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Tag: Speeches

  • Mark Harper – 2023 Speech to Conservative Party Conference

    Mark Harper – 2023 Speech to Conservative Party Conference

    The speech made by Mark Harper, the Secretary of State for Transport, in Manchester on 2 October 2023.

    Conference, thank you. It’s great to be with you in Manchester and as Transport Secretary, I’m supported by a great ministerial team who join us today: Jesse Norman, Huw Merriman, Richard Holden and Charlotte Vere. I’m proud to lead a team working every day to keep Britain moving forward.

    I’d also like to welcome two special guests.

    Our newest Member of Parliament, Uxbridge’s Steve Tuckwell. Steve’s campaign to stop Labour inspired us all.

    And also joining us, Susan Hall, the Conservative candidate for Mayor of London, the only person who can defeat Sadiq Khan, cancel his ULEZ expansion, and turn London blue again.

    When we arrived in the Department last October, we faced industrial action across our railways.

    By March, we’d resolved the dispute at Network Rail, meaning that rail infrastructure is always available, crucial for moving freight.

    But the union barons at the RMT and ASLEF have since refused to let their members on train operators have a say on the fair offers on the table.

    They don’t care how many thousands of pounds their members lose in pay, as long as Mick Whelan still sits on Labour’s National Executive Committee, pulling Sir Keir’s strings.

    That’s why Labour refuse to criticise the continued industrial action which achieves nothing but disrupting hardworking businesses and people who just want to get on. They take money from the pockets of ordinary people who could never dream of a train drivers’ wage. The union barons seek to inconvenience people, but all they do is risk resentment towards rail workers, and they put their own industry at risk.

    Now make no mistake conference, I’m proud of what we Conservatives have done to support our railways.

    We’ve invested over £100 billion to transform services, with millions of passengers across the country travelling on new trains on upgraded tracks. In 13 years, Labour electrified just 63 miles of railway track. We’ve delivered over 1,200 miles.

    The choice is clear: Labour-backed strikes, or Conservative investment.

    Either we make the hard but necessary long-term decisions to get a financially sustainable modern railway, or we follow Labour’s lazy ideological approach, forking out yet more money from the public purse for no benefit to passengers.

    Now conference, for people in my rural constituency, and, indeed, across our country, buses are the backbone of public transport, and this Conservative Government is backing our buses.

    We have invested over £3.5 billion in our bus network since March 2020, including over £1 billion to help local areas make bus services more frequent, more reliable, better coordinated, and cheaper.

    The evidence is clear. In Labour-run Wales and London, bus fares increased last year. In Scotland, the SNP put them up. In England outside London, thanks to the Conservative fare cap, bus fares actually went down, helping with the cost of living.

    In the maritime sector, which carries 95% of UK goods, we are investing to guarantee its sustainable future.

    In aviation, with our Jet Zero, we’re ensuring we can cut pollution, whilst still growing our economy and helping people go on well-deserved holidays – with the Prime Minister’s clear commitment last month to no new punitive taxes that discourage people from flying.

    But Conference, for most people, the most important mode of transport remains the car, the van, the lorry, or the motorbike.

    From listening to certain corners of the metropolitan bubble, you would think owning a car was immoral, a dirty habit, an optional extra in peoples’ lives.

    Politicians like Sir Keir Starmer, Sadiq Khan and Mark Drakeford are only interested in the short term, taking the easy way out and making decisions that hammer motorist to seek praise from social media and London newspapers.

    It’s the Conservative Party which is proudly pro-car. We are on track to a future where zero emission vehicles, powered by batteries, hydrogen or other clean technologies mean we keep driving, but powered in a way that’s fit for the future.

    And this Conservative Government will make the hard, but necessary long-term decisions to get the country on the right path for the future – even if some people don’t like it.

    What a contrast with Labour.

    In London, Sadiq Khan’s ULEZ expansion is a Labour tax on the poorest drivers.

    And Conference, he wants to go further. His plans for road pricing would see every driver pay per mile driven, no matter how clean their car is.

    And in Labour-run Wales, Sir Keir Starmer’s “blueprint for…Labour”, there are blanket 20 mile an hour speed limits, an ideological ban on road building and plans to charge people to drive on the M4. And just last week, they let slip their plans for road charging across Wales.

    And it isn’t just in Wales or in London. Right across our country, there is a Labour-backed movement to make cars harder to use, to make driving more expensive, and to remove your freedom to get from A to B how you want.

    Conference, it is time for Conservatives to act.

    And today, I am proud to announce a comprehensive plan to back drivers.

    First, I am calling time on the misuse of so-called 15-minute cities. There’s nothing wrong with making sure people can walk or cycle to the shops or school. That’s traditional town planning.

    But what is different, what is sinister, and what we shouldn’t tolerate, is the idea that local councils can decide how often you go to the shops, and that they can ration who uses the roads and when, and that they police it all with CCTV.

    So today, I am announcing that the Government will investigate what options we have in our toolbox to restrict over-zealous use of traffic management measures including cutting off councils from the DVLA database if they don’t follow the rules.

    The Prime Minister has already tasked me to conduct a review into Low Traffic Neighbourhoods, and that’s ongoing – building on my decision to ensure no Government money funds them.

    It can’t be right that these schemes are imposed without proper local consent, so we will change the guidance to ensure that councils properly listen to what local people say.

    But, Conference, we’ll go further.

    20 mph zones are a good way to protect schools, for quiet residential streets, or areas that are becoming rat runs. But for some councils, and indeed for some countries, they are yet another way to punish drivers, as blanket measures. The evidence is clear – this makes little difference, may actually increase pollution, and risks motorists ignoring 20mph zones where they are needed.

    So, we will change the DfT’s guidance, requiring councils to only use 20mph zones where there’s a good reason, and underlining that 30mph is the default speed limit on urban roads.

    It’s also time to put a stop to some councils using unfair fines as a money-spinner.

    We will put a stop to councils profiting from traffic offences, clawing back revenue, and removing any temptation to exploit you for profit.

    At the same time, we will make it easier for people to switch to cleaner driving in a sensible way, as the Prime Minister set out recently.

    There’s much more. We will make it easier and cheaper to drive and ride, to park and to use transport sensibly.

    To cut down on jams, we’ll tune up traffic lights to help junctions flow and restrict 24-hour bus lanes where they aren’t appropriate.

    And our plan includes a new national parking platform, ending the need to install numerous apps just to park your car as well as a comprehensive package of measures to help councils tackle the menace of potholes.

    Now, conference, 36 years ago, Margaret Thatcher inspired a working-class boy from Swindon to join the Conservative Party. And a year later, she told us how we have a “full repairing lease” on our country and on our environment.

    Since 2010, Conservatives in Government have worked to deliver her vision.

    That working-class boy from Swindon was me, and I make no apology for working to make our transport fit for the future, playing my part in delivering her legacy.

    Conference, as a Conservative, I want to give people choice, to make their lives easier, not to force them to travel in a certain way, or at a certain time.

    We can make it easier and more convenient for people to use cleaner cars but forcing no one to give up the cars they have today.

    We can make it safer for people to choose to walk or cycle, but without forcing drivers off the roads.

    And we can cut our carbon emissions without taxing poorer motorists off the roads, or without CCTV-enforced council rationing.

    Conference, we are at a fork in the road.

    Labour will continue with their same failed approach.

    Taxing the poorest motorists.

    Political speed limits.

    Banning road building.

    Labour would put Just Stop Oil in the driving seat, they’d fix a camera on every lamppost, put a hand in every pocket.

    Instead, we stand for freedom, to travel how you want. The sensible approach to protecting our environment.

    We stand for making the hard, but necessary, long-term decisions to get the country on the right path for the future.

    The choice is clear.

    We have a long-term plan to back drivers. Labour has a long-term plan to tax drivers. We are on the side of hard-working people; Labour wants to drive them off the roads altogether.

    We will take the difficult decisions to put our country on the road to the future, Labour will condemn us to the slow lane.

    That is why I back Susan Hall in London, Andy Street in the West Midlands, Ben Houchen in the Tees Valley and our fantastic Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, to lead us into the next election and to win.

    Conference, thank you very much indeed.

  • Claire Coutinho – 2023 Speech to Conservative Party Conference

    Claire Coutinho – 2023 Speech to Conservative Party Conference

    The speech made by Claire Coutinho, the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, in Manchester on 2 October 2023.

    Thank you,

    Our nation – its people and its businesses – are going to succeed in the decades ahead if – and only if – we source enough energy.

    Energy that is home-grown, clean and cheap.

    If we get this right, the British people will enjoy greater prosperity in the decades ahead.

    If we don’t, we lose jobs and investment and our path to a greener future.

    I first want to pay tribute to my predecessor, Grant Shapps, who was relentless in making the case for energy security.

    He rightly said we cannot be at the mercy of tyrants like Vladmir Putin who seek to weaponise oil and gas against us.

    Our best defence is ensuring our own energy independence.

    And that energy independence is exactly what the Conservatives are delivering.

    We don’t just have the world’s largest off-shore wind farm,

    We have the second largest and the third.

    And, yes, we have the world’s fourth and imminently the fifth largest too.

    All built under our watch.

    We’re investing in solar, in fusion and in hydrogen.

    And rather than relying on imports, as Keir Starmer would have it, we’re backing our own North Sea.

    And we are delivering the first large-scale nuclear project since Margaret Thatcher’s government.

    In fact, each and every operational nuclear power plant in Britain began its life under a Conservative government.

    And we have done this all whilst meeting our climate change ambitions and growing the economy.

    Over the last 30 years, we’ve cut our emissions by half.

    We now get close to half of our power from renewables, up from just 7% when Labour left office.

    Let’s never forget – Ed Miliband described the idea of the UK getting to 40% renewables as ‘pie in the sky’.

    It is this Conservative Party, delivering for our people and our environment.

    Our leadership is also bringing wealth to our economy and to British workers.

    Since 2010 we have secured £200 billion in low carbon investments with up to £375 billion on the way.

    Carbon Capture will see 50,000 high-skilled British jobs in places like Teesside and the Humber.

    Our world-leading offshore wind farms will see 100,000 jobs by 2030, from Aberdeen to Cornwall.

    And our pioneering hydrogen industry is bringing jobs right here in the North West of England and over the border in North Wales.

    And Conference, we’re not just creating energy, we’re saving energy too.

    When Labour left power, less than 12% of homes were considered energy efficient.

    Now that figure is 50%.

    It is we Conservatives who are delivering the practical solutions to ensure we have secure, cheap energy – reducing bills and protecting the environment.

    Yet despite our success, we need to be honest about the challenges ahead.

    The transition to clean energy should be a cause of optimism for the country.

    It should mean jobs and opportunities and pride that we are playing our part in a global challenge.

