Transcripts For BBCNEWS Path to the Presidency 20240923

Particular. Labour focus some changes to planning in particular. Labourfocus on it because they think there are blockages in the system. Too much time taken to make decisions which are holding the whole thing up. Theyve been clear they want to change the Planning System to overcome some of those blockages. They have reintroduced mandatory House Building targets. Local authorities will have a target for the homes they need to get built and will have to meet it. That was scrapped under the last government. While there is an accepted about when and where and how it is built might not be popular with local communities, so it has been in focus. I think we will hear Angela Rayner talk about that today, not just increasing the number of houses built overall, but she has also made a point of saying she wants more social and affordable housing as well, and another element of her speech we were expecting today is going to Focus On Standards in housing. We have seen the reports that have come to about some substandard accommodation people are living in, where you get damp and mould, where it reallyjust isnt up to scratch, so another element of what we are expecting to hear from Angela Rayner is what the government plans to do to ensure that homes are a decent standard. These are the Policy Areas The Party wants to be talking about. This is one of the things deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has made a personalfocus. Of course, with all of this, when The Party is setting out its policy agenda, it knows that what really matters is whether it can actually deliver, whether or not it can make the changes to peoples lives that people want to see. The party sTood on a platform of change at the general election, and with any party in power, the real measure of Success Or Failure is whether that change makes a meaningful difference to people in their day to day lives. And amidst some of the difficult headlines we have talked about as welcome as Sir Keir Starmer has also tried to point to some of what he has called major achievements for labour, for example, ending the juniors strike. Could you tell us more about the message he is trying to push through this weekend . Keir starmer was addressing groupings Last Night a people that have come to conference, so you heard activists and members, and he went along and addressed some of them. Addressing a group of people from london, he actually pointed to, in his words, look at what we have done, more than 1a weeks more in 1a weeks of government and the conservatives didnt 11 years. He listed some examples, ending the Strike Action particularly with Junior Doctors the Strike Action particularly withJunior Doctors but the Strike Action particularly with Junior Doctors but also on the railways. He talked about Gb Energy, another central plank of the labour policy platform, setting up a Gb Energy company which they say will increase the focus on renewables and claim will ultimately bring Energy Bills down. He pointed to things like planning reforms, which they hope will really encourage House Building, so he is trying to say, we have hit the ground running, and it was interesting, but all the talk interesting, but all the talk in the Run Up to the conference about how they would be quite conscious when it came to town, particularly with the economy, i think Sir Keir Starmer did allow himself a moment of celebration when addressing some of his activists and members Last Night, but this is a party that has won a significant victory at the general election, and he said to activists and members, you should be proud of the work you have done. Sol should be proud of the work you have done. So i think there was more of a celebrate its own we heard from the Prime Minister in that first day of conference yesterday. We will see whether that continues when it gets to the Conference Floor and the speech of some senior figures are going to make, because, of course, we have also heard a lot from governments about the challenges that they face, particularly when it comes to public services, things like the railways, education, the Health Service and of course House Building, which will be the focus of the deputy Prime Ministers speech today. So it is about somehow, i think, the Partys View is to strike a balance between not sounding Too gloomy about some of the stuff coming down the line, the difficult choices they say they are facing, given the fact that this is The Partys first conference in power for this is The Partys first conference in powerfor 15 years. It is a significant moment for the Labour Party, and i think as you walk around the conference centre, people here want an acknowledgement of that. Party conferences are for Party Members. A lot of people who would have been involved in the Election Campaign and with the Election Campaign and with The Party during 1a long years of opposition, and i think they will want a bit of a sense of marking the moment that is undoubtedly significant for Keir Starmer and the wider Labour Party as well. So Keir Starmer and the wider Labour Party as well. Keir starmer and the wider Labour Party as well. So a very different conference Labour Party as well. So a very different conference for Labour Party as well. So a very different conference for them l different conference for them in that sense. Keir starmer did joke with supporters, didnt he, that throwing any glitter at him this time would be treason. Could you remind us about another time what happened on that stage . He did make a joke about that, because of course, he gave a speech on a Conference Platform when somebody interrupted that speech and flung glitter at him when he was the leader of the opposition, and of course, he made a joke about it Last Night addressing activists, but at the time there were serious concerns about security breaches, and that is always a concern when it comes to people in public life, but Keir Starmer did choose to make a joke about that incident, referencing it when he was addressing members of the London Reception Last Night, Party Members and activists that had come along to conference. In fact, that had come along to conference. Infact, in that had come along to conference. In fact, in that same moment when he was joking about the glitter, he