labourlist--2020-01-17--Backing me, backing you – local parties begin to nominate for leader and deputy

Nine local parties have already nominated their preferred candidates for leader and deputy .
As it stands , Keir Starmer has the backing of six CLPs , while Rebecca Long-Bailey has won in three .
In the deputy contest , Angela Rayner is on five while Richard Burgon , Dawn Butler and Ian Murray have received one each .
Among the results last night , Warley in the West Midlands went to Long-Bailey – this might come as a surprise to some , as it is the backyard of Labour First director John Spellar and they nominated Yvette Cooper in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact that supporters of Salma Yaqoob have been organising in that seat recently , as evidenced in October when the left slate won executive posts at its AGM .
Labour has revealed that in the 48-hour window for people to register as party supporters – and get a vote in the leadership contests – only 14,700 have done so , compared to the 180,000 that signed up in 2015 .
This is good news for Long-Bailey and Burgon , generally considered as the most popular among a largely pro-Corbyn membership .
Other candidates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a surge in Corbynsceptic voters entering the selectorate and will be disappointed with the figure .
But the significance shouldn ’ t be overstated – the final number of new members is yet to be revealed and people can still join the party and get a vote until January 20th , unlike in previous leadership contests .
Long-Bailey ’ s campaign has been fielding questions about a comment she made during the 2019 general election campaign : in an interview with representatives from Salford ’ s Catholic cathedral dug up by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appeared to suggest that she disagreed with allowing abortions after the standard 24-week limit on the grounds of disability .
She stressed that this is a personal view , and her campaign has since stated that she “ unequivocally supports a woman ’ s right to choose ” .
They ’ ve also highlighted her voting record in parliament , including her recent vote to extend abortion rights to Northern Ireland .
Long-Bailey and Rayner yesterday received the endorsement of Corbynite group Momentum .
7,395 out of the 40,000-strong membership responded to an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on recommendations made by its ruling body to back the pair .
While the decision to endorse Long-Bailey was supported by 70 % of those who voted , respondents were less emphatic in response to Rayner who received the backing of only 52 % .
Despite those much-debated mandates , both candidates will now receive huge financial and organisation support from Momentum – and that could make all the difference in the close leadership race .
Rayner ’ s campaign will nonetheless be feeling pretty confident as she also received the support of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has already nominated her , she now only needs support from one more affiliated organisation .
And she will also feature on a ballot to TSSA members next week , which gives a choice of either Rayner or Rosena Allin-Khan for deputy , and Starmer or Long-Bailey for leader .
TSSA was one of the earliest unions to back Jeremy Corbyn in 2015 , and provided his campaign with office space ; Long-Bailey will have been hoping for its outright support .
Members can look forward to a busy weekend : both Long-Bailey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leadership campaigns this evening ; Liverpool metro-mayor Steve Rotheram is kicking-off his re-election campaign ; the Fabian conference takes place tomorrow , with Starmer and London mayor Sadiq Khan both making appearances ; and all the leadership hopefuls will head to Liverpool tomorrow at 11.30am to take part in the first hustings event .
Sienna and I will be covering the lot , so keep your eyes peeled for updates on LabourList .

Nine local parties have already nominated their preferred candidates for leader and deputy. As it stands, Keir Starmer has the backing of six CLPs, while Rebecca Long-Bailey has won in three. In the deputy contest, Angela Rayner is on five while Richard Burgon, Dawn Butler and Ian Murray have received one each. Among the results last night, Warley in the West Midlands went to Long-Bailey – this might come as a surprise to some, as it is the backyard of Labour First director John Spellar and they nominated Yvette Cooper in 2015. But the result reflects the fact that supporters of Salma Yaqoob have been organising in that seat recently, as evidenced in October when the left slate won executive posts at its AGM.
Labour has revealed that in the 48-hour window for people to register as party supporters – and get a vote in the leadership contests – only 14,700 have done so, compared to the 180,000 that signed up in 2015. This is good news for Long-Bailey and Burgon, generally considered as the most popular among a largely pro-Corbyn membership. Other candidates, meanwhile, will have been hoping for a surge in Corbynsceptic voters entering the selectorate and will be disappointed with the figure. But the significance shouldn’t be overstated – the final number of new members is yet to be revealed and people can still join the party and get a vote until January 20th, unlike in previous leadership contests.
Long-Bailey’s campaign has been fielding questions about a comment she made during the 2019 general election campaign: in an interview with representatives from Salford’s Catholic cathedral dug up by the Corbynsceptic Red Roar website, the candidate appeared to suggest that she disagreed with allowing abortions after the standard 24-week limit on the grounds of disability. She stressed that this is a personal view, and her campaign has since stated that she “unequivocally supports a woman’s right to choose”. They’ve also highlighted her voting record in parliament, including her recent vote to extend abortion rights to Northern Ireland.
Long-Bailey and Rayner yesterday received the endorsement of Corbynite group Momentum. 7,395 out of the 40,000-strong membership responded to an online survey to answer ‘yes/no’ on recommendations made by its ruling body to back the pair. While the decision to endorse Long-Bailey was supported by 70% of those who voted, respondents were less emphatic in response to Rayner who received the backing of only 52%. Despite those much-debated mandates, both candidates will now receive huge financial and organisation support from Momentum – and that could make all the difference in the close leadership race.
Rayner’s campaign will nonetheless be feeling pretty confident as she also received the support of the NUM yesterday – given that UNISON has already nominated her, she now only needs support from one more affiliated organisation. And she will also feature on a ballot to TSSA members next week, which gives a choice of either Rayner or Rosena Allin-Khan for deputy, and Starmer or Long-Bailey for leader. TSSA was one of the earliest unions to back Jeremy Corbyn in 2015, and provided his campaign with office space; Long-Bailey will have been hoping for its outright support.
Members can look forward to a busy weekend: both Long-Bailey and Emily Thornberry will officially launch their leadership campaigns this evening; Liverpool metro-mayor Steve Rotheram is kicking-off his re-election campaign; the Fabian conference takes place tomorrow, with Starmer and London mayor Sadiq Khan both making appearances; and all the leadership hopefuls will head to Liverpool tomorrow at 11.30am to take part in the first hustings event. Sienna and I will be covering the lot, so keep your eyes peeled for updates on LabourList.


labourlist--2020-01-17--Sadiq Khan and Keir Starmer set to headline Fabians conference

London mayor Sadiq Khan and Labour leadership candidate Keir Starmer are set to headline the Fabian Society ’ s new year conference on Saturday .
Five weeks after Labour ’ s general election defeat , which produced an 80-seat Tory majority , the party-affiliated organisation will ask : “ What next ?
The left in the 2020s ” .
The event held in partnership with the Foundation for European Progressive Studies ( FEPS ) will discuss the 2019 election result , assess the consequences for Brexit and map a way forward for the left .
The speaker list also features @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John Curtice , Ayesha Hazarika , Mathew Lawrence of Common Wealth , Anand Menon and Polly Toynbee .
As London mayor and Labour ’ s candidate for the 2020 mayoral election , Sadiq Khan will deliver the keynote speech in the morning and answer questions in the session afterwards .
The conference will close with an ‘ in conversation ’ event between Starmer – the MP local to the venue , the Shadow Brexit Secretary and a frontrunner in the leadership race – and Ayesha Hazarika .
Starmer will be attending the conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first official leadership contest hustings , which is set to take place in Liverpool on Saturday from 11.30am .
The Fabian New Year Conference will be held on Saturday 18th January 2020 at Friends House , 173-177 Euston Road , London , NW1 2BJ , from 9.30am to 5.30pm .
View the full agenda here .

London mayor Sadiq Khan and Labour leadership candidate Keir Starmer are set to headline the Fabian Society’s new year conference on Saturday.
Five weeks after Labour’s general election defeat, which produced an 80-seat Tory majority, the party-affiliated organisation will ask: “What next? The left in the 2020s”.
The event held in partnership with the Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS) will discuss the 2019 election result, assess the consequences for Brexit and map a way forward for the left.
Labour parliamentarians speaking will include Jonathan Ashworth, Hilary Benn, Dawn Butler, Kate Green, Seema Malhotra, Rachel Reeves, Wes Streeting, Theresa Griffin and Rory Palmer.
The speaker list also features experts and high-profile commentators such as Sir John Curtice, Ayesha Hazarika, Mathew Lawrence of Common Wealth, Anand Menon and Polly Toynbee.
As London mayor and Labour’s candidate for the 2020 mayoral election, Sadiq Khan will deliver the keynote speech in the morning and answer questions in the session afterwards.
The conference will close with an ‘in conversation’ event between Starmer – the MP local to the venue, the Shadow Brexit Secretary and a frontrunner in the leadership race – and Ayesha Hazarika.
Starmer will be attending the conference after joining the Labour Party’s first official leadership contest hustings, which is set to take place in Liverpool on Saturday from 11.30am.
The Fabian New Year Conference will be held on Saturday 18th January 2020 at Friends House, 173-177 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BJ, from 9.30am to 5.30pm. View the full agenda here.


labourlist--2020-01-17--Left-wing bakers’ union nominates Long-Bailey and Burgon

The left-wing Bakers , Food and Allied Workers ’ Union ( BFAWU ) has decided to support Rebecca Long-Bailey for the Labour leadership and Richard Burgon in the deputy race .
The nominations will help both of the candidates secure places on their respective ballot papers as all ten contenders seek endorsements from local parties and affiliated organisations .
The BFAWU announced on Friday morning that Long-Bailey – the leadership contender considered closest to Jeremy Corbyn – had “ demonstrated her support for our aims and objectives as a union ” .
It was revealed on Thursday afternoon that Burgon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Corbyn ’ s politics – would be gaining the nomination as the “ first BFAWU member to be elected as an MP ” .
The union said Burgon had joined the BFAWU while working at Thompsons Solicitors .
Before becoming an MP , the deputy leadership candidate was a solicitor specialising in employment law .
They said the nominating decisions had been made “ following consultations with regional and branch activists ” .
All leadership candidates must be nominated by either 5 % of local parties or three affiliated groups , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of Labour ’ s affiliated membership .
So far , Keir Starmer has been nominated by UNISON and environmental group SERA ; Lisa Nandy by the National Union of Mineworkers ( NUM ) and Long-Bailey by BFAWU .
TSSA has announced that it will ballot members on the executive body recommendations of Starmer or Long-Bailey for leader , and Angela Rayner or Rosena Allin-Khan for deputy .
There are 12 unions formally linked to the Labour Party , of which five – Unite , UNISON , GMB , Usdaw and CWU – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the ballot paper through the affiliates route .