    However, for too many people it had started to feel like an intolerable cost at a time when after the last few years, they felt they could least afford it.

    Across Europe, we are seeing the consequences when the public feel that they are being forced into the wrong decisions for their homes and their families.

    In Germany, the climate sceptic AfD is now polling in second position in Europe’s largest economy.

    In France, over a quarter of people think that climate change is a conspiracy.

    In the Netherlands, the rise of a new net zero sceptic party stormed their local elections.

    Meanwhile in the UK, only 7% of people think Net Zero is going to be good for them and their family in the near term.

    Uxbridge showed us what happens when you tax people for using their cars without thinking about how they would be able to get around otherwise.

    Conference, I have worked with families running on a tight budget. I know the difference £12.50 – Labour’s ULEZ tax – can make to people whose finances are stretched.

    If we are to succeed, Net Zero can’t be something that is done to people, by a privileged elite.

    We cannot force people to make the wrong decisions for their families.

    And it is immoral to put forward policies that will impoverish people here, when emissions are rising abroad.

    Conference, Labour are the party of tax and condemn.

    We Conservatives are the party of aspiration and the environment.

    And we should be clear: In the UK we account for 1% of global emissions.

    While we’ve reduced rapidly, other countries are polluting more. Their emissions are rising and rising fast.

    In China emissions are up over 300%.

    We will play our part and we will support other countries to do more, but we can’t do that off the backs off struggling households here at home.

    However, the likes of Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion, funded by the same people who fund Labour, do not get this.

    For them Net Zero has become a religion.

    For us it is a practical mission to be achieved.

    They want to force people to behave a certain way or face punitive taxes.

    And more than that, they show sheer condescension about people’s normal way of life.

    Do you eat meat? How dare you.

    You’re flying away for a week in the sun? How selfish.

    You’re driving to work to put food on the table for your family? Well, you should’ve chosen a different job.

    It is these zealots that would see the cause of climate change lost.

    More concerned with signalling their own purity then with energising the cause of climate change.

    They don’t seek to persuade, only to disrupt.

    They don’t want to engage, only to silence.

    Conference, that’s the Labour Party for you.

    And what do we see?

    It’s no wonder Labour seems so relaxed about taxing meat.

    Sir Keir Starmer doesn’t eat it,

    And Ed Miliband is clearly scarred by his encounter with a bacon sandwich.

    Conference, Keir Starmer’s only green credential is his recycling of Ed Miliband.

    A man already binned off once before by the great British public,

    A man who’s working in lockstep with Just Stop Oil,

    And a man who has clearly radicalised Keir Starmer.

    Labour’s hated ULEZ expansion,

    Their plans to borrow £28 billion a year which would drive up inflation,

    To take us much further and faster than any other country, no matter the cost on ordinary people.

    Their plans are toxic and would collapse popular support for net zero.

    Simply put, it is not the climate change deniers who threaten net zero – it is Keir Starmer’s Labour Party.

    They choose ideology over reason at every turn.

    Alongside the SNP, the Labour Party opposed further development of the North Sea.

    A plan that would export 200,000 oil and gas jobs abroad.

    A plan that has been rightly condemned by the unions.

    Even our Climate Change watchdog says that when we reach Net Zero in 2050, we’ll still need oil and gas as part of our energy consumption.

    Yet Labour would shut down the North Sea.

    They would have us more dependent on foreign regimes for longer.

    Jobs lost, investment lost, and our national security jeopardised.

    Well, we Conservatives are going to do things differently.

    The UK can benefit – and is benefiting – from the jobs and investment that the energy transition brings.

    From climate finance to generating new technology, we have a leading role that will see us beat climate change.

    But conference, we will also ensure we take our own people with us.

    Indeed, that is the only way we can achieve this.

    That is why we have made sensible adjustments to take a new approach to climate policies.

    Of all the major economies, we have set the toughest targets – and we have exceeded all of them.

    We are raising our ambitions on clean energy and innovation.

    But we are making it financially easier for people to change their boilers, and – crucially – this will be by choice not coercion.

    Gone are bans for those in rural communities for whom there is no realistic alternative to their boiler.

    For those who can convert, we’re increasing the grant for cleaner heating to one of the most generous schemes in Europe.

    We are also moving to a phase out of petrol and diesel engines which is in line with France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Canada and California.

    Our carbon emissions will continue to fall, but people will be able to make the transition when the price is right for them.

    We’ve taken the bold decisions because they are the right ones for our people.

    We will be ambitious, but we can also be practical.

    And above all we must be compassionate.

    It is we Conservatives who will deliver both for our people today and for generations to come.

    This is a decades’ long endeavour, and we are in it for the long haul.

    As part of this long-term strategy.

    One that focuses on energy security, lower bills and decarbonisation.

    I am today announcing the next phase of our new, practical approach.

    Firstly, we are boosting our long-term resilience and will set out our nuclear road map this autumn.

    A crucial element of this will be how we deploy the exciting new technology of small modular nuclear reactors.

    I am therefore pleased to announce today the six companies we have shortlisted to build these reactors.

    Rolls Royce, an iconic British company,

    Who have been powering our nuclear submarines for 70 years.

    A company founded by the genius of our Union of nations,

    Formed by the Welshman Charles Rolls and the English apprentice Henry Royce.

    Who formed a partnership right here in the Midland Hotel in Manchester 120 years ago.

    They have been selected alongside 5 other world-leading companies, each with cutting edge technology, including GE-Hitachi, EDF, Holtec, Nuscale and Westinghouse, with the final decision to be taken early next year.

    Together with Hinkley, Sizewell and our commitment to accelerate other emerging technologies and bring them to market,

    It is we Conservatives who are acting now to secure our future.

    Now our quest to tackle climate change means taking people with us.

    We know that many are hesitant, for example, about solar farms covering our countryside.

    Conserving our green and pleasant land is a personal priority for me – from the Surrey Hills to the Derbyshire Dales.

    We are therefore working to reduce pressure on rural communities, by making it easier for solar panels to be installed on industrial rooftops, warehouses, car parks and factories.

    We’ll cut through the planning red tape that limits the amount of solar businesses can currently install.

    Protecting the countryside, boosting renewables and according to industry, saving businesses up to £3 billion pounds a year

    Finally, maintaining public support for net zero also means showing compassion.

    Rather than clobbering the public and forcing them to make the wrong choices for their families, this government is supporting people as we reduce emissions.

    That’s why my last announcement is targeted at those least able to make the transition.

    So today I can announce we’re allocating a further £80 million to insulate thousands of social homes, saving families on average £240 each year.

    Supporting the most vulnerable, reducing their bills, protecting our environment.

    Today’s announcements, taken together –

    New nuclear, sensible solar, insulation investment.

    It is the Conservatives with the practical, long-term solutions for our country.

    The contrast with Labour could not be starker.

    Their approach concerns me because it risks public support in the very endeavour they claim to champion.

    And it also imperils our mission as Conservatives.

    I am a Conservative because I believe that we are custodians of the things that we cherish.

    We must deliver abundant, cheap energy so that the next generation can benefit like we did.

    We must preserve and protect the environment for those yet to be born.

    Since Mrs Thatcher stood up at the United Nations in 1989, it has been this country that has reduced emissions faster than any of our competitors.

    I believe that if we place ourselves at the forefront of this latest energy revolution we will reap the rewards just as we did in the Industrial Revolution 200 years ago.

    We will be ambitious,

    We will be innovative,

    And we will be pragmatic.

    These are, after all, the attributes that the world associates with Britain.

    So let’s take the fight to short-term Starmer.

    Let’s not allow Labour to play politics with our energy security.

    For it’s only the Conservatives who can save our environment, grow our economy and secure our children’s future.

    Thank you.

  • James Cleverly – 2023 Speech at Conservative Party Conference

    James Cleverly – 2023 Speech at Conservative Party Conference

    The speech made by James Cleverly, the Foreign Secretary, in Manchester on 1 October 2023.

    It’s been a year since I’ve been appointed.

    And in that time, I have been on over sixty international visits,

    Have hosted over one hundred inward events,

    I have had over seven hundred meetings or calls with foreign representatives,

    I’ve also had the honour of accompanying His Majesty The King on two state visits.

    And my ministerial team has worked just as hard.

    And so, if you’re wondering where they are at the moment during this speech – they’re out in the wider world, promoting Britain on the world stage.

    And all those meetings, all those visits, all those calls, has allowed me to hear first-hand what the world thinks of us. As a result, my view of Britain’s standing in the world has never been clearer.

    People want to see us.

    People care about what we say.

    People admire what we stand for.

    But perhaps most importantly, people respect what we do.

    Far from being left on the sidelines, we remain right at the heart of things.

    And we should all be immensely proud of our country’s standing on the world stage.

    And let me explain why.

    And let me explain to the people who think Brexit has hindered us.

    Let me spell it out to the people who think our best years are behind us.

    Let me make it clear to those on the Labour benches who want to play politics and put our country down.

    This government, with Rishi Sunak at the helm, takes decisive measures and is prepared to take the tough, long-term decisions for the benefit of our country.

    And so, of course we send emergency rescue teams to Morocco, and to Turkey and Syria in response to those terrible earthquakes.

    And of course, we evacuate Brits caught up in the Sudan conflict.

    But we also sign Free Trade Agreements with countries around the globe,

    And we lead by example in our unrelenting support for Ukraine and call out Russia for its heinous crimes.

    And we sanction the brutal Iranian judges who target brave women campaigning for nothing more than their freedoms.

    We have consistently helped the worst-off in the world lift themselves out of poverty,

    We have consistently fought injustice wherever we see it,

    And we have consistently led the way in times of international crisis.

    Some people ask me when they talk to me, they say ‘James, that’s all well and good, but why does foreign affairs matter to the British people?

    How does it help the people of Braintree or Belfast, or Banchory or Bridgend?’.

    It helps because when we engage with our allies, old or new, we are safer, and we become more prosperous.

    The PM gets it. Our party gets it. You get it.

    Keir Starmer and his crowd don’t get it.

    And over the last few years, of course we have seen incredibly tough global circumstances.

    A global pandemic, and as my friend Grant just said, a brutal war on our own continent.

    But because this Prime Minister was prepared to take the tough long-term decisions that we needed.

    And we have thrived despite incredibly strong economic headwinds, powered by the pandemic and intensified by the war in Ukraine.

    And because of his long-term decisions our economy is back to pre-pandemic levels and Britain has recovered quicker form that pandemic than Europe’s biggest economies.

    Under this Prime Minister, we have made immense progress in very little time.

    Under Starmer, Labour are all talk,

    Under Sunak, we are about action.

    As I say, in the relatively time Rishi has been Prime Minister, let us look at what we have achieved.

