commonwealth countries in implementing the World Trade Organisation’s Trade Facilitation Agreement. Full implementation of the WTO agreement is estimated to reduce trade costs by up to 16 per cent for the less-developed countries.

It will cut the average time needed to import goods by 47 per cent, and the time taken to export by as much as 91 per cent, a huge boost for businesses across the Commonwealth.

But no amount of action on these fronts will truly be successful if half the Commonwealth’s citizens continue to face significant barriers to participation in the economy.

If our family of nations is to realise its full potential, then we must take action to boost women’s access to economic opportunity, and empower them to create and build their own businesses.

Many members have already signed up to the Buenos Aires Declaration on Trade and Women’s Economic Empowerment, which seeks to remove barriers to, and support, the participation of women in trade.

It is an impressive start, but I believe we can go further.

So, over the next two years, the UK will work with the International Trade Centre to deliver a new programme: SheTrades Commonwealth.

SheTrades will offer Commonwealth-wide support to help countries break down gender barriers in international trade.

It will provide a forum for member states to work collectively and share best practice.

And will compile the data needed to identify what works and track progress over time.

The programme will also deliver targeted interventions in a number of countries, providing training for women entrepreneurs, connecting them to market and investment opportunities, and helping firms overcome barriers to engaging with women-owned businesses.

Boosting women’s participation is the right thing to do, but business equality is not just about doing what is right – there are real economic benefits.

It has been estimated that if women played the same role as men in labour markets, as much as $28 trillion could be added to global GDP by 2025.

If Commonwealth members are not giving women an equal opportunity to succeed in business and in trade, they are trying to take on some of the biggest economies in the world with one hand tied behind their backs.

That will not change overnight. But SheTrades represents an important step in the right direction – one that, like the other initiatives I have talked about today, will deliver benefits across the Commonwealth and beyond.

When we all work to the same standards, when we break down barriers to trade and when we empower women to take their rightful place in the economy, the benefits are felt not just by countries and individuals involved.

Freer, easier trade means stronger economies, more jobs, more choice and lower prices – and that is true here in the UK, across the Commonwealth and around the world.

With its unique scope and global voice, such a Commonwealth can set a powerful example to the world, one that demonstrates and underlines the importance of protecting free trade and the rules-based international order.

Today’s initiatives are an example of what can be done to make that happen, of how governments can lay the groundwork for growth. But you in business also have a vital role to play.

The discussions here will feed into the full summit, so I hope you take the chance to share ideas and insights, to identify new challenges and new opportunities, to highlight where Commonwealth governments can step up and do more and even where, perhaps, we should step back and do a little less.

The Commonwealth has never just been about heads of state and government.

It has always been an organisation in which people and businesses from around the world can come together and work together to improve all our lives.

This is your forum, and this is your Commonwealth.

So let us make it an organisation that works for all of us, and shape a future of which we can all be proud.

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Cairns: A United Union will secure the best Brexit Deal

Alun Cairns, Secretary of State for Wales, speaking today at Conservative Party Conference in Manchester said:

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“It’s a pleasure to be here at Conservative Party Conference.

And I’m delighted to see so many of our Welsh membership here in Manchester.

I want to thank my Minister, Guto Bebb and my PPS Glyn Davies.

And of course Andrew RT Davies and his Assembly team, as well as the Party Director Richard Minshull and you the members for all your hard work.

I would also like to pay tribute to the Secretary of State for Scotland who I work with very closely, supporting a Celtic alliance across Government.

WALES There is no doubt it has been a year of political ups and downs in Wales.

We had excellent council results, gaining a majority in Monmouthshire and becoming the largest party in Vale of Glamorgan, Denbighshire and Conwy.

And we have excellent progress on key issues such as our commitment to City and Growth Deals and the ever popular scrapping the Severn tolls.  

But we also had a difficult general election, losing some excellent colleagues including Craig Williams, Dr James Davies and Byron Davies, who I have the pleasure in welcoming to his new role as Chairman of the Welsh Conservative Party.

I also want to take this opportunity to thank you, the membership, who have worked so hard this year. You are the backbone of our Party and I’m particularly proud of the Welsh membership who never fail to turn out, often in the wind and rain – not that we get much of that in Wales! And sometimes against the odds, knocking on doors and championing Welsh Conservative candidates from Pembrokeshire to Wrexham and Monmouthshire to Anglesey.  

Your commitment to our nation epitomises the spirit of Wales, and the spirit of our Union.

At first glance we might seem to be a small country but in reality, if we flattened our mountains we would be much bigger than England!  

We are a fiercely proud, energetic and passionate nation.

Culturally, politically, and economically, we are proud of our record.

And as I said back in March at our Spring Forum in Cardiff that as we leave the European Union the Union of the UK is more important than ever before.

And as the Brexit negotiations continue, this statement becomes more and more relevant.  We must do everything to protect the precious bond between Wales, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

We are a Union of four nations developed over a long history, communicated through a common culture and a shared identity.  

Acting together as a combined force ready to take the new opportunities that exiting the EU provides.  

And we all have something to offer that benefits the whole of the UK.

Scotland brings us the best Whisky in the world;

England brought us Shakespeare;

Northern Ireland gave us Seamus Heaney;

And Wales…well, where do I start … We have the oldest language, more castles per square mile than any other country, definitely the richest culture of all 4 nations! We have the best beaches in the world, the best Capital City in the world, the best singers in the world, the best lamb in the world, the best rugby team in the world…and for that matter, the best football team in the world.

Not bad for a population that is only slightly bigger than that of Greater Manchester!

But seriously, my point is we all bring something to the table.

Scotland’s oil and gas supply chain accounts for a huge proportion of the UK economy.  

England remains a powerhouse of industry from world leading automotive manufacturing in Sunderland to a growing digital cluster in Bristol – and of course London remaining the world’s premier financial centre.  

Northern Ireland is fast becoming one of the go-to places for creative industries with 250 media production companies delivering on a global stage.      

And Wales plays its full part too.

We have secured major investments from companies such as Aston Martin in South Wales, and delivered multi-billion pound defence projects in North Wales.

We are also improving our rail infrastructure with the most modern trains coming to Wales later this month, as well as securing a new daily air route to Qatar – connecting Wales to the world like never before.

It’s clear that Wales is an open, outward looking economy determined to make the most of post Brexit opportunities.

And as a result of these initiatives and others, Wales is the fastest growing part of the UK outside London since 2010.   We have 31,000 more businesses. Unemployment has almost halved. And Welsh exports continue to increase.  

I want a young person in Merthyr, Bangor or Newtown to feel the benefits of our stronger economy, a fairer society and to take the opportunities a global Britain provides.

And as the Chancellor will highlight, we will continue to take a balanced approach to the economy so whilst we will maintain our economic momentum, we will also deal with the deficit and debt to support families by keeping taxes low as well as investing in our public services.  

SEVERN TOLLS There are also direct interventions government can take that have an immediate impact on the economy, as well as initiatives that provide solutions to longer term structural challenges.

No other policy will have such an immediate impact on growing the economy in South Wales and the South West of England than our decision to abolish the tolls on the Severn Crossings.  

After 50 years of having to pay to enter Wales, I’m grateful to my Cabinet colleagues, particularly Chris Grayling who understood the significance of this policy.

The announcement has been one of my proudest moments as Secretary of State.  

25 Million vehicles cross the bridges every year, with a cost of up to  £20 a time.  

Anyone living and working in South Wales, knows how important this.  

Just think – no tolls, no booths, no charges, no long queues to get into Wales.

This decision will immediately boost the economy of South Wales by £100 million a year.  

Equally important is that it brings the opportunity to bind the South West and South Wales – to develop the Great Western Cities of Bristol, Newport and Cardiff.

And last time I checked, we are still waiting for the Labour Party to welcome this landmark announcement.

On a similar theme, the North Wales Growth Deal focusses on cross border opportunities too – linking the proposed new power station on Anglesey to nuclear expertise in Manchester University; supporting Advanced Manufacturing on Deeside to benefit Toyota and Nissan investments in Sunderland and Derbyshire.

In South Wales, the Cardiff City Deal is the biggest in the UK – combining the might of 10 local authorities, delivering the world’s most advanced compound semi-conductor cluster, supporting industries of tomorrow.

And the Swansea Bay City Deal will help make steel production sustainable, through a new Steel Science Centre in Port Talbot; will develop a creative digital cluster in Carmarthen, and create a wave energy testbed in Pembrokeshire.

The UK Government is helping devolve real power into the hands of the Welsh people through innovative City and Growth Deals which benefit Wales and the whole of the UK as we leave the EU.

This is particularly relevant as only two weeks ago we celebrated the 20th anniversary of devolution in Wales.

Labour may have followed the process of devolution but we should never forget that it’s the Conservatives who devolve power in the interest of our Union:

• John Major started the peace process in Northern Ireland. • David Cameron delivered more powers to Scotland than ever before. • And under Theresa May the Wales Act is delivering a stronger, fairer, more accountable devolution settlement for Wales, as well as funding security over the long-term.

We are Unionists and devolutionists.

But I think we can and must do better – I want politicians in Cardiff Bay to be as ambitious as the Welsh public.

And that’s why I want to go further and truly empower local communities throughout Wales, from Carmarthen to Conwy.

And so as we develop the North Wales Growth Deal, let’s challenge the Labour Welsh Government to trust communities and to empower local authorities.

Give them the capacity to compete with the new Mayors in Manchester and Merseyside – this is a new dynamic Wales must respond to.

And as we are standing just 45 miles from the North Wales border we mustn’t forget that the Welsh economy is fundamentally integrated with the rest of the Union.

Almost half of the Welsh population live within 25 miles of the border.

People commute daily from Chester to Deeside and Hereford to Monmouth. They drop the kids off at school in Welshpool and do the weekly shop in Shrewsbury.

And as we look for investment and growth opportunities, Wales, England, Scotland or Northern Ireland should not be considered in isolation.  

We must bring together the assets of all parts of the UK to win that deal or secure that trade agreement.

As a Union we share in each other’s successes.

This reinforces the point that as we leave the European Union the Union of the UK is more important than ever before.

WELSH LABOUR Exiting the EU is a time when the nation needs to come together to secure the best deal for every part of the UK.

Yet Labour in Wales are pursuing an agenda which aims to derail Brexit – when Wales voted leave.

At a time when our economic interests need to be our priority, when we should be reaching out to new markets, securing new trading opportunities and increasing our exports, the First Minister is obsessed with process, bureaucracy and power.  

We will not give in to pressure to make decisions that are in the interest of politicians and not the people they serve.

His most recent demands are around a Constitutional Convention, Joint Ministerial Committees, a new Wales Bill, his role in Brexit negotiations and calls for Federal Frameworks and structures at every stage.  But it’s not about him.

He seems to spend most of his time working with the nationalists in Scotland – seeking to divide the UK, rather than working in the interests of every constituent part.