The left-wing Bakers, Food and Allied Workers’ Union (BFAWU) has decided to support Rebecca Long-Bailey for the Labour leadership and Richard Burgon in the deputy race.
The nominations will help both of the candidates secure places on their respective ballot papers as all ten contenders seek endorsements from local parties and affiliated organisations.
The BFAWU announced on Friday morning that Long-Bailey – the leadership contender considered closest to Jeremy Corbyn – had “demonstrated her support for our aims and objectives as a union”.
It was revealed on Thursday afternoon that Burgon – also a shadow cabinet member close to Corbyn’s politics – would be gaining the nomination as the “first BFAWU member to be elected as an MP”.
The union said Burgon had joined the BFAWU while working at Thompsons Solicitors. Before becoming an MP, the deputy leadership candidate was a solicitor specialising in employment law.
They said the nominating decisions had been made “following consultations with regional and branch activists”.
All leadership candidates must be nominated by either 5% of local parties or three affiliated groups, including two trade unions, amounting to 5% of Labour’s affiliated membership.
So far, Keir Starmer has been nominated by UNISON and environmental group SERA; Lisa Nandy by the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and Long-Bailey by BFAWU.
TSSA has announced that it will ballot members on the executive body recommendations of Starmer or Long-Bailey for leader, and Angela Rayner or Rosena Allin-Khan for deputy.
There are 12 unions formally linked to the Labour Party, of which five – Unite, UNISON, GMB, Usdaw and CWU – are large enough to help candidates get to the ballot paper through the affiliates route.


labourlist--2020-01-17--We need an honest post-mortem – Labour’s manifesto was a failure

It is five weeks since Labour ’ s devastating election defeat and the party ’ s attention has already moved on .
In a way , that ’ s a good thing , because a leadership contest marks a fresh beginning .
But it has its downsides too , as there is unavoidable tension between honest post-mortem and popularity contest .
Before the leadership candidates set out their policy programmes , they need to ask not just why Labour ’ s 2019 platform was rejected but also whether it was the right agenda for the country in the first place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Labour party have said the manifesto contained individually popular policies but that it was over-loaded and lacked a narrative thread .
That doesn ’ t go far enough .
The truth is that Labour ’ s 2019 policy programme was profoundly flawed .
Activists who knocked on doors know that voters literally laughed at Labour ’ s election promises , with the party unveiling one incoherent electoral bribe after another .
Labour failed to present any reasoned , intellectual case for the free broadband that people were already happy to pay for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fares for affluent season ticket holders , or for the massive cash handouts for women born in the 1950s .
These were all examples of policies that benefited people with high incomes more than families in poverty and this was a critical weakness in Labour ’ s overall electoral programme .
The party offered a huge expansion in state collectivism and universalism .
But it offered too little in the fight against inequality , save for raising the taxes of the very rich .
In other words , Labour reversed the decision it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ egalitarianism over statism .
Extraordinary projections from the Resolution Foundation showed that after four years of a Labour government child poverty would have been no lower than it is today .
The Institute for Fiscal Studies suggested that Labour ’ s medium-term spending plans were less redistributive than those of the Liberal Democrats , as was also the case in 2017 .
The egalitarianism Labour did offer came in the shape of economic reforms that were highly speculative and would have taken years to reap returns .
Labour ’ s plans to increase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ non-shareholder ownership models and launch a green industrial revolution in disadvantaged areas included many good ideas .
But over a single parliament they would have done next to nothing for living standards or for people ’ s sense of control over their own lives .
The party ’ s plans for the welfare state would have helped more .
There were areas where Labour ’ s universalist proposals would have made a real difference to life chances , especially its offer of free childcare , youth services and further education for adults .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ especially so many nationalisations in one go – seemed unconnected to everyday life .
On Saturday , hundreds of delegates and dozens of Labour politicians will meet at the FEPS-Fabian New Year Conference to discuss what the party must do differently to win .
An assessment of the party ’ s policy offer will be at the heart of the debate .
This time , Labour ’ s programme just had too little of those Fabian virtues of practicality , precision and empiricism .
There was so much of it , it would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ single term .
The detail was often flaky .
And the ideologically-inspired solutions often addressed problems people did not know they had .
On everything from nationalising broadband to a four-day-week , the party should have spent years examining the evidence , debating with the public and road-testing solutions with a wide cross-section of experts .
Instead , Labour ’ s conversation took place only within a comfortable activist echo chamber , often leaving traditional Labour voters bewildered and scornful at the results .
Take the four-day week .
After a decade when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , how did the party get to a place where it was publicly calling for future pay rises to be translated into shorter hours , not higher take-home wages ?
And how did it set out plans that were so half-baked that the Tories could present a Labour policy as a threat to the NHS ?
Individual voters didn ’ t engage with all this policy detail .
But they got enough of it to smell a rat .
Unlike in 2017 , Labour ’ s manifesto was a failure because it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country .
And it prioritised the ideology of the big state over practical power and prosperity for people , in the here and now .
Once this leadership contest is over , on policy , the party must start again .
The Labour Party 2019 manifesto will be debated in a special session on Saturday at the FEPS-Fabian New Year Conference in London .
For more information , visit www.fabians.org.uk .

It is five weeks since Labour’s devastating election defeat and the party’s attention has already moved on. In a way, that’s a good thing, because a leadership contest marks a fresh beginning. But it has its downsides too, as there is unavoidable tension between honest post-mortem and popularity contest.
Before the leadership candidates set out their policy programmes, they need to ask not just why Labour’s 2019 platform was rejected but also whether it was the right agenda for the country in the first place. So far, figures from across the Labour party have said the manifesto contained individually popular policies but that it was over-loaded and lacked a narrative thread. That doesn’t go far enough. The truth is that Labour’s 2019 policy programme was profoundly flawed.
Activists who knocked on doors know that voters literally laughed at Labour’s election promises, with the party unveiling one incoherent electoral bribe after another. Labour failed to present any reasoned, intellectual case for the free broadband that people were already happy to pay for, for the huge cuts in rail fares for affluent season ticket holders, or for the massive cash handouts for women born in the 1950s.
These were all examples of policies that benefited people with high incomes more than families in poverty and this was a critical weakness in Labour’s overall electoral programme. The party offered a huge expansion in state collectivism and universalism. But it offered too little in the fight against inequality, save for raising the taxes of the very rich.
In other words, Labour reversed the decision it made in the mid-20th century to prioritise egalitarianism over statism. Extraordinary projections from the Resolution Foundation showed that after four years of a Labour government child poverty would have been no lower than it is today. The Institute for Fiscal Studies suggested that Labour’s medium-term spending plans were less redistributive than those of the Liberal Democrats, as was also the case in 2017.
The egalitarianism Labour did offer came in the shape of economic reforms that were highly speculative and would have taken years to reap returns. Labour’s plans to increase workers’ power over businesses, expand non-shareholder ownership models and launch a green industrial revolution in disadvantaged areas included many good ideas. But over a single parliament they would have done next to nothing for living standards or for people’s sense of control over their own lives.
The party’s plans for the welfare state would have helped more. There were areas where Labour’s universalist proposals would have made a real difference to life chances, especially its offer of free childcare, youth services and further education for adults. But elsewhere the extra statism – and especially so many nationalisations in one go – seemed unconnected to everyday life.
On Saturday, hundreds of delegates and dozens of Labour politicians will meet at the FEPS-Fabian New Year Conference to discuss what the party must do differently to win. An assessment of the party’s policy offer will be at the heart of the debate.
This time, Labour’s programme just had too little of those Fabian virtues of practicality, precision and empiricism. There was so much of it, it would have been impossible to deliver in a single term. The detail was often flaky. And the ideologically-inspired solutions often addressed problems people did not know they had.
On everything from nationalising broadband to a four-day-week, the party should have spent years examining the evidence, debating with the public and road-testing solutions with a wide cross-section of experts. Instead, Labour’s conversation took place only within a comfortable activist echo chamber, often leaving traditional Labour voters bewildered and scornful at the results.
Take the four-day week. After a decade when hourly wages and productivity have barely risen, how did the party get to a place where it was publicly calling for future pay rises to be translated into shorter hours, not higher take-home wages? And how did it set out plans that were so half-baked that the Tories could present a Labour policy as a threat to the NHS?
Individual voters didn’t engage with all this policy detail. But they got enough of it to smell a rat. Unlike in 2017, Labour’s manifesto was a failure because it was a programme for the movement not the country. And it prioritised the ideology of the big state over practical power and prosperity for people, in the here and now. Once this leadership contest is over, on policy, the party must start again.
The Labour Party 2019 manifesto will be debated in a special session on Saturday at the FEPS-Fabian New Year Conference in London. For more information, visit www.fabians.org.uk.


labourlist--2020-01-17--Steve Rotheram: I’ll build a city region where no one is left behind