    We agreed the Windsor Framework in February,

    We agreed the AUKUS deal in March,

    The Hiroshima Accord in May,

    The Atlantic Declaration in June,

    We’ve come to agreements with Europe that will grow our economy, stop the boats, and make us safer.

    Conference, we should all be proud of our country and incredibly proud of we achieved in this short period of time .

    And the Prime Minister’s leadership has allowed us to take full advantage of the bold decision we made in 2016.

    Let me give you a few facts and figures just to prove the point.

    Last year, service exports reached a record high.

    Exports of goods and services grew by over 20% in current prices and are likely to increase again this year.

    And we remain the second largest services exporter in the world – behind only the United States of America which, I may remind you, has five times as many people as us.

    And today, nearly 60% of UK exports go to non-EU countries – and that is up from 52% in 2010. And the long-term economic trend is clear.

    And it’s one we expect not just to continue but to intensify.

    And that’s why – because we are looking at the future, because we are facing forward – we recently concluded negotiations to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership – easier to say than you might believe.

    And, actually, it took me longer to say it than it did for us to join it.

    That’s because we are focused on building our friendships, our forces, and our relationships with the Indo-Pacific region.

    It’s why we are pushing to conclude a trade deal with India,

    an economy forecast to double in size by 2030, overtaking Japan and Germany as the world’s third largest economy.

    And it’s markets like these that are the future, and we recognise their value to us will grow enormously.

    And while we have a global outlook, Labour can hardly imagine a world beyond Brussels.

    The world has gotten used to engaging with a new, independent Britain –

    To engaging with a Britain that is free to forge its own destiny,

    Free to ratify its own law,

    And free to negotiate its own trade deals.

    And our newfound independence has enabled us to repeatedly get ahead of events.

    Whether that’s with the manufacturing of lifesaving vaccines, which then gave us the ability to lift out of lockdowns,

    Or whether it’s the sanctioning Russians involved in the illegal, brutal and disgusting conduct both domestically and abroad.

    And yes – I am especially proud of our record when it comes to the support of the people of Ukraine.

    We foresaw the extent and intensity of the price of the fight President Zelensky and his brave people faced in February 2022.

    And I consider it a personal privilege to have done what I can to maximise support for that courageous country.

    But never let anyone forget that for almost a decade now, every Conservative Prime Minister has backed Ukraine.

    From training Ukrainian troops after the initial invasion of Crimea in 2014, to standing up to Putin over the poisonings in Salisbury.

    From arming Ukrainians with the MLRS when Russia first initiated their full-scale invasion, to sanctioning Putin and his cronies who brutalise the Ukrainian people.

    And Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has continued this unwavering support.

    He was the first world leader to supply Ukraine with NATO tanks.

    The first leader to train fast jet fighter pilots.

    The first leader to supply long range missiles to support those fighting on the frontlines.

    And earlier this year, Rishi Sunak hosted the landmark Ukrainian Recovery Conference in London, where we secured billions in international funding so that Ukraine will be able to rebuild once they win this war.

    Whilst I occupy this great office, I have considered the many challenges we face as a nation and have contemplated the ways of making my department more effective at tackling those obstacles.

    For example, when it comes to stopping the boats, we have and will continue to coordinate and cooperate not just within government, but with our allies as well.

    We have collaborated with the governments of countries where these inhumane people-smuggling gangs are based.

    But I recognise that we need to keep going.

    Today, I have written to all of our ambassadors and high commissioners.

    I have instructed every ambassador, to do even more to work with the countries in which they represent the UK to help stop the abhorrent trafficking of human lives across the English Channel.

    Be in no doubt, our diplomats will redouble their efforts to bring about an end to this terrible, terrible injustice.

    Now, I’m incredibly proud of the diplomats I work alongside – I have no doubt that they are the best in the world.

    But I want to ensure that our diplomatic service is truly representative of the UK.

    And unsurprisingly, I believe that those who have served our nation on the battlefield can continue to contribute beyond their tours of duty.

    Which is why I have tasked my officials to carve out a space in our diplomatic service for veterans.

    And I look forward to working with Johnny Mercer, our Veterans Minister, to ensure that the men and women from our armed forces – who we know are among the best of us – to give them the opportunity to be the best of us representing the UK.

    And you’ll forgive me, but it does make me immensely proud to offer those who served our country with unparalleled distinction:

    The opportunity to serve once again.

    Speaking of service and pride, you will know that I served as the Chairman of this great party during the 2019 election.

    I remember the doomsters and gloomsters predicting another hung parliament, they predicted an outright Conservative loss or a modest Conservative gain.

    And those were the people whose amazing predictions predated the most significant electoral victory of recent times, and an 80-seat Conservative majority.

    And today, I see the same old politicians making the same old tired predictions.

    And when I look across the floor of the House of Commons, I see a group of spineless ditherers.

    Devoid of answers to any of the challenges the world faces or that our country faces.

    And yet, they are there – baying with disapproval at the tough but necessary decisions that governments have to make.

    And where, I ask myself, is leadership from their leader?

    Sir Keir can’t make up his mind on whether he supports leaving the EU or whether he supports remaining in the EU or rejoining the EU.

    He pledged to cut tuition fees to get elected as Labour leader, and then went back on his promise as soon as he became Labour leader.

    He resigned from Corbyn’s cabinet, then he rejoined Corbyn’s cabinet and campaigned to make Jeremy Corbyn Prime Minister.

    What we see is no clarity, no consistency, no policies, no plan – only the same old, tired, opportunistic politics.

    Keir Starmer’s Labour Party doesn’t stand for anything.

    And whilst Sir Keir and his comrades represent the tired politics of the past, the Prime Minister is prepared to do things differently.

    And why?

    Because the Conservative Party believes in Britain’s epic potential and the Labour Party is unwilling to take the tough decisions that will ensure the prosperity and the safety of this country for generations to come.

    Conference, I can think of nothing more counterproductive than handing over the keys of government to a group of political chancers and visionless ideologues.

    It is a scenario I refuse to entertain.

    Because a party that does not believe in Britain cannot be trusted to lead it.

    Only the Conservatives have a plan for the future.

    Only Conservatives will take the tough decisions that will keep us safe and keep us prosperous.

    Only the Conservatives will stand with pride on the world stage.

  • Grant Shapps – 2023 Speech at Conservative Party Conference

    Grant Shapps – 2023 Speech at Conservative Party Conference

    The speech made by Grant Shapps, the Secretary of State for Defence, in Manchester on 1 October 2023.

    When people think of the Blitz they tend to think of London – the burning Docklands and St Paul’s shrouded in smoke.

    But Manchester endured its own Blitz early on, in 1940, where some 680 people were killed.

    Fortunately for our country, that kind of systematic destruction on this scale is a thing of memory.

    But imagine if a trip to the market or restaurant could be your last; that you or those that you love might fall victim to a sudden attack by a cruise missile or suicide drone plunging from the sky.

    This is daily life in Ukraine; on freedom’s front line.

    Even as the fighting falls deep into its second year, it’s still hard to believe that a full-scale war is raging here, in Europe.

    And Ukraine is not some long away distant country of which we know nothing.

    It is part of the family of European democratic nations, and they are fighting for their very survival.

    Fighting for freedom against an invader as ruthless as any in modern times.

    A tyrant who sees civilians as collateral damage in a failed war of conquest he cannot win, but he also cannot find a way to exit either.

    Putin hoped to take Ukraine by bluff.

    A swift armoured invasion designed to seize Kyiv and install a puppet government.

    Ukraine would be quickly, it would be overwhelmed, it would be reduced to a vassal state, its identity and freedom crushed.

    But the Ukrainian people were not going to let that happen. And neither were we.

    The United Kingdom stepped up.

    We have provided billions in military aid – second only to the contribution of the United States.

    We have consistently been first in responding to Ukraine’s needs.

    The N-LAW anti-tank missiles wisely sent in advance by Britain – thank you to Ben Wallace – were crucial in those first early weeks when the fate of Ukraine hung in the balance.

    And as N-LAWs struck fear into the hearts of invading Russian tank crews at the beginning, so our long-range cruise missiles do the same for Russian commanders today.

    With weapons like Storm Shadow, everywhere in Russian-occupied Ukraine, is on the front line.

    But we cannot – we must not – let up now.

    The war is consuming weapons, ammunition and, yes, people at an appalling rate.

    If Ukrainians are to prevail against the evil assault on their homeland, we must remain steadfast.

    That’s why we’re helping to train their F16 pilots.

    It’s why by the end of this year we’ll have trained more than 50,000 Ukrainian recruits, starting well in advance of the war.

    And of course, it’s why Ukrainians have been welcomed by so many British families under the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

    Including – for a year – in my own home.

    Now, my wife and I were partly moved to act because our own ancestors fled to this country to escape the pogroms of Eastern Europe in an earlier age.

    But what really moved us most, was the palpable sense of generosity from the British public for our new arrivals to Britain.

    Complete strangers came forward with clothes, with schoolbooks for six-year-old Nikita, and most precious of all, their time to help ensure the three-generation Ukrainian family that came to live with us felt truly at home in the United Kingdom.

    You know, we should never be complacent about this country, whatever our grumbles. This is a precious and incredibly generous land.

    On my first visit to Ukraine this summer, I visited Nikita’s nursery in Kyiv.

    I saw the apartment block across the road from his Kindergarten that had been destroyed by one of Putin’s rockets at the start of the war.

    This was the attack that made Nikita, his mother, his grandmother, together with their dog – Max – flee from Ukraine.

    Only, as I glanced across the street from his nursery this summer, there was no bombed out shell to view. The apartment block has already been completely rebuilt. Re-inhabited.

    What I was witnessing was the iron resolve of the Ukrainian people. Ordinary people, maintaining a semblance of life even amongst air raids sirens.

    Rebuilding their homes, the moment they get the chance.

    And last week, as Defence Secretary, I visited Kyiv again.

    And this time, I met with the steely resolve of President Zelenskyy himself.

    At a time when he could have left the capital. At a time when he could have become a leader in exile. He did not, he stayed put. Providing inspiration for his people and he showed remarkable bravery.

    Ukraine has taught us a lesson.

    The war reminds us of the unprovoked aggression by one nation against another is still a reality in global affairs.

    Left unchecked – we are all in danger.

    And this is why we must invest in our defence.

    That’s why, under the Conservative government, defence spending has exceeded £50 billion a year for the first time ever.

    And conference, it is why we will maintain our leading position in NATO by increasing the defence budget to 2.5 per cent of GDP when conditions allow.

    Because we know the world is changing. So as a result, we’re working ever closer with our allies.

    Developing the latest naval technology to protect our Commonwealth kith and kin in the Pacific as they face up the challenge of the rapidly expanding Chinese navy.