David Mundell and Ruth Davidson have seen off the immediate threat from the Nationalists but the Federalists remain at large.

We know that Labour always leave the country worse off than when they found it, and sadly, nowhere is this more true than in Wales.

The First Minister should be concerned about his longer waiting lists, or his widening education gap, and his record breaking Council Tax rises.  

Labour claim to be a unionist party, they claim to care about our precious bond of nations and yet they do all they can to undermine it at every turn.

That’s why it’s so important that we, as the Conservative and Unionist Party, do not ‘devolve and forget’ – the whole country, every constituent part, all nations, all Cities and every region, must come together to show their support for David Davis and the Prime Minister as they face the European Union, to help them deliver the best Brexit deal for the whole of the United Kingdom.

CONCLUSION The United Kingdom is the most successful political union of nations to have ever existed.

Our Union isn’t just practical and economically sensible; it’s at the heart of what makes us part of this great country.

One United Kingdom where we all gain so much more.  

We have a shared history, shared cultures and we all essentially want the same thing: • Fairness for ordinary working people; • A government that tackles the burning injustices in our society. • A stronger economy; • A global Britain; and • A Brexit deal that works for everyone;

The Prime Minister is the strongest champion of the Union.

A true friend to Wales and a true servant to the Union.  

So whether you’re Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish or Mancunian – by working towards this shared goal I firmly believe we can build a country that works for everyone and achieve great things for our future generations.

Thank you conference.”

ENDS

For further information, please contact the Press Office on 020 7984 8121.

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Building a Scotland that works for everyone

David Mundell, Secretary of State for Scotland, speaking today at Conservative Party Conference in Manchester said:

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“Good morning, conference.

It’s a pleasure to be back at conference, in this great powerhouse city of Manchester.

Every conference is a chance to share ideas, reflect on our achievements and look ahead.

That’s the main business of conference, and there will be lots to say this week.

But it’s also a chance to renew acquaintances and catch up with old friends.

I hope to be doing some of that too.

I’m glad to say conference has never been a lonely time for me  - though, as Scotland’s only Conservative MP for more years than I care to mention, it could have been.

You all know the old joke (and thanks for reminding us yesterday, Ruth…)

“There are more pandas in Scotland than Tory MPs.”

Now, quite why a Chinese bear should have been adopted as the unit of measurement for Conservative success in Scotland, I’m at a loss to explain.

But it stuck. And I had to grin and bear it.

No more, conference.

That gag has well and truly been consigned to the dustbin of comedy history.

Hopefully, along with Alex Salmond’s one man Edinburgh Festival Fringe show.

How Nicola Sturgeon must wish she could dump Alex’s Benny Hill impressions in the same trash can.

Ditching a worn out old joke is a great feeling, Nicola. I can heartily recommend it.

The election on June 8 saw the election of 12 more Scottish Conservative MPs.

It has been a great pleasure to see so many talented new colleagues take their place at Westminster.

I congratulate you all – you fought tooth and nail for those seats and I was so proud to see you win.

For that, there are three thank yous.

First, of course, to all of you here – and to the many activists in Scotland who couldn’t join us.

These last 20 years have seen some dark times for us as a Party in Scotland.

But you put in the hours, knocked on the doors, dropped the leaflets – often for no return at all.  

You have kept me in my seat.

You have kept us in the game, even when we couldn’t field a full team.

And our success in the last few years has only been possible because of your steadfast support.

So on behalf of the Scottish Conservatives, let me say a sincere thank you.

Second, of course, I need to thank our Prime Minister, Theresa May.

Let’s remember, back in March, Nicola Sturgeon was determined to plunge our country into another damaging and divisive independence referendum.

But faced with her unwanted demand, Theresa said simply and firmly: “Now is not the time.”

Without that clear decision, Scotland would be facing the prospect of an independence referendum as early as a year from now.

Just imagine that.

The Prime Minister’s message was exactly what we all wanted to hear.

It was the message most Scots wanted to hear.

It was the message that won us 12 more seats in Scotland and secured our comeback.

And I also have to thank Ruth Davidson.

We don’t have an “Oh, Ruth Davidson” song. But maybe we should…

Her tireless energy and fearless determination have driven us on to our best General Election result for 35 years.

We are now the dominant party in the North East of Scotland and across the South.

But let me tell you today – this is just the start.

Our come back doesn’t stop here.

Our MSPs are working hard to build the policies and the platform for even greater success in the Scottish Parliament elections of 2021.

And our new MPs have set to work in London to show the value of sending Conservatives down south.

Ruth’s speech yesterday was inspiring.

She spoke passionately about our remarkable Union (and I know it’s a theme our excellent Secretary of State for Wales, Alun Cairns, will pick up later in this session.)

It’s something we all agree on, something that goes to the heart of what makes us Conservatives.

But Ruth also showed a way forward for Scotland – on education, housing, the economy and more.

People are asking if we have reached “peak Ruth” in Scotland.

All I can say is this: the people asking that don’t know Ruth as well as we do.

So watch out, Nicola.

People are weary of the SNP: their obsession with the tired arguments of the past, their neglect of the day job.

Let us send out a message across Scotland loud and clear.

WE are focused on the day job.

WE have the ideas.

WE are the party of the future.

The arrival of a dozen new Scottish Conservative MPs not only buried a long-running joke, it confirmed something Ruth has been saying for a long time now.

Scotland is NOT the SNP.

The myth was all too easy for the nationalists to peddle when they held 56 of Scotland’s 59 seats.

But no longer.

It was never true and the election proved it.

Indeed, the election showed just how badly out of touch Nicola Sturgeon is with public opinion.

Scotland’s First Minister…

Instead of addressing the declining standards in Scotland’s schools…

Instead of tackling the pressures and missed targets that dog Scotland’s NHS…

Instead of building our way out of Scotland’s growing housing crisis…

Instead of doing all those things…

…Nicola Sturgeon subjected Scotland to a year of political game-playing as she sought to turn the EU referendum into an excuse for a second independence poll.

I’m glad the election result finally forced her to put her constitutional campaign on hold.

But for how long?

Nicola Sturgeon is already saying she “doesn’t know” when she wants to hold another referendum.

Not if. When.

And Pete Wishart has started offering advice. (You know you are in trouble when that happens.)

Last week, the Honourable Member for Twitter urged her to delay until after the 2021 Holyrood election – only to deny that’s what he meant.

Confused?

Who isn’t?

The truth is this.

For the SNP, it will always be about securing another independence referendum.

But we've had one - only three years ago.

It was a tough campaign but both sides respected the democratic process and agreed to respect the result.

Most Scots do not want to return to the old arguments they settled in 2014. It's time Nicola Sturgeon ruled out a second independence referendum - clearly and unambiguously - so Scotland can get on with what really matters.

I hope she takes the opportunity to do so at her party’s conference in a few days’ time.

If she won’t, we will.

No-one else.

Week in week out we see Scottish Labour flip-flopping on the constitution.

The way to guarantee the threat of a second independence referendum is taken off the table once and for all is to install Ruth Davidson as Scotland’s First Minister.  

Conference, I’m very pleased to be addressing this session on the economy.

Because improving Scotland’s economic performance is at the heart of addressing the issues that really matter to people.

There have been encouraging signs.

In August, employment reached a record high while unemployment remained close to a historic low.

But we face real challenges, and it serves no-one to brush them under the carpet.

Growth lags behinds the UK as a whole, with the Scottish economy expanding by just 0.7 per cent over the past year, compared with 2.0 per cent for the UK as a whole.  

And the Scottish Government’s latest annual Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland figures have revealed a deficit of £13.3billion, or 8.3 per cent of GDP – more than three times the UK figure of 2.4 per cent.

These issues cannot be ignored.

Indeed, with Holyrood now responsible for raising half the money it spends, it is more important than ever that we see higher growth and healthier tax revenues.

We want to build a Scotland that works for everyone.

We want a Scotland that is a fairer place to live and work.

To achieve that, the reality is that Scotland’s two governments must work together.

Across the UK, we are taking a balanced approach to our economy.

We are dealing with our debts to keep the economy strong, while investing in key public services and keeping taxes low.

But the Scottish Government’s powers over tax, economic development, infrastructure, education, and training mean they too hold many key levers for driving growth.

It makes sense for us to pull in the same direction and we’ve evidence of what we can achieve when we do.

Our UK City Deals, backed by more than £1billion of new UK Government spending, have now been agreed or committed to for all of Scotland’s seven cities.

They are genuine partnerships between the UK and Scottish governments, local authorities and the business community - and they promise to transform our regional economies over the next few years.

From rolling out broadband and investing in our Armed Forces…

…to backing business with low taxes and developing a modern, UK-wide Industrial Strategy…

…WE are using the levers we have to support jobs and help businesses grow.

But I would urge the Scottish Government to use their powers more effectively.

Making Scotland the most highly taxed part of the UK – and hinting of widening the gap even further – cannot be the right approach.

They must do more to provide the homes our young people need…

…to restore our education system to its once proud position among the world’s best…

…and to improve our transport links.

We also need to work together to make Scotland Brexit-ready.

We have put forward a common sense approach to leaving the EU.

We know businesses and individuals need certainty and stability.

Our laws, rules and regulations must function on the day after Brexit just as they do now.  

We will need common frameworks - just as we have now - to protect our vitally important UK internal market.

But we will also add to Holyrood’s responsibilities, as decision-making powers return from Brussels.

That’s what our approach will deliver – and I urge the Scottish Government to continue to work with us on these issues.

Now is not the time for conjuring constitutional grievances.

Now is the time for working together, constructively, as the people of Scotland expect from their two governments.  

It is time, too, for the Scottish Government to lift their eyes above and beyond the Brexit process and consider future opportunities.

I have just returned from a visit to Paraguay and Argentina.

I was there to bang the drum for Scottish exports – and not just whisky.

Paraguayans may be the biggest whisky drinkers in the world - but I had the honour of launching a beer there, Innis & Gunn, brewed in Edinburgh.  

In Argentina I met with oil executives who were keenly aware of the expertise we have in Aberdeen.

I visited the HQ of Aggreko, based in Glasgow, and with a major operation in South America.

On the wall of their control centre is a row of clocks showing the time in the main territories where they operate.

Not labelled London, New York, Paris…

…but Buenos Aires, Dubai – and Glasgow.

It was a powerful symbol of the links we already have and the potential to do more.

These are countries that are open for business and which have deep historical ties to Scotland.

Lasting ties.

I learned, for example, that football was first played in Argentina in 1838 at the St Andrew’s Scottish School in Buenos Aires, still one of the country’s leading schools.

That’s quite an export.

I was disappointed the SNP chose to criticise my visit, so my message to them today is this:

For the good of the country we both govern - enough of the point scoring.

We have to work together, Scotland’s two governments, on getting Scotland Brexit-ready.

Conference,

The people of Scotland sent a clear message in June.