Three years ago , it was an honour to be elected as the first mayor for the Liverpool city region .
During this time I ’ ve been working hard to deliver Labour ’ s national agenda at a local level .
I ’ m really proud of some of things we ’ ve already achieved : a new fleet of Merseyrail trains , publicly-owned and the most accessible in the country ; half-price public transport for apprentices ; and the revitalisation of some of our town centres , ignored by government and the private sector for too long .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s now even more important than ever that our party uses its local government platform to show the rest of the country what Labour in power can do .
So moving forward , I want to be more ambitious , more radical , and do more to deliver lasting change for our region .
I want to build a city region where no one is left behind .
Because the hard truth is that , despite the progress we ’ ve made in the past three years , our economy still doesn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doesn ’ t work for the families trapped in in-work poverty , or those forced to rely on food banks .
It doesn ’ t work for those on zero-hour contracts or the one in four workers paid less than the real living wage .
To ensure that no one is left behind , we need to create an economy which genuinely works for the many , and not just the few .
This has to begin with our young people – more than 7,000 of whom are not currently in education , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our economy .
Not because they lack talent , but because they lack opportunity .
It ’ s something I know well myself .
I grew up in Kirkby , a textbook example of an area forgotten by Westminster ; I got lucky .
An apprenticeship and the opportunity to study later in life allowed me to make the improbable journey from bricklayer to parliament and now mayor of the region I love .
I never thought for one second that someone like me would end up where I am today and I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ensure that every young person has the same opportunities that I was so fortunate to have .
I want to turn their ambition into belief .
So today , I ’ m launching my re-election campaign with a simple promise : if elected again in May – I will guarantee a job , training or an apprenticeship opportunity to every young person within six months of them becoming unemployed .
The first scheme of its kind in the country , my young persons guarantee will see everyone under 25 given mentoring , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for work and the commitment that they will receive the offer of a good job , training course or apprenticeship opportunity within six months of them becoming unemployed .
Without devolution , this wouldn ’ t be possible .
Our young people would be just another generation forgotten about by Westminster .
Instead we can offer them real opportunities to reach their potential .
It ’ s another example of how Labour in power can deliver real change .

Three years ago, it was an honour to be elected as the first mayor for the Liverpool city region. During this time I’ve been working hard to deliver Labour’s national agenda at a local level.
I’m really proud of some of things we’ve already achieved: a new fleet of Merseyrail trains, publicly-owned and the most accessible in the country; half-price public transport for apprentices; and the revitalisation of some of our town centres, ignored by government and the private sector for too long.
Given the general election result, it’s now even more important than ever that our party uses its local government platform to show the rest of the country what Labour in power can do. So moving forward, I want to be more ambitious, more radical, and do more to deliver lasting change for our region.
I want to build a city region where no one is left behind. Because the hard truth is that, despite the progress we’ve made in the past three years, our economy still doesn’t work for everyone. It doesn’t work for the families trapped in in-work poverty, or those forced to rely on food banks. It doesn’t work for those on zero-hour contracts or the one in four workers paid less than the real living wage.
To ensure that no one is left behind, we need to create an economy which genuinely works for the many, and not just the few. This has to begin with our young people – more than 7,000 of whom are not currently in education, employment or training. Shut out of our economy. Not because they lack talent, but because they lack opportunity. It’s something I know well myself.
I grew up in Kirkby, a textbook example of an area forgotten by Westminster; I got lucky. An apprenticeship and the opportunity to study later in life allowed me to make the improbable journey from bricklayer to parliament and now mayor of the region I love.
I never thought for one second that someone like me would end up where I am today and I want to do everything in my power to ensure that every young person has the same opportunities that I was so fortunate to have. I want to turn their ambition into belief.
So today, I’m launching my re-election campaign with a simple promise: if elected again in May – I will guarantee a job, training or an apprenticeship opportunity to every young person within six months of them becoming unemployed.
The first scheme of its kind in the country, my young persons guarantee will see everyone under 25 given mentoring, independent careers advice, support to apply for work and the commitment that they will receive the offer of a good job, training course or apprenticeship opportunity within six months of them becoming unemployed.
Without devolution, this wouldn’t be possible. Our young people would be just another generation forgotten about by Westminster. Instead we can offer them real opportunities to reach their potential. It’s another example of how Labour in power can deliver real change.


labourlist--2020-01-16--Long-Bailey: Devolve power out of Westminster to “where it belongs”

The British state needs a “ seismic shock ” and power should be devolved out of Westminster to “ where it belongs ” , Rebecca Long-Bailey will declare at her leadership campaign launch .
Speaking at her event in Manchester on Friday evening , the Labour leadership candidate will set out her priorities as one of the frontrunners in the race to become Jeremy Corbyn ’ s successor .
Focusing on devolution throughout her speech , the Shadow Business Secretary is expected to say that she wants to “ shake up government ” and that she will “ fight for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say : “ Where I grew up , Westminster , even London , felt like a million miles away .
The story of the last few years is that many people feel there is something wrong with their laws being drafted hundreds of miles away by a distant and largely unaccountable bureaucratic elite in Brussels .
But I ’ ll be honest , Westminster didn ’ t feel much closer , and it still doesn ’ t today .
“ That ’ s why I want to shake up the way government works @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : we will put power where it belongs – in your hands .
The British state needs a seismic shock , to prise it open at all levels to the people – their knowledge , their skills , their demands .
“ Proper democracy takes power away from the offshore bank account and places it on the ballot paper , so workers can have more and chief executives less , and we can tackle the climate crisis with a green new deal that unites all of Labour ’ s heartlands .
We will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ politics and we will be setting out plans to go further by devolving power out of Westminster to a regional and local level.
” On the challenge facing Labour , the MP for Salford and Eccles will discuss her plans to “ reconnect with the people of our country ” and “ build a powerful movement to raise up their demands ” .
She will say : “ I understand the pride that millions feel in the place they call home .
Yes , millions of people have taken a knock to their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decade of austerity – but I also understand that hasn ’ t dented one bit our shining conviction , that our children ’ s lives must and will be better than our own , and that the future of our towns and cities must be worthy of their great past .
“ And I will fight for that future .
I will fight for a green new deal that ushers in a new era of prosperity , security and well-being .
I will fight for investment in the low carbon industries of today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for future generations and bring new jobs and prosperity to all regions and nations of the UK .
“ I will fight for world class public services that secure our fundamental needs and free us up as individuals , as families , as communities to pursue the lives we aspire to .
I will fight for the rewilding and restoration of our landscapes that will multiply many times over the natural wealth that belongs to us all .
“ And I will fight for a democratic economy – for modern , democratic public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the tremendous wealth that human ingenuity and hard work can guarantee us all.
” The leadership hopeful made it through the first round of the contest , securing more than the required 22 nominations from MPs and MEPs with a total of 33 supporters among her colleagues .
Candidates are now attempting to get the backing of 5 % of local parties – 33 CLPs – or 5 % of affiliated members including three affiliated organisations , of which two must be trade unions .
Momentum has endorsed the MP for Salford @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leader following a ballot of their members , and has said it will be campaigning for her .
Long-Bailey is expected to get through this round of the process without difficulty , which will then place her on the final ballot put to members .
An exclusive poll by LabourList placed the frontbencher narrowly ahead in the contest , with 42 % of first preferences with Keir Starmer behind on 37 % .

The British state needs a “seismic shock” and power should be devolved out of Westminster to “where it belongs”, Rebecca Long-Bailey will declare at her leadership campaign launch.
Speaking at her event in Manchester on Friday evening, the Labour leadership candidate will set out her priorities as one of the frontrunners in the race to become Jeremy Corbyn’s successor.
Focusing on devolution throughout her speech, the Shadow Business Secretary is expected to say that she wants to “shake up government” and that she will “fight for a democratic economy”.
Long-Bailey will say: “Where I grew up, Westminster, even London, felt like a million miles away. The story of the last few years is that many people feel there is something wrong with their laws being drafted hundreds of miles away by a distant and largely unaccountable bureaucratic elite in Brussels. But I’ll be honest, Westminster didn’t feel much closer, and it still doesn’t today.
“That’s why I want to shake up the way government works and deliver a clear message to voters: we will put power where it belongs – in your hands. The British state needs a seismic shock, to prise it open at all levels to the people – their knowledge, their skills, their demands.
“Proper democracy takes power away from the offshore bank account and places it on the ballot paper, so workers can have more and chief executives less, and we can tackle the climate crisis with a green new deal that unites all of Labour’s heartlands. We will end the gentlemen’s club of politics and we will be setting out plans to go further by devolving power out of Westminster to a regional and local level.”
On the challenge facing Labour, the MP for Salford and Eccles will discuss her plans to “reconnect with the people of our country” and “build a powerful movement to raise up their demands”.
She will say: “I understand the pride that millions feel in the place they call home. Yes, millions of people have taken a knock to their quality of life from deindustrialisation and a decade of austerity – but I also understand that hasn’t dented one bit our shining conviction, that our children’s lives must and will be better than our own, and that the future of our towns and cities must be worthy of their great past.
“And I will fight for that future. I will fight for a green new deal that ushers in a new era of prosperity, security and well-being. I will fight for investment in the low carbon industries of today and tomorrow to secure a liveable planet for future generations and bring new jobs and prosperity to all regions and nations of the UK.
“I will fight for world class public services that secure our fundamental needs and free us up as individuals, as families, as communities to pursue the lives we aspire to. I will fight for the rewilding and restoration of our landscapes that will multiply many times over the natural wealth that belongs to us all.
“And I will fight for a democratic economy – for modern, democratic public ownership, so that we all share in the tremendous wealth that human ingenuity and hard work can guarantee us all.”
The leadership hopeful made it through the first round of the contest, securing more than the required 22 nominations from MPs and MEPs with a total of 33 supporters among her colleagues.
Candidates are now attempting to get the backing of 5% of local parties – 33 CLPs – or 5% of affiliated members including three affiliated organisations, of which two must be trade unions.
Momentum has endorsed the MP for Salford and Eccles to be the next Labour leader following a ballot of their members, and has said it will be campaigning for her.
Long-Bailey is expected to get through this round of the process without difficulty, which will then place her on the final ballot put to members.
An exclusive poll by LabourList placed the frontbencher narrowly ahead in the contest, with 42% of first preferences with Keir Starmer behind on 37%.