    Deploying two of the world’s largest and most advanced carriers in history the Royal Navy has ever seen, in the Queen Elizabeth, HMS, and HMS Prince of Wales.

    We are ploughing billions into our own naval shipbuilding program, as well as civilian construction to create jobs and grow our economy.

    And Britain is one of the few nations capable of operating in every ocean of the world, simultaneously.

    Our ultimate national insurance policy is, of course, our at sea nuclear deterrent.

    So, we’re building the new Dreadnought-class submarines that will carry Britain’s nuclear deterrent into the middle of the century.

    And today I can announce that we have signed contracts worth £4 billion with leading British businesses to drive forward the development of the most powerful attack submarines ever operated by the Royal Navy.

    These hunter-killer AUKUS submarines will empower the Royal Navy to maintain our strategic advantage under the sea – enabling us to compete with emerging navies anywhere in the world as our world becomes more unpredictable and dangerous.

    Today’s announcement will support thousands of jobs, from Barrow-In-Furness where these submarines will be built, to Derby where our reactor-build facilities will be expanded.

    And by backing British businesses to develop them, we are taking the long-term decisions we need to boost our defence industry and to grow our economy.

    Under our Prime Minister’s leadership, the Conservatives are putting the UK at the heart of NATO.

    Vladimir Putin shattered peace across Europe, but in doing so he made our collective will and our resolve more important than ever.

    And in response, the UK is taking a leading role in ensuring NATO remains the bedrock of our security for us and our allies.

    We are one of NATO’s very few members exceeding the critical 2% of GDP target for the amount of money which is spent on our defence. And, of course, we are the largest defence spender in Europe and we are delivering the capabilities our alliance needs.

    Today, I can announce that the UK has stepped up again, with two new deployments.

    First, in response to a request from our Polish friends, RAF Typhoons are landing in Poland as I speak, to support our NATO ally with the growing threat of Russian interference.

    Deploying ahead of Poland’s elections, they will be a powerful way of undeniably showing Putin that this Conservative government will protect democracy and freedom from any despotic tyrant that threatens our allies.

    Second, at the end of what I think has been a concerning week, there’s been a request from NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, and so I have authorised the full deployment of a battalion-sized UK Strategic Reserve Force to NATO’s Kosovo peacekeeping mission.

    In the days ahead, hundreds of soldiers from the 1st Battalion, Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment will join the 400 British service men and women already in Kosovo.

    And, as the best of the best, I know our soldiers will do the United Kingdom proud.

    We have been unwavering in our support for NATO – contributing to every allied mission that they have and supporting them this weekend, so that when NATO contact us, they knew the answer from the United Kingdom would be yes.

    As Conservatives, we put our nation’s security first.

    Which is more than can be said for Labour.

    So, what is Keir Starmer’s approach to our fundamental security?

    Simple. He personally campaigned to make one Jeremy Corbyn, Prime Minister. The man who called for NATO to be disbanded.

    Starmer actually backed plans for Britain to adopt a ‘non-nuclear, non-aligned defence policy’.

    In plain English, that meant scrapping Trident, abandoning NATO and leaving us naked in the face of nuclear threats from the Kremlin.

    And that isn’t just the Starmer of the past.

    Since then, he has gone further – appointing a Shadow Foreign Secretary who has repeatedly voted against renewing our nuclear deterrent.

    You know, in the military sphere, it’s sometimes good to keep your enemy guessing.

    The problem with Kier Starmer is that on policy, he keeps everyone guessing.

    Including himself.

    What would Britain’s armed forces look like after five years of Labour?

    Who knows?

    The man will say anything – anything – to get himself elected.

    But one thing we do know is that you just cannot trust Labour on Defence.

    And if – perish the thought – Labour get back into power, the old habits will resurface. Defence – always dismissed and disparaged by the Left – will be the first casualty.

    Our service people and defence industries, and our veterans all deserve much better.

    Conference, we must not let that happen.

    But there is one area in which we absolutely must do better.

    Service life is tough enough on families – service men and women – without having to put up with sub-standard accommodation.

    There are too many old and creaking buildings in our estate, and that lowers morale.

    Our accommodation estate is in fact very large. Indeed, if the Ministry of Defence was a Housing Association, it would rank amongst the biggest in the land.

    So, I am making it a personal priority to improve its quality.

    Which is why we’re injecting £400 million to ensure that we provide the modern accommodation that our service families deserve.

    And while resolving this problem will not be instantaneous, I am determined that we fix it in order to support our brave men and women at home, as well as on the front line.

    And while we’re on the subject of morale, I want to end by saying something about our Party.

    One of the things I most admire about the military is that they don’t gloss over the harsh realities.

    Now, times are tough. We are behind in the polls. The pundits tell us that Labour is a shoo-in. And we wouldn’t be human if we didn’t sometimes feel the pressure.

    But for those who think that this conference is going to be nothing more than inward looking or downcast, I say this: This country faces an important choice; Rishi Sunak, who will make the hard but necessary long-term decisions to get the country on the right path for the future…

    … or Sir Keir Starmer – a man focused on the short-term and lacking the backbone to make the big changes that Britain needs.

    In Rishi Sunak, we have a leader who has weathered a brutal baptism of fire and is coming through. His mettle has been tested and not found wanting.

    He has stuck to his course, trusting in what he believes to be right for the country. It doesn’t always make him popular in the short term – but that is the price of doing the right thing.

    We need leadership that puts the national interest over self-interest, and does what is right, not what is easy.

    Now, I trust the British people, their good sense. They can spot a serious man to take the tough decisions.

    And they can spot an opposition leader who has made an art out of political opportunism.

    So, let’s take the fight to Say-Anything-Starmer.

    He’s measuring the curtains. He thinks he’s home and dry. He thinks that he can take Downing Street by bluff.

    But as the steely Sir Claude Auchinleck said before the first battle of El Alamein – when the British had their backs to the wall and Rommel seemed to be triumphant:

    ‟Let’s show him where he gets off.”

    Thank you.

  • Alister Jack – 2023 Speech at Conservative Party Conference

    Alister Jack – 2023 Speech at Conservative Party Conference

    The speech made by Alister Jack, the Secretary of State for Scotland, in Manchester on 1 October 2023.

    Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.

    I’d like to thank a few people.

    Firstly, obviously, Douglas who gave a very kind introduction, for his support at Westminster and most important of all for his strong leadership of the Scottish Conservatives in Holyrood.

    Secondly, I’d like to thank my Scotland Office Ministers, Malcolm Offord and John Lamont, my ministerial team, they’re sitting here at the front of the auditorium, and they do excellent work for Scotland. I want to thank them for everything they do, thank you gentlemen.

    Conference, I am here with a very clear message today.

    The United Kingdom has never been stronger.

    And that is not by accident.

    Yes, it’s true the Nationalists are doing everything they can to strengthen the Union for us.

    They have shredded whatever credibility they once had.

    But I’m not going to comment on a live police investigation, however, I think we can all agree that the people of Scotland have been shocked by the investigation into the SNP’s finances; The arrests of leading SNP figures. The searches. The blue and white evidence tent in the garden. The campervan.

    So, it is no surprise that people in Scotland have quite rightly become very angry at the abject failure of the Scottish Government to deliver on the things that matter most to them.

    They are sick and tired of record NHS waiting times.

    Of poor standards in our schools.

    And then, of course, there’s the ferries, or lack of them.

    The SNP and their Green coalition masters, are dragging Scotland down more and more every day and people have come to the obvious conclusion: if the Nationalists can’t even organise a Bottle Deposit Return Scheme properly, all their talk of removing Scotland from the United Kingdom is pure fantasy.

    Ladies and gentlemen, the SNP are increasingly looking like a busted flush.

    But that’s not the only reason why the United Kingdom is stronger than ever.

    The Union is stronger than ever thanks to this Government – the most active and effective UK Government in Scotland in the devolution era.

    And I am very proud of that.

    And I’m very proud of that because we have a great story to tell.

    We have delivered record funding for the Scottish Government, so they really have no excuses for their poor performance in areas such as health and education.

    We have supported families across Scotland facing cost of living pressures.

    We have pledged to halve inflation, to get the economy growing – creating better jobs – and to bring down the national debt.

    We are reaching out across the world to maximise the benefits of Brexit, striking trade deals worth billions of pounds to our distillers, our salmon producers, and our defence industry.

    And we’re not just seeing the benefits of Brexit for the UK with trade deals, either.

    The Chancellor has introduced new financial services regulations.

    We’re backing our fishing industry now it is out of the hated Common Fisheries Policy; and we’ve passed legislation allowing farmers to use cutting edge gene editing technology.

    Cutting edge technology that has been pioneered in Scotland, but which is sadly banned in Scotland by the SNP-Green government of Holyrood, despite the wishes of our farmers and the NFU Scotland.

    As Secretary of State, I’ve also been clear that we will use our post-Brexit internal market legislation to protect Scotland’s free flowing trade across the whole of the United Kingdom.

    Because sixty per cent of our trade is with the rest of the UK and I will not allow the Nationalists to create unnecessary obstacles.

    Ladies and Gentlemen, I am pleased to say we are also supporting our globally successful oil and gas industry.

    This government is clear: we should continue to use our own North Sea resources as we move to Net Zero, our own resources as we bring down prices and improve our energy security.

    Both Labour and the SNP are threatening to shut down our oil and gas industry prematurely and I believe that is sheer madness. It cannot be in Scotland or the United Kingdom’s best interests.

    We must support oil and gas industry, just as we support renewables, as we transition to a much better future.

    At a time of war in Europe and wider global uncertainty we’ve also backed our amazing Armed Forces to the hilt – so much of which is based in Scotland.

    So perhaps now is a very good moment to pay tribute to my friend and fellow Scot, Ben Wallace, an outstanding Defence Secretary who has served this Party, this Government, and our country with the greatest distinction.

    Ladies and gentlemen, there is more.

    This Government is going further than any previous Government of the devolution era in delivering for Scotland.

    As Secretary of State for Scotland it has been my privilege and passion to drive forward direct UK Government investment in Scotland.

    It is now worth £2.5 billion, and that is over and above the Scottish Government’s record funding settlement.

    I was absolutely delighted with the announcement today that seven towns in Scotland will receive around £20 million each as part of our Long-Term Plan for Towns.

    It is the latest in a long line of Levelling Up initiatives reaching every corner of the country.

    It is creating jobs, transforming communities, and delivering high profile projects that people really care about.

    We are backing small-scale, grassroots initiatives; high profile arts projects; cutting edge research in our universities; and more.

    We’ve also led the way creating Freeports based around the Firth of Forth and the Cromarty Firth.

    The Prime Minister and I visited the Cromarty Firth when the news was announced and I know that he, as a long-time champion of Freeports, is as excited as I am about the impact this will have on the Highland economy.

