By Mark Ferguson / @markfergusonuk
Ed Miliband will give his second heavily trailed speech in just two days today, as he seeks to develop some momentum (and some headlines) ahead of his wedding (and therefore temporary break from the limelight) at the weekend. If Saturday’s speech to Progress conference was the party-facing speech, then this one will certainly be the public-facing speech. In many ways it’s a companion to Saturday’s speech and can be seen as building on many of the themes developed there – not least because it’s one of Miliband’s most personal speeches as leader. Speaking at the Royal Festival Hall – a venue synonymous in Labour circles with New Labour’s 1997 victory party – Ed will say:
“For us, our boys, Daniel and Sam, will be the most important people at our wedding even if they don’t realise it. I’d like to speak today, not just about them, but about the prospect of their whole generation.”
“I suppose every father says this, but becoming a parent changes your outlook onlife. Sometimes it’s too easy to be sucked into work, into the day-to-day, butwhen you begin a family, your perspective broadens, you begin to consider thekind of future you might wish for your children.”
“I am worried – and every parent should be worried – about what will happen to our chidren in the coming decades. About what the future holds for us, our children and our country. About what sort of place Britain will become.”
“David Cameron has set out his benchmark of success: dealing with the deficit. It is the over-riding concern to which all others are sacrificed.”
“But his claim to be protecting the next generation by making this his only priority is blown apart because they are bearing so much of the burden for his decisions: from cuts to sure start to the end of educational maintenance allowances to the trebling of tuition fees.”
“I want to be equally clear with people. I have a different benchmark of successand the next Labour government will have a different benchmark of success. It’snot enough just to deal with the deficit. Our country will be stronger only ifwe act to restore The Promise of Britain for the next and future generations.”
Miliband will use the speech to drive home his argument that the government are picking on families (not least through the impact of cuts). He’ll also highlight the societal problems that this government aren’t taking seriously, but which he wants to tackle – that it’s harder to get a job, get decent pay or build up wealth, but it’s easier to build up debt and get squeezed. Again there will be the refrain from Saturday’s speech – how do we help people who have played by the rules, worked hard, but feel like they’re not getting their deserved rewards from society.
As David Cameron relaunches the Big Society (for the 4th time) it will be interesting to see who can capture the public mood more effectively. As I argued on Friday, sunshine and optimism win elections. Miliband has been ramping up the optimism in recent weeks. Will the PM follow suit?
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