labourlist--2020-01-16--In poll position – the latest on the leadership contest

Exciting news : we have released the results of our leadership poll conducted by Survation .
In the weighted survey of LabourList readers who are also party members , Rebecca Long-Bailey came out top with 42 % of first preferences while Keir Starmer was close behind on 37 % .
The findings suggests that the Camden MP does better in terms of second and third preferences , but it still is not enough to cancel out Long-Bailey ’ s lead in the initial round .
According to the poll , she would very narrowly win with an overall 51 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ took place tomorrow .
The research will be a welcome boost to Long-Bailey ’ s campaign , which has been slow to get off the ground .
It puts her in an excellent position as the first assumption of this race re-emerges : that the loyal frontbencher is Jeremy Corbyn ’ s natural successor with a membership that is largely on the left of the party .
But this is not bad news for Starmer either .
With the other three hopefuls lagging far behind – Jess Phillips on 9 % , Lisa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on just 1 % – the poll seems to suggest that the contest is very much a two-horse race .
For members who don ’ t want to see Long-Bailey win the top job , this should prompt them to coalesce around Starmer as the most viable alternative .
Nandy – who placed fourth – may have performed badly in the poll but Twitterati consensus is that she certainly didn ’ t in an interview with Andrew Neil last night .
The leadership contender sat down with the BBC ’ s toughest interviewer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policy platform as he offered a typical grilling .
She seemed to fly through the conversation largely unscathed , as Neil failed to pin her down on various issues .
The Wigan MP avoided giving flippant answers – although , for one tantalising moment , she did seem as if she was going to pluck a figure from the air for a new top rate of tax .
We may also hope that she does regret part of her response on the independence movement in Scotland , in which she seemed to suggest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Spain and Catalonia – yes , the same Catalonia where police violently attacked citizens and central government locked up several local politicians .
Nandy doubled-down on her newly announced backing for freedom of movement , which she set out in a key speech earlier in the day .
This might have been a bit of a surprise for some , and may prove problematic with her more Leave-inclined supporters , but it ’ s a popular position with the wider membership and should allay concerns that her leadership would mean a shift @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hope to see all of the candidates sit down with Neil over the next few weeks and , on top of that , we ’ ll get to see them go head-to-head in the upcoming leadership hustings .
After having aired lots of concerns about the locations , the contenders will kick-off with the first one in Liverpool this Saturday .
It will be the first chance for members to judge the candidates together , and will no-doubt help inform the CLP nominations that decide who gets on the final ballot , of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night .
Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner – who took 60 % of first preferences in our poll – are ahead in the second stages of their respective races .

Exciting news: we have released the results of our leadership poll conducted by Survation. In the weighted survey of LabourList readers who are also party members, Rebecca Long-Bailey came out top with 42% of first preferences while Keir Starmer was close behind on 37%. The findings suggests that the Camden MP does better in terms of second and third preferences, but it still is not enough to cancel out Long-Bailey’s lead in the initial round. According to the poll, she would very narrowly win with an overall 51% to his 49% if the vote took place tomorrow.
The research will be a welcome boost to Long-Bailey’s campaign, which has been slow to get off the ground. It puts her in an excellent position as the first assumption of this race re-emerges: that the loyal frontbencher is Jeremy Corbyn’s natural successor with a membership that is largely on the left of the party.
But this is not bad news for Starmer either. With the other three hopefuls lagging far behind – Jess Phillips on 9%, Lisa Nandy on 7% and Emily Thornberry on just 1% – the poll seems to suggest that the contest is very much a two-horse race. For members who don’t want to see Long-Bailey win the top job, this should prompt them to coalesce around Starmer as the most viable alternative.
Nandy – who placed fourth – may have performed badly in the poll but Twitterati consensus is that she certainly didn’t in an interview with Andrew Neil last night. The leadership contender sat down with the BBC’s toughest interviewer and gave a confident account of her policy platform as he offered a typical grilling. She seemed to fly through the conversation largely unscathed, as Neil failed to pin her down on various issues.
The Wigan MP avoided giving flippant answers – although, for one tantalising moment, she did seem as if she was going to pluck a figure from the air for a new top rate of tax. We may also hope that she does regret part of her response on the independence movement in Scotland, in which she seemed to suggest that we should look to the example of Spain and Catalonia – yes, the same Catalonia where police violently attacked citizens and central government locked up several local politicians.
Nandy doubled-down on her newly announced backing for freedom of movement, which she set out in a key speech earlier in the day. This might have been a bit of a surprise for some, and may prove problematic with her more Leave-inclined supporters, but it’s a popular position with the wider membership and should allay concerns that her leadership would mean a shift to the right on immigration.
We hope to see all of the candidates sit down with Neil over the next few weeks and, on top of that, we’ll get to see them go head-to-head in the upcoming leadership hustings. After having aired lots of concerns about the locations, the contenders will kick-off with the first one in Liverpool this Saturday. It will be the first chance for members to judge the candidates together, and will no-doubt help inform the CLP nominations that decide who gets on the final ballot, of which we saw the first two last night. Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner – who took 60% of first preferences in our poll – are ahead in the second stages of their respective races.


labourlist--2020-01-16--Momentum back Long-Bailey and Rayner after member ballot

Momentum has officially endorsed Rebecca Long-Bailey and Angela Rayner for Labour ’ s leadership roles after a ballot of its members .
The activist network , which grew out of Jeremy Corbyn ’ s 2015 leadership campaign , backed the candidates after a vote that took place in 48 hours between Tuesday and Thursday .
70 % of Momentum members who chose to vote in the poll supported a recommendation to endorse Long-Bailey , while an endorsement of Rayner was backed by just 52 % of respondents .
7,395 people – out of around 40,000 Momentum members , who were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the survey , which consisted of two questions demanding ‘ yes ’ / ’ no ’ answers : • “ Should Momentum follow the NCG recommendation to endorse Rebecca Long-Bailey as the next leader of the Labour Party ?
” ; • “ Should Momentum follow the NCG recommendation to endorse Angela Rayner as the next deputy leader of the Labour Party ?
” Momentum received criticism when its ruling body – chaired by Jon Lansman , who is Long-Bailey ’ s campaign director – agreed that they would only ballot members on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ choice of candidates .
There had been calls to put all of the contenders for both positions to the membership – including from leadership candidate Clive Lewis who had not been knocked out of the race at that time .
The national coordinating group ( NCG ) voted in favour of endorsing Long-Bailey and Rayner , despite Rayner being seen as ‘ soft left ’ in the party .
13 of the group backed her for deputy while six supported Richard Burgon , who is often considered to be further left than the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as all candidates attempt to secure either 5 % of local parties – a total of 33 – or three affiliated organisations , including two trade unions , adding up to 5 % of the affiliated membership .
Momentum has said that it plans to organise hundreds of phone banks across the country to call Labour members to canvass support for the candidates .
Both Long-Bailey and Rayner are expected to make it through this round of the process without much difficulty .
Rayner already has the backing of UNISON , and Long-Bailey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s support although that has not yet been decided .
A poll by LabourList released on Wednesday showed both of the frontbenchers doing well – Long-Bailey came top in the leader race with 42 % of first preferences , while Rayner won outright with 60 % for deputy .
Commenting on the endorsement , a Momentum spokesperson said : “ Our membership has spoken and overwhelmingly backed Rebecca Long-Bailey to be the next leader of the Labour Party and the next Prime Minister of the UK .
We will now be mobilising thousands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months.
” “ Rebecca is at the heart of a new and diverse generation of socialists who recognise that we can not return to the politics of the past .
She has spent the last few years pioneering the policies of the future , including a detailed plan for a Green New Deal that can revive communities that have been ignored , bring the country together and lead the world in combating the climate crisis.
” “ She is an experienced , principled and inspiring candidate and our movement is proud to support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ Momentum members alongside hundreds of thousands of other Labour members worked day and night across the country to elect a Labour government last December , knocking on millions of doors.
” “ I am proud and beyond grateful to be backed by an organisation that has revolutionised how we campaign .
I will deliver on the trust Momentum members have placed in me , with a plan to win the next general election and transform our country for the future.
” The MP for Salford and Eccles is due to officially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Manchester on Friday evening .
A party hustings will be held in Liverpool on Saturday .
In response to the Momentum endorsement , Angela Rayner said : “ I ’ m delighted that Momentum members have today endorsed two strong socialist candidates to be the next leader and deputy leader of the Labour Party .
“ Momentum is one of the most innovative and exciting forces within the Labour Party and over the past five years has helped to rebuild our movement and create the largest political party in western Europe .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ensure we harness the full energy and activism of grassroots organisations like Momentum as we fight to win people ’ s trust and see our policies put into action in government.
” Rayner was also recommended by TSSA alongside Rosena Allin-Khan , and nominated by the National Union of Mineworkers for the deputy post on Wednesday .