They do not want the divisive, grievance-fuelled constitutional politics of the past.

They want politicians who are 100 per cent focused on the day job, pulling together and delivering for Scotland on the biggest challenges we face in the future:

Working together, strengthening the economy and preparing to seize the opportunities ahead.

Those are our priorities.

That is our focus.

Delivering for communities.

Delivering for businesses.

Delivering for families.

That’s the job we were elected to do.

That’s the job we’ll get on with.

Scottish Conservatives – delivering for Scotland.”

ENDS

For further information, please contact the Press Office on 020 7984 8121.

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Davies: Conference Speech

Andrew R.T Davies, Leader of the Welsh Conservative Group in the National Assembly for Wales, speaking today at Conservative Party Conference in Manchester said:

 (Check against delivery)

 Good afternoon conference,

 If a week in politics is a long time, then a year can seem like a lifetime.

 As you can see, the months have etched themselves into my forehead…

 And likewise I’m sure it has been a tiring period for you, our members and activists knocking doors and delivering leaflets.

 …Without you we are nothing, you are the backbone of our great Conservative party so thank you for everything you do.  

 During that period in Wales, we’ve seen some historic advances, not to mention some painful losses.

 In May’s local government elections the Welsh Conservatives achieved some record-breaking results.

 We fielded more than 600 candidates; doubled our council representation, and took control in six local authorities across Wales.

 And although not the result we’d have liked, the general election, gave us many reasons to be upbeat.

 The Welsh Conservatives made history by receiving 34 per cent of the vote…our highest share of the vote in Wales since the 1930s.

 But on the battlefield, we’ve sadly suffered some losses too.

 In June we lost three excellent Members of Parliament:

 …Byron Davies, Craig Williams and Doctor James Davies…

 Each have served the Party and their constituents with unwavering distinction.

 Although they will be missed, I am confident their time will come again.

 Byron has already got started as the new Party Chairman in Wales and I’ve got no doubt he will do a great job.

 And while the result in June wasn’t what we had hoped for…

 …We are in government at Westminster making decisions that improve the lives of people across Wales and the United Kingdom.

 Decisions like we saw in December with the introduction of an historic funding floor for Wales.

 Thanks to the Conservatives and the leadership of Theresa May, the decades-old complaint about underfunding in Wales is now over.

 We’ve signed major city deals in Cardiff and Swansea, and made significant progress on a North Wales Growth Deal.

 And in the summer, we had the biggest of the lot – a longstanding thorn in the side of the Welsh economy – scrapping of the Severn Bridge Tolls.

 Removing the tolls will deliver a £100million boost to the Welsh economy lifting productivity and prosperity for families and their communities.

 Great news for commuters – even better news for business…and I’d like to thank the Wales Office, led by Alun Cairns, for their tireless efforts in securing this development.

 But the recent changes in the electoral landscape have shown us that we have some lessons to learn.

 First and foremost, we need to speak outside our traditional voter base.

 To defeat the unforgiving socialism of the Labour Party, we need to show that Corbyn is nothing more than a seductive and destructive lie…

 And we need young people on our side.

 And that begins by speaking to them – speaking to their needs…

 …If we don’t then false prophets and their falsehoods will flourish.

 At a time when Labour are happy to shamelessly swindle our young people with promises they can’t keep, and have no intention of keeping….

 We need to persuade young people that fairness and aspiration matter more than quick fixes and expensive gimmicks.

 To say how the Welsh Conservatives would use the new tax powers in Wales in a way which uniquely benefits young people.

 How we’ll put extra money in their pocket so that they can raise deposits for their own home…

 …and scrap stamp-duty for 1st time buyers so they can get on the ladder.

 How we’ll ensure that all public sector staff in Wales under the age of 25 are paid the living wage…

 …And make Wales a country that works for young and old.

 Because as we’ve seen with Labour’s social media activity: a lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.

 Our hard work versus Labour’s entitlement; responsibility versus a dereliction of duty; democracy versus a Venezuela-light vision of the world.

 Jeremy Corbyn is a real threat not just to this government, but to public services, the economy and the very future of our nation.

 And we need to take that threat seriously, because in Wales we’ve seen first-hand what a Labour Government can do to our people and communities.

 In Labour-run Wales you are twice as likely to be on an NHS waiting list…

 …Your children are less likely to achieve Five GCSEs above C…

 …And take-home pay is the lowest of all nations in the United Kingdom.

 And what about hardworking families looking to buy their own home?

 Labour have pulled up the ladder on aspiration scrapping the best housing policy ever delivered – Right to Buy.  

 A Conservative policy which has done more for social mobility than any Labour Government has ever achieved.

 And if we learned anything during the General Election it’s that we need to articulate a vision which reaffirms our status as the party of aspiration.

 We need to explain to people in practical terms how Conservative ideas such as Right to Buy can transform lives for the better, no matter what your background is.

 We need to continue delivering for all four parts of the United Kingdom as we’ve done over the last seven years.

 In Wales’ we’ve got one of the world’s youngest and fastest growing capital cities – full of potential ready to be unleashed.

 And further down the M4 we have our only Premier League City, Swansea, which awaits an important decision on the much-discussed Tidal Lagoon…

 We have taken brave decisions in the past, and we need to make another now.    

 Because let’s be clear…

 …people across the country depend on our Party to govern and to govern in the national interest.

 The threat is clear and for that you only have to look at the dangerous rhetoric from the Labour Party conference last week.

 The farce of a national conference where talk of Brexit was banned by that lovely bunch Momentum.

 A conference where the Shadow Chancellor told us he’d bring PFI back “in house” at an eye-watering cost to the country’s finances...

 …A conference where Corbyn and McDonnell told us, quite happily, there would be a run on the pound if Labour got into power….

 …As if it was as normal as popping down the shop for a pint of milk!

 The prospect is frightening…

 And that’s before you delve deeper into the hypocritical nature of the Labour Party and their policies.

 Before the election, Corbyn promised thousands of young people across Wales and the rest of Britain that tuition fees would be banished for good.

 Yet what happened in Wales only four weeks after June’s election?.....

 ….The Labour-run Welsh Government didn’t abolish the fees. No…

 …In a disgraceful betrayal of youngsters across Wales, they hiked them up to a figure higher than anywhere else in the United Kingdom.

 Whether it’s PFIs, Tuition Fees or the EU, you simply cannot trust the Labour Party.  

 And I know that this hall, like the country at large, contains a broad range of views on the European Union.  

 But as Conservatives we define ourselves by the pragmatic way in which we approach a changing landscape...

 …And I know that we are all dedicated to making Brexit work for the whole of the UK…

 …Even if it’s not always easy to put our feelings to one side.

 As someone who backed leaving the European Union, I carry the odd scar on my back for that decision, but I can also empathise with colleagues who found themselves on the wrong side of the result.

 In 1997 when the public voted by a narrow margin to establish the National Assembly for Wales, we found ourselves on the wrong side of history.

 However, while Conservatives initially opposed devolution, the decision of the Welsh public was final.

 We didn’t try to overturn the result, we got on with the job of shaping the institution, for the better of Wales and for the better of the United Kingdom.

 And in Wales, it’s fair to say it has been frustrating that the Labour Party has not adopted a similar approach to Brexit.

 Instead of engaging in pitched battles with the UK Government at each and every turn…

 …that energy should be used on improving public services and getting the Welsh economy ready for the opportunities ahead.

 To take full advantage, the political establishment in Wales needs to do some serious soul searching.

 Brexit poses a number of opportunities and of course a number of challenges.

 And those opportunities are vast for Britain.

 The opportunities to break into fresh new markets, and to shape a new policy framework which delivers for Wales and the United Kingdom.  

 But they will be missed if the governing establishment in Wales does not shake off its collective state of mourning.

 Where possible, where we can help, the Welsh Conservatives are willing to act as the bridge between the Welsh Government and our colleagues in Westminster…

 To ensure difficulties are overcome in our nation’s interest.

 Because as the Prime Minister rightly outlined in Florence…it will be a damning judgment of us all, if we do not rise to the moment.

 The stakes are high and it is incumbent on all of us in the Conservative Party to unite, put personal agendas to one side for the greater good…

 …The challenge upon us is immense and we must work united behind our Prime Minister as she leads us on this historic journey.

 Because if we don’t, we risk everything…

 …The economy.

 …Jobs…

 …Public services…

 …The Brexit negotiations…

 …Our national security…

 And the frightening prospect of Jeremy Corbyn in 10 Downing Street.

 The opportunities are vast, the challenges too.

 So come on Conference, let’s roll up our sleeves and get on with the job.

 Our country needs a united Conservative Party governing in the national interest.

 Thank you!  

  ENDS

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Brokenshire: Building a stronger and more prosperous future for Northern Ireland

Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, speaking today at Conservative Party Conference in Manchester said:

 (Check against delivery)

 Conference, as you've just heard in that typically passionate, powerful and inspiring speech from Ruth Davidson.... as Conservatives we are proud in our United Kingdom and resolute in support of the special bonds that bind us together.... 

 And it is great to have Ruth as leader of the Scottish Conservatives taking the SNP to task and taking that positive message to the people of Scotland.

 As Conservatives, we're proud of the values of democracy, justice, freedom of speech, equality and basic fairness that define our Country

 Proud in our outward looking approach to the world.

 Proud of our traditions, our culture, our history and what we have achieved.

 And steadfast in our belief that our best days lie ahead of us not behind us.

 It is this spirit of optimism that guides our vision as Conservatives.

 And how our prosperity is enhanced by our precious union of four great nations.

 In this party we value the huge contribution that people from Northern Ireland make to all parts of our national life.

 Business... the arts... science... technology... public service... sport.

 Our clear belief is that Northern Ireland's future is best served as part of a stronger United Kingdom... and the United Kingdom is strengthened by Northern Ireland.

 So let the message ring out loud and clear from this Conference.

 In this party and this Government we will never be neutral in expressing our support for the Union.

  But we recognise and respect that a significant section of Northern Ireland legitimately aspires to a different constitutional future.

 And while all reliable tests of opinion demonstrate overwhelming support for the current constitutional arrangements... we will always abide by the principle of consent and govern in the interests of the whole community.

 As our Manifesto made clear… and our commitment to the Stormont House Agreement sets out… we also know that we need to respond to the issues of the past… recognising the pain that many continue to feel… so that Northern Ireland can look to the future.

 Upholding the rule of law in ways which are just, fair proportionate and equitable.

 And which do not focus unfairly or unjustly on those who served in the security forces whose service, bravery and sacrifice have enabled us to benefit from the peace and stability we enjoy today.

  Making the political settlement work remains our overriding priority and I am determined that Northern Ireland will continue to prosper... continue to progress.... and that we build a Northern Ireland that works for everyone.

 That's the job we are getting on with and I want to thank my great Ministerial team of Chloe Smith and Nick Bourne, my PPS David Morris and our whip Nigel Adams.