    We’re following up that by creating Investment Zones in Aberdeen and Glasgow.

    Ladies and Gentlemen, we recognised some time ago we had to change the damaging old philosophy of ‘devolve and forget’ – leaving too much in the hands of the devolved administration in Holyrood and allowing the role of the UK Government to fade into the background.

    Well, today, I can announce the era of ‘devolve and forget’ is well and truly over.

    It is dead. It is Finished. And I promise you, it is not coming back under my watch.

    On scores of projects, we are now working directly with local councils and other responsible delivery partners, and I call that real devolution.

    No longer can the failing SNP-Green administration hoard decision-making powers and resources in Holyrood, using it for their own political purposes, rather than the priorities of most people in Scotland.

    My view of devolution is straightforward.

    It is about Scotland’s two governments at Westminster and Holyrood respecting each other’s roles and working together where we can.

    We know that is how devolution works best and we know it is what the vast majority of Scots want and what they expect.

    But unfortunately, my view is not shared by the Nationalists.

    Time and time again they have sought to undermine the devolution settlement in order to provoke unnecessary disagreement between the two governments.

    When they took Nicola Sturgeon’s Referendum Bill to the Supreme Court, they wasted taxpayers’ money confirming what everyone already knew:
    the constitution and the Union are matters reserved to Westminster.

    When they tried to introduce a new system of self-ID for trans people – their Gender Recognition Reform Bill – they ignored the harmful impact on safeguards for women and girls in existing reserved legislation.

    And when they tried to bring a Bottle Deposit Return Scheme, they failed to consider the impact of cross-border trade.

    In each case, I felt it was my duty as Secretary of State for Scotland, to step in.

    I will not stand by, and I will not allow Nationalist ministers to undermine, or abuse, the devolution settlement for their own political purposes.

    Not now, not ever.

    Sadly, I am not surprised by the Nationalists’ approach.

    They do not support devolution so why would they respect it?

    But what concerns me are the consequences.

    The waste of time, money and resources that should be focused on people’s real priorities in Scotland.

    Struggling businesses left out of pocket by the collapse of that shambolic Bottle Deposit Return Scheme.

    The anxiety felt by so many women at the potential erosion of safeguards afforded by the Equality Act.

    The Scottish Government need to understand their political game-playing causes real damage and as Douglas Ross said so forcefully earlier this afternoon, they need to drop their narrow obsession with breaking up Britain and do the job they were elected to do.

    They need to respect devolution; they need to take that record budget they receive from the Treasury, and they must use it to deliver public services that Scots can rely on.

    So, ladies and gentlemen, in conclusion:

    We know this Union – this great, enduring partnership between Scotland, England, Wales, and Northern Ireland – creates opportunity and drives success for us all.

    Quite simply, we achieve more together.

    And that is why I’m so proud to play my part in a UK Government that has done more than any other to strengthen the United Kingdom.

    And we are doing it daily, right across Scotland, investing directly in projects that create jobs and level up communities.

    We are doing it by supporting our key industries, by protecting cross-Border trade and boosting the economy.

    And we are doing it by defending devolution robustly against the Nationalists’ attempts to bend and twist it for their own, narrow political purposes.

    There could not be a clearer contrast between a Nationalist, SNP Scottish Government that is in chaos, that is failing, and that is letting people down by putting their obsession with leaving the UK above everything it does. And this United Kingdom Government, under the outstanding leadership of Rishi Sunak, that is 100 per cent focused on the issues that really matter most to the people in Scotland and across the whole of the United Kingdom.

    More and more, people in Scotland are seeing the benefits of having a United Kingdom that is energetically and visibly on their side because that is what people want.

    It is what’s best for Scotland.

    And it is what we will continue to deliver.

    Thank you very much.

  • Douglas Ross – 2023 Speech at Conservative Party Conference

    Douglas Ross – 2023 Speech at Conservative Party Conference

    The speech made by Douglas Ross, the leader of the Scottish Conservatives, in Manchester on 1 October 2023.

    Thank you, Conference.

    It is fantastic to speak to this gathering of the Conservative AND Unionist Party.

    We in this hall are all Unionists by definition.

    It is in our party’s DNA.

    To be a Conservative is to be a Unionist.

    Unlike our opponents, Conservatives don’t apologise for being British, we embrace it.

    We celebrate our common history and heritage and look forward to the shared future that Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland will continue to build together.

    Conference, I know that Rishi Sunak and this UK Conservative and Unionist Government are taking the long-term decisions to build a brighter future for Scotland and the whole of the United Kingdom.

    I was with our Prime Minister in Aberdeenshire in the summer – when he announced over 100 new oil and gas licences in the North Sea.

    And gave the go-ahead to a new carbon capture cluster facility in Peterhead.

    These announcements will strengthen energy security for the whole of the UK.

    But they will also secure tens of thousands of skilled Scottish jobs.

    Jobs that Labour and the SNP would put on the scrapheap as soon as possible to appease green extremists like Just Stop Oil.

    Well, the last thing that Scotland needs is a Miliband millstone round our neck.

    This Conservative and Unionist Party will never abandon North Sea workers, like Keir Starmer would.

    We are now the only party you can trust to stand up for Scotland’s oil.

    And these announcements are just one part of what the Conservatives are delivering for Scotland.

    From freeports to spaceports, roads to ferries, supercomputers to agriculture technology.

    We are investing in projects that will drive growth across our whole country, secure and create Scottish jobs and businesses and strengthen the essential contribution Scotland makes to our United Kingdom.

    Well conference, it has been a pretty interesting year in Scottish politics.

    I have more than a few things to update you on since we last met.

    In fact, I am struggling on where to begin….

    Well Nicola Sturgeon is gone.

    Can I repeat that for those at the back – Nicola Sturgeon is gone.

    For years we were told that she was unstoppable.

    That she could, apparently, do no wrong.

    How many times did the media proclaim that Scotland was on the cusp of independence under her leadership?

    Or that she would wipe out the Tories.

    Well, I can proudly say that her career lies in tatters, and we – conference – are still here.

    It was our party – the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party – that was the constant thorn in her side.

    We stopped the SNP from winning a majority in election after election.

    We fought her dangerous gender reform bill – which, let’s not forget conference, was backed at each stage by Labour.

    And we stood up to Nicola Sturgeon’s plans for a second independence referendum every step of the way.

    Now, since she left, the SNP have been having some difficulties.

    A police investigation into party finances.

    The luxury campervan seized.

    And Humza Yousaf as leader.

    The best the SNP now have to offer is a poor Nicola Sturgeon tribute act.

    But we cannot be complacent.

    His government are already spending millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money on promoting independence.

    And Humza Yousaf is treating next year’s election as a proxy referendum.

    Nicola Sturgeon may have quit but the SNP haven’t gone away.

    They are down but far from out.

    They are just as dangerous to the future of our country as they have ever been.

    We still need to fight for every vote, to win as many seats as possible.

    Because next year we can deal a fatal blow to the campaign for independence.

    We can ensure the nationalists fall short again and put Humza Yousaf’s Government on notice.

    And in so many seats only the Scottish Conservatives can beat the SNP.

    Conference, this Conservative UK Government delivers for Scotland.

    And on energy, financial services, food & drink, tourism and so much more Scotland delivers for the whole of the UK.

    If we remove the SNP, if we can kick them out of power in every part of our nation, Scotland can finally move on from the independence neverendum

    And we can build a stronger, more prosperous United Kingdom together.

    Now to speak more on strengthening our country, let’s welcome to the stage the man who puts Scotland at the heart of the UK Government.

    The scourge of SNP globetrotting.

    The binman for the Greens’ recycling scheme.

    The defender of women’s rights.

    My friend, our Scottish Secretary, Alister Jack.

  • Andrew Davies – 2023 Speech at Conservative Party Conference

    Andrew Davies – 2023 Speech at Conservative Party Conference

    The speech made by Andrew Davies, the Leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, in Manchester on 1 October 2023.

    Well it’s great to be here in Manchester, and to see you all once again. And I want to start by saying a big thank you.

    A big thank to our hardworking party members who put in the graft to deliver our message across Wales.

    A big thank you to our team of Welsh MPs, led by our brilliant Secretary of State David TC Davies.

    A big thank you to our Senedd members, who work tirelessly every day holding Mark Drakeford and Labour to account.

    And a big thank you to our Prime Minister.

    Taking the tough decisions is never easy.

    But that’s exactly what Rishi is doing:

    Taking long term decisions for a brighter future.

    As a Party, we all want to protect our environment and reduce emissions. But we must do it in a way that doesn’t hit working families in the pocket. Rishi’s common sense approach will achieve that.

    The contrast with Wales, the only part of the UK where Labour are in government, couldn’t be more stark.

    Rather than take a common sense approach, they’re motivated by an extreme ideology.

    In the past month, they’ve introduced blanket 20mph speed limits across Wales.

    Labour’s own figures show it’ll cost the Welsh economy up to £9billion.

    The cost of changing the road signs alone is up to £40million.

    And nearly half a million people have signed a petition calling for Labour’s blanket 20mph speed limits to be scrapped.

    But Mark Drakeford won’t listen.

    And the Labour minister who imposed blanket 20mph speed limits on Wales arrogantly dismissed the decent Welsh people who signed the petition as “anti-road safety”.

    What’s worse, blanket 20mph speed limits aren’t the only extreme policy Labour have imposed on Wales.

    They’ve also banned all major new road building projects. And that’s not all.

    Our Prime Minister has introduced tough measures to secure our borders through our Illegal Migration Act.

    But in Wales, Labour want to pay illegal immigrants £1,600 a month.

    And Labour’s other big priority in Wales? Spending £120million on 36 more politicians.

    This extreme ideology Labour has imposed on Wales isn’t just dangerous in itself.

    It also distracts from the things that matter.

    Let’s take our Welsh NHS, which has been run by Labour for the past 24 years.

    Waiting lists are far longer than in England.

    Ambulance response times are slower.

    And cancer outcomes are worse.

    And unlike in England, where Conservatives have protected the health budget, Mark Drakeford and Labour voted to cut our Welsh NHS.

    And just a fortnight ago, Welsh Conservatives once again voted to protect our Welsh NHS from cuts, while Labour and the nationalists voted against.

    Their priority isn’t our Welsh NHS – it’s spending £40million on blanket 20mph speed limits and £120million on 36 more politicians.

    They are out of touch.
And their extreme ideology is also hurting our Welsh economy. Their barmy road building ban has deterred investment.

    And their toxic tourism tax has hit a key Welsh industry.

    But there’s one other thing you mustn’t forget, and this matters to everyone across our United Kingdom.

    Keir Starmer has described Mark Drakeford’s Wales as his “blueprint for the whole UK”.

    That’s right.