Momentum has officially endorsed Rebecca Long-Bailey and Angela Rayner for Labour’s leadership roles after a ballot of its members.
The activist network, which grew out of Jeremy Corbyn’s 2015 leadership campaign, backed the candidates after a vote that took place in 48 hours between Tuesday and Thursday.
70% of Momentum members who chose to vote in the poll supported a recommendation to endorse Long-Bailey, while an endorsement of Rayner was backed by just 52% of respondents.
7,395 people – out of around 40,000 Momentum members, who were all eligible to vote – responded to the survey, which consisted of two questions demanding ‘yes’/’no’ answers:
“ Should Momentum follow the NCG recommendation to endorse Rebecca Long-Bailey as the next leader of the Labour Party?”;
“Should Momentum follow the NCG recommendation to endorse Angela Rayner as the next deputy leader of the Labour Party?”
Momentum received criticism when its ruling body – chaired by Jon Lansman, who is Long-Bailey’s campaign director – agreed that they would only ballot members on their recommendation rather than offering a full choice of candidates.
There had been calls to put all of the contenders for both positions to the membership – including from leadership candidate Clive Lewis who had not been knocked out of the race at that time.
The national coordinating group (NCG) voted in favour of endorsing Long-Bailey and Rayner, despite Rayner being seen as ‘soft left’ in the party.
13 of the group backed her for deputy while six supported Richard Burgon, who is often considered to be further left than the MP for Ashton-Under-Lyne.
This endorsement comes as all candidates attempt to secure either 5% of local parties – a total of 33 – or three affiliated organisations, including two trade unions, adding up to 5% of the affiliated membership.
Momentum has said that it plans to organise hundreds of phone banks across the country to call Labour members to canvass support for the candidates.
Both Long-Bailey and Rayner are expected to make it through this round of the process without much difficulty. Rayner already has the backing of UNISON, and Long-Bailey is widely expected to win Unite’s support although that has not yet been decided.
A poll by LabourList released on Wednesday showed both of the frontbenchers doing well – Long-Bailey came top in the leader race with 42% of first preferences, while Rayner won outright with 60% for deputy.
Commenting on the endorsement, a Momentum spokesperson said: “Our membership has spoken and overwhelmingly backed Rebecca Long-Bailey to be the next leader of the Labour Party and the next Prime Minister of the UK. We will now be mobilising thousands to persuade Labour members in the coming months.”
“Rebecca is at the heart of a new and diverse generation of socialists who recognise that we cannot return to the politics of the past. She has spent the last few years pioneering the policies of the future, including a detailed plan for a Green New Deal that can revive communities that have been ignored, bring the country together and lead the world in combating the climate crisis.”
“She is an experienced, principled and inspiring candidate and our movement is proud to support her for leadership.”
Long-Bailey herself added: “Momentum members alongside hundreds of thousands of other Labour members worked day and night across the country to elect a Labour government last December, knocking on millions of doors.”
“I am proud and beyond grateful to be backed by an organisation that has revolutionised how we campaign. I will deliver on the trust Momentum members have placed in me, with a plan to win the next general election and transform our country for the future.”
The MP for Salford and Eccles is due to officially launch her leadership campaign with a speech in Manchester on Friday evening. A party hustings will be held in Liverpool on Saturday.
In response to the Momentum endorsement, Angela Rayner said: “I’m delighted that Momentum members have today endorsed two strong socialist candidates to be the next leader and deputy leader of the Labour Party.
“Momentum is one of the most innovative and exciting forces within the Labour Party and over the past five years has helped to rebuild our movement and create the largest political party in western Europe.
“As deputy leader, I will ensure we harness the full energy and activism of grassroots organisations like Momentum as we fight to win people’s trust and see our policies put into action in government.”
Rayner was also recommended by TSSA alongside Rosena Allin-Khan, and nominated by the National Union of Mineworkers for the deputy post on Wednesday.


labourlist--2020-01-17--Long-Bailey vows to deliver “socialism is aspiration” message to voters

Labour leadership candidate Rebecca Long-Bailey vowed at her launch speech on Friday evening to “ makes sure our voters understand that socialism is aspiration ” .
Identifying Labour ’ s key failure in the 2019 general election in light of the defeat last month , the contender said of the party offer : “ We didn ’ t match that with a message of aspiration.
” Taking to the stage at the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester after introductions by new MPs Zarah Sultana and Kim Johnson , Long-Bailey was greeted by chants of “ Oh , Becky Long-Bailey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hundreds of attendees , the leadership hopeful joked : “ We ’ re gon na have to find a new song , you know.
” Her speech – the first of her leadership campaign – focussed on her backstory and key policy priorities for the years ahead with a particular emphasis on a “ democratic revolution ” and constitutional change .
Talking about her current situation , Long-Bailey joked : “ If someone had told me 30 years ago when I first came here that I ’ d be back in 2020 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I was going to be leader of the party and the next Prime Minister , I ’ d have thought I ’ d stumbled out of the Hacienda having taken something.
” She talked about growing up in a working-class family , listening to her father “ talk about pay disputes ” , and also referred to a pawn shop before adding – “ that ’ s P.A.W.N.
” .
Setting out her priorities for government , the Shadow Business Secretary declared : “ I want to sweep away the House of Lords.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ subject to “ proportional voting systems ” , and later promised to “ end the gentleman ’ s club of politics ” .
Long-Bailey told the event she had “ worked hard ” to become successful , but added : “ A lot of people did .
They worked just as hard and were just as capable… If we ’ re honest , in our economy , a lot of it is down to luck.
” Turning to her central message of the night , and what is likely to become an important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the frontbencher said : “ My kind of socialism is the kind where we all rise together… where we ’ re free to dream , free to climb and free to succeed.
” She identified “ alternative models of ownership ” , “ fighting racism ” , standing up for “ LGBTQ+ rights and gender equality ” and “ rebalancing our economy so every town , city and region can thrive ” as her chief aims .
Long-Bailey ’ s agenda would promote “ pride rooted in solidarity , inclusivity , internationalism , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Manchester .
Earlier today , a Joe interview came out in which Long-Bailey answered a question on taking drugs with the reply : “ Oooh .
Well , I ’ ve been to Amsterdam , that ’ s all I ’ ll say.
” Asked by The Mirror whether she had “ inhaled in Amsterdam ” , the shadow cabinet member said she was there either for “ my love of the flower markets or it was to partake in the local delicacies ” .
The BBC ’ s Lewis Goodall asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members on why they should vote for her over fellow frontrunner Keir Starmer .
“ I ’ m not from Westminster , I ’ m not from the London bubble , ” she replied .
Returning to her core theme , Long-Bailey concluded : “ If people want a leader who makes sure our voters understand that socialism is aspiration , then I ’ m the person they should be voting for .
”

Labour leadership candidate Rebecca Long-Bailey vowed at her launch speech on Friday evening to “makes sure our voters understand that socialism is aspiration”.
Identifying Labour’s key failure in the 2019 general election in light of the defeat last month, the contender said of the party offer: “We didn’t match that with a message of aspiration.”
Taking to the stage at the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester after introductions by new MPs Zarah Sultana and Kim Johnson, Long-Bailey was greeted by chants of “Oh, Becky Long-Bailey”.
To a room filled with hundreds of attendees, the leadership hopeful joked: “We’re gonna have to find a new song, you know.”
Her speech – the first of her leadership campaign – focussed on her backstory and key policy priorities for the years ahead with a particular emphasis on a “democratic revolution” and constitutional change.
Talking about her current situation, Long-Bailey joked: “If someone had told me 30 years ago when I first came here that I’d be back in 2020, standing on a podium telling you all I was going to be leader of the party and the next Prime Minister, I’d have thought I’d stumbled out of the Hacienda having taken something.”
She talked about growing up in a working-class family, listening to her father “talk about pay disputes”, and also referred to a pawn shop before adding – “that’s P.A.W.N.”.
Setting out her priorities for government, the Shadow Business Secretary declared: “I want to sweep away the House of Lords.” She said its replacement would be subject to “proportional voting systems”, and later promised to “end the gentleman’s club of politics”.
Long-Bailey told the event she had “worked hard” to become successful, but added: “A lot of people did. They worked just as hard and were just as capable… If we’re honest, in our economy, a lot of it is down to luck.”
Turning to her central message of the night, and what is likely to become an important theme in her internal election campaign, the frontbencher said: “My kind of socialism is the kind where we all rise together… where we’re free to dream, free to climb and free to succeed.”
She identified “alternative models of ownership”, “fighting racism”, standing up for “LGBTQ+ rights and gender equality” and “rebalancing our economy so every town, city and region can thrive” as her chief aims.
Long-Bailey’s agenda would promote “pride rooted in solidarity, inclusivity, internationalism,” the leadership candidate told the audience in Manchester.
Earlier today, a Joe interview came out in which Long-Bailey answered a question on taking drugs with the reply: “Oooh. Well, I’ve been to Amsterdam, that’s all I’ll say.”
Asked by The Mirror whether she had “inhaled in Amsterdam”, the shadow cabinet member said she was there either for “my love of the flower markets or it was to partake in the local delicacies”.
The BBC’s Lewis Goodall asked Long-Bailey to deliver a message to Labour members on why they should vote for her over fellow frontrunner Keir Starmer. “I’m not from Westminster, I’m not from the London bubble,” she replied.
Returning to her core theme, Long-Bailey concluded: “If people want a leader who makes sure our voters understand that socialism is aspiration, then I’m the person they should be voting for.”


labourlist--2020-01-17--“I have the skill, the values and the vision” – Thornberry’s full speech