 I also want to put on record my appreciation of the work of Andrew Dunlop and that of Kris Hopkins and Oliver Colville.

 We miss Kris and Oliver from the Commons and want to see them back doing the job they both do so well.

 I want to welcome Arlene Foster and her colleagues from the Democratic Unionist Party who are attending our conference this week, as they have before.

 We are and will remain two separate parties with our distinctive identities and values.  On some issues, we will disagree.

 But as two parties we are working together at Westminster in the national interest.

 Providing the political stability our country needs to respond to some of the most significant challenges and opportunities in a generation...

 And standing firm against Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party who would lead our country down a path to economic ruin and leave people worse off… just like they always do.

 That is what working in the national interest is all about.

  Next April will mark the twentieth anniversary of the Belfast or Good Friday Agreement.

 And next December will see the twenty fifth anniversary of John Major signing the Downing Street Declaration which paved the way for it.

 There is no doubt that the 1998 Agreement was an historic landmark in the history of Northern Ireland and Ireland.

 Terrorist atrocities … and the security presence needed to counter them … are no longer a daily fact of life.

 Relations between Northern Ireland and Ireland … and between the United Kingdom and Ireland … are stronger than ever.

 The Northern Ireland economy is continuing to grow as we Conservatives carry on the job of repairing the UK from the disaster we inherited in 2010 from Labour.

 But there is still a long way to go if we are to build the truly enterprise-driven economy that is needed.

 So I’m committed to taking forward our manifesto pledges to develop city deals in Northern Ireland…

to explore the potential to establish a UK Government hub as part of a move of public bodies out of London…

 And to see the devolution of corporation tax … to enable Northern Ireland to compete for business on a level playing field with Ireland.

 But that requires a functioning Executive with stable and sustainable finances.

 Sadly, despite our extensive efforts and those of the Irish government … consistent with the three stranded approach ... Northern Ireland hasn't had a properly functioning devolved government since the start of the year.

 As Conservatives we believe in devolution... believe in decisions being made as close to the community as possible... believe in locally elected politicians getting on with the job and being held accountable by a locally elected Assembly.

 But if the parties remain unable to find a way through we risk heading down a different path.

 Where the UK government will need to provide the necessary political stability and governance... starting with the setting of a budget for Northern Ireland later this month.

 Not because we want to... but because we have to.

 This isn't what I want to see.

 It isn't what serves Northern Ireland's interests.

 And it doesn't need to happen.

  Over the years, the political parties in Northern Ireland have found a way through the issues that have divided them.

 They have shown leadership in resolving hugely challenging and sensitive issues.

 They have created political stability which has been an example to world.

 As President Clinton said to me recently... we just can't go backwards.

 So my message to the parties is now is the time to reach agreement.

 Now is the time to look beyond the issues that divide you.

 Show the resolve you have demonstrated in the past.

 And let's get on with delivering the brighter, prosperous Northern Ireland we know can be achieved.

  The parties have shown that ability to put difference behind them over Bombardier.

 I am deeply disappointed by the initial determination of Boeing’s challenge to the sale of C series aircraft.

 The support that the UK provided to the Bombardier operation in Belfast was and remains compliant with international requirements.

 We will continue to defend UK interests and work with Bombardier to safeguard the jobs and livelihoods of over 4,000 skilled workers and their families in Belfast and across Northern Ireland.

 I say to Boeing this case is unjustified and unwarranted.

 This action is not what is expected of a long-term partner to the UK.

 They need to get round the table and secure a negotiated outcome to this dispute quickly.

  We are also determined to secure a prosperous future for our country as we leave the European Union.

 And I want to make one thing very clear.

 We joined the Common Market in 1973 as one United Kingdom … and we will leave the European Union in 2019 as one United Kingdom.

 That includes leaving the single market and the customs union so that we can strike new trade deals with the rest of the world.

 At the same time, we recognise the need to address the unique circumstances of Northern Ireland, as part of the UK, and Ireland as a member of the EU.

 ... That the Belfast or Good Friday Agreement is upheld,

 … That the Common Travel Area across these islands is maintained

 … That the rights of citizens and relations North-South are preserved

 … That the border for people, goods and services between Northern Ireland and Ireland remains as seamless and frictionless as possible with no physical infrastructure at the border.

 And of course… that there is no border between Great Britain and Northern Ireland or anything that fractures the internal market of the United Kingdom which benefits Northern Ireland hugely.

 Significant progress has already been made as shown in Brussels last week.

 And with sufficient flexibility and imagination on all sides … as the EU itself has called for … we can succeed.

 As for Labour… well they seem to think that Northern Ireland should somehow stay within the EU when the UK leaves.

 We’ll take no lessons from Labour when Northern Ireland matters so much to them, they couldn’t even find time to discuss its affairs on their Conference floor last week.

 Let nobody be in any doubt as to this Conservative government’s commitment to achieving the right outcome for Northern Ireland and the right outcome for the United Kingdom as a whole.

 And that could not be more so than on the issues of co-operation on security and public safety.

 That matters not just in Northern Ireland, but to the UK as a whole, as events here in Manchester in May tragically underlined.

 We stand together with the people of Manchester against those who would seek to divide us.

 In Northern Ireland the threat from dissident republican terrorists remains severe … and as we have seen from their attempts to murder this year they have lethal intent and capability.

 In addition, too many communities in Northern Ireland still live in the grip of paramilitary groups … criminals who use fear and intimidation to exert control to line their own pockets.

 Tackling terrorism and paramilitary activity requires a strategic approach which I believe we have in place.

 So, as ever, I want to underline our thanks and our strongest possible support to the brave men and women of the Police Service of Northern Ireland who … along with our other security agencies … do such a superb job day in, day out upholding the law and keeping people safe.

 In just a few years’ time we will mark one hundred years of Northern Ireland.

 It goes without saying that Northern Ireland’s history has often been turbulent.

 There have been many tragedies and suffering … on all sides.

 But looking ahead to 2021 I want us to be able to present a modern, inclusive, outward looking Northern Ireland as part of a truly global United Kingdom.

 A Northern Ireland that is putting the bitterness of the past behind it … and is uniting for the common good of everyone who lives there.

A Northern Ireland overcoming its divided past … and committed to building a united community.

One Northern Ireland in which everyone has a shared interest.

 I believe that can be a real possibility.

 By restoring the institutions.

 Dealing with the legacy of the past.

 Strengthening the economy.

 And making a success of leaving the EU.

 Make no mistake.

 This Conservative Party and this Conservative team will strive to meet all these objectives.

 And as Northern Ireland approaches its centenary… build a stronger and more prosperous future for all.

 ENDS

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Ruth Davidson: ‘Unite and fight’

Ruth Davidson, Scottish Conservative leader, speaking today at Conservative Party Conference in Manchester said:

 (Check against delivery)

 Thank-you conference.

 It’s great to be here in Manchester. Or as I call it, the Southern powerhouse.

 I want to talk to you about the general election. In fact, I want to talk to you about two of them.

 The first one - two years ago.

 And for us in Scotland, the same old story.

 Knocking our pans in.

 Hitting countless doors, delivering thousands of leaflets, too many conversations to count, another pair of boots ruined.

 And at the end of it all?

 We started with one MP. We ended with one MP.

 We’d survived the SNP tsunami, but were no further forward than when we began.

  …we were still outgunned by those sodding pandas.

  But, two years later, we had a second election – this June.

 Back on the stump.

 Back knocking those same doors, delivering more leaflets, having thousands more conversations and – yes – by the end of it, another pair of boots totalled.

 But this time, it was different. This time people were looking for a serious alternative to a nationalism that had let down our schools and was more concerned with division than delivery.

 And we went from one MP to 13. Our best result in decades.

 After years of heroically holding the line on his own, suddenly David Mundell got some company.

 The pandas are going to have to go some, to catch up now...

 It’s been quite a ride, conference.

  And we’re not done yet - far from it.

But, conference, we didn’t turn things around in one seven-week campaign.

 We did it through grafting hard between elections. By organising. By making and remaking the argument.

 And I have watched. With incredulity, the response to the Labour party conference this week.

 Commentators, who should know better, declaring Jeremy Corbyn as a shoo-in to number 10, just because Glastonbury chanted his name to the White Stripes. Folks, he hasnae even won a raffle.

 Well, conference I have been here before and I can tell you how this story ends.

 I have watched as Nicola Sturgeon sold out rock venues. As she released a line of signature clothing. As she sold foam fingers to the faithful so they could point at the sky as she flew in a helicopter she’d slapped her face on, over their heads.

 I’ve read the commentary that said her momentum was irresistible, that everything would be swept before her.

 And all the other parties in Scotland should just pack up, and go home.

 Well, conference, I don’t like anyone telling me where to go.

 Politics is not for faint hearts. It’s not about what’s in fashion or who is the absolute boy.

 It’s about making the case for what you believe in.

 It’s about service and duty and getting the job done. Delivering for others. And giving everyone the chance to get on.

 And, just as the SNP came crashing down to earth. Just as they lost 40 per cent of their seats in June. Just as half a million Scots chose to take their vote away. So too can the Corbyn bubble burst, but only if we work hard to make it so.

 Because, you know what? People tire of being offered free unicorns. Of easy promises that don’t add up.

 They want serious solutions to the issues facing their world.

 They want opportunities to make their own lives better.

 A good school so their children can do anything they set their mind to.

 A strong economy so they’ll always have the security of work.

 Well-funded public services to look after their needs

 And to keep more of their own money because they make better decisions for their family’s future than the state makes for them.

 That’s what we offer. That’s what Theresa May offers.

 A belief in country, duty, service and the power of people.

 And that’s what we fight for.

 Always. We fight.

 ……

 We may have five years, but I tell you – we need to get to work right now.

 Because the in-tray is full.

 Firstly. Brexit.

 It’s time to get the best deal we can.

 And you know what?

 It’s time we in this party made it clear –  that we’re not Leavers or Remainers anymore – we’re just Brits.

 People who were asked to make a decision. Did. And now want to deliver that decision in the best way possible. Who now must unite behind our leader to get the best deal for us and the right deal for Europe as well.

 Next we’ve got to deliver that strong economy and world-class public services.

 Ten years of tough times since the crash – it’s time to show working families right across the UK – from a tenement in Glasgow, to a one-bed in Grantham - that we’ve got their back.

 Yes, we’ve got record employment in the UK today – but we also need to recognise the pressures faced by the job-juggling generation, where two or even three jobs are needed to make ends meet.

 The sheer effort that takes - just to keep going.

 The strain it puts on relationships.

 The stress of not knowing if you’re going to make your rent.

 And what will happen if you can’t.

 These people are looking to us for answers - and for action to make their lives easier.

 It’s our duty to deliver.

 Also, to make our country fairer.

 To make it clear: this party isn’t there for those at the top of the ladder – this party IS a ladder.

