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Brexit: Emily Thornberry tells Labour conference she will campaign for remain – live news | |
(32 minutes later) | |
Here is the full text of Emily Thornberry’s speech. | |
Thornberry says it is not enough to address the injustices of today; the next Labour government must address the injustices of the past. | |
She says Labour would apologise for the first Amritsar massacre, and hold an inquiry into Britain’s role in the second. | |
Labour would allow the Chagos islanders to return home. | |
It would hold a judge-led inquiry into the UK’s complicity in rendition and torture, she says. | |
And she says she can announce two new pledges. | |
She says Labour would compensate black African and Caribbean veterans who failed to get the same demob as white soldiers after the second world war. | |
And it would pay a £50,000 lump sum to veterans who were exposed to radiation during nuclear tests in the 1950s. It is not just their health that has suffered. Their children and grandchildren have been affected too. These payments would help with medical bills, she says. | |
Thornberry says in government Labour would review arms sales. British arms should not be sold so they can be used to kill civilians abroad, she says. | |
Thornberry says “strong man” politics is an increasing threat to the world. | |
She says it is not a surprise when the “daddy of them all”, Donald Trump, is in the White House. | |
She says Trump is leader of the free world. But how can you lead the free world when you support locking up toddlers, when you want to stop women having control over their bodies and when you support the annexation of Palestine. | |
And she says no one has copied Trump more than the Saudi crown prince Mohammad bin Salman. When he came to the UK, they rolled out the red carpet for him, she says. She says they needed a red carpet “to cover up the blood dripping from his hands” from the murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi and from the slaughter of civilians in Yemen. | |
She says the age of impunity needs to end. | |
Emily Thornberry, the shadow foreign secretary, is addressing the conference now. | Emily Thornberry, the shadow foreign secretary, is addressing the conference now. |
She starts with a joke about the improbability of Boris Johnson being prime minister. | She starts with a joke about the improbability of Boris Johnson being prime minister. |
She says that, in a future referendum on Brexit, she would campaign for remain. | She says that, in a future referendum on Brexit, she would campaign for remain. |
As [Peter Kyle, Labour MP for Hove] has said, we must fight with every fibre of our beings to say between now and October 31, and afterwards if there is a general election, that any terms of departure, from any government, must go back to the people for the final say. | |
They should have the option to remain, and I for one will be out there campaigning to remain. | |
And she pays tribute to her “friend” and neighbouring MP, Jeremy Corbyn. | And she pays tribute to her “friend” and neighbouring MP, Jeremy Corbyn. |
We have been getting some more information from Labour about how the plan to introduce a 32-hour working week over a decade would work. (See 12.19pm and 12.21pm.) Here are some of the points that have emerged. | We have been getting some more information from Labour about how the plan to introduce a 32-hour working week over a decade would work. (See 12.19pm and 12.21pm.) Here are some of the points that have emerged. |
John McDonnell is not proposing a French-style cap on maximum working hours. He was persuaded by the arguments in the report from Lord Skidelsky on working hours (pdf) that Labour published recently explaining a cap would not work. | John McDonnell is not proposing a French-style cap on maximum working hours. He was persuaded by the arguments in the report from Lord Skidelsky on working hours (pdf) that Labour published recently explaining a cap would not work. |
Instead, McDonnell plans to use two mechanisms to drive down average working hours over a decade - collective sectoral bargaining, and a working time commission. | Instead, McDonnell plans to use two mechanisms to drive down average working hours over a decade - collective sectoral bargaining, and a working time commission. |
The working time commission, based on the low pay commission (which oversees the minimum wage and the national living wage) would recommend increases in minimum holiday entitlements. Over time, it is envisaged that these would go up. | The working time commission, based on the low pay commission (which oversees the minimum wage and the national living wage) would recommend increases in minimum holiday entitlements. Over time, it is envisaged that these would go up. |
And collective sectoral bargaining - a landmark Labour pledge, which could have a huge impact how firms deal with their employees - would also play a part, because it would provide a mechanism by which working hours could be cut. | And collective sectoral bargaining - a landmark Labour pledge, which could have a huge impact how firms deal with their employees - would also play a part, because it would provide a mechanism by which working hours could be cut. |
The average working week is currently 37.1 hours. Labour wants to reduce this by five hours over a decade. It views this as a political commitment, not a legally binding one. It is not planning to give every individual worker the right not to have to work more than 32 hours a week. | The average working week is currently 37.1 hours. Labour wants to reduce this by five hours over a decade. It views this as a political commitment, not a legally binding one. It is not planning to give every individual worker the right not to have to work more than 32 hours a week. |
Part of the plan is to ensure that workers can benefit more from productivity increases. McDonnell believes that for much of the last 150 years or so increases in productivity led to shorter working hours. But in recent years workers have not benefitted from those productivity increases, he believes. | Part of the plan is to ensure that workers can benefit more from productivity increases. McDonnell believes that for much of the last 150 years or so increases in productivity led to shorter working hours. But in recent years workers have not benefitted from those productivity increases, he believes. |
