Labour's Deputy Leader, Harriet Harman's speech at the 2009 Labour Party Annual Conference:

Thank you.

Cath Speight our NEC chair, Ray Collins our General Secretary  both of you have worked so hard not just at this conference but throughout the last 12 months.  We’re really grateful to you.  You’re team players and you’ve worked closely together.

You’ve got so much in common

You both came up through the unions

You both love the party

And most importantly, you both think Cath’s husband is really hot.

And our team of Labour party staff have worked so hard to make everything run smoothly – thank you – you are second to none.
 
And we have made progress on equality – even in the Sun.  On page 3 today there’s a young woman who’s really concerned about jobs for women as well as men. And what a coincidence – she’s called Harriet, aged 20,  from Peckham.  The only problem is that Harriet is so concerned about jobs that she’s forgotten to get dressed.

This has been a great conference –

there have been packed fringe meetings and lively receptions.

In the BAME meeting we were fighting back against the BNP

In the local government reception we were fighting for good local services

And in the youth reception it was so hot we were fighting for breath.

But Conference the highlight of this week was Gordon’s brilliant speech.

And after Sarah’s moving  introduction of Gordon on Tuesday I had secretly hoped that Jack might offer to do something similar for me today but for some obscure reason he hasn’t.  He’s remained strangely silent.

And I want to pay tribute to Peter Mandelson’s speech

Tony Blair said that new labour will have come of age when Labour loves Peter

Gordon talked about his special relationship with Peter.

And as for me and Peter, I think it’s taken us both by surprise.   Things are moving so fast I’m even thinking of taking him home to meet my mum.

Friends, this really has been our most important conference for more than a decade.

We have come together at this conference and we have re-ignited the fire of our passion and commitment.

You have shown – at this conference – that Labour’s team is fighting back.

This country needs a Labour government – there could not be more at stake.

We will put apprenticeships and help for young people at the top of our agenda. And protect the next generation.

We will fight for the future of our manufacturing industry and for new green jobs.

We will fight for fairness and equality

We will not let the Tories off the hook

Labour stands up for the country as a whole. But above all we stand up for the people who need the power of government to ensure that they have opportunity and dignity in their life, for themselves and for their families.

We continue to fight the poison and racism of the BNP.

We continue to show the broken promises of the SNP

We continue to expose the shambles of the  Lib/Dems Nick Clegg says he wants change. They change their policies depending on where they are and what day of the week it is.

Nick Clegg says he’s the man for change.  But I don’t think the British people will trust him even with their loose change.

Conference our resolve is needed now,

To bring the economy out a global recession triggered by bankers who enriched themselves as they brought the world to the brink of bankruptcy.

And Alistair Darling has taken a lead – we are the first in the G20 to make the banks change their ways on bonuses.

Gordon told us that there will be no going back to business as usual. 

It was Gordon who charted the way forward - not only for this country but for the world.

We heard that here at our conference from the Prime Minister of Spain.  We heard that – here at our conference -  from the Prime Minister of Norway.  That was recognised by world leaders  when  they chose Gordon as their world statesman of the year.

We all know that without Gordon’s leadership, with David Cameron’s policies – this country would have faced

not just a recession – from which we are beginning to recover –

but a devastating global depression - which would have lasted a decade.

And Gordon, we are proud of what you have done for Britain over the last 12 months.

A Labour government has given people real help to cope through the recession.

Our task as a government is to make sure that we keep on with that help –

Our task as a party is to make sure that we don’t let the Tories wreck it.

Like building 20,000 new affordable homes, most of which will be council homes,  the Tories oppose it

Like the car scrappage scheme. – the Tories opposed it

Like backing up families where both mother and father go out to work  and often, now care for older relatives too. The Tories oppose it.

We mended the roof when the sun shone – the Tory plans would be like a wrecking ball which would demolish the recovery.

When it comes to public investment and public services, let’s be clear about something.

This is not just a question of their misjudgement

Its not a question of competing sets of figures

This is a question of what you believe in.

The Tories see public investment as a millstone round the country’s neck and a drain on the public purse – we see public services as a vital part of what makes Britain prosperous and fair.

The Tories opposed every single policy which has helped us get out of recession and protect those who would have been hardest hit.

The Tories are eagerly planning cuts to vital public services

The Tories oppose our new 50% tax rate for income over £150,000 and pledge instead to cut inheritance tax for the wealthiest.

They’re beginning to set out their stall for the General Election – and it’s going to be a millionaires’ manifesto.

Gone is Cameron’s faltering attempt to move towards a more progressive position. The Tories are back to their true nature.

To know the Tory plans for the Health Service – look at what Daniel Hannan said in America

To know the Tory plans for turning against international co-operation and international trade  – look at what Daniel Hannan says in Europe

To know the Tory plans to turn back progress to equality – look at Hannan’s homophobic, racist friends in Europe

Hannon is not the eccentric fringe.  He is the beating heart of the Tory party.

Throughout our party’s history, Labour has been a team.

our members

our MPs, MEPs, our Labour representatives in Scotland, in Wales and London.

We’ve seen our team of new parliamentary candidates at this conference.  They will bring a breath of air into the PLP and into parliament.

Our team of councillors who face important elections next year too – and we are determined  to win back London councils including my own borough of Southwark.

Our team of  trade union members

You in the Trade Union movement are a vital part of Labour’s team – at local and at national level. You campaign with us on the doorsteps and you help us shape policies for people at work.  Last month Gordon invited leading members of the TUC General Council to Chequers.  We made plans to improve our public services, to increase childcare, to extend apprenticeships. We share so much in common but we don’t agree about everything.  And Derek Simpson did have one serious complaint, that as far as he was concerned chequers was just too small.  Sorry Derek!

Every single one of you – every part of Labour’s team -  is now crucial  to our General Election Campaign and to the future of this country.

Let no-one underestimate the strength of our belief .

Let no-one question the depth of our values and

let no one doubt our commitment

Every day, every week, every month between now and the General Election

We will be confident

We will committed

We will  campaigning

We are not going to be told by the Tories that it is their turn, their right to lead the country.

We are not going to be told by the media that it is the Tories turn, the Tories right, to lead this country.

A free press is an important part of our democracy.  It must be free and it must be fair. The press does not decide who will govern this country.  The people do.

And watch out for the Tories arrogance next week. Cameron will be all synthetic humility  - but make no mistake. The Tories are arrogant through and through.  They are measuring up for the curtains in Downing Street. Taking the voters for granted

Well, we will prove them wrong.

It is a massive privilege to be Deputy leader of our great party – and in every region I go to,  and in Scotland and in Wales – I never fail to be inspired by the dedication and commitment of our members.

You are the custodians of our values and you are the army of activists who will redouble your efforts to prove the Tories wrong .

We leave this conference with a clear sense of direction. The choices are set out here .

We leave this conference with a new sense of determination.

Gordon has said

Young people will not be left on the dole but will get jobs, training and apprenticeships

And we will take that message onto the doorstep

Gordon has said that we will set up a National Care Service for the elderly  - as ambitious an undertaking as the NHS which Labour founded.

And we will take that message into our local communities.

Gordon has said we will help the hard-working majority, not the privileged few

And we will take that message out into our local communities.

We are determined.

We are committed.

Together we’ll fight for those we represent.

Together we’ll fight for a prosperous and fair Britian.

And most importantly, we’ll fight to win.