Below is the full text of Emily Thornberry ’ s speech this evening in Guildford as she launched her campaign to be the next leader of the Labour Party .
My dear friends , I ’ m so glad to be back in Guildford today , seeing so many local activists I ’ ve known over the years , and so many colleagues who worked with my mum here during her time as a Labour activist and councillor .
And while I will be travelling all over the country during this campaign , and having conversations with people in every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about where I wanted to formally launch my campaign for the Labour leadership , I just wanted to come home to the town where I lived until I was fifteen .
And the town where I learned the most important lesson of my life : that whatever challenge comes your way , which threatens the family , friends or community that you love , you need to stand up and fight against it .
When our dad walked out when I was seven years old , leaving us penniless , and at risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local Labour councillor – the late , great Bill Bellerby , whose 100th birthday we all celebrated in this very room – who stood up for our family and my Mum , and found us a permanent council home on the Bellfields estate .
And when Bill came and saw my mum quite a few years later , and said “ I stood up for you , now it ’ s your turn to stand up ” , while she ’ d never imagined herself as a councillor , she knew other people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got , and she felt that urge , that obligation , to stand up and fight for them , which she did for 20 years , including her spell as what she always called the “ socialist mayor of Guildford ” .
But I learned other things about standing up in my youth too , most of all to the bullies from my school – the secondary modern on Larch Avenue up the road – who used to wait for me every day on the corner of our estate .
I could have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day just to avoid that group of girls , but I never did , and I may have gone home beaten and bruised most days , but I always stood up and fought back , and I never let them make me walk the long way round .
I left Guildford when I was 15 to go and live with my dad .
I re-took my O-Levels , started my A-Levels , then dad left for a job interview in New York one weekend and didn ’ t come back .
So like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and sadly even more of them today , I had to stand up and fight for myself again , to avoid falling through the cracks .
I got through my A-Levels , I got to university , and I worked in every odd-job I could find throughout that time to make ends meet .
I worked in care homes , in pubs , in factories , and I cleaned the toilets on cross-Channel ferries , which I can assure you was every bit of fun as it sounds !
While at the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going door-to-door in Hammersmith on my own , as a 17-year old member of the party , canvassing Labour voters , and collecting membership subs .
But as I studied law at university , especially in that dark era with a reactionary judiciary at the top and corruption in so many police forces , the more I had that voice in my head , saying : “ When are you going to stand up ?
” Not just for yourself , but for your community .
Not just by knocking on doors for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its values .
So I became a barrister working under Michael Mansfield , the greatest and most inspiring warrior for justice I ’ ve ever met .
And Michael was clear with me from day one in the mid-1980s : “ Your job is to stand up for the workers fighting Thatcherism.
” So I went to represent the striking miners fighting for their livelihoods , I stood on the picket lines with the print-workers at Wapping , I fought for my former P & O colleagues during the sea-farers strike .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I was defending LGBT men forced to conduct their sex lives in secret , and then charged with ‘ gross indecency ’ when caught doing so .
And the more I stood up against that kind of injustice , the more I realised that was the true vocation of my life : standing up and fighting for my beliefs ; standing up and fighting for others in need of help ; and I did that when standing up against section 28 , the poll tax , and the war in Iraq .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ our minority communities when we were fighting to stop the rise of the National Front and the BNP .
There is no fight or campaign our movement has waged in my lifetime where I have not been on the front-line .
And since coming to parliament 15 years ago , I ’ ve also been on the front-line in the fights against the climate emergency , universal credit , and anti-abortion laws in Northern Ireland .
I ’ ve led the charge as Shadow Foreign Secretary against Donald Trump and the war in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I shadowed Boris Johnson as Foreign Secretary , I showed him up every time for the lying , reckless charlatan that he is .
And I ’ m standing here today , I ’ m standing to lead our party , because I want to be the woman and I know I can be the woman , who stands up and leads the fightback against Boris Johnson .
And we ’ re going to need someone tough , someone resilient , someone experienced and battle-hardened to lead that fight .
Because we all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long , tough road back to power after the painful and crushing defeat we suffered last month .
I am filled with sorrow not just for my brilliant parliamentary colleagues who lost their seats , from Midlothian and Bishop Auckland to Heywood and Wrexham , but also the brilliant candidates I met in marginals across the country , from Rushcliffe and Loughborough to Chingford and Chipping Barnet , who worked so hard to win , and will make fantastic MPs in the future .
But I ’ m sorry more than anything for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ constituencies I visited during the campaign in every region and nation of the country who fought with such passion and devotion to our cause .
They deserved a better result .
And the country deserves better than another five years of Boris Johnson .
A man elected on one issue alone , but now feeling empowered to dictate our country ’ s direction on every issue .
Well we may be hurting , we may be wounded , but we are not beaten , and together we will stand up and tell Boris @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fight is not over , our fight is just starting .
And we will fight with the same spirit we showed in that election campaign , and which our party has shown throughout its history .
And when Boris Johnson tries to drive through extreme right-wing policies on Brexit , on public services , on welfare , on workers ’ rights and environmental protections , we will stand up and fight him all the way .
And while I have – I believe rightly – criticised the decision to give Boris Johnson the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been proud to serve in Jeremy Corbyn ’ s shadow cabinet for the last four years , and to do so with unwavering loyalty to him and his leadership , especially at the times he was under most pressure .
I have also been proud to see my friend and neighbour turn our party into a mass movement , defined not just by the size of our membership , but by listening to our members , our unions , and our young and student activists , not by seeking to antagonise them or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far too often in the past .
We all owe Jeremy a debt of gratitude for the passion he has inspired .
But the question we face now is how we can deliver the dream of turning this great mass movement into a great party of government that will change our country , and through our leadership , change the world ?
But as we debate that decision over the coming weeks , we must not make the mistake of defining it as a choice between who will take us to the left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the right , because the only issue that really matters now is who will take us forward .
Who will stand up and lead the fight ?
Who will give us strength , experience and passion ?
Who will give us an unashamedly socialist but deliverable manifesto ?
Who will win back the voters we lost in the last two years ?
And crucially , who will take us to victory and take us back into government ?
And it ’ s because I believe I have the skill , the values and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goals that I decided to stand up and fight for the Labour leadership .
For me , leadership means many things .
It means having the conviction to speak your mind but also the courage to admit when you have made mistakes , and take responsibility for them .
It means having the strength to appoint the best MPs to the top jobs around you , and also the confidence to allow them to make their own decisions , and speak their own minds .
It means having the principles to determine a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what is wrong , not based on what is most politically-expedient .
Boris Johnson has none of these qualities and never has .
But friends , it takes more than all those qualities to become Prime Minister .
And it definitely takes more than that to be a good Prime Minister .
What that also takes is having the right policies .
And during this campaign , I will set out the fresh approach that I will bring to bear on what I regard as the five most fundamental issues facing Britain : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or the country that Brexit is done and dusted at the end of this month , whether Big Ben bongs or not .
Boris Johnson has absolutely no idea how he is going to negotiate a trade deal by the end of 2020 .
And my fear is that – knowing how he operates and given the majority he now has – I believe he doesn ’ t really care .
So we still have a huge fight on our hands to stop our country falling into a no-deal Brexit .
And whatever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to decide what we believe should be our future relationship with Europe .
Second , we must remain radical when it comes to our plans to tackle inequality , and stitch back together the welfare safety net that saved my family in the 60s but is letting so many people down today .
And we must remain equally radical in our plans to transform our economy , our housing market , and the way our key utilities are delivered But we must also commit to work with business to achieve our goals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on public finances , and always do what is best for jobs and growth in our communities .
Third , we must be what the Labour Party at our best has always been : the party of public services , ensuring proper funding for our hospitals , our schools , and our transport system ; for our councils , our youth services , and our social housing ; and for our police , our fire services , and our armed forces .
But we must also do what no government has ever done @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : fully integrating our social care system with the NHS .
Fourth , we must restore pride in our country when it comes to our foreign policy , calling out human rights abuses no matter which country commits them ; reforming our arms trade to promote peace ; working through the UN and NATO to prevent and resolve conflict ; and dedicating ourselves above all to stopping Donald Trump driving us into war with Iran , or destroying forever the prospect of a Palestinian state .
And finally but perhaps most importantly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Copenhagen ten years ago , we must also be not just a world leader but the world leader when it comes to fighting climate change , and ensure that every country across the globe signs up to the vision and promise of a green new deal , accepting that this is a crisis none of us can solve on our own .
Like Beveridge ’ s Five Great Evils , I believe these are the Five Great Challenges that will define Britain ’ s next decade , at home and abroad : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for economic justice ; strengthening our public services ; standing up to dictators abroad ; and saving the world from climate change .
On those five great challenges , I will make speeches across our country over the course of this leadership campaign , and announce specific policies so people know exactly what agenda I will pursue as leader .
But there is one further issue I will emphasise in this campaign , which for me must be the priority when we draw up our next manifesto , something I first said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If we are going to win power back at the next election , we can ’ t continue drawing up our policies and our priorities in a back room in Westminster .
We need the involvement of our MPs , and candidates , and local members in English towns and smaller cities , and the same in Scotland and Wales , the constituencies where the next election will be won and lost .
We need them dictating the policies we need to win their seats : on transport , on jobs , on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poverty , on young people , and on the hollowing out of high streets .
We need to start prioritising the issues facing the most neglected areas of our country , put their needs first , and stop them falling even further behind .
And if I am elected leader , I will not just start that process , I will guarantee to make those issues the key domestic priority in our next manifesto , our key domestic priority in government , and end the shameful neglect of our towns , our smaller @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nations .
But friends , we can only achieve any of those ambitions if we ’ re actually in government .
And we can only get there if we ’ re standing together , and forming a united front against the Tories .
So the divisions in our party need to end .
The anti-semitism in our party must be rooted out .
And the online abuse between different Labour factions has to stop .
Because every day we spend with those issues as the only Labour issues in the public eye is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to our real goal , which is fighting this Tory government and getting our party back into power .
And that new start for civil discourse in our party must start with this leadership contest .
So whoever ends up winning , we must all agree to rally as one behind them .
And I make that pledge today .
And there is another pledge I want to make , friends .
Not something I believe any leadership candidate for any party has been prepared to say in the past .
And it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier we can ’ t achieve anything if we ’ re not in government .
So if I ’ m elected leader , and if I believe at any point , or you tell me , or my colleagues tell me , or the polls tell me , that I can ’ t win an election and take us into power , I will always put the Labour party first .
I will do what I believe is best to ensure we get a Labour government .
So in those circumstances , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the chance to achieve the only goal that counts for our country : getting a Labour Prime Minister back in power .
But first , I want that chance myself .
And finally today , I want to tell you the biggest reason why .
I spoke earlier about my mum , Sallie , who so many of you knew .
I am the person I am because of my mum .
I am Labour because of my mum .
And I know how much I owe to her .
Even before Bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Councillor , she was a fearless , passionate woman , who campaigned at Greenham Common with her own Mum .
And after she ’ d become a councillor and I ’ d become a barrister , she burst with pride when I started representing striking miners , while she was going door-to-door here in Guildford collecting food and clothes to send to those mining communities .
Throughout her 20 years as a councillor , she worked tirelessly for local people in this area , she fought to keep the safety net intact for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Because if you ’ ve been saved and supported , if your kids or people you care about have been saved and supported , you ’ ve got a responsibility to do the same for everyone else who ’ s struggling , not just in your town , not just in your country , but all around the world .
Social Justice .
Solidarity .
Internationalism .
And Peace .
That ’ s what has always defined the Labour movement .
That ’ s what defined my mum .
That ’ s what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will define my leadership .
And that – for me – is what defines a socialism that everyone can support .
To paraphrase another campaigning lawyer , I am the best trained , best equipped and best prepared candidate to stand up and lead that fight .
Because I have been doing it all my life .
And I ’ m the only candidate who has gone toe-to-toe with Boris Johnson in Parliament , and beat him every time .
But we need to do this together .
We can only do this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in this fight .
We all need to be in this fight .
So join me in moving our party and our country forward .
Join me in taking on the Tories .
Join me in exposing Boris Johnson for who he is .
Join me in showing that the Labour Party is never stronger and never tougher than when we ’ re pinned against the ropes .
So together , let ’ s stand up straight and start to fight back .