McDonnell does not believe that moving towards a shorter working week will cost jobs. He believes increasing productivity can make a shorter working week affordable. His team has not tried to produce costings for the impact of this policy. | McDonnell does not believe that moving towards a shorter working week will cost jobs. He believes increasing productivity can make a shorter working week affordable. His team has not tried to produce costings for the impact of this policy. |
A 32-hour woking week is equivalent to a four-day working week if someone works eight hours a day. But McDonnell is not presenting this as a move to a four-day week. He thinks in different sectors staff will want to reduce hours in different ways. | A 32-hour woking week is equivalent to a four-day working week if someone works eight hours a day. But McDonnell is not presenting this as a move to a four-day week. He thinks in different sectors staff will want to reduce hours in different ways. |
And now it has been confirmed. | And now it has been confirmed. |
The judgment in 'R (on behalf of Miller) v The Prime Minister' and 'Cherry and others v Advocate General for Scotland' will be handed down at 10.30am on Tuesday 24 September in Courtroom 1 https://t.co/yo4BzgEvdE pic.twitter.com/3LF96kYrlS | The judgment in 'R (on behalf of Miller) v The Prime Minister' and 'Cherry and others v Advocate General for Scotland' will be handed down at 10.30am on Tuesday 24 September in Courtroom 1 https://t.co/yo4BzgEvdE pic.twitter.com/3LF96kYrlS |
Turning away from the Labour conference for a moment, the legal commentator Joshua Rozenberg says we will get the supreme court decision as to whether Boris Johnson’s five-week prorogation of parliament was lawful at 10.30am tomorrow. | Turning away from the Labour conference for a moment, the legal commentator Joshua Rozenberg says we will get the supreme court decision as to whether Boris Johnson’s five-week prorogation of parliament was lawful at 10.30am tomorrow. |
I understand the @UKSupremeCourt will indeed be giving judgment in the Miller/Cherry prorogation cases at 1030 tomorrow Tuesday. | I understand the @UKSupremeCourt will indeed be giving judgment in the Miller/Cherry prorogation cases at 1030 tomorrow Tuesday. |
Here is some Twitter reaction to the John McDonnell speech from journalists. | Here is some Twitter reaction to the John McDonnell speech from journalists. |
From the New Statesman’s George Eaton | From the New Statesman’s George Eaton |
This by far the most radical speech McDonnell has delivered as shadow chancellor: a four-day week, ending all in-work poverty, a National Care Service, restoration of full trade union rights, Universal Basic Services report launched. | This by far the most radical speech McDonnell has delivered as shadow chancellor: a four-day week, ending all in-work poverty, a National Care Service, restoration of full trade union rights, Universal Basic Services report launched. |
From Sky’s Ed Conway | From Sky’s Ed Conway |
John McDonnell claims UK workers work longer hours than most other countries but I’d be v wary of this claim. OECD recently found it had been overstating the UK numbers. Actually the avg UK worker works fewer hours (38.4 hrs a wk) than the French (39) and the Americans (39.4) | John McDonnell claims UK workers work longer hours than most other countries but I’d be v wary of this claim. OECD recently found it had been overstating the UK numbers. Actually the avg UK worker works fewer hours (38.4 hrs a wk) than the French (39) and the Americans (39.4) |
From my colleague Jonathan Freedland | From my colleague Jonathan Freedland |
McDonnell going through agenda Labour want to fight election on - free personal care, rights to decent education, healthcare and environment, rolling back austerity - and which they wanted to dominate this conference. Instead it’s struggled against Brexit, internal rifts, etc | McDonnell going through agenda Labour want to fight election on - free personal care, rights to decent education, healthcare and environment, rolling back austerity - and which they wanted to dominate this conference. Instead it’s struggled against Brexit, internal rifts, etc |
From ITV’s Robert Peston | From ITV’s Robert Peston |
Quite a lot of @johnmcdonnellMP’s programme seems predicated on UK remaining in EU - Europe-wide green new deal, end opt out from Working Time Directive. Not sure McDonnell is Brexit ambivalent! | Quite a lot of @johnmcdonnellMP’s programme seems predicated on UK remaining in EU - Europe-wide green new deal, end opt out from Working Time Directive. Not sure McDonnell is Brexit ambivalent! |
From my colleague John Crace | From my colleague John Crace |
John McDonnell taking his cue from Tories by making dozens of uncosted spending commitments. | John McDonnell taking his cue from Tories by making dozens of uncosted spending commitments. |
From ConservativeHome’s Mark Wallace | From ConservativeHome’s Mark Wallace |
Bear in mind that workers under McDonnell and Labour would also have to bear a higher tax burden, and fill the hole made by a massive Treasury raid on pensions as well. And we’re expected to believe we’d pay for all that and earn the same, all with 20% less work? Come off it. | Bear in mind that workers under McDonnell and Labour would also have to bear a higher tax burden, and fill the hole made by a massive Treasury raid on pensions as well. And we’re expected to believe we’d pay for all that and earn the same, all with 20% less work? Come off it. |
Yasmine Dar, a CLP representative on the national executive committee, is addressing the conference now. She is moving the the NEC statement about Brexit. (See 10.10am) | Yasmine Dar, a CLP representative on the national executive committee, is addressing the conference now. She is moving the the NEC statement about Brexit. (See 10.10am) |
She says passing this motion will not stop delegates being able to debate and vote on the other Brexit motions. | She says passing this motion will not stop delegates being able to debate and vote on the other Brexit motions. |
She says Brexit should not be allowed to divide the party. “Please, comrades, support Jeremy [Corbyn] on this issue,” she says. | She says Brexit should not be allowed to divide the party. “Please, comrades, support Jeremy [Corbyn] on this issue,” she says. |