    Starmer will deliver longer NHS waiting lists.

    He’ll deliver open borders.

    And he’ll wage a war on motorists.

    Drakeford has cosied up to the Welsh nationalists, who prop up his administration.

    And Starmer would do exactly the same with the SNP.

    That’s what’s at stake at the next General Election.

    And why as Conservatives, it’s our duty to win.

    So as we leave Manchester, we must all get out on the campaign trail and hammer this home.

    I’m as proud a Welshman as they come.

    It pains me to see what Labour have done to Wales.

    And I don’t want to see them do it across the UK.

    So together, let’s stop that happening.

    Let’s take the fight to Labour.

    Together, we’re taking long term decisions for a brighter future. And we’re delivering for our great country.

  • Chris Heaton-Harris – 2023 Speech at Conservative Party Conference

    Chris Heaton-Harris – 2023 Speech at Conservative Party Conference

    The speech made by Chris Heaton-Harris, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, in Manchester on 1 October 2023.

    Hello Conference!

    For the last 391 days I’ve had the best job in Government – being Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

    In that time I’ve travelled the length and breadth of Northern Ireland and it has truly been an honour to see and meet so many amazing people, social enterprises, businesses, and voluntary organisations.

    I’ve been to places like Harland and Wolff – world-leaders in ship building, where, thanks to a Ministry of Defence contract, ship building is returning to Belfast.

    Places like the Game of Thrones Studios – the TV series that has generated huge amounts of money for the Northern Ireland economy.

    Places like Hinch Distillery – the home of some of Northern Ireland’s finest whiskey and gin. As my SpAds will know, that was a really tough visit., I can tell you…

    Northern Ireland has so much to offer – not just to the 1.9 million people that live there, or the 5 million tourists who visit every year, but to us all as an integral part of the United Kingdom.

    This was demonstrated to me yesterday, down the road in Leigh where I had an excellent visit with our MP there, the brilliant James Grundy, to a company called O’Neills, a sportswear company with a factory in Northern Ireland, and a design centre in Leigh that employs 40 people.

    You will no doubt have seen their name emblazoned on rugby and football kits of teams across the United Kingdom, including the brilliant Leigh Rugby Union Football Club who I also met yesterday.

    O’Neills is just one example of how Northern Ireland contributes to our economy and the Union.

    And I’m proud it’s my job to represent Northern Ireland and I’m proud it’s the job of my great Ministerial team too and I have superb support from Steve Baker and Lord Caine and our amazing PPS Tom Hunt and our brilliant Whips, Rob Largan, Lord Courtown and Lord Mott.

    And it’s our job to bang the drum for that small, bustling, proud part of our country and that’s what we do day in and day out and I thank you all for it.

    Conference, I don’t need to remind you we are the Conservative AND Unionist Party. This party and this government will never shy away from our support for the Union.

    Northern Ireland is stronger for it, its future is strengthened by it and the United Kingdom is and will be greater for it.

    I didn’t mention Harland and Wolff earlier by accident – no, those 900 jobs are being created by the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence for ships that will protect the United Kingdom – a contract that is an obvious and direct benefit of our Union.

    And let’s not forget, it wasn’t too long ago that Sir Keir Starmer loyally served under a Labour Leader who wanted to break up our precious Union.

    Under Starmer Labour have flipped from saying they’d campaign for the Union in a border poll to bravely failing to pick a side.

    But we know all too well that Starmer’s positions on all sorts of policies change more than a weather vane.

    It is only our Party that will relentlessly advocate for the Union, because we know just how important Northern Ireland is to it.

    When I started in the role of Secretary of State many in Northern Ireland were unbelievably frustrated with the Northern Ireland Protocol.

    Agreed with the best of intentions, its flaws became quickly apparent.

    Too many businesses based in Great Britain, unsure of the regulatory environment they found themselves in, decided to pull back from servicing consumers in Northern Ireland.

    There were problems that affected everyday lives regarding the movement of pets, plants and parcels – and with even medicine supplies coming under threat.

    The Prime Minister recognised this too and sought to change it, focusing on the practical concerns that had been raised and always, always, keeping the protection of the Union as his priority.

    And so we agreed the Windsor Framework.

    After months of negotiations we reached a deal with the European Union that:

    – Removes trade barriers

    – Allows goods available on shelves in Great Britain to move freely into Northern Ireland

    – Ensures Northern Ireland benefits from the same VAT and alcohol taxes as the rest of the United Kingdom

    – Safeguards Northern Ireland’s place in the United Kingdom internal market through agreements on medicine and state aid

    – Protects the economic rights of the people of Northern Ireland and provides a basis to move forward as one United country

    Now I know concerns remain in Northern Ireland about the Windsor Framework and we will continue to work to address them. There is scope to do so, based on the principle that the UK internal market must be promoted as well as protected.

    But let us also remind ourselves of the fundamental truth – the vast majority of Northern Ireland’s economic life is dependent on its connection with the rest of the United Kingdom and that reality will not change.

    It’s time to get on with business.

    So today Conference I can tell you that the first stage of implementing the Windsor Framework agreement has commenced – removing barriers that existed for Great Britain based businesses to trade with Northern Ireland.

    This morning bright and early I visited Peel Port in Birkenhead to see the smooth flow of trade goods able to travel between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. I am also actively exploring how we can support a new ferry route between Larne and Liverpool so we can seize the moment to increase trade within the UK further.

    And let me give you just one stat to demonstrate how the Windsor Framework is a major improvement on the Protocol, and how it will be noticed by people in Northern Ireland itself.

    Over 1,600 new businesses have signed up to our new internal market scheme meaning more traders than ever want to do business in Northern Ireland.

    And Conference, I want to say something else about the future of Northern Ireland. There has always been a lot of doom and gloom around this subject for too long. In reality, Northern Ireland’s economic prospects are unbelievably promising.

    A couple of weeks ago, I, alongside the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Kemi, hosted an Investment Summit in Northern Ireland.

    160 international businesses came along – some visiting Northern Ireland for the first time. They came because business truly recognises the opportunities that exist.

    Nothing could be more important to the strength of the Union than a thriving local economy, underpinned by political stability.

    It is this Government that takes as you know the long-term decisions in the national interest.

    If Labour were in charge, we would have a very different situation.

    Remember Keir Starmer he backed Remain. Then he said he accepted Brexit. But as Shadow Brexit Secretary, he worked to block Brexit 48 times.

    He and his newly appointed Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary called for a second referendum…

    In May, Starmer said Britain’s future is outside the European Union, but only two weeks ago he said he didn’t want to diverge from EU rules.

    That’s more flips flops than you’d see on a beach in Mallorca. And obviously you can buy some of those outside as well.

    Short-Termist Starmer only offers endless instability which would not just weaken the Brexit dividends we are seeing but also take a sledgehammer to our Union.

    Conference, for 605 days there has been no functioning devolved government in Northern Ireland.

    That means the people of Northern Ireland have been without a government – no new policies developed and no Ministers taking decisions on the issues that matter to voters.

    Since starting this job, I have been working to get politicians back to Stormont because I believe that the people of Northern Ireland are best served by the MLAs they elected to take positions for them.

    People in Northern Ireland need their locally-elected politicians to take action to make Northern Ireland’s finances more sustainable; and to improve the health service there, where 22% of the population are on a waiting list – and there is, I’m afraid, a very long list of other things that need to be sorted.

    So I say to my friends in the unionist community we will continue working to answer your remaining concerns.

    You know and we know progress has been made and we are working in a constructive spirit. And it is clear that the vast majority of people and their political leaders want to get this done.

    Conference, it is the 25th anniversary year of the signing of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement.

    Since then Northern Ireland has come a tremendously long way.

    But for those 25 years victims, families, survivors, some of them, have been left without answers about what happened during the 30 years of The Troubles.

    This Conservative Government recently passed the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act.

    And whilst it delivers on a manifesto commitment we made to our Veterans – it’s also of genuine help to all those affected by the Troubles.

    It sets up a body that aims to provide answers and accountability to those who want it and is open to all victims of the Troubles.

    Conference, if I may, I’d very much like to thank Lord Caine sitting here at the front for steering this piece of legislation through – it’s massively changed over the course of the last year and it needed all of his immense skill and diplomacy throughout that time to get it over the line so thank you Jonathan.

    Keir Starmer wants to repeal this Act altogether but offers absolutely no alternative. Labour have flip-flopped on this issue going back to the days of Tony Blair and Peter Hain.

    Yet again it is a Conservative Government that’s made a hard but long-term decision to solve a problem that had been left unaddressed by Labour and would be undone by Starmer.

    Conference, Northern Ireland has come a long way and I know it can go even further.

    It’s thriving as a centre of creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship.

    Those 160 investors from across the globe who descended on Northern Ireland last month for our Investment Summit did so because they know that Northern Ireland has a very bright future.

    A bright future that’s brighter as being part of the United Kingdom.

    With its troubled past behind it;

    with its Executive back up and running – the opportunities available to the people of Northern Ireland are endless

    and the Union of the United Kingdom will be strengthened for decades to come.

    And this Conservative and Unionist Party

    And this Conservative Government will do all it can to help Northern Ireland on its journey to a brighter, prosperous future as an integral part of our United Kingdom.

    Thank you Conference.

  • Greg Hands – 2023 Speech at Conservative Party Conference

    Greg Hands – 2023 Speech at Conservative Party Conference

    The speech made by Greg Hands, the Conservative Party Chairman, in Manchester on 1 October 2023.

    Ladies and gentlemen, after a unique introduction it gives me great pleasure to welcome you to Conservative Party Conference 2023, here in the dynamic city of Manchester.

    When the Prime Minister asked me to take on this role – as your Party Chairman – I couldn’t have been more excited.

    Having been a member for 37 years and a representative at every level – Chairman of my university Conservatives, an elected student union officer, a ward chairman, a councillor, a Group Leader, an MP, a government Whip and a Cabinet Minister, I can truly say there is no greater privilege than to lead our great party into the next General Election, alongside our Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak.

    But we cannot do this alone and I am incredibly lucky to have a fantastic team of Conservatives who work tirelessly behind the scenes, and whom I’d like to thank personally for their dedication to our Party:

    Right here in the front row – Peter Booth, Chairman of the National Convention.

    Pete Smallwood, the Chairman of this years Conservative Party Conference, who you’ve just met.

    Stephen Massey, CCHQ’s Chief Executive Officer, who has helped to transform the Party’s finances since a year ago.

    Douglas Ross and Andrew RT Davies, you’ll hear from them shortly for their outstanding work in exposing the hypocrisy of what life is like under the SNP in Scotland, and Labour in Wales.