Below is the full text of Emily Thornberry’s speech this evening in Guildford as she launched her campaign to be the next leader of the Labour Party.
My dear friends, I’m so glad to be back in Guildford today, seeing so many local activists I’ve known over the years, and so many colleagues who worked with my mum here during her time as a Labour activist and councillor.
And while I will be travelling all over the country during this campaign, and having conversations with people in every region and nation, when I thought about where I wanted to formally launch my campaign for the Labour leadership, I just wanted to come home to the town where I lived until I was fifteen.
And the town where I learned the most important lesson of my life: that whatever challenge comes your way, which threatens the family, friends or community that you love, you need to stand up and fight against it.
When our dad walked out when I was seven years old, leaving us penniless, and at risk of becoming homeless, it was a local Labour councillor – the late, great Bill Bellerby, whose 100th birthday we all celebrated in this very room – who stood up for our family and my Mum, and found us a permanent council home on the Bellfields estate.
And when Bill came and saw my mum quite a few years later, and said “I stood up for you, now it’s your turn to stand up”, while she’d never imagined herself as a councillor, she knew other people needed the help that she’d got, and she felt that urge, that obligation, to stand up and fight for them, which she did for 20 years, including her spell as what she always called the “socialist mayor of Guildford”.
But I learned other things about standing up in my youth too, most of all to the bullies from my school – the secondary modern on Larch Avenue up the road – who used to wait for me every day on the corner of our estate. I could have taken the long way back home each day just to avoid that group of girls, but I never did, and I may have gone home beaten and bruised most days, but I always stood up and fought back, and I never let them make me walk the long way round.
I left Guildford when I was 15 to go and live with my dad. I re-took my O-Levels, started my A-Levels, then dad left for a job interview in New York one weekend and didn’t come back. So like many young people at the time, and sadly even more of them today, I had to stand up and fight for myself again, to avoid falling through the cracks.
I got through my A-Levels, I got to university, and I worked in every odd-job I could find throughout that time to make ends meet. I worked in care homes, in pubs, in factories, and I cleaned the toilets on cross-Channel ferries, which I can assure you was every bit of fun as it sounds!
While at the same time spending my evenings as a teenager going door-to-door in Hammersmith on my own, as a 17-year old member of the party, canvassing Labour voters, and collecting membership subs.
But as I studied law at university, especially in that dark era with a reactionary judiciary at the top and corruption in so many police forces, the more I had that voice in my head, saying: “When are you going to stand up?” Not just for yourself, but for your community. Not just by knocking on doors for the party, but by fighting for its values.
So I became a barrister working under Michael Mansfield, the greatest and most inspiring warrior for justice I’ve ever met. And Michael was clear with me from day one in the mid-1980s: “Your job is to stand up for the workers fighting Thatcherism.”
So I went to represent the striking miners fighting for their livelihoods, I stood on the picket lines with the print-workers at Wapping, I fought for my former P&O colleagues during the sea-farers strike. And when I wasn’t representing strikers, I was defending LGBT men forced to conduct their sex lives in secret, and then charged with ‘gross indecency’ when caught doing so.
And the more I stood up against that kind of injustice, the more I realised that was the true vocation of my life: standing up and fighting for my beliefs; standing up and fighting for others in need of help; and I did that when standing up against section 28, the poll tax, and the war in Iraq. I did it when standing with all our minority communities when we were fighting to stop the rise of the National Front and the BNP.
There is no fight or campaign our movement has waged in my lifetime where I have not been on the front-line. And since coming to parliament 15 years ago, I’ve also been on the front-line in the fights against the climate emergency, universal credit, and anti-abortion laws in Northern Ireland.
I’ve led the charge as Shadow Foreign Secretary against Donald Trump and the war in Yemen, and in the two years I shadowed Boris Johnson as Foreign Secretary, I showed him up every time for the lying, reckless charlatan that he is.
And I’m standing here today, I’m standing to lead our party, because I want to be the woman and I know I can be the woman, who stands up and leads the fightback against Boris Johnson.
And we’re going to need someone tough, someone resilient, someone experienced and battle-hardened to lead that fight. Because we all know this is going to be a long, tough road back to power after the painful and crushing defeat we suffered last month.
I am filled with sorrow not just for my brilliant parliamentary colleagues who lost their seats, from Midlothian and Bishop Auckland to Heywood and Wrexham, but also the brilliant candidates I met in marginals across the country, from Rushcliffe and Loughborough to Chingford and Chipping Barnet, who worked so hard to win, and will make fantastic MPs in the future.
But I’m sorry more than anything for the activists I met in the fifty constituencies I visited during the campaign in every region and nation of the country who fought with such passion and devotion to our cause. They deserved a better result. And the country deserves better than another five years of Boris Johnson.
A man elected on one issue alone, but now feeling empowered to dictate our country’s direction on every issue. Well we may be hurting, we may be wounded, but we are not beaten, and together we will stand up and tell Boris Johnson: “No!”
Our fight is not over, our fight is just starting. And we will fight with the same spirit we showed in that election campaign, and which our party has shown throughout its history. And when Boris Johnson tries to drive through extreme right-wing policies on Brexit, on public services, on welfare, on workers’ rights and environmental protections, we will stand up and fight him all the way.
And while I have – I believe rightly – criticised the decision to give Boris Johnson the Brexit election he craved, I have been proud to serve in Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow cabinet for the last four years, and to do so with unwavering loyalty to him and his leadership, especially at the times he was under most pressure.
I have also been proud to see my friend and neighbour turn our party into a mass movement, defined not just by the size of our membership, but by listening to our members, our unions, and our young and student activists, not by seeking to antagonise them or define ourselves against them, as happened far too often in the past.
We all owe Jeremy a debt of gratitude for the passion he has inspired. But the question we face now is how we can deliver the dream of turning this great mass movement into a great party of government that will change our country, and through our leadership, change the world?
But as we debate that decision over the coming weeks, we must not make the mistake of defining it as a choice between who will take us to the left, or to the centre or to the right, because the only issue that really matters now is who will take us forward.
Who will stand up and lead the fight? Who will give us strength, experience and passion? Who will give us an unashamedly socialist but deliverable manifesto? Who will win back the voters we lost in the last two years? And crucially, who will take us to victory and take us back into government?
And it’s because I believe I have the skill, the values and the vision to achieve all of those goals that I decided to stand up and fight for the Labour leadership.
For me, leadership means many things. It means having the conviction to speak your mind but also the courage to admit when you have made mistakes, and take responsibility for them.
It means having the strength to appoint the best MPs to the top jobs around you, and also the confidence to allow them to make their own decisions, and speak their own minds.
It means having the principles to determine a position based on what is right and what is wrong, not based on what is most politically-expedient.
Boris Johnson has none of these qualities and never has. But friends, it takes more than all those qualities to become Prime Minister. And it definitely takes more than that to be a good Prime Minister.
What that also takes is having the right policies. And during this campaign, I will set out the fresh approach that I will bring to bear on what I regard as the five most fundamental issues facing Britain:
First, we cannot kid ourselves or the country that Brexit is done and dusted at the end of this month, whether Big Ben bongs or not. Boris Johnson has absolutely no idea how he is going to negotiate a trade deal by the end of 2020.
And my fear is that – knowing how he operates and given the majority he now has – I believe he doesn’t really care. So we still have a huge fight on our hands to stop our country falling into a no-deal Brexit. And whatever happens, we as a party will need to decide what we believe should be our future relationship with Europe.
Second, we must remain radical when it comes to our plans to tackle inequality, and stitch back together the welfare safety net that saved my family in the 60s but is letting so many people down today. And we must remain equally radical in our plans to transform our economy, our housing market, and the way our key utilities are delivered
But we must also commit to work with business to achieve our goals, to be the party of credibility on public finances, and always do what is best for jobs and growth in our communities.
Third, we must be what the Labour Party at our best has always been: the party of public services, ensuring proper funding for our hospitals, our schools, and our transport system; for our councils, our youth services, and our social housing; and for our police, our fire services, and our armed forces.
But we must also do what no government has ever done despite Barbara Castle’s best efforts: fully integrating our social care system with the NHS.
Fourth, we must restore pride in our country when it comes to our foreign policy, calling out human rights abuses no matter which country commits them; reforming our arms trade to promote peace; working through the UN and NATO to prevent and resolve conflict; and dedicating ourselves above all to stopping Donald Trump driving us into war with Iran, or destroying forever the prospect of a Palestinian state.
And finally but perhaps most importantly, as a member of the UK delegation at Copenhagen ten years ago, we must also be not just a world leader but the world leader when it comes to fighting climate change, and ensure that every country across the globe signs up to the vision and promise of a green new deal, accepting that this is a crisis none of us can solve on our own.
Like Beveridge’s Five Great Evils, I believe these are the Five Great Challenges that will define Britain’s next decade, at home and abroad: battling the impact of Brexit; fighting for economic justice; strengthening our public services; standing up to dictators abroad; and saving the world from climate change.
On those five great challenges, I will make speeches across our country over the course of this leadership campaign, and announce specific policies so people know exactly what agenda I will pursue as leader.
But there is one further issue I will emphasise in this campaign, which for me must be the priority when we draw up our next manifesto, something I first said in Blackpool more than two years ago.
If we are going to win power back at the next election, we can’t continue drawing up our policies and our priorities in a back room in Westminster. We need the involvement of our MPs, and candidates, and local members in English towns and smaller cities, and the same in Scotland and Wales, the constituencies where the next election will be won and lost.
We need them dictating the policies we need to win their seats: on transport, on jobs, on investment, and on housing; on poverty, on young people, and on the hollowing out of high streets. We need to start prioritising the issues facing the most neglected areas of our country, put their needs first, and stop them falling even further behind.
And if I am elected leader, I will not just start that process, I will guarantee to make those issues the key domestic priority in our next manifesto, our key domestic priority in government, and end the shameful neglect of our towns, our smaller cities, our regions and our devolved nations.
But friends, we can only achieve any of those ambitions if we’re actually in government. And we can only get there if we’re standing together, and forming a united front against the Tories. So the divisions in our party need to end. The anti-semitism in our party must be rooted out. And the online abuse between different Labour factions has to stop.
Because every day we spend with those issues as the only Labour issues in the public eye is a day utterly wasted when it comes to our real goal, which is fighting this Tory government and getting our party back into power.
And that new start for civil discourse in our party must start with this leadership contest. So whoever ends up winning, we must all agree to rally as one behind them. And I make that pledge today.
And there is another pledge I want to make, friends. Not something I believe any leadership candidate for any party has been prepared to say in the past. And it’s simply this. I said earlier we can’t achieve anything if we’re not in government.
So if I’m elected leader, and if I believe at any point, or you tell me, or my colleagues tell me, or the polls tell me, that I can’t win an election and take us into power, I will always put the Labour party first.
I will do what I believe is best to ensure we get a Labour government. So in those circumstances, I would stand down and give someone else the chance to achieve the only goal that counts for our country: getting a Labour Prime Minister back in power.
But first, I want that chance myself. And finally today, I want to tell you the biggest reason why. I spoke earlier about my mum, Sallie, who so many of you knew. I am the person I am because of my mum. I am Labour because of my mum.
And I know how much I owe to her. Even before Bill Bellerby persuaded her to stand as a Councillor, she was a fearless, passionate woman, who campaigned at Greenham Common with her own Mum.
And after she’d become a councillor and I’d become a barrister, she burst with pride when I started representing striking miners, while she was going door-to-door here in Guildford collecting food and clothes to send to those mining communities.
Throughout her 20 years as a councillor, she worked tirelessly for local people in this area, she fought to keep the safety net intact for the next family who needed it.
Because if you’ve been saved and supported, if your kids or people you care about have been saved and supported, you’ve got a responsibility to do the same for everyone else who’s struggling, not just in your town, not just in your country, but all around the world.
Social Justice. Solidarity. Internationalism. And Peace. That’s what has always defined the Labour movement. That’s what defined my mum. That’s what defines me. That’s what will define my leadership. And that – for me – is what defines a socialism that everyone can support.
To paraphrase another campaigning lawyer, I am the best trained, best equipped and best prepared candidate to stand up and lead that fight. Because I have been doing it all my life. And I’m the only candidate who has gone toe-to-toe with Boris Johnson in Parliament, and beat him every time. But we need to do this together. We can only do this together. I need you with me in this fight. We all need to be in this fight.
So join me in moving our party and our country forward. Join me in taking on the Tories. Join me in exposing Boris Johnson for who he is. Join me in showing that the Labour Party is never stronger and never tougher than when we’re pinned against the ropes. So together, let’s stand up straight and start to fight back.


