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| Brexit: McDonnell says Labour would introduce 32-hour working week within decade – live news | Brexit: McDonnell says Labour would introduce 32-hour working week within decade – live news |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| 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 | |
| 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. |
| McDonnell is now on his peroration. | McDonnell is now on his peroration. |
| When they ask you some time in the future: | When they ask you some time in the future: |
| Where were you when people were left to sleep on our streets? | |
| When families queued at food banks to survive? | |
| When the Tories tried to sell out our country to Trump. | |
| When climate change threatened our planet and our very existence? | |
| I want you all to be able to say: | I want you all to be able to say: |
| I built the homes and public services our people needed. | |
| I made sure everyone was fed and cared for. | |
| With nobody forced to endure poverty. | |
| I saved the planet by tackling climate change. | |
| I helped lay the foundations of a new society. | |
| Foundations so deeply rooted that the Tories can never break them up. | |
| And when they ask: how did you do that? You can tell them: I supported Labour, I joined Labour, I voted for Jeremy Corbyn. That’s how. | |
| Solidarity. | Solidarity. |
| McDonnell says Labour would give developing countries free or cheap access to green technologies, partly to make “reparations” for colonialism. | McDonnell says Labour would give developing countries free or cheap access to green technologies, partly to make “reparations” for colonialism. |
| We recognise that the first industrial revolution meant Britain was the first major contributor to climate change – something that left a lasting legacy for the global south. | We recognise that the first industrial revolution meant Britain was the first major contributor to climate change – something that left a lasting legacy for the global south. |
| And to begin making some reparations for our colonial past, I pledge we will provide to the citizens of the global south free or cheap access to the green technologies developed as part of our green industrial revolution. | And to begin making some reparations for our colonial past, I pledge we will provide to the citizens of the global south free or cheap access to the green technologies developed as part of our green industrial revolution. |
| McDonnell says Labour would spend “whatever resources are necessary” to meet climate change obligations. | McDonnell says Labour would spend “whatever resources are necessary” to meet climate change obligations. |
| For my part, I will make sure the Treasury puts in whatever resources are necessary to meet our obligations. A sustainable investment board, coordinating the Treasury, BEIS department and Bank of England. £250bn of green government investment in a national transformation fund. | |
| And £250bn more of lending through our national investment bank, delivered at grassroots level by regional development banks and our new post bank. | |
| And while the Labour government will need to take the lead, we’ll make whatever reforms are necessary to ensure the finance sector isn’t pushing the other way by investing in carbon-intensive sectors. That means billions more raised through green bonds and support for a Europe-wide green new deal programme so that we can bring forward significantly that 2050 target. | And while the Labour government will need to take the lead, we’ll make whatever reforms are necessary to ensure the finance sector isn’t pushing the other way by investing in carbon-intensive sectors. That means billions more raised through green bonds and support for a Europe-wide green new deal programme so that we can bring forward significantly that 2050 target. |
| McDonnell turns to climate change. | McDonnell turns to climate change. |
| I believe when historians write about 2019, the most important political event so far has not been replacing one useless Tory prime minister with another. It’s been the emergence on the national scene of climate change as amongst the most urgent political questions of the day. | I believe when historians write about 2019, the most important political event so far has not been replacing one useless Tory prime minister with another. It’s been the emergence on the national scene of climate change as amongst the most urgent political questions of the day. |
| And he pays tribute to the school strikers and Extinction Rebellion. | And he pays tribute to the school strikers and Extinction Rebellion. |
| And outside parliament I want to pay tribute to the school strikers and Extinction Rebellion. I have been proud to march and demonstrate with them. They have shamed older generations of politicians into taking climate change seriously and with the urgency it needs. Now it’s essential that the Labour movement continues to join in solidarity with those young people to help lead that fight. | And outside parliament I want to pay tribute to the school strikers and Extinction Rebellion. I have been proud to march and demonstrate with them. They have shamed older generations of politicians into taking climate change seriously and with the urgency it needs. Now it’s essential that the Labour movement continues to join in solidarity with those young people to help lead that fight. |
| McDonnell says Scotland would benefit from Labour’s plan, even though it already has free personal care. | McDonnell says Scotland would benefit from Labour’s plan, even though it already has free personal care. |
| Of course, in Scotland, a Labour government has already introduced free personal care, so when we spend the billions needed to guarantee free personal care in England, there will be billions more for First Minister Richard Leonard when he takes office in 2021. A Labour government making millions of lives better across the UK, thanks to our transformative policies in Westminster, but also through the new resources for the Scottish and Welsh governments. | Of course, in Scotland, a Labour government has already introduced free personal care, so when we spend the billions needed to guarantee free personal care in England, there will be billions more for First Minister Richard Leonard when he takes office in 2021. A Labour government making millions of lives better across the UK, thanks to our transformative policies in Westminster, but also through the new resources for the Scottish and Welsh governments. |
| McDonnell gives more details about the proposed national care service. | McDonnell gives more details about the proposed national care service. |
| So I can announce today that, after years of campaigning by trade unions and carers, as the first building block in our new national care service, the next Labour government will introduce personal care free at the point of use in England. Funded not through the Conservatives’ gimmicky insurance schemes. But, like the NHS and our other essentials, through general taxation. | |
| And we’re publishing the first steps of our national care service vision today. Investing in the workforce and ensuring they are employed on local authority rates of pay, working conditions and training to deliver high-quality care, as Unison has advocated. | |