    And finally, my fantastic team of Deputy and Vice Chairmen;

    Nickie Aiken, Luke Hall, Lee Anderson, Jack Lopresti, Matthew Vickers, Craig Tracey, Saqib Bhatti, Mo Ali, and PPS Dr Ben Spencer.

    So, ladies and gentlemen – we are one big Conservative family – whether you have been a member for 50 years, like Edna from Brecon and Radnorshire.

    Or a member for a little over 12 months, like Leo from Bristol.

    As Chairman, I’ve had the great pleasure of campaigning in over 50 constituencies, and if I haven’t got to you yet, you can expect a visit very soon.

    And we have seen what happens when you do great campaigning.

    Look at Uxbridge: The week before, Labour was 25-1 on favourite – think about that, if you put £100 pounds on Labour winning, you’d only get £4 back – but we had strong policies, a superb turnout at all levels of the Party, and a first-class candidate in Steve Tuckwell…

    Please stand up. Steve Tuckwell MP! And he’s already getting stuck in at the House of Commons – a fantastic Parliamentary voice for the people of Uxbridge and South Ruislip. And proof that we can come from behind to win, as we have done so often before.

    I would ask that everyone takes the energy which went into winning in Uxbridge and gets out to support our fantastic current by-election candidates in Tamworth and Mid Bedfordshire, Andy Cooper and Festus Akinbusoye.

    By-elections aside…

    We will, of course, have several elections next year.

    A full set of local elections in May, with our Conservative councillors and council candidates, battling to control town halls, and run them better than Labour or the Lib Dems.

    Police and Crime Commissioner elections, led by our fantastic group leader, Katy Bourne, where we’ll be taking our message to voters, across the country that you are safer with a Conservative PCC.

    We also have our fantastic Mayors and candidates across the country standing for election next year; in the West Midlands, we have Andy Street, the East Midlands Ben Bradley, Tees Valley Ben Houchen, North Yorkshire Keane Duncan.

    And in London, GLA and Mayoral elections, as Pete has already said, a chance to throw out a Labour Mayor who’s been an unmitigated disaster for our great capital city:

    Proof that when Labour run things, they run them badly.

    But Londoners are starting to see through it, and we have a brilliant candidate, in Susan Hall, who will, on 2nd May, prove to Sadiq Khan, that, actually, Sadiq Khan’t.

    And we will – I don’t think I’m breaking any state secrets here – also have a general election, too.

    This is likely to be a general election, that the Conservatives enter as the underdogs.

    And I know in recent years, you will have had difficult conversations with voters: I certainly have.

    But I would say three things about those conversations:

    First, every single conversation I have had on the doorstep has been improved by the mention of Rishi Sunak and the job that he does as our Prime Minister

    Second, there is no enthusiasm for Keir Starmer, and even less trust in him

    Third, wherever Labour run something in the country, they run it badly

    Let me tell you first about our great Prime Minister.

    And the message coming across, loud and clear, from the doorstep, is that people can see we’re moving in the right direction,

    that the Conservatives are getting on with the job,

    and that Rishi Sunak, is the right man to steer this country through extremely challenging times.

    They understand, also, the tough choices, and trade-offs, that true leadership entails.

    They look at our Prime Minister, and see someone, who is prepared to make the tough, long-term, decisions to get the country, on the right path for our future. Someone who is not afraid to challenge the old style Westminster politics of short-termism that we have seen so much of in the past.

    That earns respect. It wins trust. And it will be, by continuing to win that trust and respect, that we will also win nationally, next year.

    Which takes me to my second point – that there is no liking for Sir Keir. And no trust.

    Who is the real Sir Keir Starmer?

    The friend and supporter of Jeremy Corbyn? The puppet of Tony Blair? Or the mouthpiece of Just Stop Oil?

    All we do know is that he has broken every single leadership pledge and flip-flopped almost sixty times in just three years. This is a man who will literally say anything that suits him at the time.

    I always thought that the best leaders wake up each morning, and ask themselves ‘What am I going to do today?’.

    Some leaders ask themselves ‘What am I going to say today?’

    Sir Keir wakes up and asks ‘What am I going to believe today?’

    Ladies and Gentlemen, can I let you into a secret – if anyone likes the association of Sir Keir with flip flops, I have these: available for just £16.99 here at the Conservative Party shop and also online at Conservatives.com, your own pair of Sir Keir Starmer flip flops and I’d warmly recommend them to you.

    But, not once, has there been any clear plan for Britain from Sir Keir. He is not honest with people about the challenges the country faces – he has no new ideas, criticises from the side-lines, calling for yet more money to be magicked up.

    Here’s another thing we know.

    That wherever Labour run something, they run it badly.

    I’ve already mentioned London. Look at Wales. We’re going to hear from Andrew RT Davies later this afternoon and David TC Davies, the Secretary of State for Wales. Patients almost twice as likely to be on the NHS waiting list as they are in England. But, according to Sir Keir, Labour in Wales is a “blueprint for what they would do in Westminster”.

    That’s not a blue print, Ladies and Gentlemen – it’s a red flag, and it’s running Wales to a standstill.

    Look at Labour-run Birmingham City Council. Its leader handpicked by Sir Keir and his union paymasters to sort out the finances. Praised by Sir Keir just a few months ago.

    So what did they do? They voted unanimously to bump up their own pay-packets, blow millions on consultants, all paid for by hiking council tax for hard-working local people by the maximum amount – this is Europe’s largest local authority.

    …before being hit by a £760 million legal bill for – and here’s the irony – equal pay claims. £760 million for one local authority.

    A Labour council that spent more time thinking up – you might remember this from the height of the pandemic – woke street names than looking after the finances. Birmingham City Council really did have a Diversity Grove, they had Inspire Avenue. And now they’re up Bankruptcy Avenue.

    And from what we do know of Labour’s plans for the UK, the entire country would go the same way.

    Labour’s plan for energy, lovingly crafted by Just Stop Oil, would leave us gasping for energy imports from unfriendly foreign powers.

    Their plan for immigration would see the numbers coming into this country decided not by us, but by Brussels.

    And their plan for the economy has already signed the UK up to £90 billion of uncosted funding commitments.

    Because putting money on the credit card didn’t work out so well for them so well last time…

    You can probably work out where this is going!

    ‘Dear Chief Secretary. No money left’

    That reminder is why we must work to stop Labour getting back in. We cannot let them do the UK what they have done in Wales, what they have done to London and what they have done to Birmingham.

    There is a sure-fire way to stop them in their tracks. It’s through effective campaigning, ladies and gentlemen, and winning next year at all levels.

    Let me tell you something about someone who knew a thing or two about campaigning…

    … a much-loved member of our Conservative family who represented his constituents with the utmost dedication.

    Sir David Amess, Member of Parliament first for Basildon and then for Southend West.

    Many of us will remember his campaigns on issues including the honouring of Raoul Wallenberg for his amazing humanitarian works in WW2, support for those suffering from endometriosis, and of course the awarding of city status to his beloved Southend-on-Sea.

    And I know many of us remember well – I’ll never forget the day – the deeply shocking circumstances of his murder in the course of duty.

    Today, in his memory, I am proud to launch the Sir David Amess Fund, to support more dedicated local campaigning.

    The Sir David Amess Fund will be available to all Members of Parliament to apply for.

    The fund will be focused on supporting local campaigns which transcend party politics, such as campaigning to secure city status for your town.

    There will be two successful applicants each year, with funding made available to support them campaign on and better promote their local worthy cause.

    And I’m delighted to confirm that Anna Firth MP, Sir David’s successor in Southend West who’s watching this now on the train up to Manchester, will work with me to pick those successful applicants.

    So today I make one other announcement: to help get local campaigns up and running.

    As Chairman, I know the value of being well organised locally and the importance of CCHQ having a strong network of Campaign Managers has in helping make that happen.

    That is why since the start of the year we have more than doubled the number of Campaign Managers that CCHQ employs.

    And for the first time ever, we have also started to hire Digital Campaign Managers aswell.

    They are helping to build our social media presence, collecting more emails and filming engaging local content.

    We saw just how important our Digital Campaign Managers were in Uxbridge where we campaigned relentlessly on social media and email against the ULEZ.

    And Conference: I want to ensure you know; we will be expanding the number of Campaign Managers we have in advance of the General Election to support you on the ground.

    Whilst we will be growing the number in the period up to the next General Election, I have also challenged my colleagues in CCHQ to find sensible and creative solutions for the long-term, to ensure the feast and famine of Campaign Managers we’ve seen in recent years ends.

    I want to ensure that we are looking forward and growing a sustainable, well trained, and experienced campaigning organisation.

    Conference, I will leave you with one final thought.

    As we go out and campaign…

    As we make our arguments…

    We shouldn’t be apologetic about what a Conservative government led by Rishi Sunak means. It means strong and decisive long-term action on the things that matter most to people, action that the country needs to put us on the best footing for the future.

    When I look back at the achievements of this country under the Conservatives, I take great pride. I have been a Minister in this government almost continually for 12 years.

    Pride that, back in 2010, we made the tough choices to get the country’s finances back under control. That has made us more able to withstand the headwinds that have come our way since.

    Pride that we kept our great Union together in 2014 – and thank you, Nicola, for your help cementing that this year as well.

    Pride that when the British people asked us to deliver on the result of the EU Referendum, we kept true to our word and got it done.

    Pride that we used those new freedoms to deliver a world-leading vaccination programme and help beat Coronavirus, and provide the financial support that British families and businesses needed.

    And pride that, just a year and a half ago, it was the UK that stood tall, and galvanised the rest of the world in support of Ukraine.

    So, Ladies and Gentlemen, conference, the United Kingdom is a great country.

    It faces profound and complex challenges like the whole of the Western world world.

    But our best days in Britain are still to come.

    This country is best served by strong decisive leadership that is focused on delivering a brighter future for everyone.

    The leadership of our Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and this great Conservative Party,

    And by working together, as a great Conservative family, we can ensure victory in 2024, economic renewal, and a stronger, happier United Kingdom.

    Thank you very much.

  • John Whittingdale – 2023 Speech at Connected Britain 2023

    John Whittingdale – 2023 Speech at Connected Britain 2023

    The speech made by John Whittingdale, the Minister for Digital Infrastructure, in London on 20 September 2023.

    Good afternoon and thank you to Connected Britain for inviting me to speak and for convening an event that is more interesting and important than ever.

    I’m delighted to be here in the Docklands today – there are few better places to celebrate the things which keep us connected.

    Because for centuries, it was the Docklands around us that brought Britain to the world – and the world to Britain, bringing growth, prosperity and opportunity for millions.

    Today, connectivity matters just as much – the economy of the future won’t be powered by sail or coal, boat or barge – it will be powered by digital infrastructure.

    Because it is only with connectivity that we can deliver on our ambition to build the most innovative economy in the world.