 It’s what we’re about: to help people move up and get on.

 To be the party of home-building.

 The party that enshrines excellence in education – no matter the school.

 The party that will take action on the low wage economy and help lift living standards.

  Furher, to be a beacon in the world. To help those that are hurting and fight for those who can’t fight for themselves. To go into bat for our friends and allies.

 To be able to say when you go abroad that despite the financial hit of the last few years – that my country, our country, kept its commitments to the world’s poor and will continue to do so.

 And finally, conference, to stay united.

 To stay one United Kingdom.

 By being a nation that realises the ambitions of everyone in this country. That seeks to be a home for all who live here.

 And I mean everyone.

 From the people who voted to leave the UK, to the majority who voted to stay…

 From the people who voted to remain in the EU to the people who voted to leave.

 From the people who can trace their ancestors back through generations, to people who’ve settled here from somewhere else.

 …who pursued that innate Conservative instinct to better themselves and their families and build a new life in a new land.

 We need to stand together, Not defensive in this diversity and our sometime disagreement – but to be confident in our ability to embrace difference and debate.

 And to have the courage to confront not just our strengths but our weaknesses too.

 We are a remarkable Union, conference.

 Because of the leadership of this party - our Union is known the world over as a Union of choice, not of force.

 A Union that, three years ago, put our democratic right to choose whether to leave before its very survival.

 That’s not nothing. In fact, the more time passes, the more remarkable it becomes.

 And let’s say it loud and proud – that this is a Union that that does not hoard power to the centre, but has sought to push it out.

 And again, did so thanks to a Conservative party which – as Edinburgh, as Cardiff, Manchester and Teeside will attest – is now THE party of devolution.

 Not Labour, certainly not the LibDems. Us.

 And a party that now wants to use Brexit to go further – to ensure that the power surge that will hit Britain when we leave the EU is felt in Edinburgh, in Cardiff Bay and in Stormont too.

 I’m proud of that, conference. I’m proud of all we’ve done in the last few years to keep this country together and move forward as one.

 But we should recognise that these huge changes to our nation pose challenges too.

Devolution of power has transformed our nation for the better. It has put power closer to people.

But – at the same time – while we’ve built vigorous new devolved structures, we’ve not done enough to nurture that which binds us. 

As the Prime Minister said in Scotland earlier this year, all too often, Whitehall devolves and forgets. 

And the danger is that we become a country that stays together, but lives apart. 

With the cracks exploited by those who would pull us apart for good. 

So let me make a plea today. 

Yes – let’s absolutely press on with more devolution. But it’s time for a bit more Union too. 

More Union right across Britain.

More Union in all parts of our nation – benefiting us all. 

More Union spread evenly– and not just based in London.

 ***

Now let me make this clear: conference, I love London. 

No plans to move there myself, but great to visit.

And it’s wonderful that our small island nation plays host to the capital of the world. 

But the truth is: for all the devolution of power in the last twenty years, our Union continues to be far too London-centric. 

Compare us to our friends around the world. New York’s global status doesn’t diminish Washington’s political clout, or LA’s creativity, or Silicon Valley’s entrepreneurialism. Instead, America has a cluster of great global cities. 

Or look at Germany – where Berlin’s political heft is balanced by the financial hub of Frankfurt and the industry of Munich. 

We’re the odd one out – in fact, among major global capitals, only Moscow accounts for a greater share of national product than London. 

And this imbalance is getting crazy. 

We live in a country where the property values of London’s top 10 boroughs are worth more than all of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales combined. 

Where you can sell a three bed semi in Ilford, and buy half of Sutherland. 

Where, in a capital city already zooming forward on the jet fuel of high finance, the economy is further boosted by enough civil servants to fill Wembley.

It is time for change – to fulfil the plans we set out at the election this year…

…to give Britain a shake and spread more of our Union outside the capital. 

To see our great metropolitan cities have a larger share in the government of our country. 

To ensure that – if our civil service and cultural bodies are to claim to be UK institutions - they must be present across our whole United Kingdom.

To move more of the infrastructure, the people and the administration of our country out of the capital and into the country.

It is happening to a degree already of course.

More civil service jobs coming to my constituency in central Edinburgh. 

The fantastic new V+A museum rising up in Dundee, ready to show the best of Scottish and British design. 

And here in Manchester, the Northern Powerhouse now showing the way ahead. 

But I want to see more. We need to see more.

The government’s industrial strategy is designed to boost growth in places across all four nations of the United Kingdom. 

And it’s reviewing the various agencies based in London to see which ones could be ready for a move.  

So I want us to seize the opportunity to ensure more of them come to Scotland.  

Conference, here’s the bottom line.

 The success of our Union cannot and should not be measured by the fact the alternative has failed.

 That separation is a busted flush.

 No - our success must be measured by our determination to always improve.

 By going the extra mile. By refusing to accept the status quo as a given. And being restless for change.

 By recognising that thousands of our fellow countrymen and women no longer see this country as theirs.

 By seeking not to shun them, or dismiss their complaints – but to answer them with action.

 And that must be our task as we go forward from conference this week.

 In Government, across the United Kingdom, united behind our Prime Minister, determined to face the challenges of the future.

 To tackle injustice.

 To be the ladder.

 To create real social cohesion.

 And - in opposition in Scotland – we must be ready to change, and to win.

 Because, I don’t know about you, but after ten years of SNP Government, it seems to me like it’s time for a new broom.

 It’s not going to be Scottish Labour, by the way.

 They swap leaders so often that Trump’s communications director feels sorry for them.

 But us? We’re serious.

 …serious about restoring Scotland’s reputation as the education capital of the world.

 ….serious about boosting our productivity – to get Scotland’s economy firing once again.

 And serious about running a government in Scotland that just gets on with the job for once.

 A government you can trust to focus on the tough choices.

 To dump the tedious grievance politics and the petty complaints.

 Instead, to act as a grown-up partner within a reformed United Kingdom – eager not just to better Scotland but – in so doing – to better our wider nation too.  

 As a party that, in Scotland, is re-engaging with our roots.

 A party as Teddy Taylor once put it, isn’t just there for the people in the ‘big hooses’.

 But for those who clean their tenement step as well.

 That’s the party we are building in Scotland and across the United Kingdom.

 A party that speaks to the hopes of our nation as a whole.

 From car production lines in Coventry to contact centre staff in Cardiff.

 From ship workers in Glasgow to software designers in Dundee.

 A party that reaches out to every corner of our country with a level head, but also an open heart.

 And with a clear set of values.

 …That strong families are the foundation of a stable society.

 …A good education is the key to a lifetime of opportunity.

 …That everybody should have a safe and secure home.

 …That there should be a job for everyone who wants to work – and that pay should be fair.

 These are the things I believe in – and I know you believe in them too.

 So it’s time for us - all of us - to unite and fight.

 Unite and fight for the union of our nation

 …For the security people want.

 …For the prosperity families need.

 …For the future our young people deserve.

 Unite and fight for this country we are proud to serve.

    Thank you.

  ENDS

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Javid: Fixing injustices in our housing market

Sajid Javid, Communities Secretary, speaking today at Conservative Party Conference in Manchester said:

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Ladies and Gentlemen, we are just fifteen hundred yards away from the site of the worst terrorist atrocity seen in this country since 7/7. An attack that was aimed at children. But, the next day in Albert Square, I saw something that makes me so very proud to be British. I saw a community united. People of all backgrounds, standing side by side, proving that the power of community in Manchester is so much greater than the power of those who seek to destroy it.

Of course, we have also seen horrific tragedy hit the people of Kensington. It is now over three months since Grenfell Tower was destroyed. But our shock at what the families suffered remains just as strong. We will not rest until justice is secured for the victims. And we must make sure that nothing like this can ever happen again. I have listened to so many agonising stories from those who lost their loved ones that night or barely escaped with their own lives. It has been the most moving experience of my life. Made all the harder to bear by the simple fact that this tragedy should never have been possible. I am doing everything I can to help with the recovery and rehousing efforts. We will ensure that justice is done. That victims are supported. And that people’s homes across the country are safe.

This is a matter of basic justice. And a sense of justice has always been at the heart of the Conservative Party. Today I want to focus on a great injustice: The impact on young people of our broken housing market.

We see the consequences of this every day. And one which has become especially clear over the last few months is that we need a complete rethink of our approach to social housing. Far too often we hear of residents’ complaints going unanswered or even totally ignored. Of repairs left undone. Of basic fire safety hazards unaddressed. Grenfell Tower was a community tragically torn apart. And communities like this exist in social housing all over the country. And those communities are being failed by the system. Since the tragedy some truly appalling cases have come to light. In Camden, 1,000 fire doors inadequate. In Southwark, cracks in the walls so big that you could fit your hand in.   All this in 21st Century Britain. As Conservatives we cannot accept that. We cannot have a system that ignores people, that ignores their complaints, and condemns them to living in homes that are just not safe. This has to change. This will change. Our top-to-bottom review of social housing will ensure this. Because no matter where you come from. No matter what you’ve got. You have a right to a home that is decent. Secure. And safe to live in.

The injustices in our housing market go beyond social housing. For my generation home ownership was something that, if you worked hard enough, you could afford. It was something you could earn. An opportunity available to everyone, from every background. Like my parents, when they moved to the UK, who bought their first home for just £500. For too many growing up today things are very different. Walk down any high street and you’ll see young people with their faces pressed against an estate agent’s window. Trying, and failing, to find a home they can afford. For them, increasingly, a house seems like something that you have to inherit. The opportunity my generation took for granted now seems lost to many. This is a national outrage. And the biggest barrier to social progress in our country today. It’s no wonder that we see so many young people angry, feeling left behind. This is a clear injustice at the very heart of our society. But the problem is not that we have a market. The problem is that we have a market that is broken. For decades our planning system has failed to plan for the number of homes we need. There has been too much control given to those who will never accept development.

It’s a mark of our failure on housing that the Labour Party, a Party led by Jeremy Corbyn, is being taken seriously again. So what do Labour have to say? So little that their housing spokesman was barely allowed to speak at their Conference. Well don’t worry. I can tell you what they’ve got in mind. It’s not a plan. It’s not even any new ideas. It’s just the same old disastrous policies. Higher taxes. Uncontrolled spending. Ill-conceived interventions and nationalisations – even the return of rent controls. Policies that don’t generate opportunity. Or new homes. Instead they generate unemployment, rising prices, and crushing mountains of debt. It’s what failed young people so badly before. Under Labour housebuilding reached a record low. Average house prices tripled. And social housing waiting lists rocketed by 700,000. We will never let Labour destroy the hopes of so many young people again.

So, it is the Conservative Party that must provide the answers. We’ve been making progress. 220,000 homes delivered last year. And a record number of planning permissions granted. But we still need to do much more.   Last year I told you I would set out a plan to do exactly that. I published the first part of the plan earlier this year. It recognises that major reform is needed. We’ve been getting on with that. Introducing a new measure of housing need last month, which will finally see us start planning for as many homes as we need, in the places that really need them. There is a lot more work to be done, but today I want to speak to you about another part of that plan.

