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Labour conference: Ed Miliband makes 'one nation' promise Ed Miliband tells Labour conference: We're the one-nation party
(35 minutes later)
By Brian Wheeler Political reporter, BBC News, in ManchesterBy Brian Wheeler Political reporter, BBC News, in Manchester
Ed Miliband has vowed to unite the nation and lead it through tough economic times in his keynote speech to the Labour Party conference. Ed Miliband has vowed to unite the nation and lead it through tough economic times in his speech to the Labour Party conference.
The Labour leader is attempting to set out his credentials as the next prime minister under the "one nation" banner. The Labour leader attempted to set out his credentials as the next prime minister under the One Nation banner.
He will promise not to shrink from tough spending decisions. He promised not to shrink from tough spending decisions.
But he will ensure "those with the broadest shoulders bear the greatest burden" in contrast, he will say, to the coalition. But he would ensure "those with the broadest shoulders bear the greatest burden" in contrast, he said, to the coalition.
Speaking without notes and walking around the stage, Mr Miliband is also setting out his vision of a "country for all" in which everybody plays their part. Speaking without notes and walking around the stage, Mr Miliband attempted to set out a vision of a "country for all" in which everybody played their part.
The Labour leader cited a former Conservative prime minister, Benjamin Disraeli, who made a famous speech on "One Nation" Toryism in Manchester's Free Trade Hall, now a luxury hotel opposite Labour's conference venue, as his inspiration. The Labour leader cited as his inspiration a former Conservative Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraeli, who made a famous speech on One Nation Conservatism in Manchester's Free Trade Hall, now a luxury hotel opposite Labour's conference venue.
'Forgotten 50%' 'Shower'
During his speech to the packed hall he invoked the spirit of the Olympics and World War Two as examples of what Britain can do when everyone pulls together, criticising the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. During his address to the packed hall, Mr Miliband invoked the spirit of the Olympics and World War Two as examples of what Britain can do when everyone pulls together, while criticising the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats.
He will say Labour will not be able to reverse all of the coalition's spending cuts if he wins the next election but will promise a fairer approach to cuts than the coalition and policies to promote growth. He got a standing ovation when he called Prime Minister David Cameron a "U-turning shower".
The speech will contain few new policy announcements - but he will unveil proposals for a new qualification - the technical baccalaureate - to be taken at 18. Mr Miliband said Labour would not be able to reverse all of the coalition's spending cuts if it won the next election but promised a fairer approach to cuts than the coalition and policies to promote growth.
This will transform the lives of the "forgotten" 50% of young people in England who do not go to university, the Labour leader will say. The speech contained few new policy announcements - but unveiled proposals for a new qualification - the technical baccalaureate - to be taken at 18.
Mr Miliband, who praised the work of the police and armed forces, talked about growing up as the son of Jewish refugees who fled the Nazis. This would transform the lives of the "forgotten" 50% of young people in England who do not go to university, the Labour leader said.
Mr Miliband, who praised the work of the police and armed forces, also talked about growing up as the son of Jewish refugees who fled the Nazis.
"My family hasn't sat under the same oak tree for the last 500 years," he said."My family hasn't sat under the same oak tree for the last 500 years," he said.
"I was born at my local NHS hospital, the same hospital where my two sons were born. And I went to my local school with people from all backgrounds."I was born at my local NHS hospital, the same hospital where my two sons were born. And I went to my local school with people from all backgrounds.
"My school taught us a lot more than just how to pass exams: it taught people how to get on with each other, whoever they are and wherever they were from.""My school taught us a lot more than just how to pass exams: it taught people how to get on with each other, whoever they are and wherever they were from."
BBC political editor Nick Robinson believes Mr Miliband's aim is not just to tell his own personal story - it is to contrast his background with that of Eton-educated Mr Cameron. BBC political editor Nick Robinson believes Mr Miliband's aim was not just to tell his own personal story - it was to contrast his background with that of Eton-educated Mr Cameron.
