Len McCluskey: End the misery of austerity and keep the Corbyn flag flying

This is the full text of the speech delivered at Labour conference today by Unite general secretary Len McCluskey.

Chair, Conference,

Len McCluskey, Unite, moving composite motion.

All motions this week, seek to develop the policy of our Party

But they’re not starting from scratch

In fact, they stand on the shoulder of a giant.

That giant is Labour’s Manifesto 2017.

The manifesto that got us our highest vote this century.

For the first time in generations we had a manifesto that made a difference.

With policies that cut through to millions of voters.

It reminded people why politics CAN be important,

That political parties aren’t all ‘just the same’.

Our task now is to build on that manifesto, because that means building on the hopes we kindled in our campaign this spring.

This composite does that in respect of industrial and economic strategy.

And is the issue that must be at the heart of Labour’s plans to transform Britain.

If our first task in government will be ending the austerity which has spread so much misery,

Our second must be shaping a new economy that works for the many.

We need to hear more about the National and Regional Investment Banks, and how they could restore jobs and hope to the forgotten men and women left-behind in industrial wastelands.

We need to promote not just growth but balanced growth.

Using the power of the public purse to back British industry through procurement policy.

We need to put the “public” back into the economy generally

Starting with the services we all rely on – water, energy, transport

And we need to create jobs, decent secure jobs

Properly paid jobs, proper contracts, proper protections

The sort of jobs that are a foundation for a fulfilling life and of strong cohesive communities

Election 2017 was a huge advance for socialist policies

And let me say to those merchants of doom and whingers and whiners who say:

‘We should have done better’;

‘We didn’t win’

I say this:

We did win.  We won the hearts and minds of millions of people, especially the young.

We won the arguments that radical policies can stir the imagination and support of the British people.

And perhaps most of all, Comrades, we won back our dignity and pride, making Labour a noble cause to fight for once more.

And it was also a triumph for our leader, Jeremy Corbyn.

During the campaign the public got the chance to see the real man

His decency, his compassion and his vision of a better Britain

Some people were surprised

The media of course.  And maybe some here in Brighton this week

But conference, my union was not surprised

We were proud to nominate Jeremy Corbyn in 2015 because we knew our Party needed something different

We were proud to stand by him in 2016 when others panicked

And we were proud to have given 100% all-out, full-throttle, support to Jeremy and our Labour Party this spring.

Now we are on the threshold of power

In my 47 years in our Party I have never looked forward to a Labour government like I’m looking forward to the next one

To a time when so much of what our parents and grandparents fought for

The basic values of community, solidarity and equality

Can be installed in Downing Street

And be placed at the heart of our national life

We owe that prospect to the work of tens of thousands of our activists

And the hopes placed in us by millions

And we also owe it to the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn

So let’s make it clear today

“Though cowards flinch and traitors sneer”

We’ll keep the Corbyn flag flying here!