labourlist--2020-01-18--Sadiq Khan announces green new deal for London

Sadiq Khan has announced that he would introduce a green new deal for London and make the city carbon-neutral by 2030 if re-elected in May this year .
Focusing on climate issues and the upcoming mayoral contest , the mayor spoke to the Fabian ’ s Society New Year conference in Euston today .
Taking to the stage , Khan set out his record as London mayor but also outlined the steps that he would take in the future to combat the climate crisis .
He announced that he would set a target for the capital to be carbon neutral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government needed to introduce a national green new deal .
The Mayor declared : “ My pledge to deliver a green new deal for the city , with a target for London to be carbon neutral by 2030 , will help tackle the climate emergency and the air pollution crisis .
“ Some may say that a 2030 target isn ’ t achievable but I say we can ’ t afford not to try .
This is a matter of social justice because it ’ s the poorest communities that are being hit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ address the inequality that exists in our city and create the green jobs and industry that can sustain our communities in the future.
” Speaking about the broader challenges facing the country and the world in terms of climate issues , the mayor said that “ we are at a critical moment in history – our planet is burning , towns across our country are flooding ” .
Khan declared a “ national and indeed international green new deal ” is needed and said : “ My message to the government is this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stave off disaster.
” But he claimed that the key dividing line between him and the Tory candidate is their respective approaches to air pollution in the capital and climate issues .
“ The election on May 7th is a two-horse race between me and the Tory candidate .
My Conservative opponent is shamefully seeking to defend his government ’ s failure to meet its climate and air pollution obligations and delay taking the action we need .
“ In stark contrast , I will stand up for our city , defend our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and take bold action not only to address the crisis we face , but support green jobs , skills and businesses.
” Asked about Heathrow expansion , Khan replied : “ A new runway at Heathrow would be catastrophic… I think that a new runway at Heathrow won ’ t happen for the foreseeable future because of the legal challenges going ahead.
” The Labour 2019 manifesto committed the party to finding “ a path ” towards net-zero carbon emissions by 2030 .
At the last election , the Conservatives put forward a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while the Lib Dems promised a date of 2045 .
This announcement from Khan follows other cities in Europe , such as Copenhagen and Oslo , that have made similar commitments to become carbon-neutral .

Sadiq Khan has announced that he would introduce a green new deal for London and make the city carbon-neutral by 2030 if re-elected in May this year.
Focusing on climate issues and the upcoming mayoral contest, the mayor spoke to the Fabian’s Society New Year conference in Euston today.
Taking to the stage, Khan set out his record as London mayor but also outlined the steps that he would take in the future to combat the climate crisis.
He announced that he would set a target for the capital to be carbon neutral by 2030, and said that the government needed to introduce a national green new deal.
The Mayor declared: “My pledge to deliver a green new deal for the city, with a target for London to be carbon neutral by 2030, will help tackle the climate emergency and the air pollution crisis.
“Some may say that a 2030 target isn’t achievable but I say we can’t afford not to try. This is a matter of social justice because it’s the poorest communities that are being hit hardest. My plans will help to address the inequality that exists in our city and create the green jobs and industry that can sustain our communities in the future.”
Speaking about the broader challenges facing the country and the world in terms of climate issues, the mayor said that “we are at a critical moment in history – our planet is burning, towns across our country are flooding”.
Khan declared a “national and indeed international green new deal” is needed and said: “My message to the government is this: let’s work together to stave off disaster.”
But he claimed that the key dividing line between him and the Tory candidate is their respective approaches to air pollution in the capital and climate issues.
“The election on May 7th is a two-horse race between me and the Tory candidate. My Conservative opponent is shamefully seeking to defend his government’s failure to meet its climate and air pollution obligations and delay taking the action we need.
“In stark contrast, I will stand up for our city, defend our values of fairness, equality and sustainability and take bold action not only to address the crisis we face, but support green jobs, skills and businesses.”
Asked about Heathrow expansion, Khan replied: “A new runway at Heathrow would be catastrophic… I think that a new runway at Heathrow won’t happen for the foreseeable future because of the legal challenges going ahead.”
The Labour 2019 manifesto committed the party to finding “a path” towards net-zero carbon emissions by 2030.
At the last election, the Conservatives put forward a policy to achieve net-zero by 2050, while the Lib Dems promised a date of 2045.
This announcement from Khan follows other cities in Europe, such as Copenhagen and Oslo, that have made similar commitments to become carbon-neutral.