Mr Miliband will declare that the next Labour government will reform education and apprenticeships - in partnership with business - to create a more highly skilled and highly paid workforce. Mr Miliband declared that the next Labour government would reform education and apprenticeships - in partnership with business - to create a more highly skilled and highly paid workforce.
"For years and years, our party has focused on those young people who go to university," he will say. The new certificate would replace the dozens of existing vocational qualifications with a single "gold standard" exam, which would also include maths and English.
"But it's time now to focus on those who don't go to university. The young people who are too often the forgotten 50%. We cannot succeed if we have an education system which only works for half the country." Labour would also reform apprenticeships, giving control of the £1bn budget for on-the-job training to business and allowing firms more of a say in setting the standards for vocational qualifications, he said.
The aim is for the new qualification to replace the dozens of existing vocational qualifications with a single "gold standard" exam, which will also include maths and English.
Labour would also reform apprenticeships, giving control of the £1bn budget for on-the-job training to business and allowing firms more of a say in setting the standards for vocational qualifications.
'Fast track''Fast track'
"Sector by sector, we're going to give business the power and responsibility to make sure the training happens," Mr Miliband will say. "Sector by sector, we're going to give business the power and responsibility to make sure the training happens," Mr Miliband said.
There would be a new "fast track" for apprentices to match the one that already exists to get bright graduates into the civil service and all large firms with government contracts would be forced to provide apprenticeships.There would be a new "fast track" for apprentices to match the one that already exists to get bright graduates into the civil service and all large firms with government contracts would be forced to provide apprenticeships.
Mr Miliband will tell delegates: "I want ours to be a country where kids aspire not just to go to Oxford and Cambridge but to excellent technical colleges and elite vocational institutions.
"We need to do what we haven't done in decades: build a culture in our country where vocational qualifications are not seen as second class certificates but for what they can be - a real route on and up to quality apprenticeships and jobs."
The latest opinion poll by ComRes for the Independent newspaper has Labour on 38 points, down three points on last month. The Conservatives are unchanged on 35 points and the Liberal Democrats up three points on 15.The latest opinion poll by ComRes for the Independent newspaper has Labour on 38 points, down three points on last month. The Conservatives are unchanged on 35 points and the Liberal Democrats up three points on 15.
The poll also suggests only 22% of people think Mr Miliband "has what it takes to be a good prime minister", compared with 39% for David Cameron.The poll also suggests only 22% of people think Mr Miliband "has what it takes to be a good prime minister", compared with 39% for David Cameron.
But shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna said Mr Miliband had been "performing extremely well" in polls asking how in touch he is with people's concerns and understanding how to get jobs and growth.But shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna said Mr Miliband had been "performing extremely well" in polls asking how in touch he is with people's concerns and understanding how to get jobs and growth.
The Conservatives responded to the details of Mr Miliband's speech by saying: "Under Labour, we saw our country's education system plummet down the global league tables, far fewer apprenticeships created than our competitors, and youth unemployment rising.The Conservatives responded to the details of Mr Miliband's speech by saying: "Under Labour, we saw our country's education system plummet down the global league tables, far fewer apprenticeships created than our competitors, and youth unemployment rising.
"This government is taking radical steps to create more good schools, reform vocational qualifications and create far more apprenticeships than Labour ever did."This government is taking radical steps to create more good schools, reform vocational qualifications and create far more apprenticeships than Labour ever did.
"But Ed Miliband today is playing catch-up on our vocational reforms - and calling for yet more borrowing and more debt.""But Ed Miliband today is playing catch-up on our vocational reforms - and calling for yet more borrowing and more debt."
ComRes interviewed 1,010 adults by telephone between 28 and 30 September for its poll, with data being weighted to be demographically representative.ComRes interviewed 1,010 adults by telephone between 28 and 30 September for its poll, with data being weighted to be demographically representative.
Are you part of the "forgotten" 50% of young people who do not go to university? Would you benefit from the new qualification and reformed apprenticeships? Send us your views using the form below.Are you part of the "forgotten" 50% of young people who do not go to university? Would you benefit from the new qualification and reformed apprenticeships? Send us your views using the form below.