| And over time, we will bring those services back into public ownership and democratic control. We will make sure that local councils have the necessary resources after years of savage cuts. Building up capacity in local government for both care homes and domiciliary care | And over time, we will bring those services back into public ownership and democratic control. We will make sure that local councils have the necessary resources after years of savage cuts. Building up capacity in local government for both care homes and domiciliary care |
| So we’ll require all providers – public, private or charitable – to adhere to strict criteria on ethical standards. Because nothing is more important than dignity in retirement for those who have built our country and given younger generations the world we live in today. And I want to thank the hard work and leadership that Barbara Keeley has shown in driving forward our policy on this issue. | So we’ll require all providers – public, private or charitable – to adhere to strict criteria on ethical standards. Because nothing is more important than dignity in retirement for those who have built our country and given younger generations the world we live in today. And I want to thank the hard work and leadership that Barbara Keeley has shown in driving forward our policy on this issue. |
| McDonnell confirms the announcement about Labour offering free personal care. | McDonnell confirms the announcement about Labour offering free personal care. |
| McDonnell says Labour would rebuild local democracy and revive local services. | McDonnell says Labour would rebuild local democracy and revive local services. |
| My generation inherited a treasure of public parks, libraries, swimming pools and leisure centres. Free or affordable for all. But in too many cases they’re now gone. They’ve been privatised or have priced out the families they were built for. These public assets meant a better life for millions of us. And were part of the strong welfare state that our movement fought for and built. Providing free at the point of use the things that make lives worth living. As well as the essentials like health, education, even those have come under attack in recent years | My generation inherited a treasure of public parks, libraries, swimming pools and leisure centres. Free or affordable for all. But in too many cases they’re now gone. They’ve been privatised or have priced out the families they were built for. These public assets meant a better life for millions of us. And were part of the strong welfare state that our movement fought for and built. Providing free at the point of use the things that make lives worth living. As well as the essentials like health, education, even those have come under attack in recent years |
| But we mustn’t limit our ambition to repairing the damage caused by 9 years of Tory austerity. We must go much further. I’m launching today our document on universal basic services. It lays out our belief that everyone has a right to a good life. That the state has responsibility to make good on that right. | But we mustn’t limit our ambition to repairing the damage caused by 9 years of Tory austerity. We must go much further. I’m launching today our document on universal basic services. It lays out our belief that everyone has a right to a good life. That the state has responsibility to make good on that right. |
| By providing public services free at the point of use. These services are part of our shared experiences. Experiences that are too important to be left to the vagaries of the market. Whether a family can afford them or not. | By providing public services free at the point of use. These services are part of our shared experiences. Experiences that are too important to be left to the vagaries of the market. Whether a family can afford them or not. |
| As socialists we believe that people have the right to education, health, a home in a decent safe environment and, yes, access to culture and leisure. | As socialists we believe that people have the right to education, health, a home in a decent safe environment and, yes, access to culture and leisure. |
| McDonnell explains how Labour would go about this. | McDonnell explains how Labour would go about this. |
| As a first step we’ll end the opt-out from the European working time directive. As we roll out sectoral collective bargaining, we will include negotiations over working hours. We’ll require working hours to be included in the legally binding sectoral agreements. This will allow unions and employers to decide together how best to reduce hours for their sector. | As a first step we’ll end the opt-out from the European working time directive. As we roll out sectoral collective bargaining, we will include negotiations over working hours. We’ll require working hours to be included in the legally binding sectoral agreements. This will allow unions and employers to decide together how best to reduce hours for their sector. |
| And we’ll set up a working time commission with the power to recommend to government on increasing statutory leave entitlements as quickly as possible without increasing unemployment. | And we’ll set up a working time commission with the power to recommend to government on increasing statutory leave entitlements as quickly as possible without increasing unemployment. |
| But while millions are exhausted from overwork, there are too many others who can’t get the working hours they need, so we’ll also ban zero-hour contracts to make sure every employee has a guaranteed number of hours a week too. | But while millions are exhausted from overwork, there are too many others who can’t get the working hours they need, so we’ll also ban zero-hour contracts to make sure every employee has a guaranteed number of hours a week too. |
| McDonnell says Labour will aim to reduce the full-time working week to 32 hours within the next decade – with no loss of pay. | McDonnell says Labour will aim to reduce the full-time working week to 32 hours within the next decade – with no loss of pay. |
| We should work to live, not live to work. Thanks to past Labour governments but mainly thanks to the trade union movement, the average full-time working week fell from nearly 65 hours in the 1860s to 43 hours in the 1970s. | We should work to live, not live to work. Thanks to past Labour governments but mainly thanks to the trade union movement, the average full-time working week fell from nearly 65 hours in the 1860s to 43 hours in the 1970s. |
| As society got richer, we could spend fewer hours at work. But in recent decades progress has stalled. People in our country today work the longest average full-time hours in Europe apart from Greece and Austria. And since the 1980s the link between increasing productivity matched by expanding free time has been broken. It’s time to put that right. | As society got richer, we could spend fewer hours at work. But in recent decades progress has stalled. People in our country today work the longest average full-time hours in Europe apart from Greece and Austria. And since the 1980s the link between increasing productivity matched by expanding free time has been broken. It’s time to put that right. |
| So I can tell you today that the next Labour government will put in place the changes needed to reduce average full-time hours to 32 a week within the next decade. A shorter working week with no loss of pay. | So I can tell you today that the next Labour government will put in place the changes needed to reduce average full-time hours to 32 a week within the next decade. A shorter working week with no loss of pay. |