Labour and the US Democrats can lead a ‘race to the top’ on labour standards

Whenever you visit America, it’s easy to be impressed by its scale.  However, what struck me on my visit last week is the sense of purpose there is at the moment to deliver a strategy that secures jobs for American workers.

Across the Atlantic, they recognise that the world economy is going through its most significant change in generations – and they are powering ahead with a plan to help secure the jobs of the future. My priority was to see this in action and to set out Labour proposals for boosting collaboration with one of our closest allies, to maximise trade, open business links, and deliver jobs in the UK.

I visited Sparrows Point, Maryland, where I spoke with State Governor, Wes Moore. We were at the former site of what was once the world’s biggest steelworks that is now being reborn not only as a global logistics centre, but also in renewable energy as a whole set of new, good, unionised jobs are being delivered in the wind power industry.

It’s just one example of where American industrial policy is having a huge impact; in seven months they’ve created more jobs than we have in seven years.  I saw first-hand that a global race for new jobs underway is, yet under the Conservative government Britain is not even at the starting blocks.  

Great to meet with UK Shadow Secretary of State for International Trade, @NickTorfaen, as we continue to deepen our transatlantic relationship. pic.twitter.com/CSp0bwYm5n

— Ambassador Katherine Tai (@AmbassadorTai) July 11, 2023

Good jobs and a race to the top on standards

Having grown up in Torfaen, the Welsh Valley I now represent in Parliament – I know the devastating impact on communities when Conservative governments fail to deliver a jobs strategy or plan for growth when industries close. We must not let that happen again.

That’s why Keir Starmer has been clear that Labour will offer a credible plan to manage the change Britain is facing, protect good jobs and create good jobs. No cliff edges.  Our mission is to cut bills, create jobs and provide energy security for Britain will be a vital part in us securing that future.

In the US I met with President Biden’s Trade Representative, Ambassador Katherine Tai, to set out that a Labour government would be committed to working with the US to deepen our relationship on trade and drive forward a jobs-focused trade policy together. The US have said they want a ‘Race to the top’ on standards and they will always have a partner in that aim in the Labour Party.

Selling more to the US can help with Labour’s growth mission

Quick 📺 update from 🇺🇸 on:

– Positive meeting with @AmbassadorTai
– Baltimore visit to see unionised jobs being delivered in wind energy, on site of a former steelworks
– My speech setting out @UKLabour’s vision for a jobs centred trade

More meetings to come in NYC 🍎 pic.twitter.com/Hx9T91vxKp

— Nick Thomas-Symonds MP (@NickTorfaen) July 12, 2023

I also spent time in meetings with Bloomberg and other business leaders, to set out that a Labour government would celebrate the huge role that London and New York play in driving our economies.  We are world leaders in sectors like financial services, law and digital technology – so I want to make it even easier for British companies to export services to the US.

Labour has a mission to secure the highest sustained growth in the G7 – and boosting our services exports can play a vital role in delivering that.

Britain has the strengths we need to be an economic global leader in the future, just as we have been in the past. But this won’t happen by accident.  It needs a government with a clear plan. The Conservatives have shown, with their economic chaos, that they can’t deliver this. But I’m proud that Labour is setting out a vision to do just that.