also did say, yes, it would be considered treason now that hes Prime Minister, and he referenced the fact, though, there might not be any prison places to put people in, because of course, we know the pressure on prisons is another serious issue this government. We have already seen the light of something that did have some quite serious undertones to it, notjust quite serious undertones to it, not just a quite serious undertones to it, Notjust A Potential quite serious undertones to it, not just a potential security implications. I think he will certainly be hoping that during this conference, we dont see any such disruption to speakers on Stage Or Anything else. Im just hearing, and im not sure if our viewers can see it, but when these senior figures give a speech at party conferences, you often get a video that precedes their moment of the stage, there platform. I am just hearing the music booming out behind me from the Angela Rayner no Doubt Video that is going to go ahead from her conference speech, so i think we are only a couple of minutes away from it now. I dont know if you can see that Too. If you can see that Too. Most likel. If you can see that Too. Most likely we if you can see that Too. Most likely. We are if you can see that Too. Most likely. We are seeing if you can see that Too. Most likely. We are seeing their i likely. We are seeing their were showing that video to our viewers now on the stage. Lets tune in now to listen. It seems like the deputy Prime Minister will be speaking shortly. That, right there, as alex was talking about, that is a video that often gets shown as politicians come on stage. She is being introduced right now, so lets take a listen. Thank you so much. You are welcome thank you so much. You are welcome. Thank thank you so much. You are welcome. Thank you. Welcome. Thank you. Applause thank you. Applause thank you. I will try not to get Too emotional thank you, paul, for that introduction, and thank you for what you and your members do to support people across this region. And, conference, 12 months ago, i sTood here and said i hoped i would never again open conference as the Deputy Leader of the opposition, so its an absolute great honour of my life to stand here today as your deputy Prime Minister. Cheering applause and its an honour to open the first conference of a Labour Government Cheering Applause and, conference, Iwant Applause and, conference, i want to start off with my first thanks, to the british people. You entrusted us with the task of change, and we will not forget it. You kept faith with us, and we will keep faith with you. And let me thank All Of You. And let me thank All Of You in this room Too, and my brilliant Ministerial Team who are already delivering on our promises. Every member, every activist, counsellor, community leader, Trade Union S. And i saw so many of you in the Battle Bus during the campaign. You have been our voices in our communities for the last 1a years, voices that spoke up when the tories told us to shut up. They thought our party was history, but this year, conference, we made history together cheering Applause And Notjust a victory for our party, but a victory of our values. A victory not of politicians, but of people. We won because we had the courage to change our party, the discipline to make hard decisions, and the determination to remain united, and now, change begins. Applause even now, especially now, there will be no complacency. We have seen where that leads. Dont forget what they did. Partygate, covid contracts, the lies, division and scapegoating, and the unfunded Tax Cuts for the riches that crashed our economy. Dont forget any of it. The tories failed britain, and they tried to cover it up. A crater in the heart of britains economy, a puncture in the pocket of every working family, and a £22 billion black hole. And not so much as an apology, let alone an acceptance, from the tories. Instead, next week, they will gather in the wreckage of their defeat, reduced to ten minute auditions for wannabe leaders beating each other to different Shades Of Blue on a show that no ones watching. Perhaps thats why kemi launched her Leadership Campaign with an attack on dr who it was bad enough when they wanted a deal with nigel farage. Now she is doing Side Deals with the Daleks Laughter Applause but, conference, at least after three months of shadow housing secretary, she has finally expressed a concern about a tenant. Its just a pity it is David Tennant at it is easy to forget they had five leadership candidates. Not exactly the famous five. And they have left us to clear up their mess. And im notjust talking about the wallpaper in number ten. The tories have left is facing tough choices, and even tougher ones face families across britain, struggling to make ends meet. And, look, iget struggling to make ends meet. And, look, i get it. Balancing my own department has Micro Budget brought me back to the old days when i had 60 quid to get me and my son through the week. I know more than most that every pound counts. So let me be blunt. We cant wish our problems away. We have to face them. That is the difference between opposition and government. But, conference, things can get better if we make the right choices. Sustained economic growth is the only way to improve the lives of working people, and we are fixing the foundations to put britain back on the path to growth. No more talking, but doing. 