Labour Conference 2009

Recovery and progress with Labour, or let the recovery stall with the Conservatives

At Conference, Gordon Brown said: "Every Government in Europe made the choice to act. Every Government across the G20 chose to act. Almost every major political party across the world chose to act. Only one party thought it best to do nothing. Only one party with pretensions to government made the wrong choice - the Conservative Party of Britain."

He also outlined a number of policies for the future, rebuilding the economy after the recession has been beaten. For example: "Our economic future must be green. We are already global leaders in wind power, green cars, clean coal and carbon capture. And now we will lead again, with designated low carbon zones around the regions of this country.......we will create over a quarter of a million new green British jobs."

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Helping people through the recession

The recession has badly affected large numbers of people. Things have not been so bad for a long time - indeed, not since we last had a Conservative Government.

Harriet Harman, deputy leader of the Labour Party, said at Conference: "A Labour government has given people real help to cope through the recession. Our task as a government is to make sure that we keep on with that help - our task as a party is to make sure that we don't let the Tories wreck it. Like building 20,000 new affordable home, most of which will be council homes: the Tories oppose it. Like the car scrappage scheme: the Tories opposed it. Like backing up familes where both mother and father go out to work .....: the Tories opposed it."

"We mended the roof when the sun shone - the Tory plans would be like a wrecking ball that would demolish the recovery."

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Don't let the Tories choke off recovery

Lord Mandelson, in a rousing speech, said how proud he was to serve in Gordon Brown's Government. He set out in stark terms the effect of Conservative policies on the economy. "Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling have made, and are making, all the right calls," he said. "I want to see .... Tory candidates across the country explaining why they would not provide the money to help small businesses and families in this recession when they needed it most...... Do not let them off the hook."

"When private demand plummets, governments must step in....... Once we are through the recession - and only when this is clearly the case - we will tackle the deficit without eating into the fabric of people's lives. And it means investing in future growth."

"Withdrawing help for the economy now as Mr Osborne demands would choke off recovery before it has even properly begun."

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Helping people into jobs

One example of the help being offered is local employement partnerships. Yvette Cooper, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, told Conference that the initial scheme had met its target - a year early - of helping 250,000 people - mainly long-term unemployed - into jobs. Therefore, she was trebling the target to 750,000. "When the Tories turned their back in the 80s, entire generations paid the price," she said. "Never again must we lose a generation from work."


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