Because, while getting more homes built is vital for fixing our housing market, as a Party we cannot focus only on helping people to buy their own home. We have to face a hard fact. The barriers stopping young people from owning their own home will not be fixed overnight. In the last 20 years the private rented sector has more than doubled in size. And young people are three times as likely to be renting. Many landlords offer a good, secure, home to their tenants. But, frankly, some do not. Unreasonable rent rises. Repairs left undone. And the threat of eviction if you try to complain. These are just some of the problems that renters can face. Leaving them feeling ripped off. And insecure. This is just not fair. Whether you rent, or you own, your home is your home, and you deserve better than that.

We’ve already been making changes. Incentivising more secure tenancies. Tackling rogue landlords. And investing in new homes for Affordable Rent. All hugely important steps. But the recent growth of the Private Rented Sector means we need to go further, and faster.

We have been looking at letting agents’ fees. I can announce that we will soon be publishing the legislation that will ban these unfair and unjustified costs for good.

Today I can also set out new measures to strengthen tenants’ rights. We will take steps to protect renters against poor practice. First, we will require all letting agents to be regulated, so they meet strict minimum standards. Second, we will make it compulsory for all landlords to be covered by a redress scheme, with an Ombudsman, so that tenants have quick and easy resolution to disputes. And third, we will consult with the judiciary on a new, specialist, Housing Court, so that we can get faster, more effective, justice. This will mean that every tenant has the security of knowing that if they’re mistreated, or reasonable standards aren’t met, they’ll have somewhere to go. Somewhere with the power to put it right.

Also, we will be taking further steps to give tenants more security of tenure in their homes. All landlords should be offering tenancies of at least 12 months for those who want them. And they shouldn’t be able to remove tenants when they have done nothing wrong without giving at least three months’ notice. That’s why, at the Autumn Budget, we will bring forward new incentives for landlords who are doing the right thing. Because renters, just like homeowners, should be able to feel secure in their own home.

Dealing with these challenges, whether it’s helping people into home ownership, or stamping out bad practice in the rental market, won’t be easy. But we Conservatives have a long history of facing up to problems in our housing market, and finding ways to get rid of them. Right back in 1951 it was Harold Macmillan who generated a massive expansion of council housing. And it was Margaret Thatcher who helped two million families into homeownership with the Right to Buy. The answers today will be different. Some will be difficult. But I’m confident together we can succeed in delivering on them. As Conservative councillors and campaigners it’s what you campaign for every day.   You showed what we can achieve with spectacular results in this year’s local elections. Right across Britain. 560 seats gained. 11 more Conservative councils. As well as 4 exceptional new Conservative Mayors. James Palmer in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. Tim Bowles in the West of England. The phenomenal Andy Street in the West Midlands. And of course, we should never forget, the victory of Ben Houchen, in the Tees Valley! Throughout our history it has been the Conservatives who deliver opportunity. The Conservatives who deliver prosperity. The Conservatives who deliver security.   We are the party of hope. Building a better, more united Kingdom. A Britain that we can all be proud of.

ENDS

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Greening: education and skills will unlock our nation’s talent

Justine Greening, Secretary of State for Education, speaking today at Conservative Party Conference in Manchester said:

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 Conference, good afternoon, it’s fantastic to be here in Manchester.

 For our country to prosper and succeed in the future, we need to make it a country that works for everyone.

 Education and skills are right at the very heart of that ambition.

 Our Party, in government, has made huge improvements to our education system, improvements that are transforming the opportunities for our young people and our country.

 We should be exceptionally proud of that fact.

 1.8million more children being taught in schools that are good or outstanding than when Labour were voted out in 2010.

 That has not happened by accident. Labour’s legacy was grade inflation, which meant ever-rising GCSE grades whilst standards fell, and a shocking number of children leaving school without the basic skills they needed.

 Conservative Education Ministers stepped in, with a programme of bold, ambitious reforms.

 Giving choice to parents with the introduction of free schools.

 Giving more freedom to head teachers to innovate and improve standards through academies.

 Delivering a more rigorous curriculum, establishing a world-class examination system at GCSE and A-level, so our young people come out of our school system with the level of knowledge and the skills they need – and that ultimately employers need – to be successful.

 And in this past year, we have gone further, tackling the iniquitous decades-old post code lottery in school funding in England, introducing a national fair funding formula, backed by an extra £1.3bn funding for the core schools budget.

 And in the last month we’ve also delivered on our promise to introduce 30 hours of free childcare for working parents – that is going to make a very big difference to literally hundreds of thousands of families.

 And in teaching, there are already a record number of teachers in our schools – 15,500 more than in 2010.

 But I am determined to help strengthen the profession through stronger qualifications and ensuring access to continued professional development, right the way through a teacher’s career.

 The fact is the historic attainment gap in our schools between children from disadvantaged backgrounds and their better-off peers is now finally closing.

 And in Higher Education, thanks to our reforms and the removal of Labour’s perverse cap on student places – which was literally a cap on aspiration, more talented young people from disadvantaged backgrounds than ever before are getting the chance to go to our world-class universities.

 In fact, last year 18 year olds from disadvantaged areas were 43 per cent more likely to go to university than in 2009.

 But there’s a whole lot more we can – and must do – to help make sure that this really is a country that works for everyone, and that the benefits of our education reforms are spread to all areas, so that how far someone can go in life isn’t determined by their family background or where in the country they are born.

 But we know that for some children, their development has already fallen behind on literacy and numeracy by the time they even start school.

 So, I am announcing that the next phase of our £140million Strategic School Improvement Fund will include a new focus on boosting literacy and numeracy during a child’s Reception year.

 Our Maths Hubs are already spreading excellence in maths teaching.

 Today I can announce we are now going to invest a further £6million to put them in more areas where we want them to make the biggest difference.

 And we will also create a new £12million network of English Hubs, in the Northern Powerhouse, to further improve early language and literacy.

 And because great teachers are at the heart of a great education, I want to do more to support schools to be able to attract and keep the best of the teaching profession.

 We will invest more than £30million in tailored support for getting more great teachers in some of the schools that struggle the most with recruitment and retention.

 And we will introduce a pilot student loan reimbursement programme to help attract and retain teachers, and we will target it at the subjects and areas of the country that need them most.

 Last year in Birmingham, I announced the first six ‘Opportunity Areas’ – places facing some of the biggest challenges for young people growing up, where we are working inside and outside schools, with local communities and charities, and with employers like EDF Energy in West Somerset, Grant Thornton in Norwich, and Rolls Royce in Derby, not just to raise educational attainment in the school system, but also to raise sights and broaden horizons for those young people, through mentoring and work experience.

 Since then I have doubled the number of ‘Opportunity Areas’ we are working in. I am determined that we will apply the lessons that we learn from them on what works, to boost opportunity for young people in other parts of the country too.

 But I want also to talk about the children outside our mainstream schools, in so-called Alternative Provision settings.

 These are the children with perhaps the most challenges in their lives, which mainstream schools often find it less easy to deal with.

 Less than 4 per cent of these children achieved A*- C in English and maths GSCEs compared to more than 64 per cent of children in state-funded mainstream schools. None of us should accept that.

 It is just as unacceptable that compared to other children, they are they are so much more likely to end up in the criminal justice system.

 But with the right support, earlier, their lives could have been on track.

 In Alternative Provision there are some of the most dedicated, inspiring teachers and parents you will ever meet, but this is an area of education that has been set on one side for far too long.

 So I will bring forward proposals to ensure that Alternative Provision is the best it can be, and that the best practice already there in this field becomes the norm, so that it gives all the young people in it the opportunity to fulfil their potential.

 We will make sure those children can do better.

 Now, on technical education: many people don’t realise that since 2010, with business, we have created more than 3.4 million apprenticeships. That’s millions of opportunities for young people to get development in the workplace.

 Coming into this role, I felt it was so important that our education system post-16 should be gold standard for all our young people, not just the half who go on to A-levels and university. That’s what I said at conference last year.

 And our reforms to technical education in this country are going to deliver choice for those great young people, and skills for our employers.

 As we prepare to leave the European Union, this has never been more important for our country.

 Because this great country of ours needs a skills revolution.

 I want our country to have an army of skilled young people there and ready for the British businesses that so need them.

 Labour was happy to import skills.

 As a Conservative Government, we are going to build up our home-grown talent.

 And that’s why in the Budget this year – hailed by the CBI as a ‘break-through budget for skills’ – we announced a half a billion pounds a year extra investment in our technical education reform.

 We will pursue excellence in Further Education, as we have in our schools, and we will introduce T-levels, technical qualifications that will be every bit as rigorous and respected as academic A-Levels.

 We will make sure that the technical education ladder is going to reach every bit as high as the academic one.

 In 2015, we introduced degree apprenticeships, so individuals can earn while they learn, and in less than two years, more than 2,000 people have started one.

 So today I am announcing the next wave of 27 Degree Apprenticeship projects, that will help meet the growing demand for these opportunities from the next generation.

 Everything I have talked about is about giving our young people the chance to fulfil their potential. Not just some of them. All of them.

 Many of them will have voted Labour at the last election.

 I don’t agree with Labour’s proposals to scrap tuition fees.

 Because, we can see the impact of not having fees over the border in Scotland. It leads to a cap on places, which is a cap on opportunity.

 We know what happens. As the Sutton Trust found last year in Scotland, the gap between people from the most advantaged areas and least advantaged areas going to university is higher than in any of the other home nations.

 I was the first person in my family to get the chance to go to university, and I want more and more young people to have that choice in the future, not fewer.

 And we want to help students when they graduate.

 That’s why we are taking action right now to freeze student fees, and it’s why we’re increasing the amounts graduates can earn every year before they start paying back their fees from £21,000 to £25,000, saving young graduates up to £360 next year.

 But, if we are going to win the trust and support of young people more generally, we need to understand two things.

 First of all, for lots of them, negative party politics is a turn-off.

 Yes of course we should hold Labour to account for its empty promises – like Labour’s empty promise to young people on student debt – and they’re actually raising tuition fees in Wales – but that’s not enough.

 Because secondly, they want to hear about how our polices are going to make their lives better.

 We have to take the priorities of a new generation of voters, and make them our own.

 And the means we’ve got to be positive, constructive, and optimistic.

 We’ll win the battle of ideas by showing how our politics delivers for them in practice, how it makes a difference in their lives.

 In the end, it’s about equality of opportunity – that’s why I’m a Conservative.

 You’ve heard from me about how education is at the heart of our positive message to young people.

 I’m someone who went through the state education system and went to my local comprehensive school. My teachers inspired me.

 Whether it’s work in Opportunity Areas to lift the communities that can do so much better through education . . .