80 days in government, and weve been busy. A devolution revolution, a bill to deliver new rights and protections for renters, planning reform to get britain building, a Landmark Review to fix our nhs, a Child Poverty Task force, 100 new specialist officers to tackle criminals, an end to one word 0fsted inspections, ending the ban on onshore wind, and fines for bosses who pollute our waters, bills to kick start great British Energy and prevent another disastrous mini budget, moves to bring bosses into public hands and rail into public hands and rail into public ownership. Change has begun. Cheering applause and, conference, many of you know me, and that means for me good jobs, secure homes and secure communities. Fixing the foundations of a good life. I know its only Too well, because those with the foundations on which i built a life of my own family, the foundations of what Made Britain Great and will do so again. When i had my son is a single mum, i wanted to work, and i had to figure out a way to do it. My nana said that as long as i put him to bed, she would have him in the evening, thatis would have him in the evening, that is after she had finished a long day of work herself, so i could do nights as a home help. And i got thejob, and i absolutely loved it. I love the people i cared for, but it was tough at times. I started on casual terms and i wasnt paid for travel. Casual terms and i wasnt paid fortravel. Insecurity casual terms and i wasnt paid for travel. Insecurity at work is the daily reality for so many. FarToo is the daily reality for so many. Far Too many people across our country know that the world of work is not working for them. You may have heard me mention i was a trade unionist, and if you dont know that, i should unionist, and if you dont know that, ishould probably unionist, and if you dont know that, i should probably tell you that Kias Dad was a Toolmaker keir� s Dad Stop Applause Laughter Yellow maker and if you didnt and if you didnt know that keir� s dad was a Toolmaker, i probably have to tell you he is Prime Minister but neither of us make any apology for where we have come from or how we got here. So when i Took on this job, from or how we got here. So when i Took on thisjob, i promised the biggest upgrade to workers rights in a generation. Nothing less than a new dealfor working generation. Nothing less than a new deal for working people. Applause and i can confirm today that the employment Rights Bill will be tabled in parliament next month. They said we couldnt do it. Some tried to stop it in its tracks. But after years of opposition, we are on the verge of historic legislation to make work more secure, make it more family friendly, go further and faster to close the gender pay gap, ensure rights are enforced and Trade Unions are strengthened. That means repealing the tories Anti Work Out Laws and new rights for Union Reps Too. Applause cheering a genuine Living Wage and sick pay for the lowest earners. Banning exploitative zero hour contracts and unpaid internships, ending fire and rehire, and we will bring in basic rights from Day One on thejob. Applause cheering conference, it is our plan to make work pay, and it is coming to a workplace near you. But 14 to a workplace near you. But 1a years of Tory Chaos has not just left but 1a years of Tory Chaos has notjust left its mark on peoples jobs, notjust left its mark on peoplesjobs, but on homes Too. Not enough are being built. The tories fail to meet their Targets Year after year after year. Failed. Their Targets Year after year afteryear. Failed. Michael gove handed back nearly £2 billion to the treasury and unspent housing funds. Mortgages have soared. Leaseholders are left at the mercy of Eye Watering charges. Renters face crippling hikes in damp and Mouldy Homes, and homelessness is all around us. The simple aspiration of a safe, secure and affordable home is further out of reach than ever. And we cant go on like this. So change must begin at home. We are tackling the tories housing emergency. We will get britain Building And Building decent homes for working people. A new Planning Framework will unlock the door to affordable homes and provide the biggest boost to social and affordable housing in a generation. Applause and, conference, our Renters Bill will rebalance the relationship between the tenant and the landlord, and we will end no fault evictions for good. Cheering Applause 0ur long Term Plan will free leaseholders from the tyranny of a medieval system, and an across government Task Force will put britain back on an agenda to ending homelessness. Whether you are a leaseholder, a tenant, at or without someone to live somewhere to live, this government is on your side. But my mission is not just to build houses, it is to build homes. Because we cannot build homes. Because we cannot build at any cost. These new homes must be warm, secure, and most importantly, safe. We will give families the security they need to have the best start in life. I know first hand the difference a decent home can make. When i was growing up, we didnt have a lot, but we had a safe and secure home. Today, not everyone does. Working with the Prime Minister on the Grenfell Inquiry was one of the most sobering moments of my career. 72 lives lost. 18 children. All avoidable. A fatal failure children. All avoidable. A fatalfailure of children. All avoidable. A fatal failure of market and state, and a tragedy that must never happen again. Applause its completely unacceptable that we have thousands of buildings still wrapped in an unsafe cladding seven years after grenfell, and that is why we will bring forward a new Remediation Action Plan this autumn to speed up the process, and will pursue those responsible without fear or favour, and this must lead to new, safer Social Housing for the future. Under the tories, new Social Housing plummeted. We will reverse that tide. With an ambition to build more social homes than we lose within the first financial year of this new Labour Government. In my way there were weeks in office, i set out how we will start this council house revolution, but conference, with Government Support must come responsibility. This is why today i want to give you my promise that this Labour Government will take action to ensure that all homes are decent and safe, and residents are treated with the respect that they deserve. And, conference, of course, many Housing Associations, councils and landlords do good by their tenants, and i know how hard they have had it after 1a years under the tories, which is why i will work in partnership with the sector to deliver the change. But i will clamp down on damp and Mouldy Homes by bringing this into the social rented sector this autumn and extending it to the private rented sector Too. Applause we will consult and implement a new Decent Homes Standard for social and private rented homes to end the scandal of homes being unfit to live in, and we will also ensure that social Housing Staff have the right skills and experience. And i will ensure that 2. 