    Embedding innovation in our economy must deliver real benefits for each and every British person. For that very reason, this government is on a mission to ensure that communities and businesses up and down the country have the secure, reliable and high-quality connectivity they need.

    That connectivity is, and will continue to be, an engine of economic growth – creating jobs, and delivering the kind of bold new discoveries which will put the UK right at the cutting edge of science and technology.

    Our plan to make that mission a success is clear, comprehensive, and unapologetically ambitious.

    First and foremost, we remain relentlessly focused on working with the telecoms industry to drive the deployment of fixed and wireless broadband, to deliver the connectivity which British people need today.

    But even as we do that, we’re looking ahead to tomorrow, by investing in the technologies that will transform the telecoms industry and the global economy.

    And finally, we’re ensuring at every stage that our telecoms networks are secure and resilient.

    So I want to take today as an opportunity to talk through this 3-step plan for success, and what it means for you.

    Extending fixed and wireless coverage

    Driving the deployment of fixed and wireless broadband is a centrepiece of the government’s work.

    We have set an ambitious goal to ensure future proof and resilient gigabit broadband to 85% of the UK by 2025 and to over 99% by 2030 and we continue to make progress towards meeting this ambition. Working in partnership with industry and Ofcom, our policies have helped us collectively increase gigabit broadband to 77% up from just 6% in 2018, largely driven by competition.

    We remain firmly committed to wholesale competition in the broadband market being the best strategy to meet our strategic objectives.

    And so we continue to establish an environment which encourages competition and investment by removing practical barriers to deployment and reducing regulatory barriers to investment and innovation where necessary.

    The Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act, passed last year, sets out a number of measures that will make a real difference in the pace at which apparatus can be installed, upgraded and shared.

    A number of the provisions have already come into play and we are firmly committed to implementing all provisions in the Act before the end of 2024.

    We are funding a further trial of a more flexible permitting system for street works in England, giving fixed line operators more freedom when installing fibre in the ground. Launching in early 2024, these new ‘flexi-permits’ could significantly accelerate broadband rollout.

    Through the government’s Geospatial Commission, we are also working with asset owners, to build a digital map of the pipes and cables beneath our feet.

    The National Underground Asset Register is revolutionising the way we install, maintain, operate and repair our buried infrastructure and will deliver at least £350 million per year of economic growth, whilst also improving worker safety.

    The emerging service has been launched in parts of England with plans to extend it to the rest of England this autumn, and to Northern Ireland in spring. If you’re not yet taking part – I’d urge you to join others like CityFibre, Virgin Media O2, COLT, Gigaclear and Nynet by getting involved as soon as possible.

    We continue to deliver on our mission to bring fast and reliable connectivity to hard-to-reach places across the UK. Under the £5 billion Project Gigabit, we already have 39 procurements and contracts underway, making over £2 billion of funding available to improve broadband connections for up to 1.1 million premises.

    In addition, our voucher scheme has already benefited communities across the country; with the help of our partners, we recently passed a major milestone: 100,000 vouchers have now been used to fund gigabit broadband connections for people in rural places from the Scottish Highlands to the Jurassic Coast.

    We are trialling satellite connectivity and other innovative technologies to provide faster and reliable connectivity to the most remote areas of the UK.

    Earlier this year the government announced an £8 million fund to provide capital grants to further promote new satellite connectivity to the most remote 35,000 premises.

    On the deployment of mobile connectivity – through the Shared Rural Network, the government and industry are jointly investing over £1 billion to increase 4G mobile coverage to 95% of the UK’s landmass by the end of the programme, up from 93% today and 91% when the SRN deal was signed back in March 2020.

    We also want to ensure that all parts of the UK benefit from 5G. Basic non-standalone 5G has been made available to outside 85% of premises.

    But this is only the start of the UK’s 5G future. Widespread adoption of 5G could see up to £159 billion in productivity benefits by 2035.

    We recognise that the deployment of basic, non-standalone 5G, will not be enough to unlock these benefits.

    Our Wireless Infrastructure Strategy, published in April this year, announced an ambition – backed by the industry – to deliver high-quality, standalone 5G to all populated areas by 2030.

    But we recognise that operators will continue to face challenges when investing in 5G. Through the Strategy, we have set out how we will improve the investment climate for 5G by reducing costs, increasing revenues, and making sure that regulation is not a barrier to innovation.

    To support this, we have asked Ofcom to review its approach to setting spectrum licence fees to ensure they continue to promote the efficient use of spectrum and support a strong investment environment. We are also working closely with Ofcom as it updates the net neutrality guidelines to provide clear and up to date guidance for industry.

    We will also continue with our work through the Barrier Busting Task Force to tackle the barriers preventing the fast, efficient and cost-effective deployment of gigabit-capable and 5G networks.

    Supporting rural communities and businesses to access high quality connectivity is a [personal] priority for both myself and the Secretary of State.

    Our 10 point plan for rural connectivity restated our commitment to ensuring that rural economies benefit from the opportunities that come with better connectivity.

    To support this plan, is the appointment of Simon Fell MP as Rural Connectivity Champion. I know Simon has already met many of you here today. He will report to DSIT and Defra Secretaries of State next year on how government can continue to support rural communities to access and adopt advanced wireless connectivity.

    Earlier this year, we launched our 5G Innovation Regions programme, which will invest up to £40 million to help local and regional authorities realise the benefits of 5G and advanced wireless connectivity. Each 5G Innovation Region will develop a framework to stimulate the adoption of 5G-enabled technologies and services. I am looking forward to announcing the successful regions later in the autumn.

    Accelerating 5G adoption will be key to unlocking additional growth and productivity gains.

    I am pleased to say that today we are announcing the winners of our Smart Infrastructure Pilots Programme. The winning local authorities are Cambridgeshire County Council, Oxfordshire County Council, North Ayrshire Council, Westminster City Council Tees Valley Combined Authority, and the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames.

    The 6 winning pilots authorities will share £1.3 million of funding to procure and test smart multi-purpose street columns for wireless coverage and other uses, such as electric vehicle charging and environmental monitoring. – We are thoroughly looking forward to seeing how the successful local authorities can make a difference.

    Looking ahead, we know that upgrades are a critical element of modernising our telecoms networks. We are working closely with Ofcom and the industry to ensure consumers and sectors are protected and prepared for the Public Switched Telephone Network switch off and the sunsetting of 2G and 3G mobile services.

    Connectivity is essential for full participation in society and we know that the recent rise in the cost of living has been difficult for many households across the country.

    I want to recognise the great work of the industry in ensuring that households, including low income families are able to get and stay online. There are now 27 providers of social tariffs and government continues to work in partnership with Ofcom and industry to support those who are struggling to pay.

    Connectivity for the future

    As well as delivering connectivity today we are also looking ahead to focus on the opportunities that telecoms will bring to the UK tomorrow.

    The government has identified future telecoms as one of the 5 critical technologies that will underpin the transformation of modern British society and our economy.

    The next generation of telecoms, including 6G, should see a huge leap in digital transformation. From the expansion of satellite communications to provide near universal coverage and reducing the rural connectivity divide – to the use of drones in networks to provide energy efficient and flexible deployment.

    We will build our existing strengths in foundational research and early-stage innovation to ensure that new discoveries benefit the British public and put us at the heart of the global telecoms market, delivering our ambition to be a science and tech superpower.

    Earlier this year, we announced our plans to initially invest up to £100 million to support innovators and ensure the UK is a pioneer in future telecoms and 6G research and development. We expect competitions to launch in early October and welcome the robust enthusiasm from the sector to-date! I’m excited to see the pioneering work the winners will be working on over the next few years.

    We also continue to ensure the UK has a leading voice on the global stage and the opportunity to work closely with international partners to shape the rules and standards that govern global telecoms networks.

    We are already delivering on our 6G strategy, most recently at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in June, by ensuring that national priorities such as coverage, sustainability, security and interoperability are recognised internationally as a minimum expectation for 6G.

    And at the heart of all of this work to ensure advanced connectivity is the effective management of Spectrum which we set out in our Spectrum Statement earlier this year which sets out our plans to ensure that spectrum supports growth while protecting critical services and that we will also continue to advocate for the UK at key international fora, including this year’s World Radio Congress.

    A key element of this work is to develop and enhance spectrum sharing in the UK. Ofcom’s 2019 spectrum sharing framework was a ground-breaking step, but industry let us know that more can be done to improve the framework and help us to get more out of this finite resource. We’re working closely with Ofcom on options for spectrum sandboxes and we’re looking forward to the introduction of automation across shared spectrum bands early next year.

    Security and resilience

    As connectivity becomes more central to our lives and to the economy, so does the importance of secure and resilient digital infrastructure.

    I am pleased that, thanks to new laws, we now have one of the strongest telecoms security regimes in the world. We have introduced a robust new telecoms security framework, through the Telecommunications Security Act and subsequent regulations. The Act placed new obligations on telecoms operators and also created new national security powers, which we have used to issue directions to telecoms operators to control their use of Huawei’s goods and services within the UK’s telecoms networks.

    As technologies grow and evolve, we are firmly committed to protecting our networks, shielding our critical national infrastructure and understanding how we should ensure new telecoms networks are designed, built and managed securely.

    Following the government’s decision to remove Huawei from UK 5G networks and the need to mitigate the risks of long-term consolidation in the telecoms equipment market, our 5G Supply Chain Diversification Strategy sets out a plan to ensure the UK has a healthy and competitive telecoms supply chain market.

    The strategy is backed by the £250 million Open Networks R&D Fund which will accelerate the adoption of OpenRAN technology, allowing more suppliers to provide equipment and help diversify the market.

    I was delighted to announce last week 19 new projects which will be recipients of funding through the Open Networks R&D Fund. These projects were successful in applying for the Open Network Ecosystem (ONE) competition. With £88 million of funding, the ONE projects will help boost the technical capabilities of the UK’s open telecoms ecosystem. The UK will see trials of new mobile tech designed to increase the resilience of the UK mobile network.

    To further strengthen our network resilience, we have set an ambition, jointly with the mobile operators, for 35% traffic to be carried over OpenRAN by 2030.

    We are strengthening our collaboration with international partners to shape and stimulate the global market, putting the UK at the forefront of the global debate.

    I was pleased to open the UK’s first International Telecoms Conference in June, where we announced a new Memorandum of Understanding to deepen our cooperation with Australia. We are also working closely with partners in industry and academia to help ensure the standards shaping our networks are fit for purpose and enable the open and interoperable technologies that we need.

    So as the government creates the right policy framework for digital connectivity across the UK, we need to work together to use this as a springboard to drive investment, adoption and innovation, to really level up and boost our economy across the union.

    We can only build an economy that delivers for communities across the country together.

    With this 3-step plan, I am confident that we will.

    Thank you.