 Whether it’s our technical education reforms giving young people post-16 great choices . . .

 Or whether it’s understanding that we cannot allow a young person to be written-off because of the difficult circumstances that their life might have started with . . .

 Education is about levelling up opportunity.

 No one community or part of our county has a monopoly on talent.

 Britain will only be at its best when we unlock all it all. That’s what social mobility is all about.

 Stronger communities, a stronger economy, a stronger country.

 Equality of opportunity. This for us is our party’s mission. A country that works for everyone.

 The Conservative Party is the party that reached out to me when I was a young person growing up in Labour-run Rotherham . . .

 . . . and I know we are a party that can reach out to young people today.

 They want a choice, they deserve a choice, let’s give it to them.

  ENDS

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Damian Green: A modernising Conservatism is the best way to give hope to every generation

Rt Hon Damian Green, First Secretary of State and Minister for the Cabinet Office, speaking today at Conservative Party Conference in Manchester said:

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It’s good to be reminded that this is a Government with a purpose and a mission. To bring to all British people the Conservative principles of fairness, opportunity, pride in our country and openness to the world.

My role in this crusade is to make sure it happens. To show people in all parts of the UK, whatever their background, that we will help them succeed.

We can’t do it for them, because no Government can do that, but we will continue to build a country that allows them to make the most of themselves. That’s the Conservative way. That’s the Conservative dream.  

At the Cabinet Office I am kept on the right road by a fabulous team. My ever diligent ministers Chris Skidmore and Caroline Nokes, our hard-working Parliamentary Private Secretaries James Morris and Will Quince, our all-seeing Whip Stuart Andrew, and in the Lords the most decent man in British politics, George Young.

The mission laid out by Theresa on her first day in office continues to be our defining purpose.

And we have so much to show for our hard work in Government since 2010

Under this Conservative Government, there are more people in work than ever before, and the lowest unemployment for forty years. Be proud.

Under this Conservative Government, 1.8 million more children are in good or outstanding schools. Be proud.

Under this Conservative Government, we are meeting the NATO target for defence spending, ensuring our Armed Forces have what they need to keep us safe. Be proud.

And, under this Conservative Government, 67 million children around the world have been immunized against preventable disease. Be proud.

So let’s be clear that when the Labour Party tries to paint us as unfeeling and hard-hearted, they are Britain’s biggest purveyor of fake news. We are helping more people into work than ever, allowing more mental health trained professionals to treat patients than ever, seeing more children from disadvantaged backgrounds go to university than ever.

That’s modern compassionate Conservatism in action, and Labour’s Twitter trolls can go and stick that in their timeline.

That’s why, even though the general election did not go as we hoped, the Conservatives did win the most votes and the most seats.

We remain in government, so we now have the chance to show once more that Conservative values and policies can work for those parts of the country, and parts of the population, who turned away from us in June.

Because our values are at the heart of this party and this government.

Values of fairness, of opportunity for all. Values that say to everyone in this brilliant country that if you work hard you will be rewarded. Values that say we must leave no one behind.

Unlike the Left we don’t define people as a member of a class, a race, or a group.

Instead we see everyone as a human-being with limitless potential, and believe it is the job of Government to help them realise that potential.  

These values set out our mission as Conservatives. It means giving support from birth – by investing in our NHS and maternity services, and making sure every child has access to the best possible education.

It means giving support to young people to get the training and skills necessary to get a good job and helping those young people onto the housing ladder.

It means supporting people as they get older by sorting out the problems in social care.

We’ve seen how Labour can talk a good game at election time, but how in power, they always let their ideology take them too far.

Labour always promises to spend more, with money that miraculously never comes from your taxes. On the economy, they will promise more for health, education, the police, welfare, aid, roads, rail, housing, Christmas presents, birthday presents, free cakes at tea-time, and unicorns on demand. The British people were nearly conned last June. But we won’t get fooled again.

Conservatives take a balanced approach so we deal with our debts while keeping our economy strong.

At the same time we need to handle the most pressing policy challenge for decades – securing a good Brexit deal.

As the Prime Minister said in Florence, while we are leaving the EU, we are not leaving Europe. The UK has always – and will always – stand with its friends and allies in defence of our shared values, our security, stability and our prosperity.

We don’t need to become Norway or Canada, great countries though they are. We are the UK, so we want a unique and ambitious economic partnership based on our commitment to free trade and high standards.

We are optimistic and we will succeed. But the best way for both us and the European Union to thrive is to fulfil the potential of the partnership the PM set out last week. This way we can deliver prosperity and opportunity for people in Europe and here at home.

And by here at home I mean the whole United Kingdom. All four nations. As someone born in South Wales and representing a seat in Kent, I find it completely natural to be proud to be Welsh and proud to be British.

So in Scotland the great Ruth Davidson continues her work of fighting back against the tide of separatism. In Northern Ireland James Brokenshire is working tirelessly to restore devolved Government. And this party – the Conservative and Unionist Party – will always be committed to upholding the union of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Every part of the United Kingdom is made better because it is part of the United Kingdom.

I have spent time in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast listening to people, not just politicians but businesses, universities, and charities, about the challenge of Brexit.

And can I say how impressed I have been by the job our Secretaries of State are doing in their respective nations.

Not just James but David Mundell in Scotland and Alun Cairns in Wales. They are all great champions for the UK.  

Because Conservatives in all nations of the UK are also democrats. We respect the result of elections and referendums.

I respect the result of the Referendum that kept our voting system, unlike Vince Cable.

I respect the result of the Referendum that rejected Scottish separation—unlike Nicola Sturgeon.

I respect, though I campaigned the other way, the result of the Referendum on Brexit—unlike Keir Starmer.

I would have said unlike Jeremy Corbyn, but to be fair to Jeremy Corbyn, he is only in favour of staying in the EU on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays or when there is an R in the month.

Of course, Brexit is a huge challenge facing us in the next two years, but it must not and will not take all of our attention.

We must also make a positive difference in people’s daily lives.

As the election showed, we need to show how we can give young people a stake in our society. Free market economies and democratic societies are by a mile the best way to spread prosperity, power, and hope for young people.

We won that argument once, but it was thirty years ago. We need to win it again, today, tomorrow and for the next thirty years.

We need to start at home. We are now looking at too many young people who no longer expect to own a house in their lifetime.

This is bad for them, bad for the stability of our society, and profoundly unconservative. So we will get to work building more houses and opening up the housing market.

We will meet our 2015 commitment to deliver a million homes by the end of 2020 and will deliver half-a-million more by the end of 2022.

For those renting we will ban unfair tenant fees, encourage landlords to offer longer tenancies, and crack down on unfair practices in leasehold, such as escalating ground rents.

We remain the only party committed to home ownership for the many, and we will demonstrate that in the coming years.

We also need a distinctive Conservative message is in our cities.

We have already achieved a huge amount with the creation of genuine local power centres through the directly-elected Mayors. When I fought Ken Livingstone in Brent East 25 years ago one of my most active activists was a keen young man called Andy Street, so I am thrilled for him and all the other Tory Mayors around the country, in the West of England, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, and Tees Valley.

Then we have our City Deals.  I was in Edinburgh during the summer signing the latest of these. This will provide funding for new jobs, housing and infrastructure, and it will see the first new music venue for over 100 years, in one of Scotland’s, one of Britain’s, great cultural centres.

Initiatives like City Mayors and City Deals combine two essential Conservative principles.

First, that decisions should be taken as locally as is practical.

Secondly, that it is only through individual flair and ideas and freedoms that the dynamism of a great city comes about.

All the central planning in the world does not create a London or Manchester or Edinburgh – creative places where millions of disparate individuals find their own niche, and create new communities.

Building on this to create a new City Conservatism is one of the challenges of this party and this government.

Another is to develop an Industrial Strategy that gives hope to young workers that jobs will be available to them in tomorrow’s labour market.

Our record on job creation remains one of the most impressive and enduring achievements of successive Conservative governments.

Unemployment is at its lowest level for more than forty years, there are more women at work than ever before, and young people are significantly less likely to be unemployed than in most European countries.

Never forget that every Labour Government in history has left unemployment higher when it left office than it was when it came in. From Ramsey Macdonald to Gordon Brown, there is an unbroken, unsullied record of failure to create jobs. The country, especially young workers, has always needed the Conservatives to sort out Labour’s mess and it still does.

Because when we say that we want to sort out problems with excessive boardroom pay or energy prices, we do that because we are pro-business, and pro-competition. Conservatives want to stop abuses in business. Labour just wants to abuse business and business people. We want to reform business not because we are anti-business but because we are pro-business.

But we can only make our arguments persuasively if we tackle the real problems we face as well.

The terrible events at Grenfell are a stark demonstration that there are communities in the UK who have been so let down over the years by state institutions they feel they have no voice and are not being heard.

We need to tackle injustice and discrimination in our country.

This is why the Prime Minister has ordered an audit of race disparity in our public services. Why she has committed to end the stigma surrounding mental illness. And why we aim to get a million more disabled people into work in the next ten years.

These are practical social policies that will demonstrate that Conservatives care, and Conservatives act.

This is why we are in Government today, and why we need to remain in Government.

Not just for the good but negative reason that the alternative is a front operation for the hard left. A Labour party with MPs that abuse Prince Harry for his service in Afghanistan, and that tolerates an under-current of anti-semitism. There was a time when we needed to be warned about sounding nasty. I tell you there is still a nasty party in Britain in 2017 and it’s called the Labour Party.

But the country really needs a continuing Conservative Government for the better and more positive reason that a reforming, modernising Conservatism is the best way to give hope to every generation.

Let’s be bold, let’s be united, and show that only a Conservative Government can tackle the injustices in our society with practical action

Only a Conservative Government can create a dynamic economy with a global outlook.

Only a Conservative Government can build a country that works for everyone.  

That is our goal, that is our mission, and with your help, we will achieve success.

ENDS

[cchq2]

Patrick McLoughlin: Working together, the Conservatives are building a country that works for everyone.

Patrick McLoughlin, Conservative Party Chairman, speaking today at Conservative Party Conference in Manchester said:

 (Check against delivery)

 Good Afternoon Conference.

 I’m delighted that we are in Manchester once again.

 As Andrew highlighted. Just over four months ago, this city and its people were the victims of a horrendous terror attack. Aimed particularly at young people. 

 It left 22 dead and scores injured. 

 It is hard to imagine the impact on those families who have lost loved ones. Those injured. Their lives changed forever.

 In response to this attack, Manchester came together.  

 This great city is an example to us all.  

 Far from being driven apart and divided, Manchester, and its people, are closer together and more united. 

 We want to thank Greater Manchester Police. The North-West Ambulance Service. And the staff of our NHS. 

 For the way in which they dealt with the attack. Treating those injured, and dealing with the consequences of such an atrocity.  

 We are grateful to you all. Thank you. 