5 million Housing Association tenants in this country can hold their landlord to account for their high quality services and homes, so that repairs and complaints are handled faster, but more importantly, so that Social Housing tenants are treated fairly. I am under no illusion about the mountain we have to climb. We all saw that this summer. Violent extremists preyed on our communities, and local councils were left picking up the pieces. Local leadership is a foundation of strong communities, and thats why ive put local government back where it belongs at the heart of my departments missions, because the best decisions are made by those with skin in the game. When i worked in care, wejoined The Union because we knew we had a part to play in improving things. We came together to work with management to deliver a service from 7am to 10pm seven days a week and provide flexibility for the predominately female workforce. We proved we could boost productivity and provide an improved service to those we cared for as well as managing our own caring responsibilities outside of work. And keir and i are determined to end this whitehall knows best approach, and trust those with skin in the game. The last Labour Government created the london mayor, the scottish parliament, the Welsh Senedd and the northern ireland assembly, and we will seize this moment and finally complete that irreversible shifting opportunity, Power And Wealth across the whole country. It is why we can deliver how we can deliver real sustained change for every region, and Labour Mayors are already proving it. Buses under local control in greater manchester, £2 fares in west yorkshire, 0xford greater manchester, £2 fares in west yorkshire, oxford Street Regeneration in london, publicly owned Battery Trains in liverpool, and opportunities for unemployed young people in the West Midlands. Labour mayors have shown what is possible when labour is in power. Applause and that is why im giving mayors more powers over House Building and planning as well as transport and skills. A new White Paper will map out how we move power out of whitehall, and im delighted to announce today that we will move forward with two investments owns, creating high qualityjobs in advanced high quality jobs in advanced high qualityjobs in advanced manufacturing in the West Midlands and in Life Sciences in west yorkshire. Just this week. Applause just this week, conference, i agreed eight devolution deals. 0rfour agreed eight devolution deals. 0r Four Corners agreed eight devolution deals. 0rFour Corners of agreed eight devolution deals. 0r Four Corners of yorkshire will now have a local champion. New mails for Hull And East yorkshire, lincolnshire, cornwall, and others will get new powers over skills, and today, im proud to announce the next step in our devolution revolution. This government will change the future of the north of england so northerners will no longer be dictated to from whitehall. Applause cheering conference, we will be the government to complete devolution in the north. The change will be irreversible, and i will get it done, and as a proud northerner, this milestone is personal for northerner, this milestone is personalfor me. And, conference, it was the foundation of a decent home, secure work and strong community that nurtured me. The Youth Club on a Friday Afternoon gave me somewhere to go with a Youth Worker i could trust. A sure Start Centre is where i met other mums and learned how to look after my new baby. Applause conference, the community raised me. None of those people cast me aside or gave up on me. And when i became a home help, suddenly it was myjob to look after the people who once looked after me. Retired professors, teachers, nurses, police officers. They needed my care in the last years and days of their life, care that they deserved, care that was my honour to provide. Ifind honour to provide. I find myself honour to provide. Ifind myself once again with an opportunity to serve those people who never gave up on me. On the 11th ofjuly, the people 0n the 11th ofjuly, the people entrusted us with the task of change, and hope won. And now is our moment, notjust to say, but to do. Labour governments of the past Took on this same challenge at a time when britain desperately needed change. They deserved a Better Britain when the odds were stacked against them, and that is exactly what this Labour Government must deliver once again. So, conference, lets get on with it. Cheering applause that was the deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, speaking at the Labour Partys annual conference, which is under way in liverpool. A lot of applause there. She said it is the honour of her life to stand in front of a crowd as labours deputy pm, because a reminder that this is The Partys first conference in government in 15 years. She declared that now, change begins. She made a point of marking labour� s landslide election victory. Again, such a big moment for The Party right now. Theirfirst big moment for The Party right now. Their first conference big moment for The Party right now. Theirfirst conference in 15 years. She also said The Party will get britain building. She set out plans on improving homes, House Building a key issue there, and she also referenced a difficult economic picture for many, but clearly, what has marked many at the conference there is what a big moment this is for The Party. Headlines next. Stay with us on bbc news. We will bring you more updates, and a reminder, we have more from the Labour Party conference on our website. Live from london, this is bbc news. Israel has come under attack from scores of rockets fired by hezbollah in lebanon, as well as drones launched by a pro iranian group in iraq. These are lives pictures from the northern israeli city of haifa. A Mass Shooting in the us state of alabama has left at least four people dead and dozens wounded. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner defends Labours Record after rows over Rule Breaches overshadow Labours Message of change. Mps have accepted donations and gifts for years, all mps do it. What we talked about is making sure we are open and transparent about that. And what happened when this Secondary School went Mobile Phone free . Well bring you more on this. Welcome to the programme. We start in the middle east, where israel says hezbollah has fired over 100 missiles into the north of the country, following extensive israeli Air Strikes in lebanon on saturday