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Jeremy Corbyn restates Trident opposition in conference speech Jeremy Corbyn defiant on Trident and urges opposition to austerity
(35 minutes later)
Jeremy Corbyn served notice on shadow cabinet ministers who have challenged him over defence policy that he has a mandate from the Labour party to oppose the renewal of the Trident programme.Jeremy Corbyn served notice on shadow cabinet ministers who have challenged him over defence policy that he has a mandate from the Labour party to oppose the renewal of the Trident programme.
In an hour-long speech to the Labour party conference, in which he outlined plans to create a gentler kind of politics, Corbyn reiterated he was prepared for a fight when he he said he wanted to “make my own position absolutely clear” that it was wrong to spend £100bn on the nuclear deterrent. In an hour-long speech to the Labour party conference, the Labour leader made clear that he is prepared for a fight when he he said he wanted to “make my own position absolutely clear” that it was wrong to spend £100bn on Trident.
The intervention by Corbyn comes days after he failed to secure a vote on the future of Trident at the Labour conference in Brighton, and suggested there would be some policy areas on which he was determined to press forward. “There is one thing I want to make my own position on absolutely clear and I believe I have a mandate from my election on it,” he said. “I don’t believe that £100bn spent on a new generation of nuclear weapons taking up a quarter of our defence budget is the right way forward.”
The Labour leader said in his first speech to conference: “There is one thing I want to make my own position on absolutely clear – and I believe I have a mandate from my election on it. I don’t believe that 100bn [pounds] spent on a new generation of nuclear weapons taking up a quarter of our defence budget is the right way forward. Corbyn’s speech also pledged to preside over a new era of house building and he challenged David Cameron to stand up to Saudi Arabia over its plans to behead and crucify a teenage protestor.
“I believe Britain should honour our obligations under the non-proliferation treaty and lead in making progress on international nuclear disarmament. But in developing our policy through the review, we must make sure that all the jobs and skills of everyone in every aspect of the defence industry are fully protected and fully utilised so that we gain from this, we don’t lose from this.” He urged supporters to reject the idea that there is no alternative to cutting public services or reducing junior doctors’ pay. “The British people never have to take what they are given,” he said.
He ended his address with an impassioned plea for people to follow the example of one of the party’s founders Keir Hardie in challenging injustice. Joking that he is the first bearded man to lead the party since Hardie, Corbyn illustrated his argument by quoting Labour’s first leader: “My work has consisted of trying to stir up a divine discontent with wrong.”
Corbyn added: “Don’t accept injustice, stand up against prejudice. Let us build a kinder politics, a more caring society together. Let us put our values, the people’s values, back into politics.”
The Labour leader’s team felt that in his speech, which lasted an hour, Corbyn had successfully outlined how he aims to forge a new, gentler and more inclusive style of politics. He quoted the American writer Maya Angelou, by saying “You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them”, as he attacked the pugnacious atmosphere on social media.
In remarks that appeared to be aimed at some of his own supporters, who made highly personal attacks on Liz Kendall and Yvette Cooper during the leadership contest, he said: “I want a kinder politics, a more caring society. Don’t let them reduce you to believing in anything less. So I say to all activists, whether Labour or not, cut out the personal attacks. The cyberbullying. And especially the misogynistic abuse online.”
Corbyn made clear that his election as Labour leader, with just under 60% of the vote, represented a seismic change in British politics. He said: “What happened this summer with the leadership election was a political earthquake.
“According to the script, socialist and social democratic parties were in decline. Social democracy itself was exhausted. Dead on its feet. Yet something new and invigorating, popular and authentic, has exploded.”
The Labour leader made clear that he would use his “huge mandate” to persuade people over to his view. But he would eventually force his will on areas, such as Trident, which have defined his political world view over three decades.
Corbyn said that Maria Eagle, the shadow defence secretary, would lead a review into Trident after he failed in his bid to hold a conference vote on the nuclear deterrent. But he made clear that he is prepared to stand up to Eagle and other members in the shadow defence team who support Trident.
He said: “I don’t believe £100bn on a new generation of nuclear weapons taking up a quarter of our defence budget is the right way forward. I believe Britain should honour our obligations under the non-proliferation treaty, and lead in making progress on international nuclear disarmament.”
But Corbyn made clear he understand the argument put forward by supporters of Trident, including many of his trade union supporters, who are uneasy about the effect on jobs.
He said: “In developing our policy through the review we must make sure we all the jobs and skills of everyone in every aspect of the defence industry are fully protected and fully utilised so that we gain from this, we don’t lose from this. To me, that is very important.”