 Conference.  This has been another unpredictable year in politics.  

 We had brilliant local election results.  We also had a general election that nobody expected to take place. We did not get the result we hoped for.

 Ahead of those local elections in May, I was out with our members across the country. 

 I saw the hard work and dedication of our volunteers and our candidates.  

 It is because of you that we achieved some outstanding results, winning overall control of ten more councils, gaining over five hundred and fifty councillors.

 For a sitting Government, it was an incredible result.  

 We took overall control of Lincolnshire. Norfolk. Cambridgeshire. Gloucestershire. East Sussex. Suffolk. Warwickshire. The Isle of Wight. Lancashire. 

 In my own county, Derbyshire, we delivered a majority of ten on the County Council - something that has not happened in decades. 

 Across the country, we took seats from Labour. From the Liberal Democrats. From UKIP.  

 In the mayoral elections, we saw four Conservatives elected in some of England’s biggest cities. 

 In the West Midlands, Andy Street delivered a huge victory. One that many predicted wasn’t possible. And now, in the second largest city in the country, we have a Conservative Mayor.

 Well done Andy, thank you for your hard work and that of all the Conservative associations across the West Midlands - and beyond - who helped you to deliver such a stunning result. 

 Ben Houchen in the Tees Valley also delivered a result which many said couldn’t happen.  

 A Conservative mayor for Darlington? Hartlepool? Stockton-on-Tees?

 Never. 

 Well Ben, you’ve proven them wrong - and made us all proud. 

 In Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, James Palmer ensured that a strong, local, Conservative voice will fight for an area which includes one of the world’s top universities and some of the world’s leading technology companies.

 Tim Bowles in the West of England is now representing Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol and South Gloucestershire. And Jacob Rees-Mogg.

 I want to congratulate each new Conservative mayor along with all those new councillors and council leaders.

 Thank you to every single Conservative activist, candidate and associations who fought so hard to get them elected. 

 Conference. 

 Along with the rest of the Cabinet, I supported the Prime Minister’s decision to have a General Election. 

 We did not get the result we wanted.

 Every Parliamentary Election I have fought has been different – and this was my tenth. 

 I’ve seen the party win and I’ve seen us lose too - I know why we want to win and what winning feels like. 

 When people write about this year’s general election, some seem to forget the fact that we did win. 

 We have a Conservative Prime Minister in Downing Street. 

 A Prime Minister who will be leading those crucial Brexit negotiations and working hard at home to build a country that works for everyone. 

 This is only possible because of your hard work. 

 Your hard work delivered some remarkable results. 

 We increased our share of the vote for the fifth election in a row.

 We won seats like Stoke on Trent South and Mansfield.  We haven’t held a Stoke seat since 1935, until Jack Brereton. We’ve never won Mansfield before - until Ben Bradley. 

 We achieved a tremendous result in Scotland, winning thirteen seats where we only had one. With Ruth and the Prime Minister, we have secured the Union. And - Conference. Alec Salmond was defeated by Colin Clark, the new Conservative Member of Parliament for Gordon. 

 Because of your hard work, we’ve been joined by new MPs. Lee Rowley in North East Derbyshire, Simon Clarke in Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland. Kirstene Hair in Angus.  

 But. Conference. We did not get a majority. 

 We lost some brilliant colleagues and friends.

 I want to pay tribute to those candidates who fought and didn’t win their seat. 

 I know how difficult this election was for some candidates and some members. The vile abuse faced by some colleagues was outrageous.

 We have acted. 

 The Prime Minister takes this seriously. I take it seriously. Your party takes it seriously and we do not want to see it happen again. 

 The Prime Minister has asked the Committee on Standards in Public Life to look into this and suggest measures to protect those who take part in our democratic process. I gave evidence to the Committee and we as a party have made representations - highlighting many of the disgusting abuses that took place.

 It has no place in our great democracy. 

 Conference.

 I know how hard it is to lose - I fought my first election in 1983 - in Wolverhampton South East and lost. 

 To those of you that fought and lost, I hope that you will give it another go. Fight again. 

 During the election I visited dozens of seats up and down the country. 

 I saw how hard you fought this year. I want you fighting at the next election.  

 I want to thank you all for your work, not just at the general election, but at the local elections and every time you do anything to support our party. 

 You, our members, are the heart and soul of our party.

 I have been a member of this party for over 40 years. I, like you, care passionately about the Conservative Party. And, like you, I am proud to be a Conservative.  

 I am sorry that we did not get the result we hoped for - and I know, as do all of my colleagues, that was not because of a lack of hard work on your part.  

 Conference - you, our members, are the reason we are still in Government.

 We are not complacent.  There is no place for it. 

 At CCHQ we are making necessary changes to ensure that - working together - we can deliver a majority when the next election comes.

 We are changing the way that we work.  We’ve brought in new people. And we’ve developed new technology to take the fight to Labour. 

 Mick Davis has taken on a new role as Chief Executive.

 We’ve appointed new Vice-Chairmen. 

 Stephen Hammond to head up our efforts in London.  

 Alec Shelbrooke for our international work

 David Brownlow to head up our campaigning.

 And we are working on more appointments.

 We know that having local campaign managers works. 

 So we are appointing more of them across the country. To work hand-in-hand with you to ensure that when the next election comes we are ready. 

 And we are going to invest in them to ensure they are here for the long term. 

 I want to welcome the new members of the team and say how grateful I am that you are working to build the best campaigning organisation we can. 

 But, more important than all that, we’re listening to our members across the country. 

 You know our party, its candidates and what we need to do to improve better than anyone.

 Eric Pickles has completed his review into this year’s general election. 

 I want to thank Eric for all his work over the summer to improve our party. 

 He’s been listening to your views. 

 I hope that you took the opportunity to share your experiences and thoughts about the campaign and what we need to do to make this party stronger. 

 As part of that review, the Deputy Chairman, Amanda Sater and I have taken part in member forums across the country to hear from Party Members directly.  

 It’s always inspiring, hearing the work that you have done on the doorstep. 

 We won’t stop listening.  At this conference we will be listening to your ideas. 

 I will be out visiting associations across the country to hear about new ways of campaigning - what works in your area. What we need to do better.  

 I have been where you have been.  Like the Prime Minister, I come from the voluntary party. We were both councillors before we became Members of Parliament. 

 40 years ago, I attended my first Party Conference. 

 I have the programme here.

 My attendance wasn’t as remarkable as that of another young man. 

 William Hague. 

 He told Conference that year that most of us wouldn’t be here in forty years time.  

 Well, like me, a few of us still are. 

 I am proud to say that, at this conference, I am reintroducing contributions from the floor. 

 From our members. 

 Perhaps from the next William Hague. 

 I know that our party needs to listen to its membership - because without you we wouldn’t get the results we achieve. 

 You pound the streets. You are out there week after week.

 And that is crucial ahead of next year’s local elections. 

 We all know that the easiest thing in public life is to spend money other people’s money.

 There will always be pressures to spend more money.  

 But what makes us different from Labour is we know you have to earn that money – it is never the Government’s, it is yours. 

 Labour always take it too far. We know you have to take a balanced approach.

 I say this to Jeremy Corbyn. It’s easy to be a big spender. But. Let me get right to the point. People have to pay for it.

 We know that Labour will always run out of other people’s money. 

 It’s why we have to ensure we have Conservatives representing British people across the country, at local, regional and national levels of our politics.

 Next year, we have crucial local elections in London, the West Midlands and many other areas of the country.

 This couldn’t be more important.  

 We have to fight each and every seat. We have to work together.

 We cannot allow our councils to become socialist enclaves - Corbyn’s ideas played out on our streets. 

 Ideas that went out of fashion in the 1970s cannot make a return in 2018.

 Ideas that don’t make economic sense. 

 Ideas that would set this country back decades.  

 The Conservative Party needs you out there. Knocking on doors. Delivering leaflets. Putting yourself up for election. 

 Making those arguments. 

 Standing up for Conservative ideas.  

 To make sure that this is a country that works for everyone. 

 Conference, we have to remember what we work together for. 

 We work together to deliver a Conservative Government. 

 That matters at every level of our party.  

 Just look at our achievements to see what that is so important.

 When we came to office in 2010, the Labour Government took income tax from people earning just £6,500. 

 In 2017, taxpayers don’t start paying income tax until they earn £11,500 thanks to Conservatives in Government.

 It means that a basic rate tax payer keeps over £1,000 more of their earnings each year.

 In 2010, under Labour, unemployment was at almost 8%. Now, under the Conservatives, it’s at just over 4%. 

 It means more people in work, earning a pay packet and supporting their family.  

 In 2010, under Labour, corporation tax was 28%. Now, under the Conservatives, it’s 19%. 

 In the last year that Labour were in power, it brought in £36.6 billion and in 2016 it brought in £49 billion.  Despite cutting the rate.

 It means businesses invest in this country. It allows us to fund our NHS. Our schools. Our police forces.

 In 2010 Labour were borrowing one pound in ever four spent. Conservatives have made real progress on reducing our deficit – it is down by nearly two-thirds.

 It means we can invest in infrastructure. It safeguards our economy for the long-term. It keeps mortgage rates low. 

 Crime is down by more than a third since 2010. 

 It means that people are safer on the streets and in their home.

 We have a proud record in Government.  

 And we should remember that we have done all of this despite being handed a disastrous economic legacy by the last Labour government. 

 We’ve made Britain better, and we’ve made it better because the Conservatives are in Government.  

 And the simple fact is, Conference, that we are only in government because of you, and because of your hard work ensuring that we can form one.

 Conference. 

 We can do more.

 We must do more.

 And we will do more.

 This is an ambitious government; a government with high aspirations for our country; a government with a vision to deliver them.

 Last year, on becoming Prime Minister, Theresa May spoke on Downing Street about fighting injustices. 

 We know that the Conservative party has the answers.  We’ve shown that through our strong record over the past seven years.  

 As we look to the future, it will be a Conservative Prime Minister

 With a Conservative Cabinet. 

 Delivering for Britain. 

 We are working to continue to deliver a strong economy and world-class public services. 

 Dealing with our debts, but also investing. 

 Keeping taxes low. 

 Taking a balanced approach. 

 Delivering the best Brexit deal for Britain. A deal which works for Britain. 

 Ensuring fairness for working people. Making sure that we have a country where you get out what you put in. 

 Fighting injustices like the gender pay gap, modern day slavery, and racism and discrimination, 

 As well as providing greater help and recognition for those with mental health conditions.

 And every step of the way we will protect and strengthen the Union – the precious bond between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

 Conference. 

 We have come so far. 

 In the seven years we have been in Government we have delivered so much.  

 In Government we will continue to make our country better. 

 And it is only possible to do this with your support.

 Thank you for everything you have done this year. 

 Thank you for everything you will do in the future. For the Conservative Party. For your communities. For our Country.

 I hope you enjoy